Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

 Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

Syntax differences in questions and responses

                   Final Project     ⇌     Kristina Johnson

                             Image Source: Kristina Johnson

                                                                OVERVIEW

Lesson Plan: Identify tonal differences between asking and answering questions

Level: 3º

Subject: English and culture

Materials Needed: Book: Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? movable bodies, and voices

Digital Tools and Sources: SMART Board, Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? song frame,

 and Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? video

Time: 15 minutes (1 session)

FINAL PROJECT

The topic I chose for this final project was cookies. I selected cookies because cookies are most commonly eaten during the winter months of my state, primarily during December and January. The cookie culture in my state, Wisconsin, is very strong, so I wanted to share this with my students in order to build a stronger school community with them. Americans use the word, cookie, instead of the British word, biscuit, which I wanted to address as well. Biscuits are a specific type of bread in the United States. I also noticed some inconsistency in verbal exchanges, particularly when working with tonal differences between asking and responding to questions. 

WHY THIS SONG?

I learned that a similar song exists in Spanish, which is called "¿Quién robó pan en la casa de San Juan?". I realized that utilizing this background knowledge to focus on projecting the correct tones was essential for efficiently addressing this slight cultural nuance. Intonation is a crucial element when communicating with native English speakers, as intonation implicitly aids them in knowing how to interact and respond to the other person. 

Another common gramatical mistake I noticed students made frequently was the word order when asking questions and responding to the questions. The song's lyrics naturally model the correct syntax of each situation the speaker must partake in. Intonations vary from culture to culture as well, which is why intonation needs to be taught directly. Using the correct intonation can help prevent problems from occurring or further escalating. or even having the speaker be completely misunderstood.  

I realized that many cultural food aspects could be addressed with this simple song as well. Wisconsin is well known for being an agricultural state in my country, which is why I wanted to discuss food with the students. Food is extremely important in the Wisconsinite culture. I can adapt this lesson to my student ages as well. For example, I have created the same story with previous students by taking photos of each student, writing the lyrics to the songs using the students' names, reading the class book to them, and making copies for the students to take home (after receiving permission from families to release such a book). 

RATIONALE

Intonation is vital when communicating in English. This song helps children learn and use the correct intonations when asking and answering questions, along with correctly forming the correct syntax for the same questions and responses. 

OBJECTIVES

Students can use the correct intonations when asking and answering questions in English. 

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? book
• Movable bodies
• Voices
• SMART Board
• Students
• Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? song frame
• Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? video

ACTIVITY

The lesson will occur in one class session and will last for approximately 15 minutes. This book will cue the students on a shared memory (Jenkins, 2022). If students do not have this shared memory, they will gain it when the lesson unfolds. This activity serves to unite all students in the classroom, as creating and maintaining strong social networks are extremely important to students at this age. This lesson serves to include everyone in the same classroom and not exclude them. 

The English Language assistant teacher and the lead English teacher (native Spanish speaker) will discuss the songs "Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?" and "¿Quién robó pan en la casa de San Juan?". The Spanish teacher will then play a game with one or two students randomly, substituting their names in the Spanish version of the song before the English language teacher discusses how a similar song exists in English. The English language teacher will then show the students the video clip of the song before reading the book to them. 

After the story, students and the teacher will take turns asking and answering the question, who took the cookie from the cookie jar? This is meant to be a game, played similarly as noted in the video. The teacher will show students the song sentence frame, discuss how the questions and answers are in different colors to cue students visually on the correct intonations. Teachers and students can agree upon how to create the rhythm, using hands, legs, and/or feet, for the song and encouraging large group participation. Explain how each student's name will be used when singing the song and correct oral guidance and correction will be given to the student as the song is sung before beginning the game. Once the song is complete, begin the next lesson, emphasizing the intonations students exhibit or you/language assistant display. 

SOURCES

Garofoli. (2006). Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? Scholastic Inc..

Jenkins, T. (2022, February 24). Why does music evoke memories? BBC Culture. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140417-why-does-music-evoke-memories

Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? © 2018 by Kristina Johnson is licensed under CC BY 4.0