Lesson One: My Favorite Birthday Story

Student Goals:

1. Students will learn their own birthday's day, month, and season.
2. Students will learn that most people have different birthday days and that it is something that makes them unique and special.

Student Objectives:

1. Students will bring in a photograph of their favorite birthday.
2. Students will write or dictate a story about their favorite birthday.

Materials:

1. Lined paper
2. Construction paper for mounting the finished story

Set Up and Prepare:

1. Send a note to parents explaining the activity and telling them to send in a photo (but not a precious one, since it will be pasted down on paper with the child's story). Suggest photocopying a picture.
2. Arrange for a few volunteers to help write the dictated stories. If you don't have volunteers, ask for upper grade students.
3. Have lined paper ready.

Directions:
Day 1
Step 1: Have students share photograph of their favorite birthday. This will give the students who did not bring in a picture another day to do so and motivation.

Day 2
Step 1: In small groups, have the students write about their favorite birthday.

Step 2: Edit their birthday stories and rewrite.

Step 3: Mount each story on 9" x 12" construction paper.

Step 4: Display stories on a bulletin board with photos under the caption: My Favorite Birthday

Lesson Extension: At the activity center have children frost a birthday cupcake and decorate with sprinkles.

Assess Students:

1. Observe sequencing and the ability of children to express themselves.
2. Note which children were able to write or dictate a story about their favorite birthday. I have had a few children who had to tell me what kind of birthday they "wished" they would have because they had never had the experience.

Evaluate Lesson:

1. Were most of the students able to write or dictate a story about their favorite birthday?
2. Were students able to bring in a birthday photograph? If not what are some good options? Use a school camera? Student draws the scene on a photo-size piece of paper?

Assignments: Find out the date of your mother or father's birthday. Is it in the same month as yours?