Introduction Teacher Resources Student Resources Return to Project Menu  Web-Based Thematic Unit: Bud, Not Buddy - Teacher Resources  This web-based thematic unit has a wide range of activities for grades 4-7. On this page you'll find an overview of the unit as well as lesson outlines and links to student activities. For discussion questions and other teacher resources related to the book, check out the Random House website. Standards and Benchmarks This project was designed to serve as an example of how standards and benchmarks can be addressed through a technology-rich thematic unit. Although standards related to science, social studies, art, and music are all included, the following reading standard is the focus of the project: Use general skills and strategies for reading a variety of literary texts. Establishing the Learning Environment This project can be implemented some of the following ways: Read the book aloud to the entire class. Read the book individually as a class Read the book in reading groups. Read the book at the same time as another class at a remote site. Many of the activities can be done as part of a learning center that contains books, print materials, real objects, a computer, and workspace. Consider creating a display that contains a Bud, Not Buddy bulletin board and a table display with a tattered suitcase, jazz music posters, CD player and jazz music, pictures from the 30s such as a Packard, train, and musical instruments, and real objects such as rocks and books. Resources Collect a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and reference print resources: Fables Crime Communication Depression Homelessness Railroads Union Movement Jazz music Maps Rocks and Minerals Oral History Historical Fiction Collect a variety of novels set in the Depression era A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck - Illinois Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse - Oklahoma Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor - Mississippi Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright - Wisconsin Organize computer software such as a word processor (i.e., Word, ClarisWorks), imaging software (i.e., Professor Franklin's Photo Effects, KidPix, Photoshop), and slide show software (i.e., PowerPoint, KidPix, HyperStudio). Technology Setup Schedule computer access for projects and Internet access. Schedule use of the digital camera, scanner, audiotape recorder, and video player. Use Gaggle to create email addresses for your students. Use sites such as epals and Proteacher to identify a collaborative partner classroom Use sites such as Lightspan's GlobalSchoolhouse to check for ongoing collaborative projects associated with the book or themes. Classroom Management and Activity Guidelines Ten classroom activities have been provided as part of a thematic unit focusing on the novel Bud, Not Buddy. A lesson overview has been provided for each activity. For each lesson, you'll find a set of benchmarks, a suggested timing of the lesson, specific pages connecting the book to the activities, performance assessments, and other activity ideas. Each activity page contains an introduction, task, process and resources, project guidelines, and a conclusion. Technology access issues. Please modify the activities to fit the needs of your class and access to technology. For example, each activity indicates the need for individual, small group, or whole class work. If you have limited access to technology, you may want to complete many of the activities as a large group using one computer and a large monitor. Time issues. Don't be overwhelmed by the number of activities provided. This project is set up in the activities format so you have choices. You may pick only a few of the ideas to implement based on the time you have available and the benchmarks you need to address. Also, within the activity you may find that some tasks are more appropriate than others. Modify the activities to fit your needs. Implementation issues. Students need help completing the activities provided. This unit is not intended as a stand-alone resource. In other words, it should be merged with the instructional resources you already have available in your classroom. For example, you may already have good lessons on rocks and analogies that you could merge with the Rocks in My Pocket activity. You may wish to design worksheets and print materials to supplement each activity. A number of activities discuss the creation of lists or charts. You may want to provide print directions and guidelines. My Rules for Life - Activity 1 Overview: Students will share a fable and create rules for their life. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Discuss origins and purposes of fables Understands the basic story elements Identify the elements of a fable Identify the moral, theme, or lesson in a fable Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts Retell a story Outlines information from text Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Write a fable containing a moral Write informative texts Write a list of rules for life Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based fables Develop communications using technology Write using a word processing tool Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 3. Book Connections: Brer Rabbit (page 17), Bud's Rules (pages 11, 18, 27), Lessons for life (page 79-80) Teacher Resources: Fable Writing Lesson Performance Assessments: Story Retelling Rubric, Fable Rubric Other Activity Ideas: Paul Bunyan (page 27), add tall tales Vampires and hornet (page 27-28), add scary stories On the Lam - Activity 2 Overview: Students will become crime busters by learning about criminals yesterday and today. Benchmarks Understands cause-and-effect relationships in text Identify cause and effect relationships between events Understands figurative language, sensory words, pseudonyms and nicknames, and author's choice of language Identify examples of slang Provide examples of the use of nicknames and pseudonyms in literature Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts Skim or scan - trivia questions Summarize Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Support with details personal views on a character's actions such as right and wrong Write a news report Compare crime in US in the 1930s and today Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Create an audio recording Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 5. Book Connections: Public Enemy (page 35), On the lam (page 36), Bud, not buddy (page 41), Pretty Boy Floyd (page 37). names (page 86), Babyface Nelson (page 107), the name "Lefty (page 133), nickname (page 195-196) Performance Assessments: News Report Rubric Answers to Trivia: no, James Cagney, Ruth Eisemann-Schier, 134, John Walsh, 1949 Other Activity Ideas: Learn more about the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI History, and J. Edgar Hoover. Would you like to work for the FBI? Why or why not? Life in Hooverville - Activity 3 Overview: Students will visualize what life was like in a "Hooverville" in the 1930s and formulate a plan for helping people in their community. