Lynn Fox

  Instructional Plan

Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth

Subject Area: English
Instructor: Lynn Fox
School: Renaissance Magnet Middle School,
District: Flagstaff Unified School District, Flagstaff, AZ
Grade Level: Grades 7-8 multiage classroom
Classroom demographics:
8th graders: 13,
7th graders: 14
Special Education students: 6,
ELL students: 2

Background Information: The lesson outlined below is part of a larger unit. The students have completed reading Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth. Throughout the reading, several word choice activities were completed. These lessons led to sentence fluency and ended with paragraph development. Character studies and sequencing of story events along with journal questions rounded out the novel study.

The following lesson asks students to evaluate their reading and address questions and/or judgments about The Phantom Tollbooth and the author in a letter to Norton Juster. Specifically, during this 90-minute class period, the students will complete a prewriting activity using a graphic organizer for their letters. Additional follow up activities are listed at the end of the lesson.

American Academic Standards:
Language Arts: Writing
WE-6. Write formal communications, such as personal or business letters, messages, directions and applications, in an appropriate format and for a specific audience and purpose

Other Standards Used:
DAP: Communication district assessment
AIMS preparation
Relate steps in writing a letter to the Six Traits of Writing
Evaluate letters to authors written by other students
Use the writing process

Materials:

1. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
2. PowerPoint: Writing Letters Using the Six Traits of Writing (Could be done on overhead transparencies)
3. PowerPoint: Letter development guide tips (Could be done on overhead transparencies)
4. Six Trait Rubric (yellow student copies)
5. Graphic organizer
6. White boards (one per group), dry erase pens, felt erasers for each group
7. Pencils/pens
8. Sample letters for scoring (included in the PowerPoint presentation)

Instructional strategies:

1. Wait time
2. Whip Around, Option to Pass
3. Proximity
4. Higher level questioning
5. Student equity
6. Small groups: each member of group receives a number of 1-4
7. Large group sets: direct instruction

Anticipatory Set: Total time: 5 minutes
Question: “We listened to a wonderful interview with Norton Juster during the previous class period. I want you to think about one question or statement you would direct to Mr. Juster if he were to really walk in the door this morning. Think about it and be ready to share your idea in a Whip around, option to pass.” Wait 1-2 minutes and then begin the whip around.

Procedures:

1. Display PowerPoint presentation of writing letters using the six traits of writing. Students will have their 6 Traits copies on their desks to refer to during the review. Total time: 10 minutes



2. Handout: Graphic organizer for pr write activity. Use LCD Projector to introduce tips to writing a letter to Norton Juster.



3. Student groups assign each student a number from 1-4 for group jobs and reporting. Numbers are written on name card. Handout white boards, pens and felt erasers. Student groups share a white board to score samples presented in the following PowerPoint. Each group will collaborate on Six Trait scores with justification for the scores coming from the student Six Trait Rubric (yellow). A group spokesperson is selected by calling out a number. The student assigned that number (1-4) is the group member who will present the group decision and justification to the whole class. (equity)



4. Tip #1: Choose one issue (ideas) from the text to evaluate and express your opinion, raise questions and/or relate it to your life (voice). Use quotes, facts, personal knowledge (ideas) to make a solid judgment about your issue. Give students 10 minutes to fill in the graphic organizer sections: Ideas and Opinions about the Work and Statement of Judgment or question. They may use their notes from the previous class for help, ideas generated in the whip around and the text. Total time: 10 minutes



5. Tip #2: Hook the reader in 25 words or less (organization, word choice, voice) Suggested beginnings:
   • Sharing something personal about yourself.
   • Relating an anecdote to a character or event in the book
   • Using a before-and-after comparison
   • Relating an interest or quality you share with the author or one of the characters in the book
     
     *Samples: My cousin died, and Dear Beverly Cleary
     
     After scoring and discussion, students are to select one strategy, brainstorm possible hooks for their letters and fill in the graphic organizer section provided to draft the hook. Total time: 20 minutes



6. Tip #3: Correspond, Don’t Compliment. Respond to characters or events in the story.
   • Share feelings
   • Insights
   • Memories
   • Actions you have as a result of reading (ideas, voice, word choice).
     
     *Sample: I love your books… Dear Jane Austen… Student groups score as in #5.
     
     Students complete the Reason and Supporting Details section of the graphic organizer using examples from the book and the notes for help. Total Time: 20 minutes



7. Tip #4: Leave the reader with something to think about (ideas, voice, organization).
   
   *Samples: Dear Beverly Cleary… and Dear Ms. Austen.
   
   Group score and then individually complete conclusion section of the graphic organizer. Total time: 15 minutes



8. Tip #5: Check letter for grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and paragraph development (conventions and sentence fluency). The student groups will score sample letters for conventions after peer response sessions and revisions on rough drafts are completed. Total time: 3 minutes



9. Review the five tips with a final slide. Total time: 5 minutes



10. Collect the graphic organizers. I will do this in order to assess how well the students have organized their ideas. This will help me to determine if it is necessary to provide more time or any re-teaching of the concepts presented in the lesson. *If for any reason the graphic organizers are not completely finished in class, students will need to complete for homework.

Follow up to this lesson

Additional materials:

• Rubric for the letter
• Peer Response Handout
• Write Source 2000 Section 194
• Computers for final drafts of letters

1. Students will leave their graphic organizers at school if they are completed during this class. Leaving a piece of writing for a few days helps writers to see their ideas differently and perhaps with a more critical eye.
2. During the next class, I will handout a rubric with the criteria and evaluation for the letter. A completed letter to a different author will be presented for the students to score and discuss.
3. Using the graphic organizers prepared the week before, students will begin drafting the body of their letters and complete draft as homework.
4. Students will share letter rough drafts in a peer response group using a peer response handout.
5. Students will practice scoring a sample letter for conventions.
6. Students are to type final letters in class and in the computer lab. A final editing for conventions session will be held before letters are turned in for a grade.

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