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The Familiars:Written by Epstein and Jacobson

A Unit Plan by Meghan Barton

(Above: are paintings of the familiars, drawn by my C2 class)

Ongoing UNIT Activities

One tip is to design the classroom around the book.

Make a WORD WALL to display new vocabulary words that the students were learning.

Use a personal vocabulary log sheet, and ask students to underline new words as they found them in the chapter.

Phonetic instruction should be a part of each class. We would practice our vowel and consonant sounds in order to perfect our reading. Simply chant and review long and short vowel sounds and work the positioning of our mouths and the sounds we produced. Additionally dedicate at least 30-40 minutes to student reading, so that you can monitor their

individual pronunciation and keep track of their progress. Also this give you a chance to give them feedback and correct some speaking/reading issues as they arise.

( some examples are R/L sounds, the emphasis on words, the speed of reading, and the comprehension of the text)

Additionally design a PLOT wall where the students are responsible for keeping track of the story with simple key words and phrases that summarized each chapter. This will keep all students on track, and help the students who are falling behind, or having more difficulty.

Create a PLACES and CHARACTER wall that enabled the students to stay on track in the same manner that the PLOT wall works.

(This is our Places wall)

Then we produced a GALLERY on one of the classroom walls. I brought in coloured paper, pastels and painting supplies to help the students visually depict the story. The students really took the time to think about what they were reading, and it was an easy and efficient way to check in with their comprehension of the plot.

Teacher Assessments:

Give the students ongoing oral examinations. Break their reading skills down into:

Vowel sounds/speed of speech/intonation/ r & l sounds/ d & t sounds/punctuation sounds/Consonant blend sounds/and understanding of the text. There may be other issues and point that arise with your specific group, but this has worked for the current C2 class

(All students are measured against a Native English Speakers Reading Skills with a 1-4 grading system; not each other.)

Visual Test

Visual Literacy is an excellent way to monitor student comprehension, and the Gallery wall was a large part of these tests. I often get the students to sketch the plot, design a set, or draw an answer

In Marzano’s book: “Classroom Instruction that works” he promotes using Mind Maps, and they seem to work quite well in the class room.

When testing for comprehension start by:

Ask the students to chart out their ideas with a Venn Diagram (compare/Contrast chart) that gets them to think about the characters and plot more critically.

Or

Sketch (quickly) the major plot of the chapter

Or

Make a key word list for each story

Or

Create a mind mapped diagram to help them individually chart their own understanding.

As a whole group we will also make a group mind map that will lead to an outline and eventually a chapter summary, or character summary.

(This model is taken directly from the Language Arts Curriculum documents that can be found on the NB Portal).

Creating pictures, paintings and photo projects with the students:

Gives every student the ability to follow along with the book, and not get frustrated Helps check for real comprehension/understanding; if the student does not understand

the text, they will not be able to draw it Give you, the instructor, a chance to work with the student’s one on one and have them

talk to you about the story, and use the new vocabulary words they are using. Allows for opportunities where the students need to work together to use their English

speaking and writing skills

Final Test:

I avoided a matching and true /false approach in this unit. Instead I had the students choose between some questions in two final tests. I wanted to see how the students writing was taking shape, giving them descriptive feedback on their grammar, verb tense, articles, prepositions, and verb choices. I marked the writing individually, as each of my 3 students were at various ESL levels.

In week 2 of the unit I had the students choose 2 out of 3 of the following questions in a take home test.

1. Summarize your favourite chapter. Tell me why you enjoyed it so much, ( 1/2page)2. Draw me a Venn Diagram and tell me how Skylar and Aldwyn are similar and different3. Who is your favourite character and why. ( ½ page)

In the final week, the final test was given, students were told to:

1. Summarize the final chapter of the book.2. Tell me what the most exciting part of the final section of the book was ( chapters15-19)

(They were not given a choice on this test)

(Both Tests were open book, and the students were encouraged to use the PLACES/PLOT/CHARACTER charts on the classroom walls to help them answer their questions.)

The FUN PROJECT

Making a photsynth movie was really easy and fun.

First you need the software:

( Photosynth software can be downloaded online very simply, it is a really easy way to use pictures in literacy classes).

Then

document with photographs each of our classes

take pictures of the students writing, of the images they drew and painted, of teh class word walls and take as many pictures from as many angles as possible

( the directions on the photosynth website should be read, as they will describe the software better than I can.

It was very important that the students took the photographs themselves so that they could evaluate and review the images and sets that they had designed. Also, the students had to learn photography vocabulary

This project helped motivate them to work, turning them into photojournalists.

Below the following book has been broken down into each chapter’s main points:

1. Keywords:

(The words I placed on the word wall, as they were new to many of the students, and they also were integral to the chapter, and were important for the students to understand)

2. Characters:

(The characters are included as they appear/or reappear in the story.

