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Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for Ivy and Bean

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Use Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows to turn your read aloud or small group work into a time to improve comprehension and talk about the text in purposeful ways.

At first glance, Ivy and Bean couldn't have been more different. Ivy wore dresses and sparkly headbands. Bean's headbands always fell off, and she only wore dresses when her mother made her. Bean liked to play with lots of kids, but Ivy played alone. Ivy read books but reading made Bean jumpy. Can two very different girls be friends? Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows is an ideal text to introduce the concept of theme to young readers. Through exploring story elements like setting and plot in this beginning chapter book, readers will develop an understanding of how theme is developed across longer texts.

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Explore lesson plans and activities to help you teach with Ivy and Bean in the drop down below.

Instructional Overview

The instructional overview includes instructional background for determining theme, along with a list of instructional objectives for each of the book club meetings, and a list of the materials and preparation necessary to Ivy and Bean.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

RF.2.3RL.2.1RL.2.2RL.2.3RL.2.5RL.2.6RL.2.7RL.2.10RF.2.4SL.2.1aSL.2.1bSL.2.1cSL.2.2SL.2.3W.2.8L.2.4aL.2.5aL.2.6SL.2.6

TEKS Alignment

2.8B2.6B2.6C2.6D2.6E2.6F2.6G2.6H2.6I2.7A2.7B2.7C2.7D2.7E2.7F2.8A2.6A2.8C2.8D2.9A2.9B2.9C2.10A2.10B2.10C2.10D2.10E2.13A2.13C2.13E2.13G2.1A2.1C2.1D

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Management Resources

The management resources include a calendar, conversation prompts, student self-evaluation forms, reading response board (with optional Common Core alignment), and an Expectations for Book Club anchor chart.

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Meeting 1

Ivy and Bean is an ideal text to introduce the concept of theme to younger readers. By focusing on the idea of friendship, readers will learn which story elements are useful when thinking about the theme of a text.

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Meeting 2

Annie Barrows does a nice job of developing the characters based on the overarching theme of friendship in the book. This book club meeting will focus on the ways the characters and the setting can develop theme in a text.

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Meeting 3

The events in Ivy and Bean are relatable for most children. As a result, this discussion will focus on the ways readers can track the theme of the text across the events in the book.

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Meeting 4

Part of understanding the theme is connecting the big ideas to real life. In this book club meeting, readers will focus on the connections they can make between the big ideas around friendship and the experiences they've had in their own lives.

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Meeting 5

Being able to notice same theme across a set of texts provides readers with a stronger understanding of how themes are developed. In this book club meeting, readers will use what they learned about the theme of friendship in Ivy and Bean to track theme in shorter texts. Students will also have the opportunity to use what they learned about friendship to write a "How - To" about friendship.

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Vocabulary Connections with Ivy and Bean

This set of vocabulary development resources for Ivy and Bean highlights the words that are most important for students to know and understand while reading the book. Through engaging in fun word games, matching words to definitions, and practicing how to categorize words, students will develop the vocabulary necessary to comprehend this story and many others.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

L.2.4a,L.2.5a,L.2.6

TEKS Alignment

2.7E,2.7F,2.3A,2.3B,2.3D

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Focus Assessment and Rubric

Use this six-question assessment to determine whether or not students understand the key concepts associated with determining theme.

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Comprehension Assessment with Ivy and Bean

This 9 question Common Core aligned assessment can be used to determine students' overall comprehension of Ivy and Bean and their mastery of the Common Core State Standards.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

TEKS Alignment

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Running Record with Ivy and Bean

Use this Running Record to assess oral reading fluency with Ivy and Bean. Track meaning, structure, and visual accuracy using the first 100 words of the text to determine whether or not this book is a good fit for the readers in your classroom.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

TEKS Alignment

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Management Resources - Spanish

The management resources include a calendar, conversation prompts, student self-evaluation forms, reading response board (with optional Common Core alignment), and an Expectations for Book Club anchor chart.

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About the Book

Title: Ivy and Bean

Author: Annie Barrows

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Relationship Skills, Friendship, Laugh Out Loud

ISBN: 9781599619286

Publisher's Summary:

Ivy and Bean is the delightful first book in Annie Barrows's popular series about two unlikely friends who discover that sometimes the best relationships start with a surprise. Set in a friendly suburban neighborhood, the story introduces Bean, a lively and mischievous seven-year-old, and Ivy, her new neighbor, who appears quiet and imaginative. At first, both girls are convinced they have nothing in common and are certain they won't get along. Bean, especially, is sure she doesn't want to be friends with someone who seems so different from her.

However, when Bean's prank on her older sister Nancy goes hilariously awry, she finds herself in need of help—and Ivy comes to the rescue. Their adventure leads them through inventive schemes, backyard escapades, and even a little bit of magic, as Ivy reveals her fascination with becoming a witch. Together, they plot to cast a spell on Bean's sister, sparking a series of comical and slightly mischievous events.

The book's engaging characters, quick pacing, and gentle humor make it a fantastic choice for read-alouds or independent reading in early elementary classrooms. With its themes of friendship, breaking stereotypes, and embracing differences, Ivy and Bean encourages students to look beyond first impressions and value the unique qualities in themselves and others. The accessible language and relatable situations also make it an excellent tool for discussing empathy, problem-solving, and creative thinking with young readers.

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Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for Ivy and Bean