CELEBRATE MARDI GRAS LESSON PLAN FOR GRADES 3-6 Book/Text Set: Celebrate Mardi Gras with Joaquin, Harlequin / What is Mardi Gras? by F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada Content Overview: In the fiction selection, little Joaquin attends a Mardi Gras celebration dressed as a harlequin, and gets lost in the crowd. His family finds several harlequins, but Joaquin is not one of them. Eventually they find him in the lost and found, along with several other harlequins, all of whom speak different languages. The non-fiction section presents an overview of Mardi Gras, focusing on New Orleans and including background pictures of carnivals in many different countries. Materials and Preparation chart paper and dark green, yellow, and purple markers collection of pictures of Mardi Gras celebrations or parades writing paper and unlined white paper for drawing yellow, dark green, and purple construction paper assorted picture books on Mardi Gras, parades, and New Orleans Standards Covered NCSS Social Studies Strands I. Culture: a, b, c, d, e II. Time, Continuity, and Change: b, c III. People, Places, and Environments: a V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: b IX. Global Connections: a, b National TESOL Standards Goal 1: To use English to communicate in social settings. Standards 1, 2, 3 Goal 2: To use English to achieve academically in all content areas. Standards 1, 2, 3 Goal 3: To use English in socially and culturally appropriate ways. Standards 1, 2, 3 NCTE/IRA English Language Arts Standards: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 Vocabulary F: gold / parade / harlequin / necklace / coin / shiny / float / attention / lucky charm NF: carnival / costume / fake / musician / unusual / doubt Pacing Guide 3 days; 30-45 minute sessions, plus optional extensions
Reading and Activities DAY 1 Explore the Topic: Mardi Gras / parades / getting lost in a crowd To activate prior knowledge and begin discussion, have children do a gallery walk, rotating in groups to look at Mardi Gras pictures, especially those showing costumes and parades. The pictures might include a parade float, children in costume, adults in costume, a band, harlequin masks, Mardi Gras beads, a King s Cake, and other related images. An online image search can be used to find pictures. Glue individual pictures to four or five 12x18 sheets of construction paper or half sheets of chart paper and distribute them around the classroom, along with purple or dark green markers. Have students work in groups to observe, discuss, and write comments about each picture, rotating every few minutes. When the rotations are finished, post the pictures together where students can see them all at once and have students refer to the pictures to review their observations. Ask students what they might see and hear at a parade, then ask how it might feel to be lost in a crowd. Tell students you are going to read a story about a little boy who gets lost at a Mardi Gras parade a special parade where the people watching the parade sometimes wear costumes. Vocabulary Introduction On a piece of chart paper, start a thematic vocabulary list using purple and dark green markers. Write Mardi Gras at the top, highlight the phrase with yellow marker, then write the vocabulary words for the fiction section, alternately using dark green and purple markers. Read the words aloud to and with students, then ask if anyone knows what any of the words mean. As students respond, add to their responses as appropriate to give a clear definition for each word. Note that in this context, gold refers to a color and float refers to a parade float. Tell students they will learn more about these words during the reading. Leave the list posted where students can see it. As a side note, you might want to mention the symbolism of the Mardi Gras colors: purple represents justice; green, faith; and gold, power. Fiction Read-Aloud & Discussion In this session you will read aloud only the fiction story, Celebrate Mardi Gras with Joaquin, Harlequin. Before reading the story, show students the cover and read the title aloud. Ask students to describe the costumes, especially Joaquin s, and also the color and style of Joaquin s hair. As you read the story, invite students to help you use the context to define words that they may not know. Also be sure to stop when appropriate to have students carefully observe and describe the harlequins who are being found by Joaquin s family. Ask students to look very carefully at details like buttons and collars in the harlequin costumes of the four children. Ask students to make predictions about what might happen next and make inferences about the search for p.2/6
Joaquin. Have them justify their comments. When the story is finished, ask students to comment on the story. Ask the following questions, using the illustrations in the book whenever appropriate to help students with their responses: Beginning Intermediate Advanced 1. Where are Joaquin s mother and father? 2. What has happened to Joaquin? 3. Why couldn t they find Joaquin? 1. How do Joaquin s mother and father feel? 2. How and why do you think Joaquin got lost? 3. How and where did Joaquin s family find Joaquin? 1. If you were one of Joaquin s parents, what would you think? 2. When Joaquin got lost, who did his brother, sister, and mother find instead of Joaquin? How did that happen? 3. Does this story have a happy ending? Tell about it. On a piece of chart paper, start a What we ve learned about Mardi Gras chart, using dark green and purple markers. Ask students to tell what they have learned about Mardi Gras and let them write their own responses on the chart. Read and review all responses with students. Leave the chart on display. DAY 2 Vocabulary Activity Review the words on the vocabulary list by having students reread, define, and use them in sentences. Add the vocabulary words for the non-fiction section to the list. Read the words aloud with students and ask if anyone knows the meanings of any of the words. Add to student responses as appropriate to define each word. Tell students they will hear the vocabulary words in the next story. When discussing the word carnival, talk about the multiple meanings of this word a street celebration and a traveling amusement park or fair. Return to the word unusual. Underline the prefix un and elicit the meaning of it. Have students give examples of other words they can think of that begin with un. Have them use the words in sentences and tell what they mean. Show students the cover of Celebrate Mardi Gras with Joaquin, Harlequin and ask students to retell the story. Tell them that now you are going to read them a non-fiction selection about Mardi Gras celebrations. Non-Fiction Read-Aloud & Discussion Before reading, review the What we ve learned about Mardi Gras chart with students. On another piece of chart paper, write, What we want to know about Mardi Gras and ask students to write questions they have about Mardi Gras. Keep both charts posted side by side. Open the book to pages 16 17 and have students read the section title with you. Make a p.3/6