3. Places:

( We did create a places wall, to help the students keep track of the story, and there were a lot of new lands, and castles and travelling that took place in this story.)

4. Comprehension Questions/Activities:

These can either be discussed allowed, written on the board and done as a whole group, individually, or in pairs. These questions can even be collected and turned into a test.

Chapter Guide

Chapter 1

Key words:Fish Monger/Hail Storm/Cat trap/Harvest

Places:Bridge tower

Characters:Aldwyn /Raccoon/ Fish monger/Rats/Grimslade/Black Dog/Worshiper

Comprehension Questions/Activities

Who do you think the main character might be, and why?

What kind of story do you think this may be? Non Fiction, Fantasy, Folk Tale and why?

Chapter 2

Key wordsFamiliars: definition given on page 24

Loyal: Aldwyn was described this way

Places:

Magic shop

CharactersPg 21: list of odd animals/ Kalstaff: wizard/Shop keeper

Comprehension Questions/Activities:

When you look at the definition of a familiar on pg 24, what do you think it means?

Do you think Aldwyn is a familiar or just a cat?

Chapter 3

KeywordsTravelling merchants or drift folk/ Barley stalks/Odd eyeball tadpoles

CharactersMarianne/Dalton/Jack/Skylar/Gilbert

PlacesStone Runlet


Why do you think Jack chose Aldwyn to be is familiar?

What do you think the floating eyeballs might be about?

Chapter 4

KeywordsDream/Pick berries

Other:Skylark appears to be magic

Pg 62 Aldwyn and Jack talk to each other


Why is it a special moment when Jack and Aldwyn speak to each other?

Chapter 5

KeywordsWalk about/Jack gets some clover/ Aldwyn wonders if he has POWERS or not

CharactersGundabeast baby: Pg 87 description of monster


The Gundabeast description is really fun. Use this excerpt to make a comprehension drawing. Then use the drawing to get the kids to summarize the chapter.

Ask the students to pretend that they are the writers of the book, and get them to describe a different monster, a monster they have to create on their own.

Make sure to correct, in detail, this written assignment, so that you can keep track of their writing abilities, and so that they receive detailed feedback on their writing.

Chapter 6

KeywordsWake up scared- Kalstaff/Hoofs were heard in the sky/Grabbed POTIONS/WEAPONS/Aldwyn had to get WORMS

CharactersLoranella ( queen)

PlacesRun to the CELLAR


Did you expect the Queen to be this way? If so tell me why.

Why was Aldwyn so scared when he woke up?

Chapter 7

KeywordsHeart ached ( pg 120 description)

Puddle viewing

Recoiled (pg 123)

Aldwyn had to decide if he was going to HELP Jack or LEAVE

Telekinetic Lie

CharactersSorceress Edna (possibly able to help them)


What is a puddle viewing?

Describe Sorceress Edna, in your own words, and if there is time sketch an image of her.

Chapter 8

KeywordAldwyn SMELL fish/Attacked the Sorcerers’ home/Sorcerer attacked the familiars with a spell/ Aldwyn CURSE the spell. (3 leaf cloves)

CharacterOctopot

Spy eyeballs in the air (like the tadpoles)

PlacesWeed Barrons (the witches home)


If you were Aldwyn, do you think you would have tried to get rid of the octopot the same way, or would you have tried something different?

Who is the real hero of this Chapter?

Do you think Aldwyn is a real familiar now, or still just a regualar cat?

At this point in the story you can probably start to summarize the main events. Use a chart like this below to help keep track of the plot.

Chapter 9

KeywordFrogs are psychic (can predict the future)/puddle viewing

CharacterGilberts Mom/Gilberts Dad

PlacesSunken Palace/Swamps of Daku

Aldwyn Caught

Jack picked aldwyn


What kind of relationship does Gilbert have with his mom?

What kind of relationship does Gilbert have with his Dad?

Draw a Venn Diagram to describe the differenced in these relationships

Chapter10

KeywordLie/Wanted poster/Bounty/Disguise

CharacterInn keeper/Tammy

PlacesInn/Barn


What kind of relationship does Aldwyn have with Tammy?

How are these relationships important to the plot/storyline, and why?

Chapter11

KeywordVoices in their heads

CharacterBilly Goat: spiritual guidance/2 Hunters/ Grimslade

PlacesBridge of Betrayal


What is so special about the bridge of betrayal?

What do the animals feel and hear on this bridge?

Draw the bridge on some paper and sketch or act out what the animals did on the bridge.

