Bud, Not Buddy

Literature Circle Unit

Grade: 5

Subject Areas: Social Studies and Language Arts

Theme: 1930’s Great Depression

March 2012

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

1

2

3

4

5

6

Chapters

7

8

9

10

11

Chapter 1 & 2

Chapters 3&4

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Chapter 5 & 6

Chapter 7 & 8

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Chapter 9 & 10

Chapter 11, 12, 13

26

27

28

29

30

31

Chapter 14, 15, 16

Chapter 17, 18, 19

Journal Log

Chapters 1-6

After reading through chapters one through six I was introduced to a boy named Bud. Bud was a foster child who lived at the Home due to the death of his mother. Throughout the reading of these chapters I felt that the book moved rather slowly. It did not catch my eye and I had a hard time continuing to read. I hope as the novel progresses the book becomes more intriguing.

Chapters 7-13

During these chapters Bud experiences numerous adventures. He decides to go find his dad in Grand Rapids. In order to get to Grand Rapids Bud first attempts to jump on a train. This train left out of a city called Hooverville. I was shocked to read about this town and how run down it was. During Buds time Bud and his friend Bugs are accepted by some people from the town. They allow Bud and Bugs to stay with them for the night. The next morning the boys attempt to catch the train. Bud ends up missing the train and is forced to go back to Flint. Buds next and final attempt to get to Grand Rapids was to walk. On his way Bud is picked up by Lefty Lewis. He took Bud to Grand Rapids. Once Bud made it he was able to meet his “father” and the band members. During the reading I was left unsure if Herman Calloway was really Bud’s father due to this age. I hope to keep reading to find out what happens next.

Chapter 14-19

Reading these last few chapters left me shocked! It turned out Bud was able to stay with the band and help them on the road. Through this time Bud found out the real truth about Herman Calloway. It turns out he was not his father but his grandfather!! I did not see this coming! I feel this was the perfect ending to this book. These last few chapters make me grateful I kept with the book and continued to read.

Literature Circle Reflection

Throughout my experience working on creating a literature circle unit I was able to expand my knowledge on the processes and ways that work to conduct a successful literature circle unit. When creating my unit I found there to be a variety of different types of materials that could be used and implemented. I enjoyed searching and choosing a variety of different roles and role sheets as well as looking through and picking assessment opportunities. The assessment materials I enjoyed the most were when the students could self-assess or when they could assess each other. Over all I feel that I could use the literature circle idea in my future classroom because it prompts group interactions, deepens the look into literature, as well as provides for the implementation of other subject areas such as social studies.

Throughout this experience I was not only able to create a literature circle unit but also participate in one. I found through doing the assignments my students would be doing and interacting in a similar manor that there are many pros to doing literature circles as well as a few cons. I found the pros to be group interactions, sharing of thoughts and ideas, as well as interaction with pieces of literature. I feel each of these aspects are key components to be taught and focused on in any classroom environment. The cons that I found when doing this project where students were easily off task due to working with friends, as well as not all students kept up with their reading task for the meeting days. To fix or alter the cons I would be sure to give each student a calendar of dates and remind them of what they should read for each literature meeting. In order to keep students on task I may create the groups according to reading levels or based on people they may succeed with rather than be distracted from.

Overall I strongly feel the use of literature circles are a great way to teach and expand on a variety of different topics and learning skills. I will use literature circles throughout the school year.

Discussion Questions

1. How is Buds living situation alike/different from yours?

2. If you had been Bud, how would you have handled staying in the shed?

3. How did you feel about Bud being homeless?

4. What do you feel caused Bud pretend parents to do that for him?

5. How would the story have been changed if the author had not let Bud escape from the shed?

6. Predict: Where do you think Bud is headed?

7. Do you think the picture of his mom as a young girl will be important later on? Why do you think so?

8. If you had been Bud, how would you have reacted to the man in the red hat who stopped on the side of the road?

9. How did you feel when someone says “haven’t you heard?”

10. How would the story have been changed if the author had not let Bud miss the train?

11. Predict: What you think will occur next?

12. Do you think Bud meeting Deza Malone happening will be important later on? Why do you think so?

13. Why was Bud so worried about leaving his suitcase with the lady?

14. Do you think the man on the blue flyer is ready Bud’s dad?

15. What do you think was in the box Mr. Lewis had Bud put under his seat?

16. Why do you think the author had Mr. Lewis Pick up Bud happen in the story?

17. How is Mr. Lewis different from Herman E. Calloway?

18. If you had been Bud, how would you have felt about the way Calloway treated him?

19. What do you think caused Mr. Calloway to be so cold?

20. How would the story have been changed if the author had not let us find out who Bud’s mother was to Mr. Calloway?

21. How do you feel after reading the entire book?

Vocabulary

1. jim-jammed

2. cur

3. coldcocked

4. ilk

5. lam

6. whiff

7. wringer

8. puny

9. hyphotizing

10. crude

11. scours

12. okra

13. copacetic

14. scamp

Wisconsin Academic Standards

Language Arts:

Key Ideas and Details

· Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

· Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

· Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

· 7. Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

· 8. Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

· 9. Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.

