Literature
Unit
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Nikki Frank
11/22/11
Literature Unit
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black
Goals/Objectives
The students will be able to:
Read and engage in conversation about what they have read.
Identify poetic phrases in the book.
Create couplets.
Use deductive reasoning to better process what they are reading.
Identify and use the table of contents to refer back to specific places in the text.
Themes
Growth: How emotional growth is portrayed by multiple characters.
Anger: How anger can cripple. We see a character that physically mutates when angry. We see another
character who displays misdirected anger.
Redirection: How can negative energy and bad habits be shifted to create a more positive situation?
Family: How can family be more than the people we are related to? How can we adjust our family after
divorce?
Understanding: How can we empathize and gain insight to better appreciate a character.
Innocence: Recognize that playing the role of the “naughty kid” to get attention has serious
repercussions. You may get stuck with that label and get blamed when you are innocent. This theme is
abundant and can also be seen with regard to the fairy creatures that need to be protected.
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Background Knowledge
To better comprehend the book the students will need to understand the difference between
living in a big city and a small town. They will need to see how those differences will impact the feelings
of the characters in moving from New York to Florida. They need to understand the stress of moving
away from friends, family and familiarity, and how that may cause hostility. It is also important that they
understand that being in trouble makes you a prime suspect when anything bad happens.
It is also helpful for the class to have an understanding of what divorce does to families. If they
have a framework for what divorce is and how different people deal with it they can better process the
feelings of the characters. Understanding how the subtraction of a family member has s deep impact on
the remaining members of the family is crucial for the basis of the families’ tension.
The class will also need to put aside any misinformation they may have gained from watching
the movie. The movie is a summary of books 1-5 and is not done in any great detail. The book has far
more information and they need to have a desire to read the text even if they have watched the movie.
To help then recognize this I would ask the students to take a pretest. I would use a series of questions
that I want the class to look for in their reading. The answers would not be found in the movie and
would help the students understand that even if they saw the movie there is information to be gained
from reading the book.
Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
chronicles
identical
veterinarian
victorian
crevices
grudgingly
couplet
victrola
fencing
luminous
soliloquy
garish
dim
grudge
gimmick
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16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
crouch
tattered
wick
dumbwaiter
compendium
makeshift
expression
gaping
compartment
ragged
ruthless
nib
Strategies for Teaching the Words
Read, and Identify, words contextually:
The students will each be given a copy of the word wizard sheet, on which there are 25 words. They
will need to decide in their group if they are going to divide the words and hold each person accountable
for those words or take turns per chapter. They will then be expected to read the word within its
context and make associations.
Discuss them in your group:
After identifying the 5 words that the student will be addressing, they will be responsible for introducing
those words to the other members of their group. They are not allowed to copy down the dictionary
definitions. The words must be their own.
PowerPoint vocab pictures:
Within their groups the students will create illustrations for the vocab words. Due to the fact that the
illustrations can be hand drawn, cut from magazines, found on the internet or drawn on a computer this
lesson allows for differentiation. Once found they will be uploaded, scanned or otherwise added to a
PowerPoint which the whole class will view. The class will interpret the cumulative PowerPoint that has
5 words and 5 pictures per page. They will decipher each page and identify the matches. This can be a
competitive exercise done in their groups, individually, or in partners. Otherwise it can be a teacher
directed whole class lesson.
Dramatizing:
In pairs the students will be asked to act out one word. The students can use the sentence from the
book to create a quick skit or they can create one of their own. Depending on the complexity and role of
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the skit this lesson lends itself to differentiation in that students are able to choose their word and how
they present it.
Different Comprehension Strategies
1. Think and Wonder about Images- As an introduction to the text the teacher will bring in a series of
pictures describing various items in the book. The students will be asked to infer and question based on
the images. Working either independently or with a partner the students will choose one image at a
time and discuss/think about what it means to them. They will then use their ideas to journal about the
image. Due to the nature of choice this lesson is differentiated.
