description · 2017-03-19 · category, like mystery stories or friendship stories. the main...

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.9Lexia Reading Core5LEXIA LESSONS

GRADE 3 | Comprehension Compare/Contrast Stories (Supplemental)

Direct Instruction Today we’ll start reading stories and thinking about how they are alike and different. We know that almost all stories share some basic story elements. Let’s review what we know. I’m going to show the name of a story element. The name is the answer to a question. What’s the question?

Display the following terms, one at a time. Encourage students to ask at least one question answered by the term. Prompt them with clues if necessary.

• characters (Who is in the story? Who are the fictional animals or people?)

• setting (Where does the story take place? When do the story events happen?)

• plot (What happens in the story? What problem do the characters have and solve? What are the story events at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end?)

• theme (What’s the big idea in the story? What lesson is in the story? What do the characters learn? What do we learn from the story?)

Display Chapter One from the book Prize Dog? Have students read aloud the series title, author’s name, and book title.

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students express ideas about story elements in books from a series and build their awareness of how similar stories are constructed. Students who are developing reading skill and interests are often drawn to series, which feature established characters and predictable plots; the books offer “fictional friends” and escape into a comfortable fictional realm.

Teacher Tips

Popular series are recommended in the Independent Application section of this lesson, as well as in the Adaptations section. Preview the lists to determine which may be available in your classroom, school, and public libraries, and which are most appropriate for your students. Add others based on librarians’ recommendations. This lesson should be extended over time, so that students can find and read at least two books in a series, before completing the writing assignment shown.

Preparation/Materials

• A set of cards with terms that name story elements: characters, setting, plot, theme (for display)

• A copy of each of two first chapters from an imaginary series, Ellsworth and Friends (for display and for each student)

• Copies of the passage about two books in David A. Kelley’s Mysteries at the Ballpark series (for display and for each student)

• Copies of the compare-contrast planning form (for display and for each student)

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Books in a series are similar to TV shows or movies in a series. The same characters appear in all the stories. Each story has a different plot, but the plots are alike in some ways. The settings and the themes are often similar. Let’s read Chapter One of one book in the series Ellsworth and Friends and think about the story elements in it.

Distribute copies of the chapter, and direct students to read it silently. After they have finished, ask the following questions about story elements; tell students to read aloud details in the text that helped them come up with the answer:

Where is this story set? (in a neighborhood; Ellsworth’s street and home)

Who is the narrator of the story? (a boy named Ellsworth, called Ells)

Who is another important character? (his buddy Marcus)

What is the main character’s problem or goal? (He wants a dog but can’t have one. He doesn’t like things to be unfair.)

What do you think might happen in the rest of the plot? (Accept all reasonable predictions. Students should recognize that this is a realistic-fiction story about friends who have an adventure, and that the events will probably involve Ellsworth’s attempt to get a dog, or to use Marcus’s dog Snore to enter a contest or win a prize.)

Display Chapter One from the book The Haunted House. Have students read aloud the series title, author’s name, and book title. Distribute copies, and direct students to read the chapter silently. After they have finished, use the following questions to encourage them to point out similarities between this chapter and the first chapter of Prize Dog?:

Are the settings of both books alike or different? (alike—both take place in the neighborhood where Ellsworth and Marcus live)

Which characters appear in both books, and what are they like? (Ellsworth, Marcus, Ernestine. Students should recognize that Ellsworth is the narrator, so readers see things from his point of view, and that his friendship with Marcus is important to him. Students may point to evidence that Ellsworth’s older sister, Ernestine, seems to act superior.)

What problem in The Haunted House starts off the plot? (Marcus is moving from across the street to the end of another street. His family will be living in an old house that’s supposed to be haunted. The plot will probably have to do with whether the house is really haunted, and what adventure the boys have in it.)

We can tell from these two chapters that the books in the series will be about Ellsworth’s experiences with Marcus and maybe with other friends, too. In books about friends’ adventures, one theme we often find is the importance of friends helping one another. What might be some other themes in books about friends’ experiences? (Sample responses: how friends work together to solve problems; how friends protect each other from bullies or danger; the importance of being loyal and honest with friends; why it’s fun to do things with a good friend)

We’ve looked at a chapter from each of two books in a series called Ellsworth and Friends. A series usually has more than two books, and all are alike in some ways. We often enjoy reading books in a series, because we get to know the characters and what they do.

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Guided PracticeDistribute copies of the passage about the series Ballpark Mysteries.

When we read two or more books in a series, we can tell other readers how the books are alike and different and what we learned in them. This passage is written to inform readers about two books in the Ballpark Mysteries series.

Have partners read the text to each other, alternating paragraphs. Then bring the group together to discuss the passage.

Display one copy of the planning chart.

The passage tells us about the setting, characters, plots, and theme in two books. Let’s find information about those story elements in the passage, and I’ll put them in the chart. Help me fill out the information for the book The Fenway Foul-Up.

Guide students to find details in the passage that belong in the chart. Fill out the displayed chart:

• Story Subject or Genre: Mystery/Detective

• Title of Series: Ballpark Mysteries

• Author: David A. Kelly

• Title of Book: The Fenway Foul-Up

• Main Characters: cousins Kate and Mike

• Setting: Fenway Park, Boston

• Plot:

• Problem or Goal: Kate and Mike want to find out who stole a star player’s bat. • Beginning: Kate and Mike visit Fenway Park with Kate’s mother. They learn about the

theft. • Middle: Kate and Mike track down the bat by finding it hidden in plain sight. The player

gets his bat back and hits a grand slam. • End: Kate and Mike are rewarded with a ball signed by all the Red Sox. • Theme: Solving mysteries takes cooperation. Crime doesn’t pay.

Independent ApplicationDistribute copies of the planning chart to individuals or partners. Tell them to fill out the chart by using details in the passage to tell about the other book in the series, The Pinstripe Ghost. Keep the previously filled-out chart on display for students to use as a reference.

When students have completed the chart, meet again to review the story elements in their charts:

• Story Subject or Genre: Mystery/Detective

• Title of Series: Ballpark Mysteries

• Author: David A. Kelly

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• Title of Book: The Pinstripe Ghost

• Main Characters: cousins Kate and Mike

• Setting: Yankee Stadium, New York City

• Plot:

• Problem or Goal: Kate and Mike want to find out about Babe Ruth’s ghost. • Beginning: Kate and Mike visit Yankee Stadium with Kate’s mother. They learn about

the ghost and the ghostly sounds. • Middle: Kate and Mike track down the reason for the ghostly sounds. Kids are sneaking

into the park through the air-conditioning vents. • End: Kate and Mike are rewarded with special passes to sit in the owner’s box. • Theme: Solving mysteries takes cooperation. Crime doesn’t pay.

Talk with students about which elements in the charts are the same and similar. Explain that the charts can help them plan their own passages that compare and contrast two or more books in a series.

Then direct students to use library resources to locate books in a series that they can and want to read. Examples of series appropriate for students in Grade 3 are shown below; see the Adaptations lists for other choices.

Annabel the Actress series by Ellen Conford Ballpark Mysteries series by David A. Kelly Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown (and others) Ghost Buddy series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Jenny Archer series by Ellen Conford Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne Marvin Redpost series by Louis Sachar

Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

Give a time frame for completion of two books. After students have read both, give them time to write to compare and contrast. They should start by filling out two planning charts, one for each book. They may then use the model passage as a guide to writing their own passages.

Wrap-UpCheck students’ understanding.

When you read two or more books in a series, what do you find about important ways the books are alike? (The same author writes all the books. The stories are in the same genre/category, like mystery stories or friendship stories. The main characters are the same. The action may take place in similar settings. The themes are alike; they might have to do with getting along with others, or being honest, or growing up and changing, or using your wits to get out of danger.)

Why do people like to read books in a series? Tell students that there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Encourage a variety of responses. (to see what the same characters will do next; to get to know the characters; to have fun guessing what might happen and how it will be like events in other books in the series)

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Adaptations

For Students Who Need More Support

These series are appropriate for students who can succeed with shorter books and simpler language:

Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look

Gooney Bird Greene series by Lois Lowry

Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant

Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows

Kids at the Polk Street School series by Patricia Reilly Giff

Nate the Great series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

For Students Ready to Move On

Encourage students to read one or more books that have more challenging language and less familiar contexts. Examples:

A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket

Alcatraz Smedry Adventures series by Brandon Sanderson

Dear America series by various authors

Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Phineas L. MacGuire series by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Poppy and Friends (Tales of Dimwood Forest) series by Avi

The Borrowers series by Mary Norton

Tim and Grk Adventures series by Joshua Doder

Year of the Dog; Year of the Rat by Grace Lin

Review students’ passages comparing and contrasting the books they have read. Allow time for students to read aloud. Emphasize what is interesting in the passages and what might inspire other readers to read the books, too.

The lists in the Adaptations section below show alternative choices for books in a series.

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Lexia Reading Core5LEXIA LESSONS


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CHAPTER ONE

I looked out my window and saw Marcus and Snore. Marcus is my buddy, and Snore is his poo-gle-terri-huahua. At least, that’s what we think Snore is. The two of them were taking their afternoon walk.

I ran outside to join them. When Snore saw me, he began his usual thrilled jumping. I gave him the usual belly rub, and he stretched out like a rug. That dog loves me!

“Hey, Ells, are you going to the bike rodeo tomorrow?” Marcus asked me. “They’re giving out prizes.”

Marcus likes contests. “Where is it?” I asked.

“In the park behind the police station,” Marcus said. “It begins at nine.”

“I’ll ask my parents,” I said.

Well, I did ask my mother if I could go to the bike rodeo, and she said, “Sorry, you have a dental appointment Saturday morning.”

I groaned. Marcus would be riding his bike on an obstacle course and getting a prize. I would be sitting in a chair and getting my teeth cleaned. How unfair is that?

That night, I asked my parents, “Well, if I can’t go to the bike rodeo, can I get a dog?”

Prize Dog? 1

The Ellsworth and Friends Series by F.L. Posen Prize Dog?

