FORM: Prose GENRE: Realistic Fiction
  SUBGENRE: Historical Realistic Fiction

AUTHOR: Marita Conlon-McKenna

TITLE: Under the Hawthorn Tree

ILLUSTRATOR: N/A

PUBLISHER: Puffin Books COPYRIGHT DATE: 1990
 New York, NY

ISBN: 0-590-46713-1

Honors:  Winner of the International Reading Association Childrenís Book Award

ANNOTATION: Eily, Michael, and Peggy OíDriscoll struggle to stay alive during the Great Potato Famine that has struck Ireland.  First their father leaves to find work when the crops fail and then, when he does not return, their mother follows in an attempt to find him because she has sold everything that was precious to her and has nothing left with which to buy food.  When the children learn that they will be sent to live at the poorhouse, they run away.  In distant Castletaggart live their great-aunts, who are their only hope of surviving.  And so the children set off on the road to Castletaggart, battling starvation, fatigue, and fever in their effort to reach a safe haven.
 

LESSON PLAN

Grade Level:  4/5/6
 

GLOBAL OBJECTIVES:
 Inferred Objectives: (What is the student TO LEARN?)
 1. the sound and cadence of story language by use of common speech in dialogue
 2. connections to the real history of the period in which the book is set
 3. concepts such as hunger, poor vs. rich, feudal land usage, the connections between
  starvation and disease, workhouses/poorhouses, etc.
 4. colloquial language as used by characters
 5. what desperation and fear will cause people to do

 Behavioral Objectives:  (What is the student TO DO?)
 1. listen to the story as parts of it are read aloud; read portions of the text on their own
 2. think about concepts presented by the history of the period reflected in the book
  group discussions of this story and others to which it may be compared (e.g. what
  happens when war causes shortages, how we end up with homeless people even
  here in America, the situation in Africa and in many third-world countries
 3. talk about how we can help those who have less than we
 4. respond to story in reading/writing journals (e.g. Criticís Review, Best Books List,
  Reflections)
 5. respond to the story in some concrete manner
 6. talk in small groups about the characters and setting (how they differ from the real world
  or are in some ways the same); talk about universal themes such as good vs. evil and how
  it relates to this particular book; talk about how this book makes us feel

 Reading/Writing Journal Response:
 1. Criticís Review:  students may review this novel for other readers, being sure to
  include their thoughts about the story (what they liked about it, what they did not like,
  what they would have changed, who should hear this story, etc.)  The BOOK REVIEW
  CATALOG is a set of 3 X 5 index card boxes containing review cards from students that
  others may look through for help in selecting a new title to read.  Both students and teacher
  may add to the catalog.  The cards should contain the following information:  Title, author,
  publisher (with city, state), ISBN number, a short review of the book and a notation as to
  who the student/teacher thinks would be interested in this particular book.

 2. Best Books List:  students may add an annotated listing to their ìBest Books I Have
  Readî list, which is a separate listing kept throughout the year and becomes a part
  of the studentís portfolio for parent/teacher conferences and also serves as a list
  for recommending books to classmates or other students

 3. Reflections:  students respond to this book by writing a response to it that answers
  open-ended questions such as:  This story made me think about . . .; As this story was
  read to us, in my mind I saw . . .;  I wonder . . .; etc.  In this particular case, it might
  be a good idea to include a prompt such as, ìWhen I think about hunger and starvation, I
  think of . . . ì or ìIf I were forced to live on the streets, I . . .î

 Concrete Response:

 1. World Awareness:  students will form small groups and act out a scene from the book; the
  ending of their performance will include a connection to todayís world and what they think
  could be done to help others less fortunate than they (The ending could include posters,
  choral readings, poetry, banners about world hunger, etc.).  End products would become
  part of the classroom ìHistoric Perspectivesî bulletin board or wall.

 2. Collage Message:  students will use half of a poster board and create a collage of pictures
  from magazines, newspapers and other mediums to create a message about hunger or
  disease; the theme of the collage will be the studentsí choice and may include such things as
  AIDS, world hunger, the homeless, the poor, etc.  The other half of their poster board will
  contain studentsí ideas as to how we can help alleviate these situations. The collages would
  also become a part of the classroom ìHistoric Perspectivesî bulletin board or wall.

 3. Alternate Responses:
   a)  Picture Book:  students may create a version of a portion of the story that could
    be made into a picture book for a classroom library or the school library; books
    will be placed in pockets to become a part of the ìHistoric Perspectivesî wall
    or bulletin board in the classroom.

   b)  Save the Children Poster:  students may choose to create a poster that would call
    attention to the problems of starvation and disease and provide information for
    people to get telephone numbers or locations of places to which they could make
    donations; posters will become a part of the ìHistoric Perspectivesî wall or
    bulletin board in the classroom.
 
 

ADVANCE PREPARATION REQUIRED:
 Materials required:
  PAPER PRODUCT RESPONSES (banners, posters, etc.)
  Poster board
  Construction paper
  Glue
  Markers, pens, colored pencils, paints
  COLLAGE:
  Poster board
  Plain white paper (typing, copier, printer)
  Pens, pencils, markers, etc.
  Old magazines for pictures (be sure to have students ask parents for, etc.)
  SCENE REPLAY:
  Costume materials
  Materials for props
  Time for rehearsals, etc.
 