2. Study skills- the students will be introduced to the table of contents and advised on how to use
the information in it to;
a.
b.
c.
Refer back to particular passages.
Create a framework and make predictions about the text .
Make quick inferences based on chapter titles and picture titles.
3. Modeling- The teacher will read the first chapter with great inflection, articulation and attention to
detail. The teacher will stop when a word is puzzling, use it in its sentence, look for cues and then
define. The teacher will make connections to characters and situations that parallel the students and
the classroom. The teacher will talk about visualizing what is being read. At the end of the passage the
whole class will discuss and summarize the passage.
After listening to the teacher read and summarizing the students will pair up and choose a
passage to read aloud expressively. They will be asked to use the same skills the teacher did, highlighting
any vocab words and using good inflection. They will practice the passage and then present it orally to
the class. This lesson lends itself to differentiation because the students may choose their own passage
to present.
4. Reflection- the students will be given a series of journaling prompts (see discussion/journal prompt
questions) which they are asked use in their daily journal. The students will choose a journal prompt
from the list provided and write for a period of time each day. The teacher will collect the journals
periodically to see that the students are using their time wisely and answering the questions well. (See
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Reflection Rubric) This activity lends itself to differentiation because the students are able to choose
their own prompt and are graded holistically based on what they have produced.
5. Self-assessment- The students will complete an assessment checklist each day (See the Self-Directed
Book Talk Checklist). They will monitor their progress as well as identify questions and predictions
based on the assigned reading. They will also use self-assessment to evaluate their poetry and summery
projects (See Self-assessment Rubric).
6. Deductive Reasoning- To better understand the idea of “reading between the lines” the students will
assess several situations in which information is presented but steps need to be taken in order to fully
grasp the material (See Deductive reasoning Worksheet, provided by promo.simonandschuster.com
/Spiderwick/). As an extension to the worksheet the students would be asked to create their own
conclusions using deductive reasoning based on what they learned.
7. Self-efficacy/Learning Modalities/ Metacognition- The students will select their own journal questions
as well as their job in the group. The idea is that the students will be able to;
Identify what they like to do
Identify what they have a talent for
Take their academic success in their own hands
Discussion/Journal Prompt Questions
Knowledge
1. Why did the Grace family move?
2. What kind of house did the Grace family move into?
3. Name and describe the two sides of the character that lives in the dumb waiter.
Comprehension
1. How does Jared Grace cope with his parents’ divorce?
2. How does Simon Grace cope with his parents’ divorce?
3. Explain how Jared is like a Boggart.
Application
1. Use couplets to describe Spiderwick Manner.
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2. Predict/solve the mystery of the mice?
3. Why is Jared blamed for all the strange happenings?
Analysis
1. Compare and contrast Simon and Jared.
2. Breakdown the events that transpired in the kitchen.
3. How is a Boggart different from a Brownie?
Synthesis
1. How is anger debilitating to more than one character?
2. How does the relationship between Jared and Thimbletack change throughout the book?
3. If you were Jared how would you live with a brownie?
Evaluative
1. If you were Jared Grace how would you have dealt with being blamed for all the strange goingson?
2. If you were Jared’s mom how would you react to the kitchen incident and how would you
punish him?
3. What would the classroom look like if we had a Boggart?
4. How is Jared’s “trap” different than a traditional “trap”?
5. How have the characters grown?
Writing Activities
1. Connections- The students will read the speech of a character who only talks in couplets. The
teacher will define couplets as poetic passages the end in rhymes. The teacher will then read
the Shell Silverstone poem, Peggy Ann McKay. To better understand this and connect with it
they will create couplets. As a class we will choose a topic and make a splash of rhyming words
pairs on the board. From those pairs, and any others they come up with, the students will be
asked to write poetry in their journals. This activity lends itself to differentiation because the
students are able to create a final product based on what they are capable of accomplishing in
the time provided.
