Lesson Plans
Frida Kahlo
Materials: Frida by Jonah Winter, Frida Kahlo by Mike Venezia, KWLS chart for each student (or notebook paper), several pads of Post-It® notes, and large sheet of butcher or bulletin paper
Estimated time: 45 minutes
Steps:
| 1. | Define biography with the students. |
| 2. | Distribute one KWLS chart to each student or have each student write their own. |
| 3. | Ask students to complete the first two columns on the subject of Frida Kahlo. |
| 4. | Read aloud Frida by Jonah Winter. |
| 5. | Students will complete columns three and four of KWLS chart. |
| 6. | Students will share and collaborate with a partner condensing their charts to one entry for each column, written on four Post-It® notes. |
| 7. | Each note will be attached to the large butcher paper KWLS chart hanging in the room. |
| 8. | Class discussion of items on the chart, eliminating any duplicates. |
| 9. | Students will write a brief summary of Frida Kahlo. |
| 10. | Create new chart or separate current chart in two for the next book. |
| 11. | Ask students to complete the first two columns on the subject of Frida Kahlo. |
| 12. | Read aloud Frida Kahlo by Mike Venezia. |
| 13. | Repeat steps 5 — 9. |
| 14. | Discuss differences between texts and author's purpose and intended audience of each book. |
| 15. | Assign a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting these two books using the information discussed. |
Chronological Order Paragraph and Timeline
Materials: worksheet containing eight events from Kahlo's life (provided earlier), a list of time transitional words (some have been provided earlier)
Estimated time: 30 minutes
Steps:
| 1. | Distribute handout of events in Frida Kahlo's life and handout of time transitional words. |
| 2. | Students will cut and organize the events in chronological order in the form of a timeline or simply rewrite them in correct order. |
| 3. | Students will use the timeline to write a chronological paragraph of Kahlo's life using time transitional words. |
Diego Rivera
Materials: Several children's biographies of Diego Rivera (suggestions are listed in the annotated bibliography), cardstock/poster/construction paper, examples of Rivera's work
Estimated time: two class periods
Steps:
| 1. | Small groups will read biographies of Diego Rivera. |
| 2. | Each group will create a visually pleasing timeline of Rivera's life. |
| 3. | Each group will write a chronological summary based on the timeline. |
| 4. | Each group will write two cause and effect relationships that took place in Rivera's life. |
| 5. | Each group will choose their favorite Rivera painting. |
| 6. | Oral presentations by each group will be heard. |
Individual Biographies
Materials: Preprinted pages of short biographies to hand to students, construction paper, glue or staples for attaching information to construction paper
Estimated time: Approximately two class periods.
Steps:
| 1. | Assign each student a person whose biography they will read from the biographies provided by A & E Biography website. (The variation on this is to take the students to the computer lab and they will choose the biography they want to read.) |
| 2. | Students will synthesize the information into three parts: chronology of events, cause and effect in the person's life, opinion statement of why the person was influential. |
| 3. | The above information will be placed on a sheet of construction paper for presentation purposes. |
| 4. | Student will present the information they learned in reading their biography. |
Alphabet Autobiography
Materials: journal, index cards, fastener (yarn, brad, or ring)
Estimated time: two weeks, partly in class and partly at home
Steps:
| 1. | In their notebook or journal students will divide a few pages into twenty-six parts and label with the letters of the alphabet. |
| 2. | Students will write one word or phrase in each section using the appropriate letter and describing themselves. A sentence using the word in context should also be written. Continue this step until each letter contains two words and two corresponding sentences. |
| 3. | Students will narrow the choices to one entry per alphabet letter deciding which the better of the two choices is. |
| 4. | Students will write one creative and descriptive paragraph for each topic making sure to keep the information truthful. Paragraphs should be three to five sentences. |
| 5. | Use both sides of the index card to write each paragraph. One alphabet letter and paragraph per side. |
| 6. | Students will create front and back covers. |
| 7. | Bind the books. |
| 8. | Students will orally present the covers and three sections of the book. |
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