1. Name: Fiona B. Griswold Cooperating teacher-librarian: Deb Newell
Date: September 21, 2010 School & City: Thomas Paine Elementary, Urbana, IL
Lesson Title: Jim Aylesworth: Country Crossing & Figurative Language
Grade level: 4 Length of lesson: ~30 min
Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to inform students of upcoming visit by Jim Aylesworth; to
introduce students to his work, focusing on the book Country Crossing, and to begin a discussion about
figurative language beginning with onomatopoeia as it is found in Country Crossing.
Learning Outcomes: After this lesson, students will be able to
 define and give an example of onomatopoeia
 explain how onomatopoeia contributes to the setting and or mood of a story or poem.
 recall at least two facts about Jim Aylesworth
Illinois English Language Arts Learning Standard:
 1.A.2a Read and comprehend unfamiliar words using root words, synonyms, antonyms, word
origins and derivations.
 1.B.2c Continuously check and clarify for understanding
 2.A.2a Identify literary elements and literary techniques (e.g., characterization, use of narration,
use of dialogue) in a variety of literary works.
 3.C.2a Write for a variety of purposes and for specified audiences in a variety of forms
Standards for 21st Century Learner:
 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media,
digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
 2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
 2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
 3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.
 4.1.6 Organize personal knowledge in a way that can be called upon easily.
Materials Needed by Librarian:
 Country Crossing PowerPoint slides
 Country Crossing audio file
 Laptop & Projector
 SmartBoard
Materials Needed by Students:
 Pencil
 Individual Project Page
 Crayons
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2. Instructional Procedures
Focusing event:
 Talk about upcoming author visit on October 8 and tell a bit about Jim Aylesworth’s background
and other books.
 Tell students that we are going to read one of Jim Aylesworth’s books in a slightly different way
and start a project that we will display in the school during Jim Aylesworth’s visit. We will likely
finish their project during a later class.
Input from Librarian:
 After talking about Aylesworth’s visit, start the audio recording of Country Crossing following
along with the PowerPoint of the pages from the book.
 Ask students to listen carefully for some special/different types of words the author uses to help
create the setting of the book (what is going on--how it looks, how it sounds). We will talk more
about the book and its language after we’re done listening.
 Once the recording is finished, ask students about the types of words used in the book: did they
notice some special words that we would not normally use in talking with another person. Words
that helped to put us into the story and experience it more completely?
 Assuming students are able to identify the sound words in the story (“Whooo”for the owl, “clang”
for the crossing bell and so on), move on to question, “What is onomatopoeia?” Give pointed
hints that it is related to the type of language we just discussed.
 Give “dictionary” definition of onomatopoeia: words that imitate the sounds they represent.
Guided practice:
 Ask students for examples of onomatopoeia from their own experience--prompt to think about
sounds animals or machines, etc. make.
 Write students’ contributions (the onomatopoetic word) on the Smartboard and ask student to
tell class what thing would make that sound.
 Tell students that even if they didn’t get a chance to share their idea with the class, to hold on to
their thoughts because they will now be creating their own page in which they will think of an
example of onomatopoeia and will then create a drawing to illustrate their idea.
 Do an example of the word and illustration on the Smartboard. (e.g., the sound of a whistling tea
kettle might be “screeeeeeeeee!” and the illustration would be a teapot on a stove with steam
coming out of the spout.
Closure:
 Distribute worksheet to each student and give directions:
 Put name at top of page
 Come up with your own sound word (be creative, use your imagination!) that you can also draw.
 Write your word on the line at the bottom of the page.
 Draw a picture that represents the word sound that you have selected. Do your best work and
make your picture neat and colorful, filling up as much of the square as possible. After drawing
your picture with pencil, go back and color with crayons.
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3. Check for understanding:
Evaluation of student learning will be accomplished in the following ways:
1. Informal discussion/questioning during whole-class activity after viewing/listening to Country
Crossing.
2. Students’ ability to complete their individual project pages in a manner that demonstrates an
understanding of onomatopoeia and how it can be depicted.
What’s Next?
Students will finish the illustration of their own onomatopoetic word at the beginning of the next library
class and we will then continue the discussion of figurative language by looking at examples of simile
and metaphor.
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