Tomlinson Toolbox Lesson

Plan

Christine Belzic

7th Grade Language Arts

and Social Studies

Topic: Africa• Concept

Change

• Generalization Change is necessary for a plot to develop. (Language Arts)

Change will occur in characters, setting, and even the theme of a novel. (Language Arts)

Change is everywhere in history. (Social Studies)

• Tomlinson’s Toolbox StrategiesRAFT (Language Arts)Think-Tac-Toe (Language Arts)Learning Menu (Social Studies)

RAFT: Waiting for the Rain

by Sheila Gordon

Role Audience Format Topic

Emeril Lagasse or Rachel Ray

Gourmet cooks Newsletter Fun in the Kitchen in South Africa!

You (in the present)

Tengo (in the past)

E-mail How the world is now concerning segregation

Tourist visiting South Africa

Family at home Series of post cards (3)

Please send _______ because….

Oom Koo’s farm Frikkie List of do’s and don’t

How to run the family farm

List of dos and don’ts in email format from Oom Koo’s farm to Frikkie concerning how to run the family farm

RAFT: The Ear, the Eye, and the Armby Nancy Farmer

Role Audience Format Topic

Blue Monkey Customers Advertisement Why you need a blue monkey today!

Mother Nature Veld Public Service announcement

littering

Bureau of Tourism

Potential inhabitants

Poster You’ll enjoy the best features of Zimbabwe!

Praise Singer She-Elephant Song Come share the wonder of the She-Elephant!

Public service

announcement from Mother

Nature to the Veld

concerning the

detriments of littering.

An advertisement from the

Blue Monkey to

customers persuading them why

they need to purchase a

blue monkey.

RAFT: A Girl Named Disaster

by Nancy Farmer

Role Audience Format Topic

Student Self Packing list with notes

Here’s what I need to make Nhamo’s trip

Crocodile Gut’s boat

River/lake “Love” letter Explanation of “our” relationship

News reporter Readers Obituary Rhumpy

Nhamo Tourists Survival manual

Surviving an adventure in Mozambique

A love letter from Crocodile Gut’s boat to the river discussing their

relationship.

A survival manual for Mozambiqu

e from Nhamo to tourists.

Learning Menu: EgyptMain Course (You must do everything in this section.)

• Read section 3: The Middle and New Kingdoms (pages 291 – 296). Be sure to take notes as you read. Complete a Fact or Fiction Flip-up from the information in section 3. Remember- don’t make the statements all fact or all fiction.

• Read section 4: Egyptian Achievements (pages 298 – 303). Again, be sure to take notes as you read. Create a Pop-up summary using the

information in this section.

Pop-Up

Fact or Fiction

Learning Menu: EgyptSide Dishes (You must do two of these.)

• There are many stories about Egyptian gods, their duties, and their interactions. Conduct research on two Egyptian gods. Look at their specific characteristics and the stories about the gods. Create a storyboard about the two gods. You will need to turn in your research notes.

• Imagine you are a museum curator planning an exhibit on Egyptian burial practices. Create an exhibit containing drawings, photographs, or models of burial artifacts. Be creative and try to focus on using graphics to represent your exhibit. Use minimal text as captions.

• Window on Egyptian Achievements: Using the information you learned about the achievements of ancient Egypt, create a pattern (map, symbol, pyramid, King Tut’s mask, obelisk, etc.) that represents this time period. Place trivial information in the windows.

• Important book: Brainstorm a list of important Egyptian achievements. Use this information to create The Important Book. In this book, you will list and describe these important Egyptian achievements. You should have pictures of each achievement and your book should be in the shape of something related to ancient Egypt.

The Important Book

Windows on Egyptian Achievements

Learning Menu: EgyptDesserts(You must do at least one of these. You may do more than one for

extra credit.)

• Puzzle: draw a puzzle of 10 to 16 pieces on your paper. Write a fact about ancient Egypt on each on of the puzzle pieces. Then create a drawing on each puzzle piece that represents that fact. Last step: cut the puzzle apart and put it in a baggie for safe storage.

• Rebus: A rebus uses pictures in place of some words. Think about the information you learned about ancient Egypt. Choose one topic in which to write a rebus. Start with a rough draft -write two paragraphs about your topic. Choose the words you will replace with pictures (at least eight different pictures). For your final copy, rewrite your story inserting those pictures in place of the words. Make sure you use color to represent your pictures well.

• Famous Egyptian photo album: Choose a famous person of ancient Egypt. Create a photo album that might have belonged to him or her. You can use pictures from magazines, newspapers, computer, or draw your own illustrations to create the person’s album.

King Tut’s Photo Album

Puzzle

Think-Tac-Toe Make a pair of collages

that compare you and a character in the book in physical and personality traits. Label your collages generously, so viewers can understand your thinking.

Write a bio-poem about yourself and another about a main character in the book, so your readers see how you and the character are alike and different. Be sure to include the most important traits in each poem. You should type the poems.

A character in the book is being written about in the paper 20 years after the novel ends. Write the piece. Where has life taken him or her? Why? Now, do the same for yourself 20 years from now. Make sure both pieces are interesting, feature-type articles. You should type the articles.

Make a model or map of a key place in your life and of an important place in the novel. Find a way to help viewers understand both what the places are like and why they are important in your life and the character’s life.

Draw (or paint) and write a greeting card that invites us into the scenery and mood of an important part in the book. Be sure the verse helps us understand what is important in the scene and why.

Make two timelines. The first should illustrate and describe at least six to eight shifts in setting in the book. The second should illustrate and explain how the mood changes with the changes in the setting.

Interview a key character from the book to find out what lessons he or she thinks we should learn form the events in the book. Use a question-and-answer format to present your material. Be sure the interview is meaningful. It should be typed.

Find out about famous people in history or current events whose experiences and lives reflect the essential themes of your novel. Show what you have learned. You should have at least four people and be very detailed in how they reflect the themes in the book. This should be typed.

Using books of proverbs or quotations, find at least five that you feel reflect what’s important about the novel’s theme. Find at least five that do the same for your life. Display and explain your choices.

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