Gizmo – Real or Not

View lesson as a pdf file

Classroom Time: 20 minutes lessons

Purpose: Review revising and editing skills (TAKS Objectives 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6)

Skills Addressed:
Writing: Revising and writing skills.
Fine Arts: Interpreting ideas and thoughts from artwork

Supplies:
Handout, pencil, paper, computer access, optional: construction paper, markers, crayons, cameras (film)

Lesson Process:

Warm-up:

Ask students the following questions:

Raise your hand if you have or had a pet.
Raise your hand if you have or had a dog as a pet.
Raise your hand if you have or had a cat as a pet.
Raise your hand if you have had an unusual pet. – No one may raise their hand.
What are different types of unusual pets? – Answers will vary

Tell the students they will be asked to proofread and revise a story about a dog written by another 4th grade student.

Lesson procedure:
1. Pass out the handouts
2. Ask students to read the story and answer the questions on their own.
3. Review the answers with the class.
1. A. Change no to know
2. C. Sentence 8
3. B. Change families to family’s
1. Show the students the photograph on the following website: http://www.nytstore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=2064
2. Ask the students the following questions:
  - What do you notice in the picture? – Ex The dog’s leash is attached to the statue, etc.
  -What do you think is going on? – Ex. The owner left the dog to go inside, a variety of answers
  -What in the picture gives you that idea? – Ex. It looks like the leash is tied to the dog statue, etc – what ever they state in the previous question ask them what in the picture gives them that idea.
  -What is the dog feeling? Ex. The dog wants to be friendly, or the dog is afraid of the big dog…..
3. Students write a short paragraph describing what they think is occurring in the photograph. – Stories will vary. Ask them to be creative.
4. Optional: Put students in groups of two and have the students proofread and revise their partner’s papers.

Student assessment/Final product to be developed:

Handout completed, discussion of answers, writing sample

Extension activities:
1. Students edit a partner’s paper.
2. Students write a story of an imaginary pet.
3. Students describe a photograph they would like to take of a pet.
4. Have the students take a photo of their pet. The student then writes a story about their pet and the photograph.
5. Using the photograph, http://www.nytstore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=2064, write a dialogue that happened between the two dogs including the setting and details about the situation.

Gizmo’s Friend

Name ______________________________________________ Date ___________

Gizmo’s Friend

My dog Gizmo likes to go for walks. (2) When Gizmo goes for walks he likes to run up and meet other dogs. (3) One day when Gizmo was on a walk he saw a dog sitting near the sidewalk. (4) Gizmo went up to the dog wanting the dog to play with him but didn’t no the dog wasn’t real. (5) George looks like a dog but its a dog statue with a camera inside. (6) George is like a babysitter. (7) He watches the families children playing in the yard. (8) My friend Amy is a babysitter who watches children. (8) When the children leave the yard a buzzer goes off to inform the parents. (9)George is a very interesting dog statue. (10) Gizmo decided George wasn’t a dog who would play with him.

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 4?

Change no to know.
Change wasn’t to isn’t.
Change the period to a question mark.
Make no change

Which sentence does NOT belong in this paper?

Sentence 2
Sentence 5
Sentence 8
Sentence 10

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 7?

Change he to she.
Change families to family’s
Change in to on
Make no change.

National Standards (Language Arts and Art)

Language Arts:

Achievement Standard:

NL-ENG.K-12.6 APPLYING KNOWLEDGE

Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

Visual Arts:

Achievement Standard:

NA-VA.K-4.2 USING KNOWLEDGE OF STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

Students know the differences among visual characteristics and purposes of art in order to convey ideas
Students describe how different expressive features and organizational principles cause different responses
Students use visual structures and functions of art to communicate ideas

NA-VA.K-4.3 CHOOSING AND EVALUATING A RANGE OF SUBJECT MATTER, SYMBOLS, AND IDEAS

Achievement Standard:

Students explore and understand prospective content for works of art
Students select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning

TAKS Objectives

Language Arts – Writing

Objective 1
The student will, within a given context, produce an effective composition for a specific purpose.

Objective 2
The student will produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure.

Objective 4
The student will recognize correct and effective sentence construction in written text.

Objective 5
The student will recognize standard usage and appropriate word choice in written text.

Objective 6
The student will proofread for correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in written text.

ART TEKS

(4.4) Response/evaluation. The student makes informed judgments about personal artworks and the artworks of others. The student is expected to: (A) describe intent and form conclusions about personal artworks; and (B) interpret ideas and moods in original artworks, portfolios, and exhibitions by peers and others.

Scholarship Office Contact Information

Project GRAD Houston Scholarship Program
PO Box 15568
Houston TX 77220-5568
If you have questions, please call the Project GRAD Houston Scholarship Department at 832.325.0344
Email: scholarship@projectgradhouston.org

The mission of Project GRAD is to ensure a quality public education for all students in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school and college graduation rates increase.