g. city, etc.). Be sure to develop concepts like: What do you see? What do you smell? Are there lots of people there? Why? Is it calm or busy? Is it dangerous? Imagine that you are in this setting and seeing it from the Cricket's point-of-view. Part 8 - Fluency Activity

Part 1 -- Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (example questions, this from Chapter 13):

1. Chester stayed up most of the night

a) playing for the animals

b) learning new musical pieces

c) talking to Tucker and Harry

d) because he was too excited to sleep

2. How did people in New York learn about Chester?

a) Mr. Smedley had flyers printed up and passed out.

b) Mr. Smedley's letter was published in the New York Times.

c) Mr. Smedley had the radio stations all over New York play the recording he made of Chester's playing.

3. Did everyone believe Chester was real?

a) yes

b) no

4. How many people came to listen to Chester the first day?

a) 783

b) 73

c) 38

d) 2

5. How was the Bellini's business doing after Chester began having concerts?

a) fantastic

b) fair

c) terrible

Part 2 -- Form children into small groups of 2-3 people. As them to brainstorm and list the three basic techniques to analyze the story:

Action -- What is the main character doing?

Description -- What are the character's observations using five senses (visual, touch, etc.)?

Dialog - What does the main character think and say?

Now, write an alternative ending to the story using your own imagination. Be sure to collaborate and use these steps: 1) Discuss what might have...

It is based largely on the principles of constructivism, in which learners must find ways to attach meaning to concepts in order for those concepts to make sense. This means that different learners have different ways of mastering techniques, of making the material relevant, and of retaining the information. Differentiated instruction also helps the learner move from rote memorization into finding meaning in synthesis and analysis of the material (Glass, 2009). In this lesson, differentiated instruction allowed for oral, writing, imagination, acting, hypothesizing, and adapting the story of the Cricket to their own experiences, past knowledge, current learning objectives, and entertainment. Using various techniques involving other core areas, we can also increase the relevancy of the lesson (math, social studies, etc.).
Works Cited

Guided Reading Level. (2007, June). Retrieved from hsnature.org: http://www.hsnature-ar.org/uploads/6/6/2/7/6627983/leveled_book_list.pdf

Glass, K.T. (2009). Lesson Design for Differentiated Instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Miller, G. (2007). Reading Activities. Retrieved from:

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading24/cricket_in_times_square.htm

Selden, G. (2008). The Cricket in Times Square. Minneapolis, MN: Square

Fish Publications.

Southall, M. (2001). Narrative Writing. Retrieved from:

http://www.worksheets4teachers.com/PDF/NarrativeWriting.pdf