“Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen” by Martha Barnes

Identifying Traits of a Good Citizen in Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen

Learning Objectives

Students will identify the traits of a good citizen and consider the ways that Trevor is a good citizen.

Grade Levels

1-2

Standards

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies

Strand 10: Civic Ideals and Practices

Materials Needed

Trevor Becomes A Good Citizen by Martha Barnes

Whiteboard or Chart Paper

Trevor is a Good Citizen Sheet

Lesson

Introduction and Teacher Modeling

• Ask students what they think it means to be a good citizen.
• Ask them for examples on how to be a good citizen. (Ideas: volunteer, help others, be honest, be kind, respect others, follow the law)
• Ask students to raise their hand if they have a dog.
• Give each student a brief opportunity to share information about their dog such as name, age, breed, etc.
• Ask students, “How are pets good citizens?” (Ideas: friendly to other dogs and people, follows rules, is a good listener)
• Follow up with, “What do good people citizens and good pet citizens have in common?”

Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling

• Make a list on the whiteboard called, “A Good Citizen is…”
• Allow students to suggest ideas and list these on the board.

Guided Practice

• Introduce the book Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen by Martha Barnes.
• Conduct a picture walk and allow students to share ideas on what they think the book might be about.
• Read the book to the students. As you read, stop periodically to record on chart paper or the whiteboard ways that Trevor is a good citizen. Ask the students to consider why that trait is important and compare it to the list you made earlier.
• When you have finished the book, review the good citizen traits that Trevor demonstrated.
• If you have a Smart Board or document camera, use it to project the “Trevor is a Good Citizen” sheet. If not, recreate it on the board.
• Choose one of the ways that Trevor was a good citizen.
• Model for students how to write two sentences to describe ways he is a good citizen. The first sentence should describe the way that Trevor was a good citizen. The second sentence should explain why it is important. You may then draw a picture that supports your sentences. Spend time discussing the fact that each sentence should be written as a complete sentence, with correct grammar and spelling.

Independent Work

• Pass out the “Trevor is a Good Citizen” sheet.
• Explain to students that they will choose one of the ways that Trevor is a good citizen. They should not use the trait from your example.
• Support the students as they work.

Review and Closing

• When students are finished, allow them to share their work with the class.
• Review the ways that we can be good citizens and why this is important.

You can find other great resources for “Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen,” as well as other Trevor adventures at: http://myownpuppy.net/index.html.

Additional standards based lesson plans, hands-on activities and professional development can be found on the AKC® Educator Resources page found here: http://www.akc.org/public-education/educator-resources/.

Key Events and Central Idea in “Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen”

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to identify key events in a story and use them to determine the central idea.

Grade Levels

3-4

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2
Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

Materials Needed

Unlined paper

A familiar story (“Cinderella” or “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” etc.)

Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen by Martha Barnes

Chart paper or whiteboard

Lesson

Introduction and Teacher Modeling

• Introduce the lesson by posing the question: What is central idea?*
• Give students the opportunity to share their thinking.
• Tell the students that they will be learning to identify and use events from a story to determine the central idea of each story.

*This lesson should build upon previous instruction about central idea/theme.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling

• Read students a familiar story such as “Cinderella” or “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
• As you read, stop periodically to record important events on chart paper or a whiteboard.
• Once you have finished the story, model for the students how to review the events and choose the four most important. Explain that you may have to combine events that happened closely together.
• Demonstrate the process of creating a foldable by folding a piece of unlined paper once lengthwise and once widthwise. (After you have folded the paper, you should have four small rectangles.)
• Model for students how to place each event in a square of the paper. You may do so using pictures, words, or both pictures and words.
• Ask students to remind you what “central idea” means. Model how to use the information about events in the story to determine the central idea of the story you read.

Guided Practice

• Introduce the book Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen by Martha Barnes.
• Conduct a picture walk and allow students to share ideas on what they think the book might be about.
• Read the book to the students. As you read, stop periodically to record important events on chart paper or a whiteboard.
• When you have finished the book, review each of the events with the students.

Independent Work

• Provide students with a piece of unlined paper and assist them in making their own foldable.
• Allow students to work independently, with a partner or in a small group.
• Encourage students to choose four events from the list you created as a class. These events should be the most important in the story.
• They should place each event in its own square. You should give them instructions regarding whether you would like them to use pictures, words or pictures and words.
• Once they have completed their foldable, they should write a sentence on the back that describes the central idea of the story.

Review and Closing

• When students are finished, invite students to share the events they chose to highlight and the central idea of the story.

You can find other great resources for “Trevor Becomes a Good Citizen,” as well as other Trevor adventures at: http://myownpuppy.net/index.html.

Additional standards based lesson plans, hands-on activities and professional development can be found on the AKC® Educator Resources page found here: http://www.akc.org/public-education/educator-resources/.