The Lesson Plan for WEllington Pelican

​Captain Critter’s Reading Lesson for Wellington Pelican
(Grades K - 2)
 
Introduction:
Captain Critter, a humorous-fictional series, is designed to increase students’ comprehension and fluency through the use of predictable text.  This supplementary reading series can be used individually, in a small group or in a whole-group approach, such as shared reading, whereupon each student has their own copy of the book.
Each book in this six-book series contains a daily lesson plan format with easy-to-follow instructions designed by a national award-winning reading specialist.  These thirty-minute lessons are designed to target on specific reading standards for grades K-2 along with a writing and phonetic component.  The phonetic component addressed in these set of lesson plans are the short vowel patterns with initial blends and digraphs.  However, depending on the needs of the students, the phonetic component can be change by the teacher. Suggested recommended extension activities such as making words, comprehension builders, and fluency enhancement can be applied in learning lab stations.
Below is a lesson plan sample for Wellington Pelican
Subject:  Shared Reading (Time:  30 minutes) Lesson One

 Book:    Wellington Pelican                          

K.RL.2: With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
1.RL.2: Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
2.R.L.2: Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

Graphic Organizer:  Beginning, Middle and Ending for Second Grade

Additional Materials:  journals, dry-erase/magnetic board or Smart Board

Preparation:
**Suggested Activity for Making Words:  The following magnetic letters are needed: b, i, g, d, f, g, j, p, r, w, e:  Words made are: dig, fig, gig, jig, rig, wig, big, beg, pig, peg
*Use these letters along with adding more and place in a word making center.
Write the following vocabulary words on the board and discuss: *Wellington Pelican (have students count the number of syllables), funny, sort, front, short, skinny, beak.
Before passing out student copies, introduce the title, author and discuss the cover.  Ask:  What do you think this story is about? (Let students know that the story is about a pelican.)
Have students do their own picture book walk and then ask what did they discovered about the story.  Explain to the students that most stories, such as this one, the focus or main idea is about the major character.  If one understands what is happening to the major character, then one understands the story.
Application:
(Kindergarten):  Begin with page 4 and have students read the name with you.  Then discuss the pictorial details shown on both pages.  Ask what the students know from these illustrations about the major and minor characters.  Continue using this format to discuss the illustrations with the students, so students can understand hidden details contained within the pictures.  Then read the story with the students having students point to the words.
(First grade):  Implant the language going from page to page.  Students are to point the designated words.  Then have students count the number of times they see high frequency words such as big, little, he and is.  Have students read the story as you listen in.  Assist students in guiding them to read the words through pictorial clues, using context or sounding out. 
In addition, while listening in, ask questions pertaining to the sequence of events.  Such as what came before and what do you think will happen next.
(Second grade):  Follow the same procedures listed in first grade depending on the group.  Otherwise, implant the language as needed and listen in.  Ask questions to determine students’ understanding of the sequence of events. 
Reflection:
(Kindergarten):  Have students take turns telling an event that happened in the story.  Write these events on the board.  Then have students provide feedback on the order of the events listed on the board.  Have students go back in the book to verify the order.
(First grade):
Ask:  What would you do if you were Wellington Pelican and your friends were making fun of you?  What do you think Wellington Pelican meant when he said, “I think we are all a funny sort?”
Then have students do a ‘round-robin’ retelling.  Refer back to the book, if necessary.
(Second grade):
Ask:  Why doesn’t Wellington Pelican get angry with his friends for making fun of him?  How would you describe Wellington Pelican?  What makes you think that?  (Have students go back in the text to support their response.) 
Then choose a student to retell the story while the other students listen to determine if any details are missing.
(K-2) Additional Activity:  Read the story with the students if necessary to help with fluency.
Writing Activity:
(Kindergarten)
Students may draw a picture of their favorite part of the story and write a sentence to go with it.
(First grade)
Students are to draw a picture about what happened at the beginning or how the story ended.  They are to write a sentence for the picture.
(Second grade)
Students are to complete a beginning, middle and ending graphic organizer.  They are to draw and write a sentence for each section.
 

 
Extension Activities: 
Building Words Learning Lab:   Students are to use magnetic letters to create as many words as they can for the cvc patterns.
High frequency word recall:  Use words from the list on cards, making an additional set, so students can play a matching game.
Sequence Learning Lab:  Write sentences from the story and place on card stock. Students are to put the passages or sentences in the correct order. 
Or, make copies of the illustrations and have students put the story in the correct order.
Fluency Activity:  Use the alternate reader’s theatre for the book.  Students may use the cut-outs mounted on wooden sticks and read the character’s part to increase fluency.
 
 ** Suggested phonetic activity for making words.  An appropriate phonetic skill building activity should be determined by the use of an appropriate developmental spelling assessment.
 
 

 
Copy of the story, Wellington Pelican
 
Wellington Pelican!
He is a funny sort.
He is long in the front.
In the back he is short.
Skinny legs.
Big feet.
Little head.  Big beak.
Little eyes.
Big wings.
He looks funny with all those things!
I think we are all a funny sort!
 
 
 
(See next page for alternate version used in a play format)
 
 
 
 
An Alternative Play for Fluency
Wellington Pelican
 
Characters:
Wellington Pelican
Crane
Turtle
Lobster
 
Crane, Turtle, Lobster:  Wellington Pelican!  He is a funny sort.
Crane:  He is long in the front.
Turtle:  In the back he is short.
Lobster:  Skinny legs.
Crane:  Big feet.
Turtle:  Little head.
Lobster:  Big beak.
Crane:  Little eyes.
Turtle:  Big wings.
Crane, Turtle, Lobster:  He looks funny with all those things!
Wellington Pelican:  You say I am big, little, long, short.  I think we are all a funny sort!
 
 

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