Social Studies: (new standards)

· 1K4. How culture may change in response to changing needs and concerns

· 1K6. How peoples from different cultures develop different values and ways of interpreting experience

· 2K2. Concepts such as: past, present, future, similarity, difference, and change

· 2K4. Key people, events, and places associated with the history of the community, nation, and world

· 2K6. That people view and interpret historical events differently because of the times in which they live, the experiences they have, and the points of view they hold

· 2K7. That historical events occurred in times that differed from our own, but often have lasting consequences for the present and future.

· 2P2. Use a variety of sources to learn about the past

· 2P5. Compare and contrast differing stories or accounts about past events, people, places, or situations, and offer possible reasons for the differences

· 4K7. People’s interactions with their social and physical surroundings influence individual identity and growth

· 9P3. Use maps and databases to look for global patterns, trends, and connections

Social Studies Themes

(To be covered throughout the book)

· Great Depression

· Jazz Age

· Road Map Reading Skills

· New Deal

· Timeline Skills

Language Arts Themes

(To be covered throughout the book)

· Summarizing Skills

· Interviewing Skills/Questioning

· Reading a large piece of literature and how to get the most out of your reading.

Assignments and Final Project Ideas

Assignments:

Pre-Reading

-Introduce the 1930’s-Allow students time to research and collect information about the 1930’s. Ask them to bring what they find to the class discussion as an introduction to Bud, Not Buddy. Guide their research by having them look for The Great Depression, music/entertainment, and the President.

During Reading

-Summarize and reflect upon each selection after reading.

-Explore and learn how to read a road map. Allow students to map out and scale out Bud’s journey to Grand Rapids from Flint.

-Create your own list of rules. Discuss Bud’s list as a class.

-Interview someone who lived in the 1930’s. Create a write up about what it was like. Be prepared to share with the class. (This idea is getting more and more limited)

-All that Jazz Flyer activity-Students will research a famous jazz musician of the 1930’s and create a flyer advertising for the individual.

-Have students create drawings of what they thought a Hooverville would look like. Then have the students using their mapping skills to locate where they believe they could find a Hooverville on the map.

Final Projects:

After Reading:

-Compile at least five items that are important to you. Bring them to class in some type of suitcase, like Bud. Create a write up that explains each item and why it is special to you. Be prepared to show and share in class.

-Book Video-Groups will create a video advertising Bud, Not Buddy to an audience; giving a brief description of the book and why they should read it!

-Create a timeline of events in Bud’s life. This can be worked on and discussed throughout the entire reading of the novel or as a final project.

-Board Game- Create a game that uses specific details from the story. All the various settings, questions about characters, setting and plot of the story, vocabulary words, math concepts, questions about historical figures, mentioned in the book, and rules of the game.

Role Play- Assign small groups to role play their favorite scene from the book. Have them create a large backdrop for the scenery and a short script. Be sure to have them practice using the accents from the story. They could even dress up for their part.

-Puppet Show- Make character puppets and perform a puppet show of the story. You must write the script in a word processor.

Daily Reflection

Student Folder Handouts

Checker

Story Mapper

Checker

Story Mapper

Story Mapper:

1. Choose a story map or graphic organizer:

* Character Map

* Story Elements Map

* Venn Diagram

* Other

2. Map the story using the graphic organizer.

3. Be prepared to explain the parts of your map to your team. Tell why you chose to use that story map.

Checker:

4. Check for completion of assignments and keep track of the information on your worksheet.

5. Evaluate all members of your group.

6. Help monitor discussion for equal participation.

Discussion Director

Question Writer

Discussion Director

Question Writer

1. Create 3 to 5 interesting discussion questions of different types.

2. Try to think of questions that will get your circle group to dig into the book and share their thoughts and opinions.

3. Write each question on your worksheet.

Summarizer

Literary Luminary

Summarizer

Literary Luminary

Summarizer:

1. Complete the summary section of your worksheet. Be sure to include only the important characters and events.

2. Be prepared to read your summary to your team. (Practice your presentation in advance.)

Literary Luminary:

3. Guide oral reading for a purpose by locating 4 sections of the text; record findings on your worksheet.

4. Examines figurative language, parts of speech, and vivid descriptions.

Vocabulary Finder

Vocabulary Finder

1. Choose 3 new words from your reading assignment.

2. Write each word and its page number on your worksheet.

3. Write the definition of each word in the correct box on your worksheet.

4. Be prepared to teach the words to your team. To do this, read the sentence from the book and

discuss the meaning of the word. Then everyone will write the words and meanings in their word journals.