2. Word Wizard- The students will receive a list of all the vocab words from the text. In their
groups they need to come up with their own definitions of at least 5 words on their word wizard
sheet. The definitions cannot be copied from the dictionary.
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3. Journal Prompts- The students will be choosing a journal question to write about each day. They
will be assessing this writing in their self-directed book talk sheet. The entry needs to draw on
information they have gained from the reading. They can use a journal prompt from the list of
discussion/journal question.
4. Sharing- The students will use their journal prompts as well as their questions and predictions to
have a conversation within their group about the book. They will be evaluating the conversation
on their book talk sheets.
5. Couplets- The students will be introduced to couplets in the text to supplement this we will look
at the poetry of Shell Silverstein and Dr. Seuss. As a class we will choose a topic and make a list
of rhyming words on the board. From there they will be asked to create a poem using rhyming
couplets.
6. Field guide- The students will put together a field guide of all of their work throughout the book.
They will compare the fictional field-guide to a non-fiction field guide on a t-chart. They will
create Thimbletack’s new house. The group will be assigned jobs and they must decide who is
doing what job. This project lends itself to differentiation because the students are asked to
choose their job or role within the group. They are able to showcase their talents based on the
job they have chosen.
7. Letter- The students will be writing a letter to a person they left in New York. They must
highlight details from the text to support the things they write. They need to display the
feelings of a character as well as draw some conclusions themselves. They will have the option
to write a formal or informal letter. Depending on what they choose to write they will have to
use a style fitting that type of letter. They will be going through the writing process with this
letter. They will create a prewrite of their ideas, a rough draft to be peer edited, a draft to be
teacher edited and then typing a final draft. This activity can be differentiated to be all done on
a computer. To lessen any anxiety the peer edit may be adjusted into a one-on-one teacher
conference and edit. Also the nature of this writing activity creates for variety in that not every
student will write a formal letter, and some students will be able to rely on personal
interpretations of one characters personality to write the letter.
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Poetry
1.
Identify rhyming words in Thimbletack’s speech. Identify beat and rhythm in his speech by
reading passages out loud.
2.
Create short poems using couplets.
3 Couplets
Shell Silverstone’s’ Peggy Ann McKay
"I cannot go to school today,"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more--that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut--my eyes are blue-It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke-My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
(http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16480)
Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who
On the fifteenth of May, in the jungle of Nool,
In the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool,
He was splashing…enjoying the jungle’s great joys…
When Horton the elephant heard a small noise.
So Horton stopped splashing. He looked towards the sound.
“That’s funny,” thought Horton. “There’s no one around.”
Then he heard it again! Just a very faint yelp
As if some tiny person were calling for help.
“I’ll help you,” said Horton. “But who are you? Where?”
He looked and he looked. He could see nothing there
But a small speck of dust blowing past though the air.
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“I say!” murmured Horton. “I’ve never heard tell
Of a small speck of dust that is able to yell.
So you know what I think?…Why, I think that there must
Be someone on top of that small speck of dust!
Some sort of a creature of very small size,
too small to be seen by an elephant’s eyes…
(Snip-it from http://dr-seusspoems.blogspot.com/2010/04/horton-hears-who-dr-seuss.html)
The Turkey Gives Thanks
Thanksgiving is my favorite feast.
The table's set, the napkins creased.
We always have a great big crowd
With uncles, aunts and children loud.
The grownups shoo us to our chairs
With pushing hands and parent stares.
We wait to eat -- but this part's quirky.
Our main dish is never, ever turkey!
Our grandpa will not eat this bird.
On this he gave his solemn word.
Years ago when he was young,
He vowed it not to pass his tongue.
As a boy, he lived beside
The rolling Polish countryside.
The turkeys (this is so unkind)
Would chase and bite his small behind.
So even though it's quite the norm,
He shuns the bird in every form.
I understand how grandpa feels
And how it's changed his life-long meals.
But me, I'd rather take attack.