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My older sister, Ernestine, rolled her eyes. My mother and father shook their heads like twin bobble-head dolls. Nobody bothered to answer me, because I ask that question almost every day. The reason I can’t have a dog is that we rent our house, and the landlord doesn’t allow pets. But Marcus lives right across the street, and his landlady says pets are allowed. How unfair is that?

Prize Dog? 2

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CHAPTER ONE

My older sister, Ernestine, stood at the open door of my bedroom. I’d forgotten to shut it. “Why are you kneeling at the window in the dark?” she asked me. But she answered her own question when she saw the blinking yellow light across the street. “Oh, I get it,” she said. “Secret agents sending messages in code. How cute.”

Sometimes Ernestine can be sarcastic, which is annoying. But a good way to stop someone from doing something you don’t like is to ignore what they’re doing, so I ignored her comment, and she left me alone to do my messaging.

My buddy Marcus lives right across the street. We can see into each other’s windows. We send each other Morse code messages by blinking our flashlights. A short blink stands for a dot. A quick wave stands for a dash. In Morse code, combinations of dots and dashes stand for letters.

I was jotting down the letters that Marcus signaled. So far, I had W-E A-R-E M-O. Marcus flashed dot-dot-dot-dash. I wrote the letter V. He flashed dot-dot. I wrote I. He flashed dash-dot. That was N. He flashed dash-dash-dot. That was G. “We are moving,” I read. What?

I quickly called Marcus on the phone. “What do you mean you’re moving?” I yelled. “You can’t move! That’s so unfair!”

The Haunted House 1

The Ellsworth and Friends Series by F.L. Posen The Haunted House



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The Haunted House 2

“Don’t worry,” Marcus told me. “We’re not going far. Just to the end of Fremont Street.”

For a moment there, I’d really panicked. Short breaths, fast heartbeat, sticky palms. Now I breathed deeply. Fremont Street was around the corner, and I could ride my bike there or even walk.

I’d been down Fremont Street many times. What was at the end? It was a small, run-down house with a broken porch. Nobody had lived in it for years. Some people said it was haunted. Was Marcus moving into a haunted house?

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Books in a Series: Alike and Different

The Ballpark Mysteries Series The Ballpark Mysteries series is written by David A. Kelly. Two books in the series are The Fenway Foul-Up and The Pinstripe Ghost. The main characters in both books are the cousins Kate and Mike. They solve crimes that take place in a ballpark. The Fenway Foul-Up is set in Fenway Park. This ballpark is in Boston, where the Red Sox play. The Pinstripe Ghost is set in Yankee Stadium in New York City.

Kate’s mother is a sports reporter. She brings Kate and Mike on her travels. The stories in both books are similar. Kate and Mike follow clues that the author puts in each book for readers to find.

At Fenway Park, someone has stolen a star player’s bat. The player is superstitious and needs his bat to play well. Kate and Mike track down the bat. It has been hidden in plain sight by the thief, who plans to sell the bat to a collector. When the player gets his bat back, he hits a grand slam. Kate and Mike are rewarded with a ball signed by all the Red Sox.

In The Pinstripe Ghost, Kate and Mike learn about the ghost of the great Yankee player Babe Ruth. People say that the ghost wanders in the new stadium. Ghostly sounds are heard at the same time each day. The cousins track down the source of the sounds. They’re not made by Babe Ruth. They’re made by some kids who are sneaking into the park through the air-conditioning vents. Kate and Mike are rewarded with special passes to sit in the owner’s box during a game.

Both books show that solving mysteries takes cooperation. And readers learn that crime doesn’t pay.

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Story Subject or Genre (check one or more)

Friendship Family

School Adventure

Mystery/Detective Fantasy Other:

_______________________

Title of Series:

Author:

Title of Book:

Main Character(s):

Setting (where and/or when):

PLOT (what happens)

Problem or Goal:

Beginning:

Middle:

End:

Theme:

Script page 1

GRADE 3 | ComprehensionReading Fiction: Points of View (Supplemental)


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Direct Instruction

Today we’ll be learning about points of view in stories. A point of view is a way of looking at things. You know that the storyteller in a written story is called a narrator. The narrator shows us characters and may give ideas about them. The characters have points of view about each other and about events. And you form your own point of view, too, as you think about what the characters are like. Let’s start by listening to the beginning of a story. It is a retelling of a famous story called “The Elephant’s Child,” by Rudyard Kipling. As I read, think about the narrator and the characters.

Read aloud:

Long, long ago in Africa, elephants had no trunks. An elephant’s nose was large and wiggly, but it wasn’t long, and couldn’t be used to pick up things or spray water. Would you like to know how elephants got their trunks?

It all began with one young elephant who was very curious. He had heard of a crocodile, but he had never seen one. “I wonder what a crocodile looks like,” the elephant child said. “I wonder what it has for dinner.”

One day, the elephant child was walking by a riverside. He stepped on a log. At least, he thought it was a log—but it was really a crocodile. The crocodile lifted its head.

“Oh,”saidtheelephantchild,steppingback.“CanyoupleasetellmewhereIcanfinda crocodile?” he asked.

“Come closer, little one,” said the crocodile in a sly voice. “Tell me why you want to findacrocodile.”

Ask the following questions to focus attention on point of view, rereading segments as needed:

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students explore and distinguish points of view in fiction: the narrator’s point of view, the characters’ points of view, and their own point of view as readers. Students use and cite what is shown in the text about characters to understand how those characters are experiencing the story events.

Teacher Tips

Preview the passages to see what kinds of support your students may need. You may check students’ comprehension of events by having them predict what might happen next in the partial stories, and having them tell what happens at the beginning, middle, and end of the fable. You may check students’ understanding of vocabulary in the passages by asking them to locate and use context clues to define unfamiliar words.


• Copies of passages (to pass out to students)

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Who asks the question, “Would you like to know how elephants got their trunks?” (the narrator) Who is the narrator talking to? (whoever is reading the story; listeners or readers)

What details does the narrator give to describe the elephant child? (The narrator says that the elephant child is “curious.” “He had heard of a crocodile, but he had never seen one.” The narrator also explains that elephants used to have large, wiggly noses but no trunks.)

Listen as I reread the words that the elephant child says. Reread all the words spoken by the elephant child. What is your point of view about the character of the elephant child? (The elephant child seems foolish; his curiosity gets him into trouble; he doesn’t know that a crocodile could eat him.)

What does the narrator tell us about the crocodile? (The crocodile speaks “in a sly voice.”) The crocodile says,”Come closer, little one. Tell me why you want to find a crocodile.” What is the crocodile’s point of view? (The crocodile plans to trick and eat the elephant child. It sees that the elephant child is foolish and an easy target.)

When we read a story, we can use what the narrator tells us as we think about the characters. We can see events through the characters’ eyes and understand their feelings. We can form our own points of view about the characters, too.

Guided PracticeDisplay and distribute the first passage, a retelling of a fable. Have students read it silently. Then ask for volunteers to read segments aloud. Use these follow-up questions to focus attention on point of view:

What does the narrator seem to think about the main character? (Students should express their understanding that the label miser and the narrator’s statement at the end show the narrator’s negative point of view about the main character. The narrator seems to disapprove of miserly behavior and agrees with the neighbor.)

The miser and the neighbor have differing points of view. What are those different points of view? (Students should tell about the actions and words of both characters as they contrast the points of view. They may note that the miser seemed to be happy just knowing that his buried gold was there and was hearbroken about the “tragedy” of its loss. The neighbor doesn’t feel sympathy for the miser, because the miser “had no intention of making use of the gold brick.”)

What is your point of view about the miser? (Encourage a variety of responses, prompting students to point to evidence in the text to support their opinions and ideas.)

Distribute the passage at the top of the second page, which shows part of the story from the miser’s point of view. Have students read it silently. Then ask for a volunteer to read it aloud.

What do you notice about this story?

Encourage students to express their understanding that the miser is telling his side of the story.

Point out the first-person pronouns I, me, and my in the first paragraph, and have students find and circle other examples in the second paragraph.

Whenever the narrator of a story uses pronouns like I, me, my, and mine, we can tell that the narrator is also a character in the story. The story is told from the character’s point of view.

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Have students refer to the original version as they write sentences that might follow in the miser’s version of the story. Write and display a few of their suggestions. Point out that they are using first-person pronouns that show the point of view of the narrator.

Now that you’ve thought about the main character’s point of view, have you changed your point of view about him?

Encourage students to support their responses with evidence from both versions of the fable.

Independent ApplicationDistribute the page that has a passage and questions. Read the directions with students, and have them paraphrase to show that they understand the task. Emphasize that when students cite text evidence supporting their responses, they should use quotation marks around words taken directly from the story.

Sample responses:

1. [From the narrator’s point of view, the cat is] enjoying a nap on the windowsill and is “the picture of contentment.” The cat doesn’t want to be disturbed by the girl “with a shrill voice,” and hides under the sofa to avoid her.

2. [Fromthegirl’spointofview,thecatis]eagertoplaybecausehejumpsoffthewindowsillanddarts under the sofa. She says, “Oh, so you want to play!”

3. [From the cat’s point of view, the girl is] a pest who has disturbed his nice nap and wants to bother him. When she shrieks, “I want to give you a hug,” he knows it’s time to escape.

4. [From my point of view], the girl doesn’t understand that cats need to nap and don’t always want to play. If a cat hides, that could mean it doesn’t want to play. The girl is too young or silly to know that.

Review and compare responses as a group.


What is the difference between an author and a narrator? (The author makes up the story, and also decides who the narrator will be. The narrator is like the storyteller.)

What is meant by the term point of view? (A point of view is how you see things—your feelings and opinions about what is happening.)

How can you tell what different characters’ points of view are? (Look for what they say and do to understand how they feel about themselves, other characters, and what is happening.)

When a story is told from the point of view of a character, what will you find? (The narrator uses pronouns like I and me to tell the story. The narrator will show his or her own thoughts and feelings.)

Use students’ responses to guide your choice of activities in the Adaptations section on the following page.

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Adaptations


Option 1: Do the Independent Application writing assignment as a group, prompting ideas for completing each statement and adding new sentences.

Option 2: Use students’ independent reading to find a story with conflict between two characters. Select an excerpt for students to analyze with you. Ask students to name each character and use evidence in the text to tell about each character’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Discuss why the characters have different points of view.


