Dear Friends:
As of Fall 2004 the Greater Phoenix Area Writing Project has been discontinued. This website will be maintained for a time on a limited basis for informational purposes and so that you are able to access the resources provided. All the best to you in your teaching.
GPAWP 2003 Summer Institute
Web Diary"Cloudy with a Chance of Anything"
Jacqué Vandermate
Andalucia Primary School
Phoenix, AZPresentation Title:
"Cloudy with a Chance of Anything"Grade Level(s):
1-6Book(s) used:
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judy BarrettOther Resources:
Word Scaffolding Web
Raindrop-shaped Paper
Xerox Picture of a Town
(not currently available online)Presentation Description:
Purpose of Lesson:
To write wonderful stories with descriptive language and word choice. Also use problem and solution in stories written.
Class Activities:
The lesson launches off with the reading of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. This activity is part of a thematic unit on the study of weather. Study the science of weather, learning about the weather cycle. Then launch into this fun writing activity. Start the activity by singing weather songs previously learned. Now make a web of weather words already learned during the unit. Then read the book interactively (previewing and predicting before the reading). Then do a word scaffolding web for the word"big," because the students are going to write about giant food falling from the sky. Then do a visualization activity making a mind movie of giant food falling from the sky. Use the five senses to guide student in the imagery. They then share what they saw with a partner. Then add more words to the weather web using the five senses and describing mind movie pictures. Then talk about problem and solution in the book. Students think about a problem they could have in their story of giant food. The student shares with their partner their problem. Then repeat this process for a solution to the problem in their giant food story. Draw the giant food falling on a Xerox picture of a town. From there, write on raindrop shaped paper, making a title raindrop page and a picture raindrop page. To publish, share stories then display them under a giant umbrella bulletin board.Updated: March 30, 2005
