How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Amy Bishop MSU 90 minutes

Sabrina Barnes English/Art/Biology 11 students

Angie Ford 12/05/00 0 IEP’s

Stacey Thompson 9-12grade

Objective:

English:

Students will locate and write five examples of imagery, three examples of repetition, two specific passages leading them to a theme, and the rhyme scheme of the first five stanzas in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

English:

Students, in assigned groups, will write a persuasive letter as measured by the following requirements: 1) Identify the issue; 2) Take a stand; 3) Identify the audience;

4) Explore both sides of the argument.

Biology:

Students will label food preparation techniques as proper or improper orally with a minimum of 80% accuracy.

Art:

Students will create a pinch pot using a given amount of clay as assessed by class participation and use of art technique.

Connections:

Kentucky Learner Goal: Goal 2: Students shall develop their abilities to apply core concepts and principles from mathematics, the sciences, the arts, the humanities, social studies, practical living studies and vocational studies to what they will encounter throughout their lives.

New Teacher Standard IX – Implementation of Technology.

Context:

The objective and lesson plan will serve to demonstrate literature as a powerful tool. This lesson plan will serve to illustrate the reliance and dependence of multiple disciplines on the key foundation of literature. It will lay the foundation for students to identify the wealth of information, which can be gleaned from a piece of literature.

Materials/Technology:

How The Grinch Stole Christmas text

Overhead Projector

Transparency (“?”)

Computers

In-Focus Projector

Television

Video Cassette Recorder

Video Cassette (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”)

Compact Disc Player

Compact Disc (Music from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”)

Internet (Our Group’s Grinch website)

Posters (Drawing from the Grinch movie)

Grinch Letterhead

Paper

Pens

Clay

Pottery Utensils

Microbiology Pictures (Botulism)

Handouts

Procedure:

I. Introduction/Directions (5 min)

a. Today we will look at how powerful literature is in our society.

b. We will be examining a piece of literature, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, extensively and how it contains information regarding english, art and biology.

II. English – Amy (20 min)

a. Students will read the text, How the Grinch Stole Christmas individually.

b. Have students read a selected section of the text aloud using character voices for the class.

c. I will define literary terms and give them the assessment sheets.

d. The students will be placed in four groups of three to locate and mark examples of particular technique:

- Seasonal Imagery

- Examples of repetition

- Passages leading to a theme

- Find the rhyme scheme of the first five stanzas

e. Time will be given for group work.

f. Each group will select a leader to come to the overhead and mark their technique, explain it to the class, and refresh the class on the definition of the technique.

III. English – Sabrina (20min)

a. Give the student groups Grinch letterhead to write their Christmas wishes on.

b. Explain to the students that the Grinch wanted Christmas to be abolished in the story. Inform them that he later found out that Christmas was much more than gifts and his wish to abolish Christmas changed.

c. Remind students to choose their wishes carefully.

d. The groups will choose the two best wishes.

e. Give the students a handout explaining the contents of a persuasive letter.

f. Tell students to go to the computer where they will compose a persuasive letter to Santa Claus.

g. Tell students to email finished letters to me and I will check them for accuracy.

IV. Biology – Stacey (20min)

a. We have examined this piece of literature from an English and Art standpoint and we have learned a great deal of interesting material.

b. Now we are going to explore the biology side of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

c. I am going to show you a small segment of the movie, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and I want you to pay close attention to the foods eaten and how they are prepared.

d. Show movie segment.

e. How we prepare/preserve the foods we eat is very important. We need to pay attention to detail when preparing foods.

f. The Christmas season is quickly approaching and we are all planning huge family gatherings with lots of good, rich foods and fellowship. This is a great time of year and one that will be cherished for years to come.

g. To keep this holiday happy, it is essential that we keep all visiting family members and ourselves out of the hospital. Food poisonings occur in the United States in astounding numbers each year. The number of incidence goes up dramatically during the holiday season due to all the rich foods we consume even though they have sat out for hours.

h. Be honest, at any other time of the year does Grandma’s ham and sweet potatoes taste as good as after they have sat out all during Christmas day without being covered or refrigerated? It is amazing we have survived the holidays thus far.

i. Microorganisms love to invade your food and take up residence. In fact, many of these little critters have already set up housekeeping in your food before you buy it at the store. Sounds gross, doesn’t it? Well there are measures we can take to effectively kill and eliminate any pesky critters before they have had a chance to start contaminating our foods.

j. Pass out handout. Here are some important steps to follow when preparing/preserving foods:

- Thoroughly cook meats for the allotted time and temperature.

- Do NOT eat rare or medium-rare roast beast!!!!!

- Wash all vegetables well.

- Always wash your hands before/after touching food.

- Wash all utensils and food preparation surfaces well.

- Keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold.

- Don’t let food sit out for hours and then eat it.