Option 1: Display a range of chapter books or novels at students’ reading levels. Tell students to choose a chapter to analyze. In their analysis, they should tell whether the narrator is inside or outside the story, and list three things they can tell about the main character. For each listed statement, they should be prepared to tell why it is a valid description. Allow time to discuss their listed items, and their reasoning: Is the information directly stated in the text? What clues in the text support an inference?

Option 2: Talk about familiar fables and fairy tales, and how the story might be different if told from an alternative point of view. Encourage students to try to write part of the story with a new narrator.

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Passage 1

Once there was a wealthy man who had plenty of gold. He had gold coins, gold rings, and gold objects of all kinds. Now, this man was a miser. And like all misers, he just wanted to keep his riches, and not spend any of it. So the miser melted down all his gold into one big, heavy brick. He buried it in a corner of the garden behind his house.

Every morning, the miser went into his garden and sat by his buried treasure, just gazing at the mound of earth above it.

Now, it so happens that the man’s gardener was dishonest. And when the gardener saw the miser sitting and looking longingly at the earth, the gardener thought, “I’ll bet he’s got something valuable buried there.” One night, the gardener dug up the treasure and ran off with it.

The next day, the miser saw the empty hole. His gold brick was gone! “Oh, oh,” the miser moaned. “This is too terrible. This is a tragedy!”

One of the neighbors heard the miser’s cries. “What’s the matter?” he asked the miser. “Has someone died?”

“Worse than that!” said the miser. And he told the neighbor about the stolen gold brick.

The neighbor said, “There’s no need for such sorrow. Just put a regular brick into the hole, and look at it every day. You won’t be any worse off, for you had no intention of making use of the gold brick anyway.”

The neighbor spoke the truth. After all, what’s the point of riches if you’re not going to put them to use?

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Passage 2

I know that there are people who call me a miser, but I prefer the name saver. Listen to my story, and see which name I deserve.

A while back, I ran a successful business and grew rich. My home was filled with gold coins, gold jewelry, and gold items. I had no use for all those things, so I melted them all down into one gold brick. I buried the brick in my garden and enjoyed knowing that it was there. There’s no harm in that, I’m sure you’ll agree.

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Directions: Read the passage. Then complete each statement about points of view. Use words from the passage to support your ideas.

Passage 3

Grandma Peck’s cat sat on the cushioned window seat. Sun streamed in through the window, warming the cat and the soft red velvet under him. The cat’s eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady. He was the picture of contentment.

Suddenly, the door to the room swung open. The cat shifted its body slightly. A little girl with a shrill voice called, “Oh, there you are, Mr. Mittens. I’ve been looking all over for you!” It was Bernice, Grandma Peck’s five-year-old granddaughter, visiting for the day.

The cat opened one eye, then the other. Bernice ran toward the cat with outstretched arms. “I want to give you a hug!” she shrieked.

The cat stood, gave a quick stretch, and leaped down from the window seat. Just as Bernice reached out to touch him, the cat darted under the sofa.

Bernice giggled. “Oh, so you want to play!” she called, getting down on her knees to look under the sofa.

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1. From the narrator’s point of view, the cat is

__________________________________________________

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2. From the girl’s point of view, the cat is

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3. From the cat’s point of view, the girl is

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4. From my point of view, the cat is

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Script page 1

GRADE 3 | ComprehensionReading Information: Point of View (Supplemental)


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Direct Instruction

Today we’ll be reading information. You know that an informational text gives facts on a topic. Facts can be proved true. Authors of informational texts often express their own ideas and opinions about the topic as they give facts and other details of information. We’ll think about the information we read and the author’s point of view.

Display the first informational text, “A Python Problem.” Have students read aloud the title, the author’s name, and the first two paragraphs.

A point of view, or viewpoint, is what someone thinks or believes about a topic. I can tell from the beginning of this informational text that the author Raymond Pierre believes that Burmese pythons do not belong in the Everglades. What words show me that point of view? (Students should note the word Problem in the title and the last sentence of the second paragraph: “These snakes have caused great harm.”)

Tell students to read the full text. As they read, they should pay special attention to the author’s main ideas and statements of opinion that show a point of view.

After reading, use the following items to prompt students to reread segments to note main ideas and the author’s point of view, and to express their own point of view. Annotate the text as suggested.

�Reread�the�first�sentence�of�paragraph�4.�Which�word�shows�the�author’s�opinion?

Circle the word disaster after students note it.

What is he calling a disaster? (In paragraph 3, the author explains that native mammals are being eaten by tens of thousands of Burmese pythons and are disappearing from the Everglades. He thinks that the loss of these mammals is terrible—a disaster.)

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students examine a text in order to determine the author’s point of view (or viewpoint)—what the author thinks or believes about the topic. Students are guided to read sample texts with understanding and offer their own points of view.

Teacher Tips

Preview the texts to determine if your students are likely to need support while reading them. You may prefer to do a first-read together, reading aloud while students follow along. You may also offer support by preteaching words that may be unfamiliar and are not defined in context, such as native, prey, natural, marvel, engineering.


• Copies of the three texts: “A Python Problem” (for display); “Superstitions” (for display and for each each student); “Look at a Leaf” (for each student)

• Copies of the follow-up response page (for each student)

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Underline the first and last sentences of paragraph 3 and write terrible disaster as a margin note beside the paragraph.

Did�you�notice�that�paragraph�4�shows�causes�and�effects?�Reread�the�paragraph.�Use�the�word because to tell why so many Burmese pythons are living in the Everglades. (People let pet pythons go into the wild because the snakes grew too big to care for. Because the snakes didn’t have natural enemies, they just kept multiplying.)

Add a margin note: Cause—pet owners release snakes. Effect—too many snakes.

What is the author’s point of view in the last paragraph? (The author believes that the efforts now going on to “control the spread of Burmese pythons” may have only “small effects.” He thinks that Burmese pythons are a permanent problem that didn’t need to happen if pet owners had acted responsibly. His last sentence shows that point of view.)

Underline the last sentence.

Do you agree with the author’s point of view?

Encourage students to use evidence from the text as well as their own reasoning to tell why they agree with the author, or possibly why they disagree.

Guided PracticeDisplay and distribute the second informational text, “Superstitions.” Have students read it silently. Then ask for volunteers to read segments aloud; guide students to circle, underline, and jot margin notes about main ideas and points of view. Suggested prompts:

According to the author, what is a superstition? (The first sentence of paragraph 2 states the author’s definition: “A superstition is a belief that is not based on facts and reason.”)

Tell students to underline that main-idea statement.

In paragraph 2, the author has used quotation marks around two words. Reread the sentence with those words. Why do you think the author has used quotation marks around lucky and unlucky? (Help students to recognize that the quotation marks are used to suggest an opposite meaning [irony]. The author’s viewpoint is that lucky socks are not really lucky, and unlucky foods don’t really bring bad luck.)

Tell students to circle both words and jot a margin note about them, such as not really.

Paragraph 2 tells about personal superstitions. What other category of superstitions does the author tell about in paragraph 3? (superstitions shared by groups). How do the two kinds of superstitions�differ?�(A personal superstition begins when a person has “mistakenly connected two events that are not related.” Group superstitions are things that many people believe bring good luck or bad luck.)

Tell students to jot a margin note naming both kinds of superstitions.

Reread the last paragraph. How would you sum up the author’s main point? (Superstitions help people feel that they have control over events, even though superstitions don’t really work.)

Tell students to underline key phrases about the main point, such as like to feel that they have control, even while knowing they make no sense.

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Does the author believe in superstitions? (Encourage students to point to text evidence supporting their response. Sample response: The author believes that superstitions do not work and don’t make sense. The author also points out that knowing that superstitions make no sense does not stop people from being superstitious.)

What is your point of view about superstitions?

Encourage a variety of responses based on information in the text as well as students’ own experiences and reasoning. Tell students to write a sentence stating their own point of view, beginning with the words I believe.

Independent ApplicationDistribute the third informational text, “Look at a Leaf,” and have students read it independently. Then distribute the page of follow-up questions. Read the questions and any answer choices with students, and have them work as independently as they can.

Review and discuss responses:

1a. B (The author wants readers to agree with her viewpoint that leaves are wonderful and worth learning about.)

1b. D (The favorable word remarkable shows the author’s opinion.)

2. Sentence to underline: Each leaf is a little food-making factory. Sample explanation using the listed terms: Leaf cells use water and carbon dioxide to make sugar. The leaf does that by using the sun’s energy held by the green chlorophyll.

3. Sentences to underline in paragraph 3: Veins bring water to the leaf and carry food away. They support the blade, like bones supporting a body.

4. A (The author is making the point that leaves provide an important service to oxygen-breathing living things.)

5. Sample response: The author’s point of view is that we should look closely at a leaf because it’s so interesting to learn about. I agree that a leaf is so common that we don’t think about how important it is. I also think that a lot of other things in nature could be interesting to learn about close-up, like a drop of pond water.


How can you tell what an author’s point of view is? (Sample responses: Look for words that give the author’s opinion, like disaster or remarkable. Think about what the author wants you to believe or do, and why.)

How do you decide whether to agree or disagree with an author’s viewpoint? (Sample responses: You look for the reasons that the author gives, like why pythons are a disaster in the Everglades, or why superstitions make no sense, or why it is interesting to look at leaves. Then you can decide whether the author’s reasons are good ones that you can agree with.)


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Adaptations


Option 1: Give students opportunities to practice distinguishing statements of fact from statements of opinion. Emphasize that a fact can be proved true, and discuss ways it can be checked. Also emphasize that an opinion is neither true nor false, and that someone can agree or disagree with an opinion.

• Offer paired statements, and have students write F or O to identify each as a fact or opinion. Examples of paired statements:

- A desert is a land where little rain falls. (F) Deserts are beautiful lands. (O)

- Everyone should learn to dance. (O) Some kinds of dances are done with partners. (F)

- A mountain lion is a wild cat. (F) Mountain lions look scary. (O)

• Make a statement of opinion, and encourage students to offer facts and reasons to support it. Examples of opinion statements:

- It’s interesting to watch birds.

- We need to protect our rivers.

