Unit Plan

Author Study: Cynthia Rylant

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Author Study: Cynthia Rylant unit plan also includes:

Explore the life's work of one of the great children's authors using this ten-lesson author study unit. After first performing some whole-group research into the life of Cynthia Rylant, the class goes on to read six different stories, writing summaries and completing a series of activities as they compare and contrast this collection of children's literature.

69 Views 35 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Include these lessons in a year-long series of author studies in primary grade classrooms
  • Take time for student volunteers to share their journal entries and story summaries with a partner, small group, or with the whole class
  • Supplement other Cynthia Rylant stories into the unit based on the needs, abilities, and interests of your class
Classroom Considerations
  • Unit requires copies of six different Cynthia Rylant books, which can be acquired at your school or local library if you do not already have them in your classroom
  • Save time by assembling the author study booklets for the students, handing them out on the very first day of the unit
Pros
  • Includes all necessary worksheets and graphic organizers
  • Offers an example of an anchor chart to create during class discussions
  • Provides questions for guiding discussions about each Cynthia Rylant story read aloud during the unit
  • A list of possible culminating activities are provided for students to choose from
Cons
  • Mentions showing a Brain Pop Jr. video about Cynthia Rylant, which requires a paid subscription to that online resource
  • Unit includes only a general outline of the activities for each lesson