Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary: A Thematic Unit

39 Pages·2013·0.53 MB·English

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This packet contains everything you need to create a
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Candace Fleming.
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3rd-5th
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Comprehension, Prediction, Fables/Morals,
Vocabulary, Compare/Contrast, Fact/Opinion,
Inference, & Pictorial Representations
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Individual Assignments or Cut/Paste into an
Interactive Notebook
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AAAAbbbboooouuuutttt tttthhhheeee BBBBooooooookkkk----The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School is a collection of contemporary
fables about a hilariously rambunctious group of kids, fearlessly led by a globetrotting, Mayan ceremonial-
robe-wearing teacher named Mr. Jupiter.
AAAAbbbboooouuuutttt tttthhhheeee AAAAuuuutttthhhhoooorrrr----Candace Fleming is the author of numerous books for children, including Ben Franklin's
Almanac, an ALA Notable Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, as well as Muncha!
Muncha! Muncha!, Gabriella's Song, and When Agnes Caws, all ALA Notable Books.
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•Does anyone you know always use an expression to explain something? Examples might be “If you wrinkle
your face up it will stay that way,” or “do as I say, not as I do,” or “if you eat too much candy your teeth will
fall out.” Make a list of expressions people you know use.
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•Does anyone in your family tell stories? What are their stories about? Do they talk about adventures they
had when they were younger?
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•Think about teachers you have had in the past. This person could be a school teacher, a music teacher, a
coach or someone from a church, camp or after-school club. Can you remember a time when they did
something strange, memorable, or extra-special?
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Aesop may have lived in ancient Greece (620-560 BC) and he may have been a slave. Many of the fables
he is credited with writing were actually created long before his lifetime. Today the phrase “Aesop’s
Fables” has become a general term to describe any collection of brief fables, usually involving personified
animals.
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Fables, short stories that teach a moral or lesson, have been around almost as long as spoken language.
Their roots go back to India, where they were connected to the mystical sage Kasyapa, and were
adopted by the early Buddhists. It is thought that Socrates changed Aesop’s fables into verse while he
was in prison. Demetrius Phalereus, another Greek philosopher, created the first collection of these
fables around 300 B.C, which was then translated into Latin by the slave Phaedrus, around 25 B.C. Around
A.D. 230, Babrius retranslated the fables from these two collections into Greek. The collection was later
translated to Arabic and Hebrew, with additional fables from these cultures being added.
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•In small groups, preview the list of morals and brainstorm a hypothetical situation for which each moral
might apply. For example: “You can’t judge a book by its cover” could relate to a new student in class
who looks different from everyone else. Perhaps he/she is beautiful/rich/outgoing and everyone is in awe
until they see an uglier side. Or perhaps a family sits down to a meal that looks unappetizing but tastes
wonderful.
•Put groups together and have them share their probable plots with each other.
•As a class, Look at four or five fables. What elements do all the fables share? Are they different in any
way? Remember the storytelling elements: every story needs a beginning, middle and end; the story
needs characters, a setting, and a conflict; the moral of a fable comes at the end after a
conflict/problem has been resolved. Use your discoveries to support the following activities.
•Extensions:
Act it out: Have the students create a short play/skit based on their scenario. Have each group perform
their final piece for the rest of the class. OOOORRRR
Write a story: Have the students write a story based on one of the scenarios they discussed. Illustrate
if desired and share with the rest of the class.
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It is one thing to talk about it, another to do it. (Mr. Jupiter Goes Fourth)
He laughs best who laughs last. (The Absent Minded Morning)
You can’t judge a book by its cover. (The Librarian in Love)
Try to please all, and you end up by pleasing none. (Picture Day)
It is wise to prepare for today for the wants of tomorrow. (Dance, Stanford, Dance)
Be careful what you wish for, it might come true. (Calvin Goes to Kindergarten)
Liars are not believed even when they tell the truth. (The Boy Who Cried Lunch Monitor)
One good turn deserves another. (Please Don’t Tease Ashley Z.)
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. (Pffft!)
Slow and steady wins the race. (There Once Was a Man from Dancart)
In times of dire need, clever thinking is the key. (The Bad, the Beautiful, and the Stinky)
Necessity is the mother of invention. (Dewey or Don’t We?)
