The Birch Bark House (Louise Erdrich) 

Cross Curricular Novel Study

BIRCHBARK HOUSE Grade 4 Novel Study UNIT PLAN

Overview of Unit Topic/Theme: This 20 lesson unit of 45 min lessons  is based on a novel study of the book The BirchBark House by Louise Erdrich.
This unit is cross curricular, focusing on both Language Arts and Social Studies.
We will be experimenting with inquiry based learning by having the learners choose one of 5 final projects to focus on. Guiding questions will be profiled by graphic organizers and note taking from oral stories will be the central exercises.  We will be focusing on comprehension strategies for the literary elements of Character, Plot, Setting ,and Cultural Study. We will be using graphic organizers, and we will be applying what we have learned and our reflective thoughts on our learnings to our final projects. Criteria for our final projects will be co-created, and we will be self reflecting on our finished projects. Final projects will be used as summative assessment tool for understanding/appreciation of First Nations culture and comprehension of oral stories.
Differentiation
This unit plan is designed for a grade 4 class with a wide variety of literacy levels. It incorporates graphic organizers with multiple ways to express learning for differentiation. Each chapter is read aloud for learners to comprehend, and 'so basically' summation discussions will be implemented at story breaks for learners to go deeper into their understanding. “Stop and Jot” protocols will be introduced allowing learners to request time to write down or illustrate key points. The use of exit tickets will encourage metacognition about the learning process. The creation of a final project to express their thoughts and deep learning about their inquiry question allows for diverse representations of their learning.
Final Project Options:

1. Choose a significant event from the book and create a graphic novel, online puppet show (puppet pals app) or scripted play. (plot focus)
2. Create a shoebox detailed diorama that shows how Omakayas lived. (setting focus)
3. Create a character book. Make a list of all the characters in the story. Chose 10 who are most significant to the story. Write a paragraph for each one, describing what they look like and how they are important to the story. How are they related to Omakayas? Draw a picture of each character. (Character focus)
4. Make a list of all the crafts mentioned in the Birchbark house. Choose one of them, try it out and demonstrate it for the class. You will hand in your example of work and a written description of how the craft is made. (culture focus)
5. Make a list of all the food mentioned in the Birchbark house. Write a fancy menu including pictures for a restaurant that serves only food and drink that Omakayas ate. What would be a creative name for the restaurant? Research a detailed recipe for one of the dishes and include it in your submission. (culture focus)

Rationale for Unit:  This heartfelt novel study will be used to help learners create links between our culture and traditional First Nations culture.  Depending on the chosen final project, the learner will be focusing on various aspects of the book: Plot, Setting, Character, Culture (crafts or food) The exploration of these questions should result in reflection about their own metacognition and their own biases.  

Culminating Task(s): Culminating task will be the presentation of their final projects in a gallery walk, and a self assessment based on the co-created criteria. Projects will be marked on demonstrated depth of knowledge of the culture studied, attention to detail, and creativity of the project.

Resources:

• Graphic organizers for daily journalling
• The BirchBark House novel to be read out loud to the class
• Exit slips
• Arts and Craft supplies
• iPads
• Anchor Charts of graphic organizers
• Anchor Charts of Say Something Protocols
• Anchor Charts of final project questions

PROVINCIAL CURRICULUM

Core Competencies:

• Communication
• Thinking (creative, critical)
• Personal and Social Personal awareness and responsibility,

Language Arts: Grade 4: Big Idea:

• Exploring text and story helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.

Curricular Competencies

• Use a variety of comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing to construct meaning from text
• Exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding
• Recognize the role of language in personal social and cultural identity
• Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to text and deepen understanding of self, community and world
• Demonstrate an awareness of the oral tradition of first peoples cultures and the purposes of first peoples texts
• Identify how story in first peoples cultures connects people to land.

Content: Story/text:

• literary elements

Strategies and processes:

• Oral language strategies
• metacognitive strategies

Social Studies: Big Ideas: Interactions between First Peoples and Europeans lead to conflict and cooperation, which continues to shape Canada’s identity.
Curricular Connections:

• Construct narratives that capture the attitudes, values, and worldviews commonly held by people at different times or places (perspective)
• Make ethical judgments about events, decisions, or actions that consider the conditions of a particular time and place (ethical judgment)

Content:

• early contact, trade, cooperation, and conflict between First Peoples and European peoples
• the fur trade in pre-Confederation Canada and British Columbia
• demographic changes in pre-Confederation British Columbia in both First Peoples and non-First Peoples communities