First Grade Literature Lesson Plans

The Tiny Seed
by Eric Carle

Harriet and the Garden
by Nancy Carlson

This Year's Garden
by Cynthia Rylant

Junior Science-Seeds
by Terry Jennings

The Carrot Seed
by Ruth Krauss

Written and Planned by
Tracy Leininger-Johnson
Holbrook Elementary School
Lebannon, Ohio
First Grade

Lesson Plan for Harriet and the Garden by Nancy Carlson

Objectives

Distinguish fact from fiction.
State 4 components of a story-setting, character, problem.
Brainstorm alternative solutions for story conflict.
Use grade appropriate spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to write complete sentences.
Use/spell high frequency words correctly.
Enjoy literature

Procedure

1. Display pictures of garden flowers.
Ask students to identify/name types of flowers. List names of flowers.
2. Introduce story:
The main character in this story is Harriet. Harriet and her friends like to play ball in the park.

Harriet has a problem in this story. (Display cover of book. Ask students to predict what the problem in the story will be). Let's read to see what Harriet does to solve the problem in this story.

3. Read "Harriet and the Garden" aloud.
4. Discuss 4 components of the story (characters, setting, problem, solution).
5. Discuss alternatives ways to solve the problem in the story.
6. The students illustrate 4 components of the story and write 2 to 3 sentences about each one on sectioned paper (11 x 17).

Extension

Select a favorite garden flower.
Tear and glue scraps of construction paper to shape mosaic flower.
Label Flower

Materials:

1. picture display of garden flowers.
2. List of flowers (student generated)
3. White construction paper (9 x 11)
4. Scrap pieces of colored construction paper.

Lesson Plan for
This Year's Garden
by Cynthia Rylant

Objectives

Identify the four seasons
State how the four seasons affect gardening.
Use grade appropriate spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to write complete sentences.
Use/spell high frequency words correctly.
Enjoy literature.

Procedure:

1. Brainstorm/list items planted in vegetable gardens.
2. Introduce Story

This story is about a family and their garden. The family is involved with their garden throughout the year. What do you think they will do in Winter? Spring? Summer? Fall?
(Allow students to make predictions). Let's read and see.

3. Read "This Year's Garden" aloud.
4. Discuss cycle of seasons and events in story.
5. Discuss type of vegetables planted/harvested in story. Ask students what they would plant in a garden.
6. The students illustrate a garden(use garden template work sheet). The students write a description of their gardens- how to plant, care and harvest.

Extension

The class will create a bar graph. Do you have a Vegetable Garden?
The students will interpret class graph and write 1 to 2 sentences stating observations.

Lesson Plan for
Junior Science-Seeds
by Terry Jennings

Objective:

Distinguish fact from fiction
Use meaning, structure, and visual cues to read.
Sequence events.
Show listening comprehension of materials by writing facts.
Use grade appropriate spelling, capitalization, punctuation to write complete sentences.
Use and Spell high frequency words correctly.

Procedure:

1. Brainstorm/ list facts about seeds.
2. Introduce story.

This story is about seeds. It is a true book filled with facts. Listen to see if you can learn some new facts about seeds.

3. Read Junior Science Seeds aloud.
4. Brainstorm about the new facts students learned.
5. Discuss how a bean seed grows.
6. Read and sequence story - The Bean Seed (work sheet)
cut/color/sequence

Illustrate last picture box.

7. Write 4 to 5 facts learned from book.

Extension.

categorize seeds
make a seed collage
collect seeds
soak lima beans (as in book)
plant lima beans.

Lesson Plan for
The Carrot Seed
by Ruth Krauss

Objectives

Distinguish Fact from fiction
Recognize/retell the beginning, middle and end of a story.
Identify/ state different parts of plants we eat.
Use grad appropriate spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to write complete sentences.
Use/spell high frequency words correctly.
Encourage the enjoyment of literature.

Procedure

1. display pictures of plants grown in a vegetable garden. Display a chart with headings

roots
stems
leaves
flowers
seeds

Ask the students to identify different parts of plants that we eat. List on chart.

2. Introduce Story

This story is about a boy who plants a carrot seed and how he takes care of it. Look at the cover. What do you think will happen in the beginning? The Middle? The End? Allow students to make predictions.

3. Read "The carrot Seed" aloud.
4. Discuss the beginning, middle, and the end.
5. Illustrate the beginning, middle, and end on the cover of a flip book. Have students write 3 to 4 sentences describing the beginning, middle, and the end on inside of flip book.

Extension

1. Discuss how a carrot is a root. Refer to list generated by students to discuss other types of roots.

2. Display types of roots students may not be familiar with;

turnip
radish
sweet potato

Make root stamps and label them.

Materials

Various roots cut in half.
Bright colored tempera paint.
Tan construction paper (6" x 18")

Lesson Plan for
The Tiny Seed
by Eric Carle

Objectives

Recognize/retell beginning, middle, and end of a story.
Identify/ State plant needs.
Identify the four seasons and effects on plants.
Understand how wind distributes seeds.
Use grad appropriate spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to write complete sentences.
Use/spell high frequency words correctly.
Encourage the enjoyment of literature.

Procedure:

1. discuss/List how seeds travel.
2. Introduce the Story.

This story is about a tiny seed that travels in the wind. How do you think the seed begins it's travel? What do you think will happen to the seed:

In beginning of the story?
in the middle of the story?
in the end of the story?
Allow students to predict what will happen.

3. Read "The Tiny Seed" aloud.
4. Discuss the cycle of seasons as it relates to Beginning, Middle, and End of the story.
5. The students illustrate beginning, middle, and end in step book (see example).

The students write 2 to 3 sentences describing each part of story.

Extension

Draw attention to Eric Carle's illustrations. Students create brightly colored flowers to make a classroom garden moral.