Jan Brett Author Study/ The Mitten Re-telling

Students will:

• Be able to transfer the information learned from online sources into their own words as they view a website, explore a website, and discuss their findings as a class.
• Become familiar with classic, multicultural, and contemporary literature recognized for quality and literary merit that represents our common heritage as well as cultures from around the world.
• Be able to identify how authors/illustrators use literary devices including pictures and illustrations to support the understanding of settings and characters.
• Be able to retell up to three events from familiar text using their own words or phrasing.

Vocabulary Words:

(The Mitten)

1. Knit: To knit is to interlace yarn or thread in a series of connected loops with needles.
    

2. Kickers: A kicker is one that kicks or kicks something.

3. Jostled:  To jostle is to make one's way by pushing and shoving.

4. Glinty: Glinty to give off reflection in brilliant flashes.

5. Prickles: Prickles are spines that can cause a prickling or tingling sensation.

6. Commotion: A commotion is a condition of unrest.

7. Grumble: To grumble is to mutter in discontent (complain).

8. Talons: Talons are the claw of an animal and especially of a bird of prey.

9. Waft: Waft is to cause to move or go lightly by or as if by the impulse of wind or waves

10. Drowsy: When you are drowsy you are ready to fall asleep.

11. Muzzle: A muzzle is the projecting jaws and nose of an animal (snout).

12.  Lumbered: Lumbered is to move ponderously (clumsy because of weight and size).

13. Plumped: An object is plumped when dropped, sunk, or comes in contact suddenly or heavily. (e.g.; He plumped down in a chair.)

14. Swelled: To swell is to expand (as in size, volume, or numbers) gradually beyond a normal or original limit (puffed up).

15. Tunneling: Tunneling to pass through a potential barrier.

To prepare for this lesson:

• Find a way to bookmark the Jan Brett website for your student or make it easy to navigate to. Here are some choices:

  • Symbaloo

  • Google Classroom post

  • Create a shortcut on the computer desktop

    Or

• Use a computer and display with a projector for the whole class to see at one time the website. 

• Gather the following items:

  • A copy of the puppets for each student found at https://janbrett.com/pdfcards/pdfcardgenerator_mitten.htm

  • A copy of the book The Mitten or listen to the read-aloud on Youtube

  • A copy of a Dr. Seuss book such as Fox in Socks

• Look at the following websites for more information:

  • https://janbrett.com/biography.htm

  • https://janbrett.com/bookstores/hedgies_lets_go_shopping.htm

See the Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4student website in the Teacher Resources. 

Directions for this activity:

1. Introduce the author, Jan Brett by exploring her website as a class (or on Chromebooks/ tablets/ class computers). Discuss what the students are seeing on the website such as Jan Brett’s Bio and her list of books. Point out that Jan Brett is an author and illustrator. 

   •  https://www.janbrett.com/

   • https://janbrett.com/biography.htm

   • https://janbrett.com/bookstores/hedgies_lets_go_shopping.htm

2. Discuss how we can learn about good writing by observing what good writers do that works. (such as researching what they are writing about.

3. This can be done right after doing a Dr. Seuss unit or another author who does not do life-like illustrations. Using a book, such as Dr. Seuss’ book Fox in Socks, compare/ contrast her work with Dr. Seuss's books. (Such as how her illustrations are the same or different from Dr. Seuss’). 

   • In Dr. Seuss's books, the animals are less lifelike, etc./ Jan Brett’s drawings are very lifelike”

4. Read, The Mitten or if a copy is not available listen to the read-aloud on YouTube The Mitten by Jan Brett

5. Now thinking back to Dr. Seuss what did they notice about Jan Brett’s writing?

   • It was not a rhyming book and the animals are more life-like.  

6. Then that day, or a different day, have the class create the puppets found on Jan Brett’s website.

7. Together the students will use the puppets to re-tell the story.

8. Then have the students re-tell the story to each other, or the teacher, to check for re-telling skills and comprehension.

Different options for assessing the students:

• Observations
• Check for understanding
• Together use the puppets to re-tell the story. Then have the students re-tell the story to each other or the teacher to check for re-telling skills and comprehension.