Library Reading Lesson Plan: 1st Grade Cinderella

Tia Tate

45 minute lesson
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe/identify its
characters, setting, or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy: RL.1.9 Compare and contrast adventures and experiences of
characters in stories.
Objectives:

I can use illustrations and details in a story to describe/identify its characters.

I can compare and contrast adventures and experiences of characters in different
Cinderella stories.

Introduction/Hook:

Dress as the Korean Cinderella. (Have different Cinderella stories/books out for

students to see.)
Pre-Assessment: Who am I? Have students write which Cinderella I am dressed on sticky
notes. Show each book cover: Disney Cinderella, Korean Cinderella, Chinese Cinderella,

Egyptian Cinderella, The Turkey Girl, Chicken Cinderella, or Ponyella.

They may look at the book covers for help.
Take up sticky notes and put their answers in the pumpkin (ceramic with lid).
Tally as the students complete the written portion of the lesson. Place the total for each
book on the back cover for closing the lesson and post-assessment.

Curriculum Correlation:

Ask, Am I Cinderella?
State objectives, I can use illustrations and details in a story to describe its
characters. and I can compare and contrast adventures and experiences of characters

in different Cinderella stories.

Review Disney Cinderella which has been read in class by the classroom teacher.
Repeat objective, I can use illustrations and details in a story to describe its

characters.
Read The Korean Cinderella.
Discuss Pear Blossom based off the illustrations.
Repeat objective, I can compare and contrast adventures and experiences of characters

in different Cinderella stories.

Discuss similarities and differences with Pear Blossom and Cinderella.

Guided Practice:

Begin a Venn diagram (under ELMO and projected on screen) with the two characters
Cinderella (Disney) and Pear Blossom (Korean). *Remind students to use the illustrations

to describe the characters.

Define to compare-How are they the same? and to contrast-How are they different?
Model where on the Venn diagram each section is: compare is the center where the two
circles touch and contrast is the outside where the two circles do not touch. Say,
Cinderella and Pear Blossom each have a circle. Where they overlap is where you write

what is the same about each of them.

Model by thinking aloud one example of how Pear Blossom and Cinderella are the same.
Write this similarity in the center section of the Venn diagram. (State that single words

or phrases are best because of the small space to write.)

Model by thinking aloud one example each of how Pear Blossom and Cinderella are
different. Write the differences in the outside sections of the circles of the Venn
diagram. (Again, state that single words or phrases are best because of the small space

to write.) [I do]
Distribute the students Venn diagrams.
Students must copy what I have already written as examples. [we do] They must write
at least 2 more in each section of the Venn diagrams (similarities and differences).

Independent Practice:

Students complete Venn diagram. They can work with partners if desired. [you do]
Categorization

Closure:

Wrap up lesson with a compilation of Venn diagram statements from students. Write

them on Venn diagram projected from ELMO to projector screen.

Have students self-check answers as a group as statements are given aloud.
Post-Assessment: Who am I? Have students stand in front of the book cover they think I
am dressed as for the lesson. Have the total from pre-assessment on a sticky note on
the back cover of each book. Compare the pre and post assessment totals. Drawing
Conclusions/Justifying Solution

Assessment (pre and post-tests):

The assessment for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story
to describe/identify its characters, setting, or events. will be the identifying of Pear

Blossom, the character I am dressed as for the lesson, and the Venn diagram for the
similarities and differences.
Pre-assessment results: 12-20 identified Pear Blossom as the character I was dressed
as for the day. 7/20 identified Yeh-Shen as the character I was dressed as for the
day. 1/20 identified Chicken Cinders as the character I was dressed as for the day.
Post-assessment results: Using the illustrations from The Korean Cinderella, 20/20
identified Pear Blossom as the character I was dressed as for the day.
The assessment for CCSS.ELA-Literacy: RL.1.9 Compare and contrast adventures and
experiences of characters in stories. will be the Venn diagram. There was no pre-

assessment for this independent practice. The observations by the teacher of the
students discussions and their reasonings for placing information on the Venn diagram
can be part of the assessment of RL.1.7 use the illustrations and details in a story to
describe its characters.
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Who am I?
Am I Cinderella?
Which of these Cinderella characters could I be?
Looking at the illustrations from the (Disney) Cinderella, what was she like? Describe her.
Looking at the illustrations from The Korean Cinderella, what was Pear Blossom like?

Describe her.
6. How are Cinderella and Pear Blossom the same?
7. How are Cinderella and Pear Blossom different?
8. Based on the illustrations from Cinderella books you have heard, which character am I
dressed as for this lesson?
Accommodations:

Curriculum Correlation: Students will sit on color-coded KAGAN carpet. These spots are
their regular seating assignments for reading time. Students with vision concerns are
seated near the reader. Students with behavior concerns are seated, as needed, near

the reader.
Guided Practice and Independent Practice: Students will work at color-coded KAGAN
tables (assigned to meet the needs of academic levels: high, medium high, medium low,
low). These table assignments are their regular seating assignments. They work with
partners at their tables (pre-assigned). Venn diagram has the two character names

already listed.
Closure: Students with behavior concerns are called to choose their post-assessment
answer first. Librarian will stand in close proximity to them as needed.

Reflection:
I have taught this lesson before, but not as the librarian. I have done this Cinderella PBL for
three years. I continually change which Cinderellas to use for the Venn diagram. It is more
effective to use human versions for the illustration and compare/contrast standards because of
the similarities between the characters. With human and animal versions, the students see
more of the differences than similarities. The Korean Cinderella and The Egyptian Cinderella
are excellent for this lesson because they are both written and illustrated by Shirley Climo and
Ruth Heller. I did not use these two for this lesson, because I wanted to use a more familiar
Cinderella story-Disney. Most of the students have seen the movie and immediately recognize
characters, setting and plot to the book.
When I dress in character for this unit, the students are amazed to the details in the outfits I
have. I have been blessed to have traveled to China. I have outfits from many Asian countries
to match these stories. My brother has traveled to the Mediterranean area and my sister has
traveled to Africa. They always bring back something for me to use as props: jewelry, shoes,
clothing, etc.
The Venn diagrams are a good written work to spark discussion about the characters.
Therefore, I like to use it as part of the assessment because I can use the class discussions,
teacher observations of partners as they work and talk out the diagram. The written portion of
this lesson is not the primary assessment.
Materials:
Cinderella Books:
1) Cinderella (Disney version)
2) The Korean Cinderella
3) Yeh-Shen (Chinese Cinderella)
4) The Egyptian Cinderella
5) The Turkey Girl (Native American Cinderella)
6) Chicken Cinders (Chicken Cinderella)
7) Ponyella (Pony Cinderella)
Sticky note pads
Pencils
Venn Diagrams (one per student)
Costume for Korean Cinderella
ELMO, projector, and screen
Resources:

There were no digital resources for this lesson.

AASL standards:
AASL.2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.