Half a handful is better than none. (Ham and Beans)
Honesty is the best policy. (Missy’s Lost Mittens)
No act of kindness—no matter how big or how small—is ever wasted. (Sticks and Stones)
Time is often wasted on things of little consequence. (March Madness)
Misery loves company. (Catch!)
Those who pretend to be what they are not, sooner or later find themselves in deep water. (The Problem with Being Earnest)
Practice what you preach. (Humphrey’s Lunch)
Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. (The Spelling Goddess)
Appearances aren’t everything. (First Kiss)
There is a time and place for everything. (Mr. Jupiter Tables the Fifth)
Chapters One & Two
Vocabulary: Fill in the ten words from these two chapters that you were unsure of or didn’t understand
within the context of the story.
1) ________________________________________ 2) _______________________________________
3) _______________________________________ 4) _______________________________________
5) _______________________________________ 6) _______________________________________
7) _______________________________________ 8) _______________________________________
9) _______________________________________ 10) _______________________________________
Comprehension: Answer the following questions to share with the class.
1) Why hasn’t the principal, Mrs. Struggles, separated these troublemakers before going into fourth grade?
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2) According to Mr. Jupiter’s conversation with Mrs. Struggles, what might his résumé look like? Do you think he is qualified
for the job as the new fourth-grade teacher?
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4) Mr. Jupiter smiles, “I’m glad to know my students have a sense of humor.” Why does he make this remark?
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5) The students are trying to get a reaction from Mr. Jupiter by behaving badly. Summarize the activities they use.
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6) Once the students decide they should take the directapproach to get to Mr. Jupiter, what ideas do they have for rattling
Mr. Jupiter?
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“It is one thing to talk about it, another to do it.”
How does this moral apply to Chapter One? Have you ever encountered a similar situation?
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Chapters Three & Four
Vocabulary: Fill in the ten words from these two chapters that you were unsure of or didn’t understand
within the context of the story.
1) ________________________________________ 2) _______________________________________
3) _______________________________________ 4) _______________________________________
5) _______________________________________ 6) _______________________________________
7) _______________________________________ 8) _______________________________________
9) _______________________________________ 10) _______________________________________
Comprehension: Design a Comic Strip based on either Chapter Three or Four.
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
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“He laughs best who laughs last.”
How does this moral apply to Chapter Three? Have you ever encountered a similar situation?
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“You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
How does this moral apply to Chapter Four? Have you ever encountered a similar situation?
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Chapters One – Four Review
The soon-to-be fourth graders at Aesop Elementary School had a reputation for being –“Precocious,”
said their former first-grade teacher; Ms. Bucky. She ground her teeth. “High-energy,” added their
second-grade teacher, Mrs. Chen. The muscle beneath her jaw twitched. “Robust,” agreed their third-grade
teacher; Mr. Frost. He patted his now all-white hair. “Humph!” snorted Bertha Bunz, the lunchroom monitor.
“Those kids are just plain naughty.” Because she wasn’t a teacher; Mrs. Bunzfelt free to speak the
truth.
ARTFUL ARTIST:
It is your job to draw a picture related to the paragraph above.
Think about the comments that have been made about this group of students. What do you see these
students doing or acting like that has the teachers making these comments about them and feeling
wore out?
The class I have illustrated shows
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Chapters Five & Six
Vocabulary: Fill in the ten words from these two chapters that you were unsure of or didn’t understand within
the context of the story.
1) ________________________________________ 2) _______________________________________
3) _______________________________________ 4) _______________________________________
5) _______________________________________ 6) _______________________________________
7) _______________________________________ 8) _______________________________________
9) _______________________________________ 10) _______________________________________
Character List: Use the space below to describe each character you have met so far. Include physical
characteristics as well as personality traits.
1) Humphrey Parrot-
2) Bruce Vanderbanter-
3) Lenny Wittier-
4) Bernadette Braggadocio-
5) Missy Place-
6) Rose Clutterdorf-
7) Lillian Ditty-
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9) Jackie Jumpbaugh-
10) Ashley Zamboni-
11) Ashlee A-
12) Ashleigh Brown-
13) AmishaSpelwadi-
14) EmberleeEverclass=
15) Rachel Piffle=
16) Victoria Sovaine-
17) Melvin Moody-
18) StandfordBinet=
19) Calvin Tallywong-
20) Mrs. Struggles=
21) Mr. Jupiter-
22) Paige Turner-
23) _________________________________
24) _________________________________
25) _________________________________