Goals:

The students will learn that children's literature often helps us understand complex things easier.

The students will use creative expression in writing.

The students will use grammar effectively and properly.

Materials:

Spedden, Daisy Corning Stone. (1994). Polar: The Titanic Bear. United States: Little, Brown and Company.

pen

paper

chalk

chalk board

Procedure:

1.  Explain to the class that Polar: The Titanic Bear is a children's book which tells the story of a teddy bear's life through the eyes of the teddy bear, Polar. Polar ends up on the Titanic, and so the reader of the story can see this disaster through different eyes. Points of view are an important aspect of both literature and history.

2.  Read Polar: The Titanic Bear out loud to the class. Tell the students to look for points of view devices that the author uses. Also have students look for figures of speech such as metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia, alliteration, personification, and hyperbole. If the students do not already know these, explain them before reading the book.

3.  Have a class discussion concerning the topics the students were looking for.

4.  Write the topics and examples the students have found on the board. Also write an explanation of the six figures of speech on the board so that students have a reference.

5.  Explain to the students that they will write a story of an experience they had, only they will put it through the eyes of an object, such as a teddy bear, a shoe, a piece of clothing, a watch, etc.

6.  The students should use a set amount of figures of speech in their story.

7.  Ask the students to volunteer to read their papers out loud in class.

8.  Have the students write a journal entry about children's literature.

Assessment:

The students write a journal entry about children's literature. Criteria for success: The students will finish the journal entry and include five observations about children's literature.

The students must use figure of speech. Criteria for success: The students must use two of each figure of speech.

The students' papers must be free of grammar errors. Criteria for success: The students will be given two chances to rewrite their papers so that they are error free.

Curriculum Strands and Major Concepts:

Literature - reading Polar the Titanic Bear; writing a story; using figures of speech

History - learning about a different time in history when families took expensive vacations, and children were raised by nannies (found in book)

Language Arts - participating in class discussion

Possible Extensions:

Have the students bring in their favorite childhood toys and do a presentation on it.

Have the students make books out of their stories, complete with pictures.

Adapted from a lesson plan developed by Dr. Stephen Corriea on how to use children's literature in the high school
classroom.

The Titanic - developed by Kelly Coleman, Nikki Cosgrove, Megan Mills, & Dorothy Weber

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This page was submitted by St. Norbert College Ocean Voyagers Program.