
First Grade Storypath, By Thaddeus Taylor
Table of contents
Resource List
Topic Outline
Unit Goals
Resource List
Primary Resources
Video Material
Disney Studios (Producer). Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney Platinum Ed. (1938). [DVD]. Lake Buena Vista: Disney Studios. 2001.
Kino Video (Producer). The Movies Begin vol. 1. [ Videotape ]. New York: Kino Video.2002.
Childrens Literature
Suess, Dr. And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. New York: Random House Books. 1989.
Secondary Resources
Periodicals
World Almanac. World Almanac for Kids 2004. Yew York: World Almanac. 2003.
Childrens Literature
Adler, David A. A Picture Book of George Washington. New York: Holiday House. 1989.
Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Thomas Alva Edison. New York: Holiday House. 1999
Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Thurgood Marshall. New York: Holiday House. 1999.
Behrens, June. Sally Ride, Astronaut. Chicago: Childrens Press. 1984.
Brown, Don. One Giant Leap. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company. 1998.
Shea, George. First Flight. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 1997.
Hays, Wilma P. Eli Whitney and the Machine Age. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc. 1959.
Pseud Kay, Helen. The First Teddy Bear. 2nd Ed. New York: Stemmer House Publishers 2004.
Websites
Smithsonian Institute. http://www.si.edu/
Library of Congress. http://lcweb.loc.gov/
Kid Friendly pages. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
Today in History. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/today.html
Dr. Suess. http://www.suessville.com
African American Timeline 1900s. http://librariansnook.com/aatimeline1900.htm
Famous Firsts by American Women. http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womensfirsts1.html
Topic Outline
Maps
Globes
Timeline
First European Born in America - Virginia Dare, 1587 (Roanoke Is., NC)
First Published African American Author - Phillis Wheatley, 1770
First President on United States - George Washington, 1789
First National Park - Yellowstone, 1872 (Yellowstone, WY)
First Light Bulb - Thomas Alva Edison, 1879
First Electrically Lit Baseball Game - 1880 (Hull, MA)
First Basketball Game - James Naismith, 1891 (Springfield, MA)
First Open Heart Surgery - Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, 1893
First Teddy Bear - Morris Michtom, 1902
First Motion Picture - The Great Train Robbery, 1903
First Manned Flight - Wright Brothers, 1903 (Kitty Hawk, NC)
First Ice Cream Cone - Charles E. Menches, 1904 (St. Louis, MO)
First Dr. Suess Book - And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street, 1937
First Full Length Animated Motion Picture-Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1939
First Woman to Break Sound Barrier - Jacqueline Cochran, 1953
First African American Supreme Court Justice - Thurgood Marshall, 1967
First Man on the Moon - Neil Armstrong, 1969 (moon)
First Woman in space - Sally Ride, 1983
Unit Goals
Social Studies
Geography
3.3.2 recognize and use a map key
History
3.5.1 label historical events as past, present, and future
3.5.2 use a timeline to determine the order of a historical sequence of events
English Language Arts
Reading
1.1.01 Develop oral language
1.1.02 Develop listening skills
1.1.03 Demonstrate knowledge of concepts of print
1.1.05 Develop and use decoding strategies
1.1.07 Develop and extend reading vocabulary
1.1.08 Develop and use pre-reading strategies
Writing
1.2.01 Use a variety of pre-writing strategies
1.2.02 Write for a variety of purposes
1.2.05 Evaluate own and others writing
1.2.06 Experience numerous publishing opportunities
1.2.07 Write narrative accounts
Elements of Language
1.3.01 Demonstrate knowledge of standard English usage
1.3.02 Demonstrate knowledge of standard English mechanics
1.3.03 Demonstrate knowledge of standard English spelling
1.3.04 Demonstrate knowledge of correct sentence structure
Problem Solving
During the critical incidents, students will demonstrate Problem Solving skills when they form ideas to fix the problems that arise, and decide on the best approach.
Communication
During the activities, brainstorming, critical incidents, and presentations, the students will demonstrate communication skills by effectively verbalizing their ideas as well as showing evidence on listening to others.