- [Name of city] is a great place to visit.

Option 2: Focus on the informational text “Look at a Leaf.”

• Reread the text together, paragraph by paragraph. Ask questions to make sure students understand vocabulary.

Examples:

- What kinds of things do you find in the natural world?

- What do people say when they see something remarkable?

- Why is chlorophyll called a pigment?

• Make statements about the author’s viewpoint based on the text, and ask students to tell whether the author would agree or disagree with the statement. Have them point to evidence in the text to support their choice. Examples of statements:

- The author thinks that a food-making factory in a tiny leaf is wonderful.

- The author believes that it’s fun to learn about strange things in faraway places.

- The author believes that people should pay more attention to leaves.


Guide students to identify the author’s point of view in informational texts that they are reading independently. Suggest that they look for favorable words, such as remarkable, amazing, and fascinating; and negative words, such as problem, disaster, and unfortunately. Direct them to write one or two sentences to tell what the author’s viewpoint is about the topic by completing a statement such as, “The author believes that...” or “The author’s opinion is that...” Tell students to find evidence that the author gives to support that viewpoint, and to prepare a short talk about what they noted.

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A Python Problem

by Raymond Pierre

A Burmese python is a snake native to South Asia. It is a constrictor. That means it wraps its body around its prey and squeezes it to death. Burmese pythons can grow more than 20 feet (6 meters) long and eat large prey.

Everglades National Park covers a vast area of wetlands in South Florida. The Everglades are most famous for alligators, but many other animals live here. For the past twenty years or so, the Everglades have been home to Burmese pythons. These snakes have caused great harm.

In the Everglades, native foxes, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, deer, and bobcats are disappearing. These mammals have been found in the stomachs of Burmese pythons. So have alligators and birds. A few of these giant snakes would not be alarming. But there are tens of thousands of Burmese pythons in the Everglades!

Howdidthisdisasterhappen?Peoplecausedit.ThefirstBurmese pythons were brought to Florida and sold as pets. But when the snakes grew too large to care for, the pet owners set them free. The released Burmese pythons came to the Everglades. They mated and produced more snakes. With no natural enemies, the snakes just kept multiplying.

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ScientistsaretryingtofindwaystocontrolthespreadofBurmese pythons. Wildlife agencies run snake-capture contests. The United States government has made it illegal to bring Burmese pythons and other constrictors into the country. These effortsmayhavesmalleffects.Buttheproblemshouldnothavehappened at all. Pet owners must act responsibly and follow this simple rule: Never release a pet into the wild!

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Superstitions by Avery Ardmore

A baseball player is about to take his turn at bat. He trips andtakesasmallhoptocatchhisbalance.Then,onhisveryfirstswing, he hits a home run. What does he do the next time he comes to bat? He pretends to trip and takes a small hop. Why? Well, the last time that happened, he got lucky. So maybe this time, a trip and a hop will bring success, too. Athletes can be very superstitious.

A superstition is a belief that is not based on facts and reason. Many superstitions are about actions that will bring good or bad luck. The hopping baseball player has a personal superstition. Other personal superstitions might be wearing “lucky” socks for a performance or making sure not to eat “unlucky” food before a big game. The superstition begins because the person has mistakenly connected two events that are not related.

Superstitions are also shared by groups. For example, high-risebuildingsmaynothaveathirteenthfloor.(Theelevatorsskipfrom 12 to 14.) The reason is that many people believe 13 is an unlucky number. A ladybug is a spotted beetle that people are happy to see. A ladybug that lands on a person is a sign of good luck.It’ssupposedtotaketheperson’sworriesawayasitfliesoff.Peoplesaythatfindingafour-leafcloverbringsgoodluck.Tossinga coin into a fountain brings good luck, too. On the other hand, placing a hat on a bed brings bad luck. Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.

In real life, good things and bad things often happen by chance. But people like to feel that they have control over events. Maybe that’s why superstitions are so common. People want to believe in superstitions, even while knowing they make no sense.

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Look at a Leaf by Julia Handler

1 Do you want to see a wonder of the natural world? You don’t needtogofar.Juststepoutsideandfindaleaf.Anyflat,broadleafwill do. Look closely, and you’ll discover how remarkable it is.

2 Theflatpartofaleafiscalledtheblade.Thegreencolorcomes from a colored substance, or pigment, inside special cells. The pigment is called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll captures sunlight. Using the energy of sunlight, along with water and a gas called carbon dioxide, the leaf cells make sugar. The sugar becomes food that the plant needs to live and grow. Each leaf is a little food-making factory.

3 The lines on a leaf include a long tube in the middle and smaller tubes connected to it. They are easier to see from the leaf underside. The tubes are called veins. Veins bring water to the leaf and carry food away. Veins are also tougher than the rest of the leaf. They support the blade, like bones supporting a body.

4 There are tiny holes in the underside of a leaf. They can be seen through a microscope. These holes are like breathing tubes thatletgasespassthrough.Whenaleafmakessugar,itgivesoffthe gas oxygen. Animals and people must breathe oxygen to stay alive.Leaveshelpkeeptheairfilledwithoxygen.

5 It’s interesting to look closely at the edges of a leaf. Are the edges smooth? Or do they seem to have tiny points? Are the edgesmadeofroundedshapes?Differentkindsofedgesdodifferentworkfortheleaf,suchasgettingridofextrawaterorheat.

6 A leaf is a marvel of nature’s engineering. It’s worth a close look!

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Response Page: Look at a Leaf

1a. Reread paragraph 1 of “Look at a Leaf.” Why does the author use the phrase “a wonder of the natural world”? A to explain that leaves are everywhere outside

B to express the opinion that leaves are wonderful C to compare leaves to other natural things D to make readers wonder why leaves are green

1b. In the same paragraph, what word does the author use for the same reason?A far C discoverBflat D remarkable

2. Reread paragraph 2. Underline the last sentence. Write to explain what that sentence means. Use the terms chlorophyll, sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and sugar in your response.

3. Reread paragraph 3. Underline the sentences that tell about two jobs of leaf veins.

4. Reread paragraph 4. What important idea does the author want readers to understand?

A Leaves help keep people and animals alive. B People need microscopes to see leaves. C A leaf makes sugar that feeds a plant. D Tiny holes can be seen in a leaf bottom.

5. On another sheet of paper, write a sentence to tell what the author wants readers to do, and why. Then write to tell whether you agree or disagree with that point of view, and why.

Script page 1


GRADE 3 | Comprehension Integrating Information for Research (Supplemental)

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Direct Instruction Today we’ll be reading more than one informational text on a shared topic. We’ll think about

the information we find in each text and in both.

Distribute copies of the first informational text, “The Biggest Whales.” Have students read aloud the title and tell what question the author Suzanne Weeks is probably going to answer in the text. Encourage varied questions, such as “What are the biggest whales?” “How big are they?” “Why are they so big?” Then tell students to read the text silently to see whether any of their questions are answered.

After reading, prompt students to think about the answers that the author provides and the text organization and features. Possible prompts:

Look again at the first paragraph. In which sentence does the author answer the question, “What are whales?” (in the first sentence, “Whales are mammals of the world’s oceans.”) What does the last sentence of that paragraph get us ready to learn about? (the topic of the text, gigantic whales)

The topic of the text is shown in the title, “The Biggest Whales.” What does the author tell us about that topic in the second paragraph? (Sperm whales are the biggest of the toothed whales. They eat fish and other sea animals. Males can grow to be 60 feet long.)

In paragraph 3, what does the author tell us about the topic of the text? (The biggest of the baleen whales is the blue whale. It grows to an enormous size eating tons of tiny animals that it filters through its baleen. A blue whale is the biggest animal that has ever lived. It can be 100 feet long and weigh nearly 200 tons. )

What added information can you find in the illustrations and captions? (how the sperm whale and blue whale compare in size)

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students recognize that different texts on similar topics may complement each other, and that answers to questions can be put together from more than one source. Comparing and contrasting information in texts and in additional text features such as captioned pictures and sidebars with illustrations are required for doing research on a topic.

Teacher Tips

Preview the texts to determine if your students are likely to need support while reading them. You may prefer to do a first-read together, reading aloud while students follow along.


• Copies of the two informational texts “The Biggest Whales” and “Whaling” (for display and for each student)

• Copies of the compare-contrast graphic organizer (for display and for each student)

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Distribute copies of the second informational text, “Whaling.”

We’ve just read a text about gigantic whales. Now we’ll read another text about whales to find more information.

Have students read aloud the title and tell about the information the author Sanjay Patel might provide. Encourage varied predictions. Then tell students to read the text silently.

After reading, ask questions to draw attention to the author’s main points and to get students thinking about similarities and differences with the previously read text. Questions to ask:

You saw that in the text “The Biggest Whales,” the author Suzanne Weeks answered questions about the biggest toothed whale and the biggest baleen whale. What main questions does Sanjay Patel answer in the text “Whaling”? (What is whaling? Why did whaling become a big business? What happened as a result of whaling?)

Why are some words in bold print in this text? (They’re words that are important to understand. They’re terms related to the topic.) What does each bold term mean? (Students should cite the definition given in the same sentence in which the word first appears.)

Did you notice that the author tells about causes and effects? He explains the causes of increased whaling. What details does he give about the causes? (Whales were hunted for food, but also for blubber and baleen, which were used in many products long ago. Blubber was used for fuel oil. Baleen was used in many products, like corsets and umbrella ribs.) Where does the author tell about an important effect of whaling? (in the next-to-last paragraph, about overhunting and the disappearance of whales)

The picture with the text is called a sidebar, because it is alongside the main text. What connection do you see between the last paragraph and the added information in the sidebar? (The last paragraph says that laws to protect whales have made it possible for many kinds to make a “slow comeback.” That means they are growing in numbers again. The sidebar explains that blue whales still face risks from big ships that hit them.)

Guided PracticeDisplay and distribute copies of the compare-contrast graphic organizer.

Now that we’ve read two different texts, we can think about how they are alike and different, and what we learned in each. We’ll write notes in this chart to show our ideas. Let’s start by writing the title of each text above the left and right sections.

