Sample Reading Lesson Plan for Third and Fourth Grade
Based on the Spiderman comics series
Grades: Third grade, Fourth grade
Overview: This lesson uses Spiderman comics to engage students with reading in a graphic format. The lesson can easily be adapted to any comic book.
Materials:
- A variety of Spiderman comic books (from easy reading level to harder).
- Paper and writing tools
Lesson-Specific Vocabulary Concepts:
- Sounding out: stamina, strength, intellect, armor
- Blends: venue, victory, opponent, synchronized, referee, alpine, podium
- Segmentation: ambush, multitude, defend
- Soft c and g: genius, gadgets
- Silent letters: fighter
- Double vowels: villain, genius, speed, recruit, companion, foes
- Endings: terrifying, allies
Preparation: Place the materials on a table to engage students’ interest in the lesson.
Instructions for Conducting the Lesson:
|
Step |
What to do |
Component Addressed |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Write these three sentences on the board: “With great power comes great responsibility.” “Be who you are.” “Do good things even if you don’t get the credit.” (See the notes below.) Divide students into three groups. Each group takes one statement, discuss what they think it means, and reports to the class. |
Oral Language Development, Comprehension |
|
2 |
Time is running out! Have students quickly look through a comic book and in 2 minutes make a list of the hardest words they find or words they don’t think their classmates will know the meaning of. (They can’t choose character’s names). Take the words noted the most often and discuss the meanings. |
Phonics, Vocabulary |
|
3 |
Take words from students’ list and/or vocabulary lists to model and discuss sounding out, adding/deleting sounds, blending, segmenting, double vowel words, or other skills needed. |
Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary |
|
4 |
Pair up students (strong reader and a lower one). Have them read aloud, both students at the same time. Then let them reread the story by parts, either by character or by scene. Rotate from group to group to help with pronunciation and pacing and to ask probing questions that will be used in the class discussion. |
Fluency, Phonics, Oral Language Development, Comprehension |
|
5 |
Have the pairs draw and write a new scene that would fit into the story. |
Vocabulary, Phonics, Comprehension |
|
6 |
Join 2 groups together to read and share their new scene and to explain why they decided upon that particular scene and wording. |
Oral Language Development |
|
7 |
Return to the beginning three sentences and lead a discussion with students. Students should give examples from what they read that would related to each of the sentences. Have them write their opinion on their favorite phrase. |
Oral Language Development, Vocabulary, Comprehension |
Starter Discussion Questions:
|
Questions |
Blooms Level / DOK Level |
|---|---|
|
Where is this story taking place? Who are the key characters? |
Remember / Recall & Reproduction |
|
What problem is Spiderman trying to solve? Who do you think the villain is? |
Understand / Recall & Reproduction |
|
What question would you ask of Spiderman? What choices does he face? |
Apply, Analyze / Skill &Concept, Strategic Thinking |
|
What was the turning point in the story? |
Analyze / Strategic Thinking |
|
Do you think crime is a good or bad thing? Why? |
Evaluate / Extended Thinking |
|
Can you come up with a different ending? |
Create / Extended Thinking |
Notes:
“With great power comes great responsibility”: This is Spiderman’s credo, shared by his dying uncle/father figure.
“Be who you are”: When Spiderman got catapulted into superhero-dom by that radioactive spider, he struggled with his new identity. It took him a while to figure out how to be himself (geeky, smart, compassionate, and shy) and still be a superhero.
“Do good things even if you don’t get the credit”: Spiderman is often misunderstood and maligned. The local newspaper goes through phases of thinking he’s a villain; people question his motives; mothers tell their kids not to emulate him. But he keeps on fighting crime (even though he sometimes gets disheartened).