Thinking Skills
During the creation on place and people, and during the critical incidents, the students will create original ideas as individuals as well as in groups.
Creating the Setting Famous Firsts in America Grade 1
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Key Questions |
Pupil Activity |
Class Organization |
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Outcome Assessment |
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After hearing the story about the new museum wing, the students will discuss what is needed in the museum, how the museum will be laid out, and types of things are needed in the exhibits that will be included. |
1. What is our wing of the museum supposed to be about? 2. What are things we need to have in our wing? 3. How should our museum be laid out? 4. What kinds of signs will our museum need? 5. What kinds of rooms do we need that are not exhibit rooms? |
1. Listen to the narrative. 2. Brainstorm ideas about what we need in the new wing. 3. Create a frieze of the floor plan of the new wing. 4. Students will be told they need to dedicate the new wing. 5. Students will brainstorm about the dedication. 6. Students will vote on the dedication. |
1. Whole class 2. Whole class 3. Small groups consisting of 3-4 members 4. Whole class 5. Whole class 6. Whole class |
1. Narrative 2. Key Questions, chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 3. Large piece of butcher paper, pencils, markers, crayons, painters tape, glue, tape, scissors, construction paper. 4. Letter about dedication. 5. Letter, chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 6. Chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers |
1. Observe that students are listening 2. Class participation 3. Cooperation, creativity, clean up 4. Observe that students are listening 5. Class participation 6. Class participation |
Introduction to the Setting
There are many kinds of museums all around the world. Some museums have collections of things. Some museums are places to learn about certain subjects. A local history museum has just built a new wing. This new part of the building will have a brand new exhibit. The new wing has just been finished and still smells of sawdust and fresh paint. Inside the new wing, there is a main corridor that has a large map as part of the carpet. Off the corridor are twelve empty room. The new wing is all white for the moment. All the walls are painted white and the only floor with a covering is the main corridor. The museum is hiring new people to build the new exhibits that will fill the new wing. These new exhibits are to be about famous things that happened for the first time in America. Soon the corridor will be filled with the sounds of people filling the new rooms with exhibits.
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Key Questions |
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There are many people who work in the new wing. They are different kinds of people who have different kinds of jobs. |
1. What kind of jobs do people do in a museum? 2. What kinds of people work in a museum? 3. What do people do when they are at work? 4. What do people do when they are not at work? 5. What is the first thing these people do everyday? What do they do in the middle? What do they do at the end? |
1. Brainstorm ideas about the characters. 2. Create the characters. 3. Complete the resume sheet. 4. Introduce the characters. 5. Students are told about a director position 6. Brainstorm what the director will do and qualities needed. 7. Create a timeline of the characters day. |
1. Whole class 2. Individual within small groups 3. Individual 4. Individual 5. Whole class 6. Whole class 7. Individual within small groups |
1. Key Questions chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 2. Pencils, markers, crayons, glue, tape, yarn, scissors, fabric, construction paper, Cut-out person shape 3. Resume page 4. Completed character and resume 5. Chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 6. Chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 7. Work with timeline sheet. |
1. Class participation 2. Complete character using multiple colors, and textures 3. Completed resume 4. Introduce character using resume, listening 5. Observe listening 6. Class participation 7. Completed timeline in correct order |
_____________________________________
Man Woman
Age ___________
Job Wanted (Circle one)
Curator Researcher Exhibit designer Docent
Hobbies (Circle)
Art Dance Drama Music Reading

Hiking Biking Camping Baseball Boating

Cleaning Basketball Football Travel Other
Critical Incident 1 Famous Firsts in America Grade 1
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While working on the exhibits, the museum president asks that more exhibits be added to the new wing. There is just enough space for the exhibits already created and the workers need to decide how to deal with this problem. |
1. What has the museum president asked us to do? 2. Do we have enough rooms to add more exhibits? 3. Can we add more exhibits? 4. If we add more, where do we put them? 5. Can we leave some exhibits out? 6. Are some firsts more important than others? |
1. Read memo 2. Brainstorm ideas for adding exhibits 3. Vote on a solution 4. Write a memo to the Museum President 5. Rearrange frieze to accommodate the changes |
1. Whole Class 2. Whole Class 3. Whole class 4. Individual 5. Whole class |
1. Copy of Memo 2. Key Questions chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 3. chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 4. Pencil, Paper 5. Frieze, tape, glue, construction paper |
1. Observe that students are listening 2. Class participation 3. Class participation 4. Inform the President on how they will solve the problem 5. frieze, by some means, will have space for new exhibits |
MEMO
To: Famous Firsts Curators, Researchers,
Exhibit designers, Docents
From: Museum President
Subject: Exhibit Numbers
It has come to my attention that we are only including twelve famous firsts in our new wing. I think there are many more firsts that we can include. I think we should add six more exhibits so that the museum patrons will learn about more of the very important firsts that may never have happened if it wasnt for Americans. Please decided how you will make the new exhibits work in with the timeline we have already created.