note of the French words and the fact that the s in Mardi Gras is silent. Read the story, What is Mardi Gras? As you read, stop as appropriate to have students notice and describe the colors, sounds, and costumes in the photographs. Invite students to use context to help you define and discuss new words. When the story is finished, have students discuss it by answering the following questions, using the pictures in the book as a reference for students when appropriate and/or necessary: Beginning Intermediate Advanced 1. Point to a parade float. 2. What do people throw from the floats? 3. At Mardi Gras, who can wear a costume? 1. What is a float? 2. What happens at a Mardi Gras parade? 3. What kind of costumes can people wear at Mardi Gras? 1. Tell about the parade floats. 2. What is the best part of Mardi Gras? Why? 3. What can people do and see at a Mardi Gras parade? Review the What we ve learned about Mardi Gras chart with the students. Ask what new things they ve learned and have them add their responses to the chart using purple and dark green markers to continue the Mardi Gras color theme. Revisit the What we want to know about Mardi Gras chart to see what questions have been answered. Show students how to draw a gold/yellow asterisk next to those questions that have been answered. Add any new questions students have to the list. Leave both charts on display. DAY 3 Vocabulary Review Have students make vocabulary word cards using the Word Card Worksheet Grid, copied onto sheets of yellow construction paper. Students will write the words in one column and a short definition for each word in the next column. After checking for spelling and accuracy of definitions, students can cut the cards apart and use them to play a Memory or Jeopardy game with partners and in small groups. Set aside some time to browse and read additional picture books about Mardi Gras, parades, and New Orleans, or other related books. After reading, students may want to add more information and/or questions to the charts. Writing Activity Explain to students that they are going to write what they would do, see, and hear if they went to Mardi Gras, and draw an illustration to go with their writing. p.4/6
Review the What we ve learned about Mardi Gras chart with students. Write the words see and hear on the board to create two columns. Ask students what they might see or hear at Mardi Gras and write their responses in the columns. Leave the lists on the board for reference during their writing. Review the vocabulary list. Ask students what additional words they might need in their writing. Add related words to the list and write any unrelated words on the board. Hand out writing paper. Direct students to write at least one paragraph, using standard paragraph format. When students have finished their paragraphs, have them do a related illustration on white paper. Ask them to mount their work on dark green, yellow, or purple construction paper. Extensions Writing Art Music Using the original pictures from the gallery walk as prompts, write short fiction stories that take place at Mardi Gras, including dialogue and as many vocabulary words as possible. Use Quilling to make a Mardi Gras bead necklace. Cut narrow strips of yellow, green, and purple construction paper. Roll each strip around a pencil, glue the end down, and slip off the pencil. When you have enough beads, string them onto a length of yarn. Design and make a harlequin mask. Decorate with sequins, feathers, rickrack, other colorful, shiny notions, and tissue paper streamers. Wear the masks and necklaces in a school-wide Mardi Gras parade. Listen to Dixieland Jazz. An informational overview of Dixieland Jazz can be found at http://nfo.net/usa/jo.html. Music can be downloaded from itunes or other download sites. An Internet search will result in many places to purchase CDs. Mathematics Design a flag using geometric shapes and only the three traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. Social Studies Share with students the information on page 31 and discuss hurricanes and their impact in people s lives. Collect children s books to send to children who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. Make it a schoolwide project. Science Read about hurricanes and the kind of damage they can do to communities, especially the damage that was done to New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. p.5/6
Technology A good resource for background information on Mardi Gras traditions can be found online at http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigrasinfo.php Play Mardi Gras Concentration online: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/mardigras/concentration/index.htm Print out and do a Mardi Gras word search: http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigras/puzzle.php At the official Mardi Gras website, read how students made their own Mardi Gras floats for school parades. Divide the class into krewes and have each krewe design a float. http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigras/floats.php Make an imitation King Cake out of donut holes for the class. Read how to do it at the official Mardi Gras website: http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigras/ideas.php Creative Reading Share this book with your students using Alma Flor Ada s Creative Reading methodology based on the principles of Transformative Education. Suggested questions to initiate the dialogue are provided for Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels as well as selfassessment tools for teachers and students in English and Spanish. Santillana USA Publishing Company, Inc. Developed by Renee Goularte Renee Goularte started teaching in the late 1980s. She has taught students in all elementary grades, and has worked specifically with English language learners, at-risk students, and GATE students. Renee holds a Master s Degree in Elementary Education from San José State University. In addition to teaching, she also writes and presents workshops for teachers. Renee lives in Northern California. p.6/6