Lion School Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will identify how lion dancers prepare to perform a Lunar New Year tradition.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Lunar New Year

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, text evidence, writing, nonfiction text features

 

Page 4 Skill:

read a calendar

 

Vocabulary:

ordinary, tradition, train, cooperate, feast

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.4 determine meanings of words; RI.2.5 text features; RI.2.7 explain images; RI.2.10 read informational texts; SL.2.3 ask and answer questions; W.2.2 write informative texts

 

Lexile level: 

470L

Download TEKS Standards
Download Common Core Standards

Provide students with some background on Lunar New Year..

 

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video “Happy Lunar New Year!” After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is one way you would like to celebrate Lunar New Year?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue, and discuss the cover. What do students already know about Lunar New Year?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on the cover: “Think about what makes lion dancing hard to learn.” Encourage children to think about this prompt as they read.

Read together (20 min.)

Pass out the Read and Think printable. Use it to check comprehension as you read the issue together, pausing to ask the questions. 

 

Review vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are ordinary, tradition, train, cooperate, and feast.

 

Assessment: Reading Quiz

Pass out the Reading Quiz to review key concepts from the issue and assess students’ proficiency on key nonfiction reading skills.

  • Use the online game show to gauge comprehension and reinforce the issue’s content. Students can play individually or in teams. For each question they answer correctly, they win a point.

You can use our printable worksheets to focus on important ELA skills. Here's how.

ELA Focus: Vocabulary (15 min.)

  • Use the Word Work printable to deepen students’ understanding of the words ordinary, tradition, train, cooperate, and feast.

Editor’s Pick: Text Evidence (15 min.)

  • Students can analyze Norbert’s claims in the Norbert Know-It-All skill sheet and use text evidence to compose a letter back to him. Send class letters to [email protected]. Norbert will respond!

ELA Focus: Nonfiction Text Features (15 min.)

  • Students will revisit the issue and examine its features with the Text-Feature Hunt skill sheet.

Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on snow:

  • “Happy Lunar New Year!,” January 2020. Students will explore Lunar New Year celebrations and traditions.
  • “Dragon in the Moonlight,” February 2021. Students can use this issue to identify the moon’s phases as they study Lunar New Year.

You can find a higher-Lexile-level and a lower-Lexile-level version of the article online here:

  • Higher Lexile level: 580L
  • Lower Lexile level: 400L