Lesson Title: Author Study

Time: Six Weeks

Related Lessons: Fantasy Genre, Biography

Materials: novels by Bruce Coville, Lois Lowry, and J.K. Rowling, laptops

GOALS:

Content Standards:

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems.

8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems.

NETS-S standards:

 #3, research and information fluency

Instructional objective(s):

Students will complete a self-directed problem-based learning activity. They will answer the following questions using one author they select as an example:

Where do writers get their ideas?

How do authors practice writing and turn their ideas into stories?

How do writers become famous, published authors?

Why are some authors drawn to the fantasy genre?

ACTION:

            Prior to this Lesson:

Students have learned to search the Internet effectively, using multiple search engines appropriate for educational purposes.

Students have learned to evaluate websites using the “REAL” method to determine if a site is a reliable resource.

            During Class:

Students preview, select, and read novels. Students will read at least two novels

by an author they choose from our Fantasy Reading List. (Time: six weeks.)

Students research authors using recommended resources. Students will read

biographical information about their author from at least two web sites on our

Author Resource List. (Time: two class periods.)

Students will complete a graphic organizer explaining how they believe their  

author would answer the questions:

Where do you get your ideas? How do you turn them into stories?

How do you practice writing? (Where? When?)

How did you become a famous, published author?

Why are you drawn to the fantasy genre?

                        Students will cite their online resources in one section of this graphic organizer.

                        (Time: two class periods.)

Students will email their author, comment on their author’s blog, or participate in

an online dialogue about their author and his or her work. (Time: one class

period.)

MONITOR:

Students will discuss on our class blog how learning about their chosen author affects their understanding of the two novels they read. (Time: one class period.)

Students will write on our class blog about their experiences connecting online with an author or with other fans of an author. They will offer each other advice about strategies and resources, such as emails addresses or blogs.  (Time: one class period.)

EVALUATE AND EXTEND:

Lesson Reflections and Notes:

Students will write a reflection about their author study. They will explain what they found challenging about integrating technology into their author study work, and how it was helpful.

Students will have time to read and comment on each others' final reflections as well. (Time: one class period.)

Students will be assessed based on the graphic organizer they submit explaining the answers they discovered and properly citing their resources. Additionally, students will be assessed on the discussion posts they placed on our class blog as well as their final reflections.

Fantasy Reading List

Unicorn Chronicles # 1: Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville

Unicorn Chronicles # 2: Song of the Wanderer by Bruce Coville

Unicorn Chronicles # 3: Dark Whispers by Bruce Coville

The Unicorn Chronicles: Book IV: The Last Hunt by Bruce Coville

   

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Author Resource List

Bruce Coville

"The Official Bruce Coville Homepage": http://www.brucecoville.com/bio.asp

"Bruce Coville": http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-coville-bruce.asp

"Q & A with Bruce Coville": http://onourmindsatscholastic.blogspot.com/2010/06/q-with-bruce-coville-author-and-merman.html

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Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry’s blog: http://loislowry.typepad.com/lowry_updates/

Lois Lowry’s biography: http://www.loislowry.com/bio.html

Lois Lowry’s biography: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3326

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J. K. Rowling

“Official Site”: http://www.jkrowling.com/accessible/en/

“About the Author”: http://www.kidsreads.com/hp07/content/rowling.asp

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