A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study
Teacher's Handbook and Student Workbook
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Dear Educator, A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study is a Bible-based language arts unit. Biblical principles, such as the value of wisdom and pleasant words, are gleaned and studied from the books of Proverbs and James. This literature-inspired study is written for nine- to eleven-year-old children with the educator reading the story, The Adventures of Buster Bear, by Thornton W. Burgess, to the students. Reading aloud rich literature provides many benefits. It promotes bonding, closeness, and heartfelt conversations. As Marjorie R. Hancock (2004, 7) notes, “children who are read to at home develop highly positive associations with books. Their perception of their parents’ attitude toward reading is an important influence on their own attitude towards reading. The pleasant bond developed between reader and listener provides memories of warm, loving experiences later associated with the reading act.”
Discussion Questions
Chapter 1: “Buster Bear Goes Fishing,” and Chapter 2: “Little Joe Otter Gets Even with Buster Bear”
Before you read the chapter to your student, discuss the following.
Characters are the people, animals, or objects in a story. Knowing who the characters are helps us to understand what we are reading. The main character is the animal, person, or object who is the main focus of a story. This book by Thornton W. Burgess is a fictional story. That means the story is not real. The setting of a story is where the story takes place. As I read chapters 1 and 2 to you, think about the characters, main character, and setting. Read chapter 1 aloud to your student, and then discuss the following: Where does the story take place? (Green Forest.) Who are all the characters mentioned in chapter 1? (Sammy Jay, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Blacky the Crow, Little Joe Otter.) Who is the main character? (Buster Bear.) How does the author describe the Laughing Brook? (“merry, low silvery laugh that never stopped but went on and on, until he just felt as if he must laugh too. It was the voice of the Laughing Brook.” [p. 3]) What did the author mean by, “merry, low silvery laugh that never stopped, but went on and on”? (This means the streams of water in the brook kept flowing. A brook is a small stream of water. This is an example of personification. Personification is giving human qualities to nonhuman objects. This is part of the author’s style. Thornton Burgess uses personification periodically throughout his stories.) Where did Buster Bear go? (Fishing at the Laughing Brook.)
Objectives for A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study
The student will
ü Develop a deeper understanding of scripture and how God’s Word applies to his or her life.
ü Identify the four types of sentences.
ü Write the four types of sentences using correct capitalization rules and punctuation marks.
ü Analyze sentences to identify common and proper nouns.
ü Write complete sentences using quotation marks.
ü Create structured paragraphs that include a topic sentence, detail sentences, and a closing sentence.
ü Create a strong lead.
ü Produce a concluding paragraph by ending with a sting.
ü Conduct research about brown bears.
ü Engage in note-taking from more than one source.
ü Compile facts gathered in research to create an organized five-paragraph informational writing piece.
ü Apply principles learned throughout this unit to create a nonfiction picture book.
ü Design a front cover for a nonfiction picture book.
ü Illustrate a nonfiction picture book.
ü Engage in conversations and discussions pertaining to The Adventures of Buster Bear.
ü Write an organized paragraph with details from the story displaying Buster Bear’s character.
Buster Bear Student Workbook Chapters 1 and 2
Scripture Study
Read and copy the verse below.
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
Have you ever tasted honey? What does it taste like? Is it sweet and yummy? For a lot of people, honey has a wholesome, pleasing taste. Do you know what a honeycomb is? A honeycomb is an arrangement of wax cells carefully made by bees. The hexagon shaped cells serve as little vessels or containers for the bees to store their honey. Keep this in mind as we study this verse. What do you think of when you hear the word “pleasant”? If someone said with joy, “Wow, John always speaks so pleasantly to everyone,” would that statement be a good one? Yes, it very much would be. And what a wonderful reputation to have as one who speaks pleasant words. Can you think of any words that have a similar meaning to pleasant? How about “delight”, “splendor,” “grace,” “beautiful” (Strong 1890, cited in Myers 2002–2019)? Don’t you love it when someone speaks delightful and graceful words? We surely don’t like it when someone speaks unkind things to us or about us, do we? In Proverbs 16:24, pleasant words and a honeycomb are compared to each other. How can pleasant words compare to a honeycomb? Verses in the book of 1 Samuel will help in answering this question. Let’s take a peek. In 1 Samuel chapter 14, Saul’s son, Jonathan, was returning from battle with the Philistines. The Bible says, that the people went into the woods and saw dripping honey. Jonathan, “stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened” (1 Samuel 14:27). Do you see what happened to Jonathan’s countenance when he ate the honey? His eyes brightened, they shined. In verse 29, Jonathan said, “Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.” Can you see now how pleasant words are like a honeycomb? Remember, Jonathan and his men probably felt faint and weary. What did the honey do for him? It brightened his eyes, made him feel better, and gave him strength. Pleasant words are just like that. When pleasant words are spoken, it can brighten a person’s day, bring joy, and give encouragement. How do you feel when someone speaks graceful words to you? Does it bring a smile to your face? Does it make you happy? Sometimes a sweet word is exactly what a person needs. Let’s take a close look at Grace’s story. Grace, an eleven-year-old swimmer, experienced a sad Saturday.
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Book Details
About the Book
Brimming with language arts, biblical principles, and nature influences, A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study takes a charming journey through Thornton Burgess’s story, The Adventures of Buster Bear. Jamie Gault relies on her experience as an educator and mom of eight to promote a consistent read-aloud practice for students ages nine to eleven and their teachers while providing a deeper understanding of biblical principles found in Proverbs and James. Her teacher’s handbook and student workbook cohesively work together to build character in young people through common language arts concepts, detailed lessons, picture studies, and writing exercises that teach students how to pen structured paragraphs while creating an informational piece about brown bears. The exposure, practice, and application of these skills also aid in creating a five-paragraph nonfiction picture book at the end of the unit. A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study is a creative presentation inspired by biblical principles that shares language arts concepts to promote excellent writing skills in children while encouraging a lifelong love of learning.
About the Author
Jamie Gault is a homeschool mother of eight who holds a BS in mid-level education. She taught language arts and worked as a reading tutor before moving to the Pacific Northwest. Jamie and her husband serve as youth leaders and Sunday School teachers in their church.