Grade Level:  Grade 4

Subjects: 

• Language Arts
• Social Studies
  
• Math

Learner Outcomes: 

• SWBAT identify elements of a folktale
• SWBAT make predictions
  
• SWBAT create a folktale using the software provided
  

Duration of lesson:

One 45 minute period

Materials/Technology Tools:
Computers with Internet access
LCD projector
One Grain of Rice : A Mathematical Folktale by Demi.  Published by Scholastic Inc. , 1997

Teacher Notes: 

• All links are provided to assist in teacher preparation.
  

Procedures:

1. Teacher will show map or globe for students to understand where India is in relation to the United States.
2. Teacher will pass around a baggie of rice.   Students will be able to see how small a grain of rice is.
3. Teacher will introduce the story One Grain of Rice : A Mathematical Folktale by Demi, published by Scholastic Inc. , 1997, and start to read it aloud.  Teacher will stop story when Rani makes her request to the Raja.
4. Have students orally predict how much rice they think Rani will end up with and why they think that.
5. Finish reading the story orally to students.
6. Discuss which predictions came closest to the actual number of grains of rice.  Make sure students understand that the total number of grains of rice is found by adding all the numbers from each of the thirty days.
7. Discuss the genre, "folktale".  Focus on the setting--India.  Briefly discuss the literary tradition of India and how it consists mainly of folktales.
8. Show the literary expert folktale web http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/pke/phillips/weareone/litform.html (using the LCD projector), and complete a web with the class.
9. Have students go to the computers.  Use Glencoe's site http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/course/course1/unit/folktale.shtml## to create student's own folktale.
10. Have students use story map  http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/graphicorg/storymap.htm to map created folktale.  This will help them to understand story elements.  Explain to students they are responsible at the end of unit for creating thier own Indian folktale.
    
11. If time permits, have students share created folktales.
    

Evaluation:

• Oral predictions of students
• oral participation in web creation
• creation of folktale on computer
  

Modifications: 
If computers are not available for all students, teacher can demonstrate activity and have students complete lesson using pencil and paper.

Enrichment Activities: 

• Language Arts:  Read Tomie dePaoli's Legend of the Persian Carpet.  Compare the two rulers in each story using a Venn diagram.
• Math:  Make a graph that shows how much rice is harvested in different countries.  (This can be limited to different states in the USA or to different regions in a country or continent.)
• Social Studies:  On a world map, color the regions that grow rice.  (This can also be limited to different states or regions.)
• Health:  Have students write a composition on how they can help starving people in the world.
• Music:  Have students listen to music from India.  Discuss differences in our music as compared to theirs.
• Physical Education:  Have students dance to Indian music.  Discuss how music makes them feel and how it affects their dance movements.
• Art:  Make a tiny bowl of rice.  See website http://www.riceromp.com/teachers/lessonContent.cfm?pId=220 for activity.
  

National Standards:

• Language Arts
• Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and the cultures of the United States and the world.
• Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience.
• Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriatelly to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• Social Studies
  
•  Explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns.
• Describe ways in which language, stories, music, folktales, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.
• Compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions.
• Mathematics
• Compute fluently and make reasonable estimates.
• Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems.
• Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication.
• Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas.
  

Pennsylvania Standards:

Pennsylvania Science & Technology:
    3.7.4.C, 3.7.4.D, 3.7.4.E

Pennyslvania Geography:

Pennsylvania Math:

Pennyslvania Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening:

References:

One Grain of Rice : A Mathematical Folktale by Demi.  Published by Scholastic Inc. , 1997
http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=7-0399224157-0
http://www.eduplace.com/tview/pages/o/One_Grain_of_Rice_Demi.html
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/
http://www.riceromp.com/teachers/lessonContent.cfm?pId=220
http://www.meadev.nic.in/earthquake/culture/overview.htm

Authors
Sandy Grassel
Propel Charter School-Homestead

Maryann Rullo
Ringgold School District

Kelly Sherbondy
West Greene School District