Critical Incident 2 Famous Firsts in America Grade 1
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The new wing receives a blow when a citizen writes a letter to the editor in which he/she has a complaint about the new exhibit. After reading a write up about the new wing, this person disagrees with one of the Firsts. |
1. Why is this person upset? 2. What should be done about this? 3. How can we find out who really was the first? 4. Is being first the most important? 5. How can we make this person happy? |
1. Read Letter 2. Brainstorm ideas about the first in question 3. Vote on solutions 4. Find the information needed for solving the problem 5. Create news story to be in the paper. 6. Evaluate each others stories |
1. Whole class 2. Whole class 3. Whole class 4. Whole class 5. Individual 6. Partners |
1. Letter, placed in a folded newspaper 2. Key Questions chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 3. chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 4. Library, Internet, paper, pencil, books 5. Paper, pencil 6. Partners story, peer evaluation sheet |
1. Observe that students are listening 2. Class participation 3. Class participation 4. Information needed has been found 5. Article that tells about the changes to the exhibit 6. Accurate evaluation and explanation of good and bad points |
Critical Incident 3 Famous Firsts in America Grade 1
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After a preview night event, the janitors at the museum write a complaint letter about the amount of mess in the museum. |
1. Why are the janitors angry? 2. Why was there a mess in the new wing? 3. How can we stop this from happening again? 4. What other problems might we have when people view the exhibits? 5. How can we keep people from messing up all the hard work we have done? 6. What should we do about the janitors? |
1. Read Letter 2. Brainstorm ideas about the trash problem 3. Vote on a solution 4. Create a list of rules for the new wing 5. Write letter of apology to the janitors 6. Evaluate each others letters |
1. Whole class 2. Whole class 3. Whole class 4. Whole class 5. Individual 6. In partners |
1. Letter 2. Key Questions chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 3. chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 4. chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers, Pencils, markers, crayons, glue, tape, scissors, construction paper 5. Pencils, paper 6. Partners letter peer evaluation sheet |
1. Observe that students are listening 2. Class participation 3. Class participation 4. A list of rules that address the current problems and anticipate future use by patrons. 5. A letter that explains why this will not happen again 6. Accurate evaluation and explanation of good and bad points |
Preparing for the Celebration Famous Firsts in America Grade1
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Key Questions |
Pupil Activity |
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After building all of the exhibits, and finding ways to solve problems, It is time to celebrate all of the hard work that was put into the new wing by having an Opening Gala. |
1. Where should the gala be held? 2. Who should be invited to the gala? 3. What food and drinks should be included in the gala? 4. What kind of presentation should be made to open the new wing? |
1. Brainstorm ideas about the celebration. 2. Create invitations to the Opening Gala. 3. Decide who will bring what for the celebration 4. Create program for presentation |
1. Whole class 2. Individual in small groups 3. In small groups 4. Whole class |
1. Key Questions chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 2. Pencils, markers, crayons, glue, tape, yarn, scissors, fabric, construction paper 3. chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers 4. chalk / dry erase board, chalk / markers |
1. Class participation 2. Colorful, and informative invitation addressed to students parents 3. responsibilities clearly communicated 4. Class participation |