Chapter12

KeywordThunder storm/ Magic Potion (makes you grow like Alice in Wonderland)

CharacterDog wizard (proves that animals are very powerful/Cave Troll/Rock Creature

PlacesCave Drawings ( pg 237 pic)/ Kailasa Mountains


Describe the Cave Troll and the Rock Creatures in Your own words, and sketch the monsters.

Or:

Re-write this chapter so that the outcome/ending is different.

Chapter13

Keyword

Hiking/Mysteries of tomorrow life

CharacterMountain Alchemist/ Places/ Cottage illusion


How did the Mountain Alchemist help the Familiars?

Explain, in your own words, what happened in the cottage illusion.

Chapter14

KeywordVial/potion/ Hurt+ 7 headed dragon/ Need Aldwyns telekinesis/ Gilbert bit by leaches: got very sick/ Desert heat: does not affect Aldwyn/ Aldwyn told the truth

CharacterMaidenmere cats/ Edan the turtle: Alchemists’ familiar

PlacesMaidenmere: Aldwyns home (the one he lied about)/Mountain alchemist’s layer


What is is about Maidenmere that makes us, the readers start to believe that Aldwyn may be magic.

Do you think that his telekinesis could be real?

What do we learn about Gilbert in this chapter? (hint leaches and venom)

Chapter15

Keyword

Skylar = danger/ Aldwyn saved Skylar/ Sling for skylar

PlacesWater fall/ Torentea Falls


Can you make a Chart describing the similarities and differences between all three familiars, Aldwyn, Skylar and Gilbert. ( A 3 way Venn diagram

In this activity look past just their magic abilities, and the storyline, and tell me what you think these characters feel, and how they are to each other.

Chapter16

KeywordMites

Skylark spell

Skylar

GilbertAldwyn

CharacterOgre myth: curse of the dragon/ Bugs attack/ 7 headed dragon

PlacesSunken Palace


What kind of story is the Oger Myth folk Lore, love story? Describe why you think this.

What kind of a monster is the 7 headed Dragon.

Guess what will happen in the next chapter. Write a 5 sentence summary of what you think chapter 17 should be.

Chapter17

KeywordCrossbow/ Acid venom/ Gilbert=immune to poison/ Sleeping powder (from alchemist)

CharacterGrimslade found them/ Hydra of mukrete


How do the familiars fight the monster? Sketch it, or act it out.

Do you think they could have beaten the monster without the sleeping powder? Tell me why.

Chapter18

KeywordTelekinesis actually worked

CharacterPaksahara the bunny Queen Loranella’s familiars/ Found the student wizards

PlacesTunnel


How does Paksahara trick the heroes?

What is so special about Aldwyn in this chapter, what does he overcome.

Have you ever had doubts or not believed in yourself the way that Aldwyn does, can you relate to this story line?

Chapter19

KeywordPractising magic/ Prophesized 3= not wizards; but familiars/ New adventure

CharacterThe real Queen Loranella

PlacesRock garden


This is a perfect opportunity to ask for a formal book report

or

Finish the photosynth project

or

Administer the final test, mentioned in the summary of the unit

or

Sketch the final chapters of the book

Additional exercises include

Asking the students to give an alternate ending to the story.

Write the first chapter of the sequel

Compare their favourite characters

Compare this book to another book they have read

True or FalseAldwyn question his magic powers

Jack and Aldwyn did not have a special bond

The Queen really was evil all along

Aldwyn fell in love in the story

Gilbert and Aldwyn were not always friendly

Skylar loved Aldwyn, that is why she was mean to him

Kalstaff was never really hurt

Jack was really the main character.

The old mural on the cave suggested that the animals were once the true wizards;not people

The bridge of betrayal was a very dangerous place

The hunter Grimslade was a very good hunter

Pakasahar escaped

Aldwyn discovered where he was really from

The floating eyeballs were spys of the enemy

The fish monger was actually friends with Aldwyn

The familiars never disguised themselves in this story.

Fill in the BlanksAldwyn/ Skylar/ Gilbert/ Fish Monger/ Octopot/ Queen/ Jack/ Grimslade/ Gilberts Father/ Kalstaff/ Bridgewater/ Maidenmere/ Sunken palace/ puddle viewing.

Other magical cats lived in this land_______________________.

______________________actually did have telekinetic powers.

_______________________ was saved by Aldwyn in the river.

____________________________was Aldwyns home, or the place where the story began.

_________________________ tried to get rid of Aldwyn because he was eating all of the fish.

_______________________ ____ made a special puddle viewing to find the familiars wizards...he discovered they were being kept at the ___________________________.

_______________________-was really good at eating bugs and ________________________.

_______________________ almost caught the animals on the bridge of betrayal.

____________________ was killed by the Queen.

__________________________ could speak with _____________________ because they had a connection.

______________________________ was a monster that Aldwyn destroyed at the Sorcerers home.

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