Don't Need Friends Unit - Early Primary (Grade 1-2)

In my first practicum, I created a book based on Don't Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi. Since it was the first I'd ever created, I feel I learned a lot from it. Creating a unit involves flexibility, time management, organization and an ability to interpret what your students need to be successful. While going through the unit, I found that I frequently had to adjust to students and different situations arising. Since one of my peers was doing a unit based on the same book, we shared a lot of ideas. Our approach sometimes overlapped, however we designed our lessons with our teaching styles, and students in mind. In remaining responsive to students, I was best able meet their needs and teach to those.

Don’t Need Friends

Unit Overview

 

About:

This is a drama, art and language unit developed by myself (Michelle Hobbs) based on the book Don’t Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi. The unit focuses on themes of friendship and empathy to promote social understanding and building skills, among first grade students. The idea to base a unit on this book, as well as a few of the activities, were taken from Treasures for teaching (K-3) :story, drama, and dance in the primary classroom. All of the lesson plans were developed by me.

 Week 1

Subject	Topic	Activity	Expectations
Drama #1	Tableau	Discuss what a good audience member looks like / sounds like / does. This will be made into an anchor chart later in the unit. Students learn the word tableau, which is written down on a drama terms chart. Students will reflect on times spent with friends, practice tableaus as a class and in their groups, and present. Idea from Treasures for teaching (K-3) :story, drama, and dance in the primary classroom	B. Creating and Presenting – apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings 1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times and places
Language #1	Story Reading and Response	Discuss friends and friendship, read  “Don’t Need Friends” with students, using  think-aloud strategy including a KWL chart. Students will then write in their thinking journal about the question “What can I do to show kindness?” Writing 1-2 sentences and drawing a detailed picture. Provided there is enough time, students will reconvene in a circle and share their thinking with the class.	New vocabulary – focus/emphasis (main issue/main idea) Oral Communication Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes 1.4 Demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in oral texts by retelling the information, including the main ideas and several interesting details Writing Generate, gather and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience. 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience and form of writing, initially with support and direction 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic by using a variety of strategies and resources

 Week 2

Subject	Topic	Activity	Expectations
Art #1	Puppet making	Students will make their puppets for the final performance, and work with different textures in the process. Students will think-pair-share about their decision making process with regards to making the puppet. Then they will be asked to repeat what their partner said about their puppet.	Visual Arts D1. Creating and Presenting – Apply the creative process to produce a variety of two-and three-dimensional art works, using elements, principles and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings D1.1 – D1.4
Drama #2	Role play	Create a chart about what makes a good audience member. Students do a think-pair-share about what to do to help someone who is sick. Teacher will pretend to be sick. Teacher will ask if students have ever been sick. The teacher will be dog, and students will role play what to do while dog is sick.	Drama Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing – apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings in response to a variety of drama works and experiences Drama B2. Demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning
Language #2	Poetry	Read “My Best Friend” by Mary Beth Boelts. Think-pair-share what makes a good friend. Students write their own “Friendship is” poem and then trace their hand on a piece of construction paper and write one line of the poem. This hand print will be used to make a class friendship web.	Language 1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience and form for writing, initially with support and direction 2.1 write short texts using a few simple forms
Drama #3	Role play #2	Create a chart about what makes a good performer Talk about how one would use/move their puppets Exploring concepts of voice, especially in relation to volume and emotion. Students will create and perform a short role play for the theme “dog is sick” in their groups.	Language – Oral Communication 2. Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes 2.5 being to identify some vocal effects, including tone, pace, pitch and volume and use them appropriately to help communicate their meaning 1.9 begin to identify some of the presentation strategies used in oral texts and explain how they influence the audience Drama Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing – apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings in response to a variety of drama works and experiences Drama B2. Demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning

Week 3

Subject	Topic	Activity	Expectations
Dance	Poetry Performance	Remind students what they have learned so far about tableau and voice. Students will collaboratively prepare a short performance with movements, for the friendship poem they wrote. Students will first practice in a big group, then they will get into their smaller groups to perform the dance.	Dance A1. Creating and presenting: apply the creative process to the composition of simple dance phrases, using the elements of dance to communicate feelings and ideas A1.2 Use dance as a language to express feelings and ideas suggested by songs, stories and poems with a focus on the element of body, particularly body shapes Drama B1. Creating and presenting – apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas and stories. B1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of character, by adopting thoughts, feelings and gestures relevant to the role being played
Art #2	Diorama	Look at junk yards. Talk about the feelings that junk yards evoke, and write down student feelings. Students then go to their desk and quickly sketch their feelings about junk yards. Can garbage be art? Show pictures of garbage art, and discuss. What is it made out of? What do you interpret this art as being? How does it make you feel? Students then go back to their desks and sketch their feelings about garbage art.	Visual Arts D3. Exploring forms and cultural contexts – demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles and techniques from past and present and their social and/or community contexts D2.1 Express their feelings and ideas about art works and art experiences. Science – Understanding Life Systems – Needs and Characteristics of Living Things Assess the role of humans in maintaining a healthy environment 1.1    Identify personal action that they themselves can take to help maintain a healthy environment for living things, including humans Social Studies - The Local Community Specific Expectation - recognize that communities consist of various physical features and community facilities that meet human needs
Language  #3	Posing Questions	Students learn the five Ws and are taught how to ask a good question. Students pose questions to dog when he first comes to the junk yard. Dog will answer them. If time students will be placed in groups of four, one student will be dog and the others must ask questions.  Ask students what they found out about dog.	Oral communication – 1. Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes 1.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by using active listening strategies 1.3 identify listening comprehension strategies and use them before, during and after listening 2. Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes 2.3 communicate ideas and information orally in a clear, coherent manner

Week 4

Subject	Topic	Activity	Expectations
Art #3	Diorama	Students will create their own 3D art “junk yard” We talk about a junkyard, what does a junkyard look like? What would it be like to live in? What can you find there? Why do junk yards exist? What kind of junk yard do you imagine rat and dog living in? Explain 3D and that this will be used for their play. Students go off to create their own junk yard with materials they brought in.	Visual Arts D1. Creating and Presenting – Apply the creative process to produce a variety of two-and three-dimensional art works, using elements, principles and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings D1.1 – D1.4
Language #4	Story Board - Beginning, Middle and End	Reread the story “Don’t Need Friends” Teach students what the beginning, middle and end of the story is/means. Model a story board using a beginning, middle and end panel drawn on the board. Draw the story board with students and discuss the events of the story. Then give each student their own problem. Tell students that this sentence is important to understand, since it is what their final puppet show will be about. The problem is the middle of their story, so they must draw the problem in the middle panel. The end is the solution, and the beginning is the start. Tell students to put up their hand for an adult to help if they cannot read their sentences. Tell students to focus on the drawing first. Students will draw their story boards.	Language – Writing Generate, gather and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose 1.4 - Sort ideas and information for their writing in a variety of ways, with support and direction 1.5 - identify and order main ideas and supporting details, initially with support and direction, using simple graphic organizers Arts – Drama Creating and presenting: apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas and stories 1.3 – plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role
Drama #4	Dress Rehearsal	Student and teacher review what makes a good audience member and what makes a good performer. Students will review how to use voice. Students will be given their story board and go and practice with their pair or group members, they must choose a particular area in the room and stay there for the 5 minutes they are practicing. Students will return to the carpet and do a Then students have a chance to present this role play for the first time. Students will reflect on the process, presentation and about themselves as an audience member.	B1. Creating and presenting – apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas and stories B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times and places 1.2     demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings and gestures relevant to the role being played. B.2.3 identify, and give examples of their strengths, interests and areas for improvement as drama participants and audience members
Drama #5	Presentation	Review what it is to be a good performer and a good audience member. Students complete the final presentation, focusing on the idea of one of their characters being sick and another character helps the first character to feel better. Students will have a chance to prepare their role play, for five minutes. (or the previous role plays can be used if this is too challenging) Students will come to the front to present, students will then fill out a sheet that talks about how they were as audience members and performers.	B1. Creating and presenting – apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas and stories B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times and places 1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings and gestures relevant to the role being played. B.2.3 identify, and give examples of their strengths, interests and areas for improvement as drama participants and audience members

Lessons Developed, But Not Used

Art

Drawing

Students will explore the illustrations in the story book, asking them about texture, what is typical, what is not typical about the animals? What animals are in the story book?  How can I make fur like in the book? Tell me about the colour of the dog. Look at a few different scenes. Students have a chance to choose one of those scenes and draw them, using things they have observed. Students will then come back into the circle and talk about the decisions they made about their art.

D1. Creating and Presenting – apply the creative process to produce a variety of two dimensional art works, using elements, principles and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings 1.3 Use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages and personal understandings D3. Exploring forms and cultural contexts – demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles and techniques from the past and present and their social and/or community contexts D.3.1. identify and describe visual art forms that they see in their home, at school and in their community, and in visual arts experiences

Additional Activities

Art	Wanted – Best Friend	Students will consider what makes a good friend.  Students will write a list with the teacher about what makes a good friend. Tell students to consider the story, what make rat and dog such good friends at the end? What can you do to show you are a good friend? The students draw a picture of their friend and write three of the qualities of a good friend down on their poster.	Visual Arts D1. Creating and presenting 1.3     Use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages and personal understandings D2.1 Express their feelings and ideas about art works and art experiences.
Art	Masks	Students will make paper masks using a lot of different textures. Students are asked to think about rat and dog after they became friends. How did they feel? What did they look like? What does friendship look like? Make a mask to show them after the transformation. They will be working with different textures like felt and pipe cleaners. They can also cut their paper to look like fur. To debrief ask students to show their masks and describe why they made different design choices.	Visual Arts D1. Creating and presenting 1.3 Use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages and personal understandings 1.4 use a variety of materials, tools and techniques to respond to design challenges
Drama	Emotions	Students start with a melting snowman activity. Ask students to name some different emotions, and put those on a list. Students practice making different faces. Then ask students to identify how characters felt at certain points in the story. Say things to the students and have the students react with different facial expressions.	Drama B. Creating and Presenting – apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings and gestures
Art	Mini Diorama	Students create a 3D scene by using the paper slit method	Visual Arts D1. Creating and Presenting – Apply the creative process to produce a variety of two-and three-dimensional art works, using elements, principles and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings D1.1 – D1.4
Language	Writing the Script	Read the story again. Students will be asked to identify the parts of a story. beginning , middle and end Talk about some stories, what are some scenes in the story? What’s going on? Students order the scenes. Ask students to think about what the characters are saying. They will be given a picture from the book and need to write one or two sentences for each scene (in pairs) Scenes – Dog moves in, Dog hates rat, Dog is sick, Dog and rat share a sandwich, Dog and rat share a crate Ask students what a script is. Bring students back together and tell them that at in two weeks they will be doing a puppet performance, but we need to write a script. You will use some of their ideas to write the script.  The various scenes will be on the board, and write down the student ideas.	1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience and form for writing, initially with support and direction 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic using a variety of strategies and resources 2.1 write short texts using a few simple forms
Drama	Problem solving in Role	Then read to the part of the story when dog is moving in. Students will become dog. What does dog bring when he comes to the junkyard? Why? Students have this question posed to them, break off into groups and create art pieces to symbolize the items that were in dog’s bag. FOCUS also on how to orally communicate this information. One student is chosen to present the information. IF extra time, pass around an item and students must act in reaction to it.	2. Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes 2.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate speaking behavior in a few different situations, including paid sharing and small and large group discussions 2.4 choose appropriate words to communicate their meaning accurately and engage in the interest of their audience
Language	Role on the Wall	Read the story up until the animals stop saying hello to rat. Draw rat on chart paper and ask the children how other animals perceive rat. Students write in their thinking journals, “Rat feels ________.” One child will volunteer to ignore the teacher in a role play; the teacher will react to being ignored. Children sit on the carpet and talk about how they feel when others ignore them. Idea from Treasures for teaching (K-3) :story, drama, and dance in the primary classroom	Oral Communication 1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes; 1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in oral texts by retelling the story or restating the information, including the main idea 1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience; to other familiar texts, including print and visual texts; and to the world around Writing 1. generate, gather and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic, using a variety of strategies and resources

 By the end of this unit all students should…

Engage in role play and dramatic play

Create short scenes

Think about characterization in simple terms

Be familiar with various textures, working with different art materials and different art techniques (line and texture primarily)

Be able to analyze themselves as performers and audience members

Primary expectations

Drama

B1. Creating and Presenting – apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings

B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times and places

B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings and gestures

B.2. Reflecting Responding and Analyzing – apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings in response to a variety of drama works and experiences

B.2.3 identify, and give examples of their strengths, interests and areas for improvement as drama participants and audience members

Art

D1. Creating and Presenting – apply the creative process to produce a variety of two dimensional art works, using elements, principles and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas and understandings

1.3 Use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages and personal understandings