The reindeer were excited. They pranced and paced, ringing the silver sleigh bells that hung from their harnesses. It was a magical sound, like nothing I’d ever heard.
Imagine…listening for sleigh bells and hearing the “sounds of hissing steam and squeaking metal” instead as you embark on an unforgettable journey to the North Pole on a magical train. A young boy makes this train trip amidst breath-taking descriptions of the wilderness, mountain peaks, valleys, snow-covered plains, and the Great Polar Ice Cap while struggling with his belief in Santa. Once he arrives at the North Pole, the young boy rejoices as he hears the sound that a friend told him he’d never hear – the sound of the ringing bells on Santa’s sleigh. He chooses the gift of a sleigh bell to keep as a reminder of that magical night and the sound of the bell that “still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”
I chose The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg to celebrate a special quality of childhood symbolized in this story by the sleigh bell – truly believing. From believing in the magic of the holiday season to believing in the possibilities that can be uncovered inside each child, we can all share in the joy that comes when we truly believe!
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:
K/1 (Reading Standard 2: Comprehension – create artwork or a written response that shows comprehension of the story that was read making Text-to-Self connections)
While reading aloud The Polar Express, pause periodically to think aloud about your Text-to-Self connections (____reminds me of____) while you are reading. Think aloud about how your connection helps you understand the The Polar Express better. Reread the story and ask students to raise their hand when they have a Text-to-Self connection to share (You may need to prompt them with ______reminds me of______). On one side of a class T-chart, record the part of the story the student is thinking about and on the other side record the student’s Text-to-Self connection. Write the student’s name next to their connection so that they can refer back to it during the work period. Next, demonstrate how you drew a picture of the part of the story where you made a Text-to-Self connection and how you wrote about your connection to that part of the story (_____reminds me of_____). During the work period, students will demonstrate comprehension of the text by drawing a picture of a part of the story and then writing their Text-to-Self connection.
2-5 (Reading Standard 2: Comprehension – discuss or write about the themes of a book; E1b … evaluates writing strategies and elements of the author’s craft.
Before reading The Polar Express, explain to the class that the author uses a concrete object, a sleigh bell, to share a significant theme with readers. Display quotes from the book that reference the sleigh bell to demonstrate how it continues to be important throughout the story. Ask students to think about what the significance or meaning of the sleigh bell might be while you read the story aloud. Pause and wonder aloud about the significance of the sleigh bell each time it is referenced in the story. When you are finished, lead a class discussion about what students think the significance of the sleigh bell is in the story (4th & 5th only: and why the author chose to use a sleigh bell to convey this message). Encourage divergent thinking asking students to justify their thinking using details from the text. To demonstrate comprehension, students will write a letter to the author, Chris Van Allsburg, explaining what they think is the significance of the sleigh bell in the story (4th & 5th only: and why they think the author chose to use the sleigh bell as a symbol).
Imagine…listening for sleigh bells and hearing the “sounds of hissing steam and squeaking metal” instead as you embark on an unforgettable journey to the North Pole on a magical train. A young boy makes this train trip amidst breath-taking descriptions of the wilderness, mountain peaks, valleys, snow-covered plains, and the Great Polar Ice Cap while struggling with his belief in Santa. Once he arrives at the North Pole, the young boy rejoices as he hears the sound that a friend told him he’d never hear – the sound of the ringing bells on Santa’s sleigh. He chooses the gift of a sleigh bell to keep as a reminder of that magical night and the sound of the bell that “still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”
I chose The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg to celebrate a special quality of childhood symbolized in this story by the sleigh bell – truly believing. From believing in the magic of the holiday season to believing in the possibilities that can be uncovered inside each child, we can all share in the joy that comes when we truly believe!
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:
K/1 (Reading Standard 2: Comprehension – create artwork or a written response that shows comprehension of the story that was read making Text-to-Self connections)While reading aloud The Polar Express, pause periodically to think aloud about your Text-to-Self connections (____reminds me of____) while you are reading. Think aloud about how your connection helps you understand the The Polar Express better. Reread the story and ask students to raise their hand when they have a Text-to-Self connection to share (You may need to prompt them with ______reminds me of______). On one side of a class T-chart, record the part of the story the student is thinking about and on the other side record the student’s Text-to-Self connection. Write the student’s name next to their connection so that they can refer back to it during the work period. Next, demonstrate how you drew a picture of the part of the story where you made a Text-to-Self connection and how you wrote about your connection to that part of the story (_____reminds me of_____). During the work period, students will demonstrate comprehension of the text by drawing a picture of a part of the story and then writing their Text-to-Self connection.
2-5 (Reading Standard 2: Comprehension – discuss or write about the themes of a book; E1b … evaluates writing strategies and elements of the author’s craft.Before reading The Polar Express, explain to the class that the author uses a concrete object, a sleigh bell, to share a significant theme with readers. Display quotes from the book that reference the sleigh bell to demonstrate how it continues to be important throughout the story. Ask students to think about what the significance or meaning of the sleigh bell might be while you read the story aloud. Pause and wonder aloud about the significance of the sleigh bell each time it is referenced in the story. When you are finished, lead a class discussion about what students think the significance of the sleigh bell is in the story (4th & 5th only: and why the author chose to use a sleigh bell to convey this message). Encourage divergent thinking asking students to justify their thinking using details from the text. To demonstrate comprehension, students will write a letter to the author, Chris Van Allsburg, explaining what they think is the significance of the sleigh bell in the story (4th & 5th only: and why they think the author chose to use the sleigh bell as a symbol).
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