Model filling in the chart with the text titles. Have students write the titles in their own charts. As you continue prompting students to reread in order to compare and contrast the texts, continue modeling note-taking for students to copy. Suggested prompts follow.

We’ve read two texts on a similar informational topic. What are both texts about? (about whales) What information can we find in both texts? (baleen; blue whales)

What are the two main groups of whales that the author tells about in “The Biggest Whales”? (Toothed whales; Baleen whales) What key details about toothed whales are in the text? (Sperm whale is largest; eats fish and sea animals; males grow 60 feet long) What key details about baleen whales are in the text? (Blue whale is largest animal that ever lived; eats plankton including krill; filters food through baleen plates with bristles)

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What main idea does the author explain in “Whaling?” (Hunting whales was a big business.) What key details about whaling are in the text? (hunted for meat for food, blubber for fuel oil, baleen for products; overhunting led to fewer whales; laws reduce or stop hunting; whales making a comeback; still face danger from ships)

Independent ApplicationDisplay this prompt, and read it aloud with students:

“The Biggest Whales” and “Whaling” both have information about baleen.

• What is baleen?

• How do whales use baleen?

• How have people used baleen?

Use both texts to write a paragraph to answer these questions as completely as you can.

Encourage students to use their own words to tell what they are being asked to do. Tell them to refer to the chart they just filled out, along with the two texts, to answer the three-part question. Emphasize that when students cite text evidence supporting their responses, they should name the source. Also point out that students should restate information in their own words or use quotation marks around any words taken directly from the source.

Sample response:

According to “The Biggest Whales,” baleen is a material in the mouths of whales that do not have teeth. Baleen hangs from the whale’s top jaw in thin plates made from the same material as fingernails. The plates have “brushlike bristles on their edges.” The whales take water and plankton into their mouths and then squirt the water out. The plankton is left behind in the bristles for whales to eat. Whales use their baleen to filter their food. According to “Whaling,” baleen is strong and bendable, so people long ago used it in different products. They used baleen in collars, hat brims, corsets, umbrella ribs, and buggy whips.

Wrap-UpCheck students’ understanding. Have them refer to the two texts from the lesson and point to each of these features in both texts:

• a sentence that prepares readers for the topic of the whole text

• a term and its definition

• a text feature that provides additional information

If you were doing research on blue whales, why would it be useful to read both of these texts? (“The Biggest Whales” tells about the blue whale’s size, its baleen, and its food. “Whaling” tells about baleen and blubber, which blue whales have, and also gives information about blue whales off the coast of California today. You can use different sources to get more information on the same topic.)


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Adaptations


Option 1: Guide students to details in both texts that answer the three questions in the Independent Application activity. Have them underline the details and dictate one or more sentences that answer each question.

Option 2: Provide an informational picture book about whales. Possible choices that may be available in the school or public library: Face to Face with Whales by Flip and Linda Nicklin; Whales! Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle; Do Whales Have Belly Buttons? by Melvin Berger; Whales by Seymour Simon; Here Come the Humpbacks! by April Pulley Sayre. Discuss the topic of the whole book, the author’s organization of ideas, and key details supporting main ideas. Encourage students to point out any similarities between the book and the two texts in this lesson.


Option 1: What questions do students still have about sperm whales, blue whales, whale hunting, or another topic they have just read about? Tell students to list two or three questions that are suggested by the provided texts, but not answered fully in either. (Examples: What is plankton? Where do sperm whales live? Why are whales still hunted?) Encourage students to find library sources that will help them answer those questions. If students live near or are familiar with a major aquarium, guide them to the website of that resource for additional information. Set aside time to review students’ questions and their findings.

Option 2: Together, choose an informational topic of interest—animals, sports, music, weather, or any other category— and formulate a single targeted question about it. Examples of targeted questions: How did killer whales get that name? Who invented baseball? What is a blizzard? Direct students to find three informational books and articles likely to have answers. Have them read the relevant segments from the source and report on what they learned.



Reproducible page 1

The Biggest Whales 1

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The Biggest Whales

by Suzanne Weeks

Whales are mammals of the world's oceans. When people think of whales, they picture enormous animals. Not all whales are big. But some are truly gigantic!

Therearemanydifferentkindsofwhales.Scientistsdividewhales into two main groups. One group is toothed whales. Thesewhaleshaveteeth.Theyeatfishandotherseaanimals.Spermwhalesarethebiggestofthetoothedwhales.Malescangrow 60 feet (18 meters) long. That's about the length of four cars!

The other group is baleen whales. Baleen is the name for the thin plates that hang from the whale's top jaw. Baleen is also called whalebone, but it is not made of bone. The plates aremadeofthesamematerialasfingernails.Theplateshavebrushlikebristlesontheiredges,whichfilterthewhale'sfood.Baleen whales take huge amounts of water into their mouths. As they then push out the water, the bristles trap tiny drifting lifeformsknownasplankton.Smallshrimplikeanimalscalledkrill are in plankton, and they make up an important part of a whale'sdiet.Baleenwhalescangrowvery,verybigfeedingonkrill. When feeding, a blue whale can consume tons of krill in just one day! The blue whale is the biggest of the baleen whales. It is not just the biggest whale. It is the biggest animal that has everlived!Abluewhalecangrowtobe100feet(30meters)long. It can weigh nearly 200 tons!

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The Biggest Whales 2

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C A sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales. The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived.

Human

SpermWhale

Blue Whale

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Whaling 1

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Whaling

by Sanjay Patel

Throughouthistory,peoplehavehuntedwhales for meat. Hunting whales is called whaling. Hundreds of years ago, whalingbecameabigbusiness.Speciallybuilt whaling ships set sail to hunt whales, and not just for food.

Whales stay warm in cold water becausetheyhaveathicklayeroffat.The fat is called blubber. Whales were hunted for their blubber, which was made into a fuel oil. In the days before electric power, people used whale-oil lamps to light their homes.

Somewhaleshavethinplatesofbaleen instead of teeth. Baleen is strong and bendable. It was commonly called whalebone. In the 1800s, baleen was usedtostiffencollars,hatbrims,andtight-fittingundergarmentscalledwhalebone corsets. Baleen was used to make umbrella ribs, buggy whips, and other products.

More than two thousand blue whales now live off the coast of California. The biggest threat to their survival is not whaling, but enormous ships and barges. Blue whales are struck by these vessels and killed or injured because they are unable to get out of the way.

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Whaling 2

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Whaling continued into the twentieth century. But thenumbersofwhalesdroppedfromoverhunting.Manypeople began to fear that the mighty giants of the seas would disappear.

Beginning in the 1960s, laws were passed to reduce orstopwhalehunting.Manykindsofwhaleshavemadeaslow comeback as a result.

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Script page 1

GRADE 3 | ComprehensionLocating Information: Text Features (Supplemental)


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Direct Instruction

Whenever we want to find answers to questions, we can learn answers by reading. Maybe we want to know why mosquito bites itch, or what kinds of animals live at the bottom of the ocean, or how tunnels are built—or anything else. The answers to our questions are in informational sources. Today we’ll be learning how to locate information in texts.

Display the informational book you have chosen. Have students use the title and any subtitle to identify the topic of the whole book.

Then display each of the following text features, and point to the elements as you explain how to use the feature.

At the front of the book, we find the table of contents. The contents are what the book contains. A table of contents is a list that tells us all the parts of the book in order. Each listing in the table of contents is the title of a different chapter or section of the book. The listing is followed by a page number showing where in the book that chapter or section begins. If we turn to that page, we see the heading that matches the listing. We can use the table of contents to find out which chapter and pages might have the answers we’re looking for.

Choose one of the listings in the table of contents, formulate a general question based on the title, and show students the relevant pages. For example, if “Big Sharks, Little Sharks” is listed in the table of contents, you might ask, “What are the different sizes of sharks?” Then turn to the listed page to find answers.

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students identify and understand the purposes of common features found in informational texts. Students practice using the features to locate details of information in print and digital sources.

Teacher Tips

The Direct Instruction and Guided Practice sections of this lesson are based on the use of an informational book you have selected (See Preparation/Materials below). The examples in those sections show the topic of sharks; you may want to select a book relevant to a topic or concept students are learning in science or social studies.


• An age-appropriate informational book on a topic of interest to students. The book should have a table of contents, an index, a glossary, captioned illustrations, subheadings, and sidebars.

• An approved website or multimedia encyclopedia with information on the same topic as your chosen book

• Copies of the pages with sample text features (to distribute to students)

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In the table of contents, we find a listing for the index of the book. The index is at the back of the book. Suppose we’re looking for a particular fact or explanation in the book. The index points us to all the pages we should look at. The entries in an index are arranged in alphabetical order. Sometimes, just one page has the information we need. Sometimes more than one page has the information. If we see a comma between numbers, we should look on each listed page. If we see a dash between numbers, we should look at the listed pages and all the pages in between.

Choose two or more index entries to demonstrate how to turn to the relevant pages to find details of information.

When we’re looking for the answer to a particular question, we have to decide on key words in our question. These are the most important words, which will lead us to the particular facts and details we want.

Formulate a specific question, and model identifying the key words. Then show how to use alphabetical order to locate the index entry that matches those key words. For example, using the index in a book about sharks, you might ask the question, “Do sharks have good hearing?” The key word is hearing, which you then locate in the index in alphabetical order.

Often, when we are reading information, we find special words, or terms, that we need to learn. We can find out what the term means by checking the glossary at the back of the book. A glossary lists the words in alphabetical order, just like a dictionary. Often, the words in the glossary are also in bold print in the book.

Choose a technical term from one of the pages of the book, and show how to find the word and its definition in the glossary.

Often, the pages of an informational book have other features. For example, there may be photos or illustrations with captions. A caption tells us what’s in the picture, and also connects to information in the text on the page. There may be subheadings above smaller sections of text. Subheadings tell us what each smaller section is about. Sometimes, we’ll see text inside a box. This feature is called a sidebar. A sidebar adds information to the main text.

Choose a page or two-page spread that has a heading, subheadings, captioned illustrations, and a sidebar. Read aloud from the body of the text, pausing to have students identify each feature. Talk with students about what the feature helps them understand.

Display the first screen of the website or the first page of the article in the multimedia encyclopedia you are using.

