An Early Elementary Lesson Plan

The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter

Relating Literature to Real Life

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson students will be able to respond to literary material by connecting to their own experience and relate setting to real-life situations.

Materials and Resources

A copy of the story for each of the students, board and chalk, paper and pencils, a small tub, paper towels, toy iron and ironing board, broom, pretend needle and thread, toy pan and stove.

Before Reading Activities

Read the poem aloud to the students and discuss how different activities occurred on different days. Have the class discussion how the chores follow a specific order (wash the clothes before ironing) just like the days of the week.

During Reading Activities

Let the students read the poem aloud and then divide the class into seven groups, each group reads and performs one of the chores on the specific day.

After Reading Activities

Work with the class to write a new Around the Week using classroom chores, i.e., “This is the way we clean the boards every Monday morning.” Then each group can read and act out the new poem.

Assessment

Formal assessments can be made for performance of the old and new poems, writing the new poem, and class participation.

Reflection: The Tale of Benjamin Bunny

The first thing that happened was …

The second thing that happened was …

Next, ...

Then …

Before

Last

After

2.B.1a) Respond to literary materials by connecting them to their own experience and communicate those responses to others.

2.B.1c) Relate character, setting and plot to real-life situations.