 

SEQUENCE FOR PRESENTING LITERATURE AND MOTIVATING RESPONSE:
 Initiating Procedures:
 1. Be sure to teach background history of the Great Famine of 1845-1850.  Although students may be able to find connections to the homeless and victims of current wars, to make the connections necessary to understanding the story, they will need to have the background of the period.  It would be a good idea to have students conduct research into the period over the Internet or in the school library, including pictures if possible.  (see attached short history of the Great Famine)
 2. Stock publishing center with paper and writing utensils as well as materials for poster making and binding; collect magazines, newspapers, etc. for collage (ask students to bring in old magazines and newspapers for pictures and other clippings
 3. Talk with students about picture books and what makes them picture books; display examples of books which have been revised to include younger readers (classics such as the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder have recently been made into picture books)
 5. Introduce vocabulary or concepts with which students may be unfamiliar, such as starvation (which is more than just being ìhungryî), desperation and what it causes people to do, land tenants, burial customs, disease, sod pads vs. logs, bogs, words such as ìsup, spud, whisht, tay, craters, divil, mam, a ghile, spalpeens,î; differences in English and American spellings (humor vs. humour, neighbor vs. neighbour); the use of older English forms such as ye, etc. and how speech patterns from the ìOld Worldî have reappeared in the ìNew Worldî (if teaching in the Appalachian Mountains, relate usage to speech patterns found in mountain cultures and the heritage the people of the mountains brought with them); talk with students about what they think the title of the book tells them about the story they will be reading, then check about half-way through the reading and at the end of the book to see if students have amended their opinion

 Presentation Procedures:
 1. Students will gather on the carpet/rug in the reading area upon taking note of the signals for story (reading aloud) time; the signals are the turning on of a special lamp with a handmade shade and the sound of soft music playing in the background; students should be made aware that this is a time of relaxing and enjoying a good story (if they have not participated in such a reading or storytelling event in this classroom before)
 2. Read the first two chapters to the students or do the reading as a storytelling event.  If possible, invite a guest storyteller or reader (the suggestion here is a grandparent who has lived through the Great Depression and has first-hand knowledge of hunger and soup lines, or a missionary who has been to countries in which there exists such depravation, or a social worker who comes across such things in modern-day America

 Response or Applying Activities:
 1. Talk with children about the first two chapters -- what parts did they like or not like, how does the story here differ from their world, how does the story sound or feel to them so far, how does the language of the story ìfeel,î what do they think the book is going to be about.; talk about the Great Famine as a sort of review on the history in which this book is set; take notes on post-it pads regarding student responses
 2. Hold a mini-lesson on the history of the Great Famine and things that were particular to it; talk about how the place and timeline of a story make it believable and convincing; talk about any connections students make to their world or to other periods of history
 3. Explain the creative drama and the particular ending that is desired; ask students for suggestions on how the ending could be accomplished; allow plenty of time to create the responses and to present them; have students invite audiences for their presentations
 4. Explain to students that if they do not feel comfortable doing the creative drama that they may negotiate another type of response with you; take note of the negotiated response and provide an area for them to work in
 5. Use response journal time to solicit written responses to the book from students.  There will be several responses over the time it takes to finish this book.

  NOTE:  Part of my responsibility as the teacher-facilitator is to circulate around students as they work to be available for questions and other assistance as needed and to keep notes (on post-its or index cards) about the work going on in the classroom.

 Assessment:
 1. Review response journal entries and write back to students with your thinking about their thinking
 2. Gather students together to share and talk about their presentations, or other responses to the book; display responses in the classroom or media center; students should present responses and explain why they chose this response and what he/she hopes viewers will know about the book when they see the response chosen
 3. Gather in groups and talk about chapters in the book.  This is a good time for students to share questions they have with other and to invite discussion of finer points, confusing areas, terminology, talk about reading strategies, etc.
 4. Gather in whole class group and discuss what we learned.  Is there more to be learned, and if so what would that be?  Is there any part of this book that we would like to explore further?  Would we like to include other historical fiction novels in our literature circles; if so, how would we go about choosing them?  (e.g. what things would we look for)  Do we need to add a notation to our ìBooks Weíve Readî section of the class bulletin boards?

  NOTE:  ìBooks Weíve Readî is intended to be a permanent part of the classroom.  Usually it would be placed near the Book Review Catalog.  This listing could serve as a reminder of the books that have already been read and where the students have been (e.g. mythology, tall tales, folktales, contemporary realistic fiction, historical fiction, poetry, etc.).  Part of the listing could be given over to books earmarked for future reading discoveries.

 Self-Evaluation:
 1. Did I succeed in planning and guiding students toward a successful experience with this book?
 
 
 

 2. Did I succeed in building self-esteem for all of the learners in my classroom?
 
 
 

 3. Did I help my students find pleasure in this reading experience?
 
 
 
 

AFTER THOUGHTS:
 Problems likely to be encountered:
 1. Disagreement on concepts; confusion about concepts
 2. Time to complete all responses and to complete the reading itself as part of a larger reading curriculum (literature circles)
 3. Obtaining materials for presentations
 4. Subject of book may be sensitive to some students; make sure you know who your students are and what their backgrounds are (These days it would not be totally uncommon to have a homeless child in your classroom!  And the poor have always been with us, so be careful as to how this book is presented and talked about.)

 Possible solutions to those problems:
 1. Provide examples of how starvation and disease have been a part of the fabric of human history; give students plenty of time to share their connections and talk about sensitive subjects
 2. Include parents as partners in this project (as well as others) to help to make sure that all studentsí needs are addressed; including parents and grandparents will help students see how history has affected them personally
 3. Invite special speakers to help children understand hunger, epidemics, etc.; missionaries and social workers, as well as historians and guidance counselors, would be good choices; also include grandparents, parents and others who have experienced such hardships
 4. Take the time necessary to help students understand the concepts and the history in this book.  It is simply not enough to just read the book, as children will face hardships in their lives and need to make connections in order to adequately face them.
 

 Other comments/memos to remember next time this lesson is taught: