The Global Diversity Literature Lesson




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An African Safari

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
By:  Verna Aardema
Pictures by:  Beatriz Vidal
    Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain was written by Verna Aardema.  She began writing when she was only eleven years old.  She was one of nine kids and walked by the swamp to think and write.  She enjoyed doing this to get out of doing her chores.  She is now 86 years old and still writes in her home in Florida.  This tale was discovered in Kenya, Africa by Sir Claud Hollis.  This reminded him of  the English nursery rhyme, "The House That Jack Built" that he loved. Verna brought this tale closer to the English nursery rhyme by giving the tale the same rhythm.

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Critical Thinking Questions
   
  1. Describe the grass in the picture?
  2. Why is the grass brown?  Why does the grass need to be green?
  3. Does it look like it will rain?
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    This is the story about the Kapiti Plain of Africa.  This was home to many animals and people including Ki-pat that watched over his herd of cows.  The grass was green, and everyone was happy. The animals ate the green grass and leaves and roamed over the land.  But one day it all turned brown and the animals became very hungry.   Let's read the story Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema to learn what happened to Ki-pat and all of the animals. 

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Lesson Plan

Mentor Teacher's Signature

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Date

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Lesson Title Global Diversity Through Literature and Technology

General Information
Name:  Wendee Corbitt
School/Mentor Teacher: Brookfield Academy
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Areas: Technology Integration, Social Studies (Multicultural Understanding)
Date Taught: March 28, 2007
Total Duration of Lesson:  55 minutes. (This lesson can be presented in 2 sessions)

Primary Learning Outcomes (PLO)
The primary learning outcomes to be achieved with this lesson include:
A. Student will be able to use the mouse while operating the computer
B.  Student will be able to respond to questions about diverse cultures.
C.  Student will listen to a children’s story to learn about another culture
D.  Student will work cooperatively in small group to make a story picture account of events in the story.

Related GPS Standards
A. Grade: K
Technology Integration
Strand: Basic Skills
5 Topic: Basic Skills
Standard: Operates basic technology tools and applications.

B, C, D Grade: K
Social Studies Georgia Performance Standard
Geographic Understandings
SSKG1: The student will describe American culture by explaining diverse community and family celebrations and customs (this also includes the cultures represented by children from other countries represented in children’s literature and those who are enrolled in our schools.
 
Materials and Equipment
1. Computer with Internet connection
2. My Global Diversity Web Page  http://www.valdosta.edu/~wmcorbitt/global.html
3.  Map or globe
4. Colored markers, crayons
5. paper for individual drawings or other art supplies that are relevant to the story such as markers and/or crayons

Teacher will also need
1. Pencil and paper (to make notes for assessment and reflections
2. Copy of lesson rubric 1 for each group member.  (see rubric below)

Technology Connection
Technologies that will be used in this lesson include: computer with Internet connection, a picture developed using a computer drawing program, and a designed website that includes a computer painted picture related to the book Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain

Procedure:
Part I Step One: Introduction
1. Work with a small group of students (2-5).  NO LESS THAN 3 STUDENTS
Introduction questions. (Introduction questions are for the teacher, to find out about the students’ previous knowledge of the subject content.
2. Show the children the globe or the map. Ask them questions such as:

What is this called?
What colors do you see on it?
What does the blue represent?  Tell them that the big blue areas are oceans and the small ones are lakes, or rivers, etc.
What do these many colors represent?
Can anyone point to our country; to Georgia"
We are going to learn about a Ki-pat who lived in the Kapiti Plain of Africa.
Does anyone know where Africa is?
The teacher points to the place on the map and then asks a child to point to Georgia. 
Do you think Africa is far away or near from us in Georgia?
Do you have go over water to get to this place from our place?

(Estimated time 10 minutes)

Step Two: Teaching the Primary Learning Outcomes Language Experience Activity
1. Go to the computer and your Lesson 1 Global Diversity Activity website at http://www.valdosta.edu/~wmcorbitt/global.html Students should be grouped around the computer with you so they can see the screen, and have access to using the mouse
2.  Let children take turns pointing to things in your picture.  They can also try to point to certain words on the screen.
3   Read each question  under the Paint drawing  Ask them to respond to your questions 
4   Have a large piece of chart paper or separate sheets with each question, already prepared with the questions listed with spaces to write the children's responses underneath.
5. As each child responds to the questions, write exactly what they are saying when they make their responses.
Write students’ names next to each response.
List your 3 questions here
a.  Describe the grass in the picture.
b. Why is the grass brown?  Why does the grass need to be green?
c. Does it look like it will rain?
Part 2
1.  Read the paragraph under the questions to the children then show them the book
2.   Do a BRIEF picture walk and talk about the book
2.  Tell them the title Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain, written by Verna Aardema, illustrations by Beatriz Vidal.
3.  Read the story to the children.
(10-15 minutes)

Closure:
1. After you read the story, review their responses made prior to reading them the story and compare their responses with the actual events in the story. 
2. Ask them to tell you some things they learned from the story.
3.  Give the students markers or crayons, and let them color and add words or pictures that they learned about in the story on the chart paper.
4.  Each child will draw and color his or her own individual picture about the story.

5.     Exhibit children's work or let them show the things they made to others.
(Estimated time 15 minutes)

6.     EVALUATIONA:
Rubric:  Use this chart to evaluate each student
Copy the rubric below (1 per group member)

 

 

Level 3 - (5 -4 points)

Level 2   (3- 2 points)

Level 1    (1-0 points)

Student is able to use the mouse to point to things and click  with no or little assistance

Student is able to use the mouse to control the computer with much assistance.

Student is not able to use the mouse to control the computer.

Student responded to all the critical thinking prediction questions about the story and was able to compare his/her predictions with the events in the story.

Student responded with accuracy to two of the critical thinking questions from the story and was able to compare his/her responses with the  events in the story.

Student responded with accuracy to 1 or none of the prediction questions about the related to the story that was read to them.

Student worked collaboratively with others in the group and  understood the importance of  contributing and working  positively to complete  the project

Student worked collaboratively with others in the group, but did not understand the  importance of  contributing and working with others to complete  the project

Student was unable to work with others in the group and  had difficulty understanding the importance of contributing to the overall project