We find information in printed books. We also find information on the screens of computers and other digital devices. Some of the features in a printed book are also found in digital sources. We can find headings and subheadings, captioned illustrations, sidebars, and terms that are defined. We use key words to search for information. But instead of turning pages, we navigate by scrolling and selecting.

Demonstrate navigating through the site or article to locate text and illustrations. Prompt students to point out any icons for audio or video. Discuss how hyperlinks are shown and explain where they lead. Encourage students to tell how the presentation of digital information is like and different from the information in the printed book.

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Guided PracticeGive students the informational book you have used for Direct Instruction. Challenge them to work together to use text features to locate answers to questions. Have them write responses. You may want to use a timer to make the activity more like a game.

These are examples of questions to use with a book on the topic of sharks:

• In which chapter would you learn about a shark’s senses? • What is the definition of cartilage? • On which pages will you find information about the kinds of sharks called dogfish? • What can you learn by reading the sidebar on page 18? • If your question is, “What kinds of sharks are known to attack people?” what key words

should you look for in the index? • In Chapter 3, what is the subheading that leads to information about shark’s skin?

You may want to expand the activity by having partners come up with similar questions to challenge you and the rest of the group.

Independent ApplicationDistribute the pages with sample text features. Read the directions with students, and have them use their own words to tell what they are supposed to do. If needed, offer support with reading the questions, answer choices, and the passage.

After students have completed the activity, review their responses. Prompt students to explain how they decided on the correct answer.

Answers: 1. helicopter; 2. sneeze; 3. cats, whiskers; 4. tallest trees; 5. flag, Mexico; 6. 15; 7. Staying Safe; 8. one page; 9. Introduction; 10. Sea Turtles and Humans; 11. 11 and 13; 12. Look on pages 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25; 13. 22; 14. 8; 15. No, because the S entries don’t show Sydney Harbour Bridge; 16. A; 17. C; 18. B; 19. C; 20. Sample response: The heading “Letting in Light” means that the whole section tells about light that is let in to help us see. The paragraph under the subheading “A hole in the eye” tells how eye holes let in light.


Where in a book do you find the index? (in the back)

What are three important differences between a table of contents and an index? (The table of contents is in the front of the book. The index is in the back. The listings in the table of contents are in the same order as in the book. The listings in an index are alphabetical. You use a table of contents to get an overview of what’s in the book. You use an index to find the pages where particular facts are located.)

What are key words? (Key words are the most important words in your question. You look for key words in the index to a book, or you type in key words when searching online.)

How is a glossary helpful? (A glossary gives definitions of terms in the text. You can use a glossary to check what the words mean.)

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How do headings and subheadings help you when you’re reading text in a book or on a screen? (A heading shows what all the text on that page or section is about. Subheadings show smaller topics related to the big one. You can use headings and subheadings to think about how the big and small ideas are connected.)

Use students’ responses to guide your choice of activities in the Adaptations section below.

Adaptations


Option 1: Focus on one text feature at a time, giving students multiple opportunities to find examples in informational texts in their classroom library. Encourage them to show how to use that feature to learn about the text.

Option 2: Work with students on identifying key words to use as search terms. Play a game of “What would you look for?” in order to locate library resources. Examples: What would you look for to answer the question, “What should I feed my goldfish?” What would you look for to answer the question, “How cold does it get at the North Pole?” Guide students to use the electronic catalog, often accessible remotely, to find the titles of books and other resources likely to have answers.

Option 3: Do the Independent Application activities as a group, prompting students to explain what the item requires them to do and how to think about answers.


Give students an opportunity to explore text features. Provide an array of informational books and magazines. Name a text feature, and have partners find examples in more than one text. Prompt them to give a short talk to show how the examples are similar and different. Text features to name include table of contents, index, glossary, subheading, sidebar, and caption.

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Part A: Key WordsDirections: Read each question. Underline the key word or words in the question. Key words help you search for the answers.

1. How does a helicopter fly?

2. Why do we sneeze?

3. Why do cats have whiskers?

4. Where in the world are the tallest trees found?

5. What does the flag of Mexico look like?

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Part B: Table of ContentsDirections: This table of contents is from a book about sea turtles. Read each question. Use the table of contents to write the answer.

ContentsIntroduction....................................................................5

Kinds of Sea Turtles..........................................................7

Ways of Life....................................................................15

Staying Safe...................................................................21

Sea Turtles and Humans.................................................29

Sea Turtle Facts..............................................................33

Glossary........................................................................34

Index.............................................................................36

6. On which page does the chapter “Ways of Life” begin?________

7. Which chapter begins on page 21?_________________________

8. How many pages show “Sea Turtle Facts”?

9. What comes before the chapter “Kinds of Sea Turtles”?

10. In which chapter would you probably find out how people are

rescuing sea turtles?

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Part C: IndexDirections: This is part of an index from a book about bridges. Read each question. Use the index to write the answer.

railroads 7, 15, 19

roadway 8, 21

rope 6, 9

simple bridges 8–10

span 13, 21

steel 21, 23

stone 11, 13

suspension 5, 6, 9, 21–25

swaying 23

Tacoma Narrows Bridge 23

towers 22

transportation 5, 6, 10, 12, 15

tree trunks 8

truss 13–14

11. On which pages can you find information about bridges made

of stone?

12. The listing for suspension bridges includes the numbers 21–25.

What do those numbers mean?

13. Suspension bridges hang from tall towers. On which page can

you read about the towers?

14. On which page should you look to learn about simple bridges

made from tree trunks?

15. Is this book likely to have information about the Sydney

Harbour Bridge in Australia? Explain your answer.

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Part D: Special TermsDirections: Read the paragraph from a book about cold places. Then answer the questions.

Some animals are called cold-blooded. That means their bodies are warm only if the outside air or water is warm. Reptiles are cold-blooded. They must be warm in order to move around well. In fall, when temperatures drop, they cannot get warm enough to find food and escape danger. Instead, reptiles hibernate. Their body temperatures drop, and they stop moving. They live off the fat stored in their bodies. They seem to be in a deep sleep, and they don’t wake up until winter ends. Turtles burrow into mud to hibernate. Snakes crawl into dens to hibernate, often with other snakes. There may be thousands of garter snakes, for example, hibernating in a single den.

16. Where in this book will you find meanings for the words in bold print?

A in the glossary at the back of the book B in the index at the back of the book C in the table of contents at the front of the book

17. Read the entry.

________A cold-blooded animal that has dry skin and scales. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles are reptiles.

Which word belongs on the line?

A turtle B hibernate C reptile

18. Where will you find the entry for the word hibernate?

A between the words reptile and temperature B between the words frostbite and insulate C between the words polar and predator

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Part E: Headings and SubheadingsDirections: This is a page from a longer text about eyes and seeing. Read the heading and subheading.

LETTING IN LIGHT

A hole in the eye

More or less light

19. Read the main heading. What question may be answered in the text just below it?

A How do eye holes let in light? B What amount of light can eyes let in? C What does light have to do with seeing?

20. What do you think “A hole in the eye” has to do with “Letting in Light”? Write one or two sentences.

Script page 1


GRADE 3 | Comprehension Reading Plays (Supplemental)

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Direct Instruction Today we’ll be learning about plays, and what makes a play different from other kinds of writing. A play is a story that is written to be performed by actors. The author of a play is called a playwright. When we read a play, we think about what the playwright is showing us. We form pictures in our mind of the stage and the actors. We imagine how the actors sound and what they do in their roles as characters.

Display the first page of “The Smell of Soup.” Have a student read aloud the play title and the information below it.

The Smell of Soup” is a folktale told in many countries. This version comes from Turkey. Miranda Heller is the playwright. What did she do? (She used the folktale to write a play called “The Smell of Soup.”)

Point to “Cast of Characters,” and have students read the words aloud.

You know that the people or animals in a story are called characters. There are characters in a play, too. Actors play the roles, or parts, of characters. The actors are members of the cast. In this play, there are three actors in the cast, playing three roles. What are the roles? (Poor Man, Innkeeper, Judge) Verify that students know the meaning of inn and innkeeper.

Point to “Scene 1,” and have students read the words aloud.

A play is usually performed on a stage. The action in a play may take place at different times and in different places. A playwright divides a play into scenes to show changes in time or place. This play begins with Scene 1. Let’s look at the next heading. The “Setting” is what the audience sees onstage, so they know where the action is taking place. What is the setting of Scene 1? (A street by an inn) What does the heading “Time” tell us? (Scene 1 takes place one day long ago.)

Read aloud the first stage direction, shown in italic type inside parentheses.

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students identify the elements of a play and recognize ways in which drama differs from other narrative forms. Learning terms such as playwright, cast, scene, dialogue, setting, and stage directions can help students identify play elements and express ideas about plays they read.

Teacher Tips

You can vary the amount and kind of reading support you provide in this lesson, depending on the abilities of your students. For example, you may want to have students read aloud segments of dialogue only after hearing you read aloud, or you may ask students to read the stage directions and dialogue silently and then read aloud the speaking parts of the characters.


• A copy of the opening page of “The Smell of Soup” (for display)

• Copies of the whole play (to pass out to students)

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This description of the action onstage is called a stage direction. Do you see that it appears in italic type inside parentheses? When we read a play, we pay special attention to punctuation, capital letters, and changing fonts. That way, we can picture what is happening on the stage and separate it from the words that characters speak. In this play, the names of characters are set in capital letters. Who is onstage as Scene 1 begins? (the Poor Man)

Read aloud the complete text for the first entry, including the name of the character and the stage directions. Then make the following points.

The words that the characters speak are called dialogue. The dialogue is shown after the name of the character and a colon. Say the Poor Man’s words as he might say them. (After several volunteers give an expressive reading, including the sigh noted in the stage directions, ask students to describe the Poor Man’s accompanying actions.)

Now use the stage directions to say the Innkeeper’s words as he might say them. (Students should use hand gestures accompanying the Innkeeper’s angry tone.)

Clarify that the stage direction “Curtain” signals that the scene is over, and the curtain falls.

A play is a story. Like many other stories, it may begin with a problem that characters want to solve. What is the problem in this play? (The Poor Man is hungry, but the Innkeeper won’t give him any food.)