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Discuss the use of fact and fiction in historical fiction Understands the basic story elements Identify special features of a book's setting Understands cause-and-effect relationships in text Identify cause and effect relationships between events Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Use information from the book to create a visual depicting the setting Use information from the Internet to create a chart - then/now Use information from the Internet to form a conclusion Identify conclusions which can be logically drawn from information Identify that causes and effects of the Great Depression Identify local community needs Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Create pictures using a digital camera Create a visual communication using imaging software Combine pictures together to create a visual communication Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 8. Book Connections: Soup Kitchen (page 46-52), Hooverville (page 62-87) Performance Assessments: Setting Image Rubric, Homeless Discussion Rubric Riding the Rails - Activity 4 Overview: Students will plan a journey in search of something. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Discuss the use of fact and fiction in historical fiction Understands the basic story elements Infer a character's traits based on actions - discussion Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts Summarize Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Support with details personal views on a character's actions such as right and wrong Locate cities and states on a map Estimate and calculate the distance between two locations Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Collaborate with others over long distances Create and send email Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 9. Book Connections: Distance to Chicago (page 57), hopping the train (page 80-87), distances (page 89-90) Performance Assessments: Class Mural Communication through the Ages - Activity 5 Overview: Students will trace the history of communication. Benchmarks Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts Skim or scan Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Use information from the Internet to create a model Write a skit Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Create a video recording Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 12. Book Connections: sending telegram (page 106), telegram contents (page 131-132) Performance Assessments: Model, Skit, Video Rubric Getting Organized - Activity 6 Overview: Students will take the role of a person that is in favor of or opposed to labor unions for railroad workers in the 1930s and debate issues related to unions. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Discuss the use of fact and fiction in historical fiction Understands the basic story elements Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts Skim or scan Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Use information from the novel, trade books, and the Internet to debate an issue Extract information from a poster Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Collaborate with others over long distances Use chat software to hold an online debate Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 10. Book Connections: Pullman's job (page 128), topped by police (page 132-139), unions (page 136), labor flyer (page 138-139) Performance Assessments: Debate Rubric Other Activity Ideas: Explore George Washington Carver (page 119) Jazz and the Big Band Era - Activity 7 Overview: Students will invent a band that might have been traveling at the same time as the band in the book, create a name for the band, identify the members and the instruments they play, and create a poster for the band. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Discuss the use of fact and fiction in historical fiction Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Use information from the Internet to write a persuasive letter Write letter of invitation Locate cities and states on a map Identify jazz music and the instruments used to play jazz Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Create pictures using a digital camera Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 15-17. Book Connections: Flyer description (pages 6-8), names and instruments (page 153-154) Performance Assessments: Poster Rubric, Invitation Rubric Rocks in My Pocket - Activity 8 Overview: Students will swap rocks with students in other schools. Benchmarks Understands figurative language, sensory words, pseudonyms and nicknames, and author's choice of language Interpret an analogy Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts Skim or scan Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Use information for books and the Internet to identify rocks Write an analogy Identify rocks by type Interpret a geologic map Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Create pictures using a digital camera Create a slide show to present text and graphics Collaborate with others over long distances Create and send email Share through surface mail Timing: Complete activity after reading Chapter 18. Book Connections: rock writing (page 79, 208-211) Performance Assessments: Presentation Rubric What was it REALLY like? - Activity 9 Overview: Students will explore fictional characters based on real people, create a fictional character and story based on a real person and event, and incorporate authentic facts and/or photos into the story. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Discuss orgins and purposes of oral history Discuss the use of fact and fiction in historical fiction Understands the basic story elements Describe the personality of a character Distinguish between fictional and nonfictional information about a character Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Match information in the real-world with an event in the book Write a short story with both fictional and factual information Document an oral history Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Develop communications using technology Create an audio recording Create a collage using a scanner Timing: Complete activity after reading the Afterword. Book Connections: Packard (page 141), Negro League Baseball (page 127, 238-240) Performance Assessments: Oral History Story Web Page Beyond Bud: Depression Era Characters - Activity 10 Overview: Students will compare the lives of characters in different books set in the Depression era. Benchmarks Understands the defining characteristics of literary forms Identify the elements of historical fiction Understands the basic story elements Describe the personality of a character Uses information from text to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions Locate and read literature from web-based sources Use web-based factual information Collaborate with others over long distances Create and send email Timing: Complete activity after reading the entire book. Performance Assessments: Short Story Rubric Conclusion You might want a end your unit with an activity to bring everything together. Consider a creative project or a WebQuest. Some ideas are listed below: WebQuest: The Great Depression The Great Depression Poverty Developed by Annette Lamb, 3/00.