Analyzing Characters in “The Hundred Dresses”

Coach: Rose Sharon, John C. Haines Elementary School
Adaptable for grade levels: Regular 3-5, Special Ed 3-6
Key Subject Area(s): Language Arts
Also incorporates: Special Education, Social Studies, Character Education

Study Group Teaching Method Description:

Meaningfully engage your Special Education students in learning by implementing this multi-modal approach to increasing reading comprehension and other crucial literacy skills. Students learn hard-to-teach reading skills such as predicting, inferring, monitoring, and making comparisons. Instructional strategies such as the use of graphic organizers, role playing, picture prompts, and art integration are just some of the innovative ways to develop the listening and pragmatic language skills of all students, including English Language Learners and Special Education students. Teachers will use quality literature that also incorporates important character education lessons.

Although this teaching method can be used with other quality books, Study Group members in this group will together use the story “The Hundred Dresses,” a timeless tale that touches upon the harm that can be inflicted upon individuals due to teasing and the consequences of bystanders to act courageously.

Illinois State Standards and Benchmarks:

State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency
State Goal 2: Read and understand literature and techniques representative of various societies, eras, and ideas
State Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes
State Goal 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations
About the Coach:


Rose Sharon is a Nationally Board Certified teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience in a special needs/inclusion program in Chicago Public Schools. A multiple grant winner with CFE and a number of other organizations, Rose is also the Director of a special needs overnight camp in Wisconsin in the summer. This is Rose’s third year as a CFE Study Group Coach.

Meeting Times:

The Study Group meeting schedules are determined together at the Study Group Program Kick-Off Dinner on Thursday, June 4, 2009.