Guided PracticeDisplay the second page of “The Smell of Soup,” which shows Scene 2. Read aloud the complete text as students follow along. After reading each segment, ask students about the stage directions and dialogue. Questions to ask:

How are the setting and time of Scene 2 different from those in Scene 1? (Now the characters are inside the inn, in the kitchen. It’s a few minutes after the time in Scene 1.)

What does the audience see and hear as the scene begins? (Students should use the first stage direction to describe a kitchen, the pot, and the Poor Man’s actions.)

What does the Innkeeper say and do when he enters the kitchen? (Students should use an angry voice and shake a fist while saying the Innkeeper’s words.)

How does the scene end? (The Innkeeper takes the Poor Man’s arm and leaves the kitchen. They’re going to see a judge, who will decide what the Poor Man should pay for smelling the soup.)

Script page 3



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Independent ApplicationDistribute the whole play “The Smell of Soup,” and have students read Scene 3 independently. Then distribute the page of follow-up questions. Read the questions and any answer choices with students, and have them work as independently as they can.


1. A (According to the stage directions, the Innkeeper has an angry tone and is “waving his hands as if sweeping out dirt.” The tone and gesture show how mean the Innkeeper is.)

2. Sample margin notes: fair, thoughtful, wise, teaches a lesson, is firm. Possible words to underline: What is your side of the story? Stroking his beard in thought. Takes two coins from his pocket and clinks them together several times. If you want payment for the smell of soup, then the sound of money should satisfy you.

3. A. setting; B. cast; C. dialogue; D. role; E. scene

4. Sample sentences to complete the summary:

The Judge listens to both sides of the story. Then he takes out two coins and clinks them together to pay what the Poor Man owes the Innkeeper. He tells the Innkeeper that the sound of money is payment for the smell of soup. Then he tells both the Poor Man and the Innkeeper to leave his court.


Why must you pay attention to stage directions as you read a play? (The stage directions help you picture what the actors do onstage, and how they sound when they speak.)

Why is dialogue especially important in a play? (Dialogue is what the actors say in their roles as characters. Their speeches show what they want and what they are thinking.)

What are some ways that a play is like other kinds of stories? (A playwright is telling a story, just like an author. In both a story and a play, there are characters who have a problem. Both a play and story have a beginning, middle, and end. At the end of a play and a story, the problem may be solved.)


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Adaptations


Option 1: Have students highlight only the dialogue in “The Smell of Soup.” They then take turns reading the different parts. During reading, pause to discuss what is happening onstage and how the characters sound.

Option 2: Invite partners to come up with and perform a brief conversation related to an everyday situation—deciding on a game to play, trading foods at lunchtime, asking someone for directions, and so on. Then, as a group, transcribe the performed conversation as dialogue from a play. For example:

JAMES: (Making a picture with a purple marker) I’m drawing a purple monster because I only have a purple marker. What are you drawing?

SONYA: (Using a yellow marker to draw and holding a blue marker in the other hand) I’m making a tree.

JAMES: (Looking at SONYA’s picture) Aren’t leaves supposed to be green? Yours are yellow.

SONYA: (Using a blue marker to draw and holding the yellow one in the other hand) See? Blue and yellow together make green!

JAMES: That’s cool! (Holding up his purple marker) Will this help you make a brown tree trunk?

Guide other pairs of students in using the script to perform the written dialogue.


Option 1: To help students appreciate the difference between a fictional narrative and a play, provide the samples on Reproducible page 6 to read with students. Have them note ways in which the texts are the same, and the most important ways they differ. Students should recognize that dialogue and stage directions in a play give the information that a narrator tells in a story.

Give students a short segment from a story, and ask them to turn it into a script for a play. Tell them to use the sample from the fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper” and the play “The Smell of Soup” as guides to formatting a script. If students are handwriting, rather than using word-processing software, they may use underlining instead of italic type.

Option 2: Guide students to locate skits and one-act plays in the library or online (Search terms: Juvenile drama, Plays for children). After students read one of the plays, talk about the costumes, props, stage set, sound effects, and other elements they would need to perform it. If feasible, students may rehearse and perform the play onstage; or, they may perform it as a radio play.

Reproducible page 1



The Smell of Soup

a play by Miranda Heller based on a folktale from Turkey

Cast of Characters

Poor Man Innkeeper

Judge

Scene 1

Setting: A street by an inn.

Time: One day long ago.

(POOR MAN dressed in rags stands in front of inn doorway. He gazes at a piece of bread he is holding in his hand.)

POOR MAN: A kind person took pity on me and gave me this bread. It’s the first food I’ve had in three days! (Sighs) But it won’t be enough to fill my empty stomach. Maybe the innkeeper at this inn will be kind.

(Steps toward doorway, which is immediately blocked by INNKEEPER)

INNKEEPER: (Angrily, waving his hands as if sweeping out dirt) Off, off with you! We allow no ragged beggars here!

(POOR MAN backs off.)

(Curtain.)

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The Smell of Soup 1

Reproducible page 2



Scene 2

Setting: Kitchen of inn.

Time: A few minutes later.

(POOR MAN sneaks into kitchen from back door. He closes his eyes and sniffs the aroma of soup cooking in a pot. He goes over to the pot and holds his piece of bread above it.)

POOR MAN: This soup smells so delicious! If I just hold my bread over it, maybe I’ll capture some of the aroma.

(INNKEEPER enters and shakes his fist at the POOR MAN.)

INNKEEPER: You again! I told you to go away. Now you’re stealing soup!

POOR MAN: (Frightened) No, no, I took no soup. I was just smelling it.

INNKEEPER: (Firmly) Then you must pay for the smell.

POOR MAN: Pay for the smell? But I have no money.

INNKEEPER: Then I’ll take you to court. Let the judge decide what will happen to you.

(Takes POOR MAN’s arm and escorts him out the door.)

(Curtain.)

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The Smell of Soup 2

Reproducible page 3



Scene 3

Setting: A courtroom. JUDGE is seated behind a large table. INNKEEPER and POOR MAN stand before the table.

Time: A short while later.

JUDGE: (To INNKEEPER) Tell me why you have come to my court.

INNKEEPER: (Pointing to POOR MAN) This man came into my inn after I told him to leave. I caught him stealing the smell from my soup! He refused to pay for it.

JUDGE: (To POOR MAN) What is your side of the story?

POOR MAN: I was very hungry, and the soup smelled so wonderful. So I held a piece of bread over the pot to try to capture some of the smell. The innkeeeper told me I had to pay for the smell, but I have no money.

JUDGE: (Stroking his beard in thought and then turning to INNKEEPER) You demand payment for the smell of soup?

INNKEEPER: (With look of satisfaction) Yes. Yes, I do.

JUDGE: Well, this man here has no money, so I will pay you myself. (Takes two coins from his pocket and clinks them together several times) There! That’s your payment! (Puts coins back in pocket)

INNKEEPER: (Surprised) What kind of payment is that?

JUDGE: If you want payment for the smell of soup, then the sound of money should satisfy you. Now, both of you begone!

(Curtain.)

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The Smell of Soup 3

Reproducible page 4



The Smell of Soup1. Reread this line from Scene 1 of the play:

INNKEEPER: (Angrily, waving his hands as if sweeping out dirt) Off, off with you! We allow no ragged beggars here.

What does the stage direction help you understand?

A how mean the Innkeeper is B why the Innkeeper likes a tidy inn C what the Poor Man looks like D what the setting of the play is

2. Reread Scene 3 to decide on some words to tell what the Judge is like. Write the words in the margin. Underline the words in the play that support your descriptions.

3. Complete each sentence with a word from the box.

dialogue scene role setting cast

A. The ________________________ of a play is where it takes

place.

B. All of the actors in a play make up the ____________________.

C. The audience listens to the ____________________ spoken

onstage.

D. An actor plays the ____________________ of a character.

E. A chapter in a story is like a ____________________ in a play.

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Reproducible page 5



4. Read the first part of the summary of this play. Then complete the summary. Your sentences should tell what happens in the rest of the play. Remember that a summary is short and includes only the most important parts of the story.

The playwright Miranda Heller has retold the folktale “The Smell of Soup.” At the beginning of the play, the Poor Man is hoping that an Innkeeper will give him a little food to eat with his bread. But the Innkeeper chases the Poor Man away. The Poor Man sneaks into the inn’s kitchen and holds his bread above a steaming pot of soup. The Innkeeper catches him and demands payment for the smell of the soup. When the Poor Man says he has no money, the Innkeeper brings him to court.

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

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On a fine summer day, Grasshopper was relaxing on the grass, singing with pleasure about the warmth and sunlight. He noticed Ant traveling back and forth on the path nearby. On each trip, she lugged a heavy seed. Grasshopper called to her, “Why are you working so hard? It’s summertime! Take a break to enjoy the day.”

Ant did not stop her work. She said, “When winter comes, there won’t be any food to find. That’s why I’m storing it now. And I suggest you do the same.”

Grasshopper chuckled and sang a new song about how far off winter was.

GRASSHOPPER: (Lying on a lounge chair in a grassy field and singing) Oh, these beautiful days! I sit in the sun and catch some rays! (Sits up to watch ANT traveling back and forth on a path.)

ANT: (On each trip from left to right, lugging a seed and grunting with the effort) Must keep working. Must keep working.

GRASSHOPPER: Hey, Ant, why are you working so hard? It’s summertime! Take a break to enjoy the day.

ANT: (On a return trip from right to left) When winter comes, there won’t be any food to find. That’s why I’m storing it now. And I suggest you do the same.

GRASSHOPPER: (Lying back on the chair with a chuckle and then singing) It’s summer today, and winter’s far away. It’s time to play, play, play!

Script page 1

GRADE 3 | ComprehensionReading Poems (Supplemental)


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Direct Instruction

Today we’ll be learning about poems, and what makes a poem different from other kinds of writing. We’ll be listening carefully to the sounds of poetry.

When we say a poem, we can hear its rhythm. The rhythm is like drumbeats that go with the syllables and words. The first poem I’ll read aloud is a humorous one with a regular beat. Listen once, and then when I read it again, clap along with the rhythm. First, just listen.

