1. The Microbe by Hilaire Belloc
Included: A brief excerpt from the book and rigorous question set activities promoting higher level-thinking development

2. Additional Resources

3. poetry selection Jacob’s Ladder Goals & Objectives Habits of Mind
Tier 1
poetry selection
Jacob’s Ladder Goals & Objectives
Habits of Mind

4. The microbe is so very small You cannot make him out at all,
But many sanguine people hope
To see him through a microscope.
His jointed tongue that lies beneath
A hundred curious rows of teeth;
His seven tufted tails with lots
Of lovely pink and purple spots,
On each of which a pattern stands,
Composed of forty separate bands;
His eyebrows of a tender green;
All these have never yet been seen –
But Scientists, who ought to know,
Assure us that it must be so . . .
Oh! Let us never, never doubt
What nobody is sure about!
Obtain the book from a school library to read the story in its entirety and complete the ladder activities.

5. Students will be able: Ladder C
C1 Literary Elements - To identify and explain specific story elements such as character, setting, or poetic-device.
C2 Inference - To use textual clues to read between the lines and make judgments about specific textual events, ideas, or character analysis.
C3 Theme/Concept - To identify a major idea or theme common in the text.
Ladder D
D1 Paraphrasing - Students will be able to restate lines read using their own words.
D2 Summarizing - Students will be able to provide a synopsis of text sections.
D3 Creative Synthesis - Students will create something new using what they have learned from reading and their synopses.
Ladder F
F1 Understanding Words – to identify and explain the meaning of figurative language or new vocabulary within the context of a story or poem.
F2 Thinking About Words – to analyze the use of words within the context as related to the theme of a text.
F3 Playing With Words – to accurately apply figurative language and new vocabulary to newly created contexts.

6. Habits of Mind
Working Interdependently
Thinking about Thinking (metacognition)
Innovating, Creating, Imagining
Refer to Jacob’s Ladder Story Table for Ladder C, D, & F Thinking Questions.

7. (Discussion) High Level Strategies with Ladder C, D & F Questions
Tier 2 Rigor
(Discussion)
High Level Strategies with
Ladder C, D & F Questions

8. Discussion Strategies: Think-Pair-Share, Write-around, 3-4 Podcast slides (Pixie, Frames).
Choose 2 of 3 questions below to complete.
C1—The image of the microbe in the poem is personified, or given human characteristics. Write examples from the text of the personification.
C2—We may not know a lot of information about scientists, but from the poem we can make some inferences. List those inferences.
D1—You are asked to write a description of the microbe. Be as detailed as possible from the information given.
D2—Summarize what you think is the meaning of this poem.
F1—What is a microbe? What kind of people are “sanguine”? Why does the poet use difficult scientific words like these in his poem? Check the meaning of both words in a dictionary and write the definition and word in a sentence to show understanding of the words.

9. (Discussion) High Level Strategies with Ladder C, D & F Questions
Tier 3 Rigor
(Discussion)
High Level Strategies with
Ladder C, D & F Questions

10. Discussion Strategies: Think-Pair-Share, Write-around, 3-4 Podcast slides (Pixie, Frames).
Choose 2 of 3 questions below to complete.
C3—What do the last two lines of the poem mean? How do these lines show the humor of the author?
D3—Examine something like a leaf, a butterfly, or a flower under a microscope. Make a list of what you see in the object, and then create a poem that describes the object as a person. Draw and label your object.
F2—Why do you think the author examines a microbe? Draw the picture portrayed, based on the poet’s description, and label its parts.
F3—Create a poem that describes an object seen clearly only through a microscope. Describe the object in human terms.

11. Reflections/Relevance
Tier 4
Reflections/Relevance

12. Choose one of the writing ideas to complete.  Be creative. 
1. Research a famous scientist that would have used a microscope in their work. Share information found with classmates.
2. Research an animal, insect, or plant that you would like to learn more about and could be examined under a microscope. Write what you would see and have learned about what you have researched about.
Suggested project strategies:  Write a podcast script; create a puppet show; develop a PSA; a PowerPoint presentation; write and be an actor in a skit; write a persuasive speech and give before the class.