Once a year, I'd bite them back!
by Denise Rodgers
(http://www.funny-poems-for-free.com/thanksgiving-poems.html)
Differentiation
The book is a 4.1 on the scholastic book wizard and would ideally be used for a 4th grade class. It
is only about 100 pages and has several full page illustrations. There is little background knowledge for
the students because it takes place in the present with regular children in a “normal” family dynamic.
Below 4.0
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Ideally this book is targeted to be about 20 minutes of reading per chapter. If the student reads
slower or is easily distracted each day’s reading can be assisted by one of several audio books. The
student still needs to follow along in his or her book while listening to the CD but they are able to stay
on target. They will be provided additional in class help as well. During work time they will be the group
that receives the most support. They also would be present for any and all in class reading, pending
there are no absences. In the event one of the struggling students is absent they would be able to take
home an audio book.
Everyone
This unit was written with the idea that students learn best when they are able to construct
their own meaning. That being said I have provided every opportunity for the students to choose their
own projects. They are able to decide what works well for them and how they want to use those skills.
They are also going to be self-assessing in an attempt to identify their areas of strength and room for
improvement. I would assess their personally graded rubric and conference with them based on any
discrepancies between what I found and what they found. From there any adjustments for their
learning style can be taken into account. If they are feeling overwhelmed with the amount of reading or
writing we can address that on an individual basis. I have also highlighted in red specific areas that lend
themselves to variation and differentiation throughout the unit.
Items to be Used as Assessment Activities
1. Self-assessment checklist- in an attempt to identify their areas of strength and room for
improvement I would assess their personally graded rubric and conference with them based on
any discrepancies between what I found and what they found. From there any adjustments for
their learning style can be taken into account.
2. Characterization worksheet- the students must pick a character and write the character’s
name in the center of the page. Choose adjectives that describe him/her on the blank lines. Use
vivid adjectives to describe the character. Feel free to quote specific passages from the book. If
they cannot find enough detail about the character you choose, pick a new character.
3. Poem with Self-assessment rubric- the students will write a poem based on the splash we did on
the board from there the student will evaluate their poetry. The student and teacher will then
conference about the poem and rubric.
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4. T or F deductive reasoning sheet- the students will use deductive reasoning as directed on the
worksheet and hand it in. They will also be assessed on the passage they created based on the
worksheet.
5. Group Field-guide- the students will collaboratively create an artifact which represents the work
they have completed and resembles the field guide in the text. They will self-assess the artifact
using the self-assessment rubric and the teacher will assess for completion of all parts. If there
are missing parts the teacher will work with the group to create those parts.
6. Letters- the students will be assessed using the six traits on their letters. They will also be
assessed on whether they completed the writing steps. They will need to hand in a pre-write,
edited draft and a final to get full credit.
Other books
1. Pirates of the Purple Dawn by Tony Abbott,
2. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
3. Charlie Bone and the Shadow by Jenny Nimmo
4. See You later, Gladiator by Jon Scieszka
5. Da Wild, Da Crazy, Da Vinci by Jon Scieszka
6. In the Shadow of Goll by Tony Abbot
7. Dark Fire by Chris D’Lacey
8. Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull
9. Maze of the Beast by Emily Rodda
10. Mister Monday by Garth Nix
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Student Self-Evaluation Rubric
1
3
5
Use of Time
I did not use time
wisely.
I used time wisely
for the most part.
I used time wisely
the entire time.
Staying on Topic
I went off of topic a
lot.
I stayed on topic for I stayed on topic
the most part but
during the whole
went off a few
project.
times.
Satisfaction
I am not satisfied
with my poem.
I am somewhat
satisfied but could
have done better.
I am very satisfied
with my poem.
(Poetry evaluation)
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Self-Directed Book Talk
Checklist
M T W H F
1.
2.
3.
4.
I read what was assigned?
I understood and made connections with what I read?
I added to my journal?
I drew a picture?
I choose a worksheet?
I talked about my reading?
5.
6.
I stayed on task
List two questions/predictions…
7.
