Essential Questions
- What actions can we take to make difficult times easier?
- How does art help people connect with each other?
Literature Connection
- Novel: Silence by Deborah Lytton
- Novel: Paperboy by Vince Vawter
Standards Correlations
R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.6, R.7, W.2, SL.1, L.4, L.6
Learning Objective
Students will identify cause-and-effect relationships in a story about how art changed a teen’s life.
Key Skills
cause and effect, text features, vocabulary, sequence, key details, problem and solution, interpreting text, author’s craft, central idea, informational writing
Complexity Factors
Purpose: The article describes a teen’s experience with being bullied and turning to art. Themes include overcoming challenges, creativity, self-confidence, and resilience.
Structure: The story, told in first person, is mainly chronological but begins with a flash-forward.
Language: The language is conversational.
Knowledge Demands: No prior knowledge is required.
Levels
Lexile: 500L-600L
Guided Reading Level: R
DRA Level: 40
Lesson Plan: His Art Does the Talking
Essential Questions
Literature Connection
1. Preparing to Read
Make a Connection (5 minutes)
Ask students how they deal with feelings of anger, frustration, or disappointment. Do they meditate? Exercise? Talk with a friend? After students share their strategies, tell them they’re going to read about a teen who expresses his feelings through painting. Then show our video “Beyond the Story: See Tyler Paint!”
Preview Text Features (15 minutes)
Guide students to locate the article. Then preview the text features by asking the following questions:
Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)
Make a Plan for Reading
Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:
2. Reading and Unpacking the Text
Guide students to read the article. Once they understand it well, discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions..
Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)
Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)
3. Skill Building and Writing
Learn Anywhere Activity
An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom
One way to tell your story
At the end of the article, Tyler says, “Everyone has a story to tell.” What story do you have to tell? Think about a challenge you’ve faced (or are still facing) and how you’ve handled it.
Once you have an experience in mind, imagine that you’re writing a book about it. Design the book’s front and back covers. You can write and draw them by hand or create documents on a computer.
If you need help, check out the front and back covers of a few good books you have at home or at school!
ELL Springboard
Review “Feelings Words” to help students discuss the article.
In the article, Tyler tells readers how he felt at several key points in his life. After reading, ask the following questions about how Tyler felt. Tell students they can answer with words from the article or with their own words. Encourage them to volunteer words from their native languages and even to act the words out to clarify their meanings. Have fun!
Possible questions: