Domain:
History & Culture
Competency:
Recognize injustice and change
🎂
7-9 year olds
⏰
30 to 35 minutes min
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Learning Objective
Students will identify examples of honesty and patience in 'Ellie May on Presidents' Day' and connect these traits to their own actions in everyday situations.
Learning Resource Synopsis
In 'Ellie May on Presidents' Day' by Hillary Homzie, second-grader Ellie May is determined to be chosen as the class flag leader during the week leading up to Presidents' Day. Her enthusiasm for emulating presidential qualities leads her to humorous misadventures, such as karate chopping a class plant to test the myth about George Washington and dismantling a pencil sharpener inspired by Abraham Lincoln's curiosity. Through these experiences, Ellie learns important lessons about honesty, patience, and true leadership. Despite her imperfections, Ellie realizes the value of being genuine and kind-hearted, which ultimately helps her grow as a leader.
Extended Learning Resources
| Resource & Author | Publication Info | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Honest-to-Goodness Truth | Written by Patricia C. McKissack, Illustrated by Giselle Potter, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers | This picture book explores the importance of honesty through the story of a young girl who learns that being truthful should be balanced with kindness. |
| Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books | Written by Kay Winters, Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | This illustrated biography shares the story of young Abraham Lincoln, emphasizing his perseverance and love for learning. |
| The Little Engine That Could | Retold by Watty Piper, Illustrated by Loren Long, published by Penguin Young Readers Group | This classic tale of a determined little engine teaches children about perseverance and the power of positive thinking. |
Vocabulary List
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Honesty | Telling the truth and being sincere. | Ellie May learns that honesty is important when she admits to her teacher that she took apart the pencil sharpener. |
| Leadership | The ability to guide or direct others in a positive way. | Ellie May showed leadership by helping her classmates understand the importance of being fair during activities. |
| Curious | Eager to learn or know about something. | Ellie May was curious like Abraham Lincoln, which is why she wanted to understand how the pencil sharpener worked. |
| Patient | Able to wait calmly without getting upset. | Ellie May learned to be patient when she had to wait for her turn to be the class flag leader. |
| Genuine | Being real and sincere, not pretending to be someone you are not. | Ellie May realized being genuine and kind-hearted was more important than trying to be perfect. |
Prompt
Essential Question: "How can being honest and patient like Ellie May help us make fair and kind choices in our daily lives?"
Today, we're going to explore how being honest and patient can help us make fair and kind choices. Imagine a time when you had to wait for something you really wanted or when telling the truth was important. Let's think about how these moments make us feel and how they can guide our actions.
Anticipatory Set
- Begin by asking the students to close their eyes and imagine a time when they had to wait patiently for something exciting, like a special event or a favorite treat. Encourage them to focus on the feelings they experienced during that time.
- Show the class a clear jar filled with different colored marbles, each representing different feelings like excitement, impatience, or joy. Shake the jar gently and ask them to listen to the sound the marbles make, inviting them to visualize how their feelings can mix and change just like the marbles.
- Invite students to share with a partner about a time when they chose to be honest or patient. Encourage them to use sentence starters like, 'I felt proud when I..' or 'It was hard, but I chose to..' to support their reflection.
Teacher Tips
- Use a calm, steady voice to guide students through the visualization and encourage them to take their time as they reflect on their feelings.
- Be attentive to students who may need additional support or encouragement to share by providing them with gentle prompts or offering to share your own experiences.
- Ensure that all students feel heard and valued by acknowledging each contribution and creating a respectful and supportive atmosphere during partner sharing.
Learn
Today, we're diving into 'Ellie May on Presidents' Day' by Hillary Homzie. In this story, Ellie May learns the importance of honesty and patience through her quest to become the class flag leader. Let's see how her adventures can teach us about being fair and kind in our own lives.
Interactive Engagement
- Ellie May is trying to be a leader like the presidents she admires. Can you think about what makes someone a good leader while we listen to her story?
- Ellie May sometimes makes mistakes while trying to be honest and patient. What do you think she might learn from these mistakes?
- As we read about Ellie May's adventures, try to imagine how you would feel if you were in her shoes. Would you make the same choices, or do something different?
- Ellie May tries different ways to show her honesty. Can you think of a time when you had to be honest even when it was difficult?
- Notice how Ellie May reacts when things don't go as planned. How do her feelings change, and how does she handle them?
Teacher Tips
- Pause during the story to allow students to discuss their thoughts with a partner. This encourages them to express their understanding and ideas.
- Use different voices for the characters to make the story more engaging and help students differentiate between them.
- Encourage students to share their own experiences related to honesty and patience, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
Ask
Now that we've journeyed with Ellie May, let's take a moment to think about how her story can help us understand the value of honesty and patience in our own lives. By reflecting on her adventures, we can discover how these traits shape our actions and relationships.
Discussion Questions
- Think about a time when you wanted something very much but had to wait for it, like Ellie May. How did being patient help you, and what did you learn from that experience?
- Ellie May learned a lot about honesty through her adventures. Can you share a time when being honest helped you feel good about yourself, even if it was difficult at first?
- Reflect on a moment in the story where Ellie May had to make a choice. How do you think her decision affected her and the people around her? What might you do in a similar situation?
Teacher Tips
- Encourage students to share their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. Remind them that everyone's experiences and reflections are valuable.
- Use gentle prompts to guide students who may be hesitant to share. For example, ask them to think about a favorite part of the story and why it stood out to them.
- Acknowledge diverse perspectives by highlighting different viewpoints shared during the discussion. This can help all students feel included and respected.
Navigate
Exploring Honesty and Patience with Ellie May
This activity allows children to explore the emotions and themes of honesty and patience through real-life connections, inspired by Ellie May's humorous yet insightful journey towards becoming a better leader. Students will engage in group discussions and personal reflection to understand how these virtues can influence their actions and interactions in their everyday lives.
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Teacher Tips
- Encourage all students to participate, whether by sharing verbally or through their art.
- Use prompts to help students think of examples, such as asking about times they waited their turn or told the truth in a tricky situation.
- Be ready to guide the conversation back to the themes of the story, emphasizing how these traits help Ellie May grow as a leader.
Share
Guide your students through a thoughtful reflection of their learning journey today. Connect the story of 'Ellie May on Presidents' Day' with their personal growth, emphasizing how Ellie's experiences with honesty and patience relate to their own lives and actions.
Reflection Questions
- Think about a moment in the story when Ellie May learned something important about being honest or patient. How did this change her actions, and how can it inspire you to make kind and fair choices?
- Reflect on a time when you showed honesty or patience in your life. How did it make you feel, and what did you learn about yourself from that experience?
- Consider how Ellie May's journey helped her become a better leader. What qualities do you think are important for a leader, and how can you practice them in your everyday life?
Teacher Tips
- Encourage students to share their reflections in pairs or small groups to foster a supportive environment.
- Invite students to choose their preferred method of sharing, whether through speaking, drawing, or writing, to honor diverse expressions.
- Highlight and celebrate the connections between students' insights and their application of honesty and patience in real-life situations, reinforcing their confidence and readiness to continue learning.
UDL Strategies
Representation
- Read the selected passages from 'Ellie May on Presidents' Day' aloud while displaying the text on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Use different voices or tones to emphasize moments of honesty and patience to keep auditory learners engaged.
- Provide a graphic organizer that outlines key moments in the story where Ellie May exhibits honesty or patience. Use visual symbols (e.G., a heart for honesty, a clock for patience) to support understanding for visual learners.
- Create a tactile storyboard using felt or magnetic pieces that students can manipulate to sequence events from the story, supporting kinesthetic learners in exploring the narrative physically.
- Supplement the reading with an audio recording of the passage that students can listen to individually or in small groups, catering to auditory learners who may benefit from hearing the story multiple times.
Action & Expression
- Allow students to express their understanding of honesty and patience through different mediums: writing a short paragraph, drawing a picture, or creating a short video or audio recording.
- Provide a choice board with activities such as creating a comic strip, writing a poem, or performing a skit that illustrates a personal example of honesty or patience, catering to varied communication preferences and creativity.
- For students who may struggle with writing or drawing, offer the use of digital tools or apps that allow them to create and share their stories through multimedia presentations.
- Organize a 'gallery walk' where students display their work and give peers the opportunity to leave positive feedback or questions, encouraging reflection and peer interaction.
Engagement
- Begin the activity with a short, engaging video or animation that introduces the themes of honesty and patience in a fun and relatable way, capturing students' attention from the start.
- Incorporate a role-play activity where students act out scenes from the story, allowing them to experience the emotions and decisions of the characters firsthand, thus maintaining interest and involvement.
- Offer students the choice of working on their examples individually, in pairs, or in small groups, based on their preference for social interaction or independent work.
- Introduce a 'virtue wall' where students can post their thoughts or examples of honesty and patience, fostering a sense of community and shared values within the classroom.
Assessment Criteria
Formative Assessment
- During the group discussion on honesty and patience, observe students' ability to contribute meaningful insights and examples. Look for students who can relate personal experiences to the traits of honesty and patience, as well as those who build on their peers' ideas, showing comprehension and engagement.
- As students work on their paragraph or drawing depicting a moment of honesty or patience, circulate and provide feedback on their ability to identify and describe relevant emotions and actions. Pay attention to how well they convey the impact of their actions on others, indicating a deeper understanding of the virtues.
Summative Assessment
- Students complete a 'Virtue Reflection' project where they create a visual representation (drawing or collage) of a personal experience involving honesty or patience, paired with a written or oral narrative explaining how this event demonstrated these traits and its impact on others, showing comprehension of the and social implications.
- In a 'Community Values Presentation,' students work in groups to develop a short presentation that explores how honesty and patience foster fairness and kindness in communities. They should include examples from 'Ellie May on Presidents' Day' and personal stories, demonstrating their ability to connect literature and real-life experiences with these virtues.
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