Sharing Skills

VOLUME XXI, NUMBER 10/JUNE 2005

Table of Contents

by Linda M. Payne

Basic skills in using parts of a book are important for the early reader. Try this activity to reinforce or teach table of contents.

Library Media Skills Objectives:

The student will create a mini-book with a table of contents. The table of contents will consist of at least three chapters featuring the beginning, middle, and end of a story (fiction or nonfiction).

Information Power Standards:

• Standard 5, Indicator 1: Is a competent and self-motivated reader
• Standard 5, Indicator 2. Derives meaning from information
• Standard 9, Indicator 1: Shares knowledge and information with others
• Standard 9, Indicator 2. Respects others' ideas and backgrounds and acknowledges their contributions

Sunshine State Standards:

• AT.1.1.2.1 Demonstrates knowledge of a planning process
• AT.2.1.1.3 Demonstrates ability to work cooperatively and productively in pairs and triads
• LA.A.1.2.1 Uses a table of contents to predict content and purpose of a reading selection LA.B.1.1.2.2.1 Drafts and revises simple sentences, stories, passages
• LA.B.1.2.1.3.1 Prepares for writing by grouping related ideas and identifying writing purpose LA.B.1.1.1 Makes a plan for writing that includes a central idea and related ideas

Grade Levels: 2-3

Resources:

• Simple chapter books to provide examples of tables of contents (fiction and nonfiction)
• Overhead transparencies of sample title page and table of contents
• Junie B. Jones books

Instructional Roles:

The library media specialist and the class-room teacher should plan this lesson together as the students must have prior knowledge of writing from a prompt, have read a variety of chapter books, and be able to write the beginning, middle, and end of a story.

Prior to instruction, the library media specialist prepares sample transparencies and stu-dent mini-books (one per child) and gathers easy nonfiction and fiction chapter books.

Activity and Procedures for Completion:

Introduce the idea of creating a story. Tell students that they will create a story to put in the library media center. It will have chapters in it just like the Junie B. Jones series.

Show transparency examples of a title page and table of contents (see examples below). Think aloud how the author must have approached building the table of contents. Explain how using a table of contents focuses the writing on a plan (beginning, middle, and end). Brainstorm a topic, such as cats. Model some chapters about a cat character. Read the chapter headings from a nonfiction cat book to show how an author approached this subject.

Tell students they are going to write a small story with at least three chapters. First, they must brainstorm in small groups about the topic of the story. Then they can think about what the chapter headings should be. (Note: each child will create his or her own story. Modification: Students can collaborate on a single story with multiple chapters, with each child doing at least two chapters.)

Brainstorm ideas for the writing prompt: “The magic box slowly opened….” Use a small box from the library media center as a prop. Cover it in black paper, leaving an open area for the lid. You also can use a large hinged or other unique and interesting box.

Ask the students what would make them think the box was magic? What would make you look into it? What is the name of your character? (If students wish, it can be their own name or one which is made up.) What will be the setting—scary, exciting, puzzling? What will be the “hook” to get readers into the story?

Explain that students will write three paragraphs which will represent the beginning (Paragraph #1), the middle (Paragraph #2), and the end (Paragraph #3). After writing a simple draft, they will transfer this into their book, naming each section as a chapter. Each paragraph must have at least three sentences.

Read a sample easy picture book. Ask the students where the beginning, middle, and end of the story would be. Tell them these would be the chapters. Separate the students into groups of three. Give each group an easy picture book (under fifty words) and have students decide the beginning, middle, and end of the story. A fairy tale book would work well here, such as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “The Three Little Pigs,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” etc.

The students will look at several books to get examples of table of contents. They also will have had experience in the classroom writing about different topics.

Have the students write their story in the library media center and classroom. At the next session, the students will divide their story into at least three parts. These three parts will be transferred into the booklet and each will be given a chapter heading. The table of contents will be written by using these chapter headings and page references. The library media specialist will circulate to help.

Evaluation:

The student will create a mini-book consisting of:

• A title page;
• A table of contents showing at least three chapters and their page numbers; and
• A story written from a prompt, divided appropriately with a beginning, middle, and end.

The teacher will observe cooperation in group projects with each student in the triad contributing to the whole project.

Sample Transparencies:
Title Page and Table of Contents