List 2 comments…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Word wizard
Names_____________________________________________
Your Job is to…




Read, and Identify, words contextually.
Find 5 words from the list when you are Word Wizard
Be able to explan them and have written definitions for you group.
Discuss them in your group
chronicles
identical
veterinarian
victorian
crevices
grudgingly
compendium
cuplet
victrola
dumbwaiter
fencing
garish
dim
grudge
gimmick
crouch
tattered
wick
compendium
makeshift
expression
gaping
compartment
ragged
ruthless
Example:
luminous: p. 83- radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.
soliloquy: p. 83- the act of talking to oneself dramaticly.
Ms. Frank
Ms. Framk
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Name_________________________________
Directions: Compare and contrast a Simon and Jared
Simon
Twins
Likes animal
Reads a lot
Wants to be a vet
Has 2 pet mice
9 years
From NYC
Jared
Not an animal fan
Got in trouble at school
Not happy
about parents’ divorce
Wants a pet squirrel
Scared of the dumb Waiter
Gets beat up by Thimble tack
Has a black eye
Would have been expelled
Doesn’t get along with his
Don’t like the new house
sister
Not afraid of the
dumbwaiter
Fences with sister
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Name_____________________________________________________________
Story Map
The Spiderwick Chronicles; Book 1, The Field Guide
The Beginning
Mallory, Jared, and Simon move to a Victorian “shack” from NYC because of their
parents’ divorce.
The Middle
After hearing strange noises in the walls, the children break a gaping whole into the
wall where they find a nest. The nest couldn’t be from a regular animal because
there is a string of cockroaches on the wall and several of their personal items.
The End
The children realize that the nest is in an old dumb waiter and select Jared to get in
in it. At the top of the dumb waiter is a secret room with no other entrance. Inside
the room, Jared finds a hidden book.
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Name________________________________________
Characterization Worksheet
Write the character’s name in the center of the page. Choose adjectives that describe him/her on the
blank lines. Use vivid adjectives to describe the character. Feel free to quote specific passages from the
book. If you cannot find enough detail about the character you choose, pick a new character.
ACTIONS
(Indirect characterization)
DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
(Adjectives the author uses to describe the character)
DIALOGUE
(Indirect characterization)
THIS CHARACTER’S
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
(Indirect characterization)
THIS CHARACTER’S
PRIVATE THOUGHTS
(Indirect characterization)
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Student Self-Evaluation Rubric
1
3
5
Use of Time
I did not use time
wisely.
I used time wisely
for the most part.
I used time wisely
the entire time.
Staying on Topic
I went off of topic a
lot.
I stayed on topic for I stayed on topic
the most part but
during the whole
went off a few
project.
times.
Satisfaction
I am not satisfied
with my project.
I am somewhat
satisfied but could
have done better.
I am very satisfied
with my project.
(Field Guide Project Evaluation)
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Name_________________________
Field Guide
Directions- Each member of the group is assigned a task. The job is to be completed
on a separate piece of paper. It should be completed with high quality and using the
knowledge you gained from the reading.
1. The Organizer- Character growth chart. (Compare a character from the beginning
of the book and the end of the book)
2. The Reader- Compare Care and Feeding Sprites to non-fiction.
3. The Detailer-Draw Thumbletacks house
4. The Punisher- If you were mom what would your punishment be for Jared?
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Reflection Rubric
1
2
3
4
Use of time
No writing was
provided.
The student is
making an
effort to use
his or her time.
The student is
focused on
writing the
entire time but
is not yet able
to write the
entire time.
The Student is
writing the
entire time
they are asked
to.
Satisfaction
A one word
answer is
given.
No answer is
provided but
the entry is
well written
Questions are
answered
incorrectly but
there is depth.
Questions are
answered in
depth and well
written.
Conventions
No puntuation,
and
capitolization
are used.
Many errors
exist with
puntuation,
and
capitolization.
Few errors
exist with
puntuation,
and
capitolization.
The student is
using good
puntuation,
and
capitolization.
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