- Refrigerate all leftovers and warm thoroughly (boil 10 minutes) to kill any microorganisms, which have contaminated your food.

k. These are just a few suggestions to help you and your family avoid food contamination/poisoning this holiday season and throughout the new year.

l. Food poisoning is nothing the mess around with. Botulism is a terrible food poisoning, which can lead to death if untreated. If you or a loved one develops symptoms of food poisoning, such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headaches, nausea, etc., don’t waste time. Get them treated immediately to avoid dehydration and further poisoning.

m. Now that I have totally grossed you out about eating, remember to use your head. Food is vulnerable to these microorganisms because the food provides the nutrients these critters need to grow and survive. Just be careful with your foods. Severe food poisonings occur daily in the USA due to ill-prepared food and uneducated consumers. Don’t let it happen to you or the ones you love.

n. Have a great Christmas holiday!

V. Art – Angie (20min)

a. Begin by handing out the objects for decorating and then the balls of clay.

b. The students will have already been introduced to the theme of the presentation, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”.

c. The total activity will likely take a sufficient amount of time, so we will begin immediately with the demonstration and project.

d. Starting with a ball of clay in my own hands to demonstrate to students the technique of the entire process.

e. Show the power point presentation, which shows instruction and diagrams of each step. My partners in the presentation will click through my power point presentation as I go through each step of making a pinch pot with the class.

f. Students will be encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentation. I will do my best to circulate and help any student having difficulty. When working with clay interesting and unpredictable situations almost always come up.

g. Upon completion of the pots, student will be given the remaining time in the lesson to give decoration to the outside of their pieces. Students will be encouraged to use the ideas and concepts that had already been discussed in the lesson to consider when decorating the pots.

VI. Conclusion. (5min)

a. We have attempted to demonstrate to you how important and powerful literature is. Also we hope you are more aware of the vast array of education you can receive from one piece of literature. Today we dissected the piece, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and saw how not only English, but also Art and Science apply as well.

b. Side Note: Comparison between “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” cartoon movie and new Jim Carrey version. Movie highlights and critique.

c. We hope you enjoyed the lesson. Have a great Christmas break.

Student Assessment:

English (Amy):

Students will be evaluated based upon a five-question exam worth 11 points. Each question will require the student to listen to the teacher as well as their classmates.

English (Sabrina):

Students will be assessed based on the persuasive letter written in class and emailed to the teacher. Within this letter certain criteria pertaining to a persuasive letter must be met (1. Identify the issue; 2. Take a stand; 3. Identify the audience;

4. Explore both sides of the argument).

Art (Angie):

Students will be assessed by their use of pottery technique as well as class participation in the project. The grades will be primarily based on student participation.

Biology (Stacey):

Students will be assessed based on their participation and oral answers during class discussion regarding food preparation/preservation. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the topic within the discussion.

Grinch Exam

1. What is a couplet? (1 pt)

Answer: Two successive rhyming lines of poetry.

2. Provide five examples of seasonal imagery that dominates the selection. (5 pt)

Answer: The answers will vary.

3. Give three examples of repetition in the piece. (3 pt)

Answer: The answers will vary.

4. Find and mark two specific passages that lead you to a particular theme(s). (2 pt)

5. What is the rhyme scheme of the first five stanzas? (1 pt)

Answer: ABC DBC EEFFGG HEHHIJJ KKLLA

By: Amy Bishop

Food Preparation Techniques:

1. Thoroughly cook meats for the specified time and temperature.

2. Do NOT eat rare or medium-rare roast beast!!!!!

3. Wash all vegetables well.

4. Always wash your hands before/after touching food.

5. Wash all utensils and food preparation surfaces well.

6. Keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold.

7. Don’t let food sit out for hours and immediately eat it. Heat it thoroughly.

8. Refrigerate all leftovers and warm thoroughly (i.e. boil 10 minutes) to kill any microorganisms, which have contaminated your food.

By: Stacey Thompson

Steps in the Writing Process

1. Identify an issue or situation that you feel should be changed. Write a sentence or two briefly telling about the situation.

2. Take a stand by writing a statement about your opinion.

3. Think about your audience and what you know about them. What are their concerns and do you have any points of agreement with them? What is the best way to support your point of view?

4. Explore the arguments against your position and brainstorm counter-arguments.

5. List your support and gather evidence that will support your point of view.

6. Think of an anecdote or personal story to support your position.

7. Begin to write your first draft by thoroughly developing and elaborating your reasons, examples, information, and anecdotes.

8. Read your draft aloud to a partner and have them respond especially to your arguments. Are they clear and have enough evidence to support them?

9. Revise your initial draft to include suggestions provided by your peers.

10. With the help of your peers and teacher, edit the essay and write a complete final draft.

By: Sabrina Barnes