Give a playful oral reading of “The Floorless Room” by Gelett Burgess (1866–1951):

There was an Old Man with a beard,Who said, “It is just as I feared!— Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,Have all built their nests in my beard!”

Tell students to clap along as you reread the lines. Then demonstrate clapping with the singsong stresses as you repeat each line, in this pattern: 3-3-2-2-3.

This poem also has rhyme. Words that rhyme have the same ending sounds. A poet may use rhyme to tie the lines of the poem together. Rhyme can also make a poem sound playful and fun.

Reread aloud the first two lines, emphasizing the last word in each.

The words floor and door rhyme. Are there other words in the poem that rhyme?

Repeat the poem so that students can identify the third rhyming word bore, and the rhyming pair around/ground.

Listeners form pictures in their mind when they hear a poem. What did you imagine as you listened to the poem “The Floorless Room”?

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to help students recognize that sound and meaning are combined in a poem. Students use the terms rhythm, rhyme, and repetition to discuss a poem and make observations about patterns in lines and stanzas.

Teacher Tips

You can adapt this lesson for older students by showing them the poem “Strange Tree,” used in Direct Instruction, and reading it aloud together. Guide students to look and listen closely to decide on the speaker’s point of view, and to identify examples of rhythm, rhyme, and repetition.

Preparation/Materials• A copy of the poem “Water Noises”

(for display)• Copies of the two pages for “Bed in

Summer” (to pass out to students)

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Encourage students to describe what they imagined and use adjectives to describe their images. (Examples of adjectives: ridiculous, silly, awkward, impossible)

Now I’ll read another poem aloud. The title of this poem is “Strange Tree.” This poem also has rhythm and rhyme. It has other features, too. As you listen, form pictures in your mind.

Give an expressive oral reading of the poem to convey the wondering, mysterious tone of “Strange Tree” by Elizabeth Madox Roberts (1881–1941):

Away beyond the Jarboe houseI saw a different kind of tree.Its trunk was old and large and bent,And I could feel it look at me.

The road was going on and onBeyond to reach some other place.I saw a tree that looked at me,And yet it did not have a face.

It looked at me with all its limbs;It looked at me with all its bark.The yellow wrinkles on its sidesWere bent and dark.

And then I ran to get away,But when I stopped to turn and see,The tree was bending to the sideAnd leaning out to look at me.

What were you picturing and feeling when you heard this poem? As students respond, ask them why the poet might have chosen the words yellow wrinkles, bent and dark, ran to get away. Students may note that these words suggest strangeness and fear, and the poem tells about an encounter with a strange tree that appears to be looking at the speaker.

Tell students to think about who seems to be telling the story in the poem as you reread the first stanza.

The storyteller in a poem is called the speaker. How can you tell that in this poem, the speaker is telling about his or her own experience? (The pronouns I and me show a first-person point of view.) What words would you use to describe the speaker? (Sample responses: imaginative, startled, surprised, fascinated, frightened, noticing things that others might not see)

Poets may decide to use rhyme to tie the lines of the poem together. This poem is divided into sections called stanzas. Each stanza has four lines. Listen as I read each stanza, and then tell me which words rhyme and where they occur.

Repeat each stanza so that students can identify the rhyming words and note the pattern of end rhymes in the second and fourth lines.

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Poets may decide to repeat words and sounds to help give the poem its meaning and feeling. This repetition can show that an idea is important. Did you notice any repetition?

Reread aloud as needed to draw students’ attention to the repetition of the phrase look(ed) at me. Ask for ideas about why that phrase is repeated.

(Sample responses: to emphasize the strange, magical experience; to show how much the tree seems like a person; to build suspense)

Guided PracticeDisplay the poem “Water Noises,” by the same poet who wrote “Strange Tree,” Elizabeth Madox Roberts. Read it aloud expressively as students follow along.

Tell students to listen for the point of view of the speaker as you reread the first stanza. After reading it, ask questions to clarify meaning:

In the first stanza, which pronouns show the speaker’s point of view? (The speaker uses the pronouns I and me.) What do you think the speaker means by saying “the boys are lost around”? (The speaker is playing alone because the boys, who might be the speaker’s brothers or friends, are off doing something else.)

Continue to reread parts of the poem as you prompt discussion of its central message and students’ observations of word use. Examples of questions:

What is the speaker describing in this poem? (Sample responses: the experience of playing alone by a pond or stream, and listening to the sounds of water and nature; what water sounds like to him or her; the words that flowing water seem to say; the sounds of water, a bug, and a bird; the sounds and sights of water and animals when you’re all alone with nature)

There are four lines in each stanza of this poem.

Point to each stanza and its lines.

Which pairs of words rhyme in each stanza? (The end rhymes appear at the ends of the second and fourth lines: around/sound; wink/think; tree/killdee; drink/think)

You’ve seen that poets sometimes repeat words. What is repeated in this poem?

Encourage close observations. Students should note the repetition of “I can hear” and the words the flowing water seems to say, “And do you think? And do you think?”

What is the water compared to in this poem? (a person who can say words) What does the comparison help you imagine?

Encourage students to picture a small stream with water flowing “Along the rocks,” and talk about the gurgling sound the water makes.

Poets are especially careful about choosing exactly the right words to describe things. Which other words in this poem help you hear or see things very clearly? (Students may note vivid verbs, as in “ripple up and wink,” “shoots by,” “snaps and ticks,” “splash a while,” along with the bird’s song “Killdee, killdee!”)

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Independent ApplicationDistribute the poem “Bed in Summer,” by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894). After reading aloud the title with students, ask volunteers to read the poem aloud.

Then distribute the page of follow-up questions. Read the questions and answer choices with students, and have them work as independently as they can.


1. B

2. C

3. The speaker feels that it’s unfair to have to go to bed when it’s still light out, when the birds are still hopping about and the sky is “clear and blue.” The speaker would “like so much to play” instead.

4a. Students should underline or circle pairs of rhyming words in each stanza: night/candle-light, way/day; see/tree, feet/street; you/blue, play/day.

4b. In each stanza, the first two lines rhyme and the second two lines rhyme.

5a. Students should [bracket] the words “have to go to bed” three times.

5b. Sample response: The words are repeated because they show the speaker’s main point. A person who is complaining about an unfairness might say the same thing over and over.


How can you tell that you are reading a poem and not some other kind of writing?

Encourage a variety of responses, such as these: The words are arranged in lines. There might be rhyming words at the ends of lines. You can listen for the rhythm. You think about why words are repeated. The sounds of the words are important. The words can help you form sharp pictures and imagine sights, sounds, and feelings. A poem has a speaker, who seems to be saying the words to you.


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Adaptations


Provide a simple poem or nursery rhyme of 2–4 lines for students to read with you and then practice until it is memorized. After students can repeat the poem from memory, draw attention to rhyming words, rhythm, and repeated words and sounds. Examples:

Jack be nimble,Jack be quick,Jack jump overThe candlestick.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the King’s horses and all the King’s menCould not put Humpty together again.


Option 1: Provide a poem for students to illustrate. Use one of the poems from this lesson, or another from an age-appropriate anthology. Prompt students to tell what part or idea in the poem they are illustrating.

Option 2: The poems from this lesson all feature a speaker with a first-person point of view (using first-person pronouns such as I and me) telling about an experience. Discuss those similarities with students, and encourage them to write their own poem in which they tell about a time they saw and heard something interesting.

Option 3: Review that in both poems “Strange Tree” and “Water Noises” in this lesson, something that is not human is compared to a person. Have students tell what the tree and water do that make them seem like people. Then introduce the term personification, explaining that it is the name for a kind of comparison, in which a nonhuman thing seems to do what a person does. Offer examples to discuss, such as “the wind grew angry” and “the windows stared at the street.” Have students choose a familiar object and think about what it seems to be saying or doing. Ask them to write sentences about that object that show personification in an interesting way.

Reproducible page 1



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Water Noises

When I am playing by myself,And all the boys are lost around,Then I can hear the water go;It makes a little talking sound.

Along the rocks below the tree,I see it ripple up and wink;And I can hear it saying on,“And do you think? And do you think?”

A bug shoots by that snaps and ticks,And a bird flies up beside the treeTo go into the sky to sing.I hear it say, “Killdee, killdee!”

Or else a yellow cow comes downTo splash a while and have a drink.But when she goes I still can hearThe water say, “And do you think?”

— Elizabeth Madox Roberts

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Bed in Summer

In winter I get up at nightAnd dress by yellow candle-light.In summer, quite the other way,I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and seeThe birds still hopping on the tree,Or hear the grown-up people’s feetStill going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,When all the sky is clear and blue,And I should like so much to play,To have to go to bed by day?

—Robert Louis Stevenson

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Bed in Summer1. Which line from the poem shows that the speaker is a child? A And dress by yellow candle-light

B Or hear the grown-up people’s feet C Still going past me in the street

D When all the sky is clear and blue

2. Why does the speaker “have to go to bed by day”? A The speaker may be ill and must stay in bed instead of playing.

B The speaker probably gets up before the sun rises in summer. C The speaker’s bedtime comes before the summer sun sets.

D The speaker is too active at night to stay awake in the day.

3. How does the speaker feel about going to bed by day? Use examples from the poem to support your answer.

4a. Look back at each stanza of the poem. In each stanza, underline one pair of rhyming words, and circle the other pair of rhyming words.

4b. What rhyming pattern do you see in the poem?

5a. Put brackets [ ] around each five-word repeated phrase in the poem.

5b. Tell why those words might be repeated.

Script page 1


GRADE 3 | Comprehension Understanding Sequencing (Supplemental)

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Direct Instruction Today we are going to learn how to understand the sequence of events in a story or passage.

The sequence tells us the order in which things happen. A good example is when we read to follow directions. We pay attention to the order of steps. We ask ourselves, “What should I do first? Next? After that? Finally, what is the last thing I do?”

Display the recipe for Ants on a Log (or provide your own that includes numbered steps). Read the steps aloud as students follow along, emphasizing the bolded words that signal sequence.

To make this snack, the first thing I should do is gather the ingredients. Next, I must wash the celery. After that, I fill a spoon with peanut butter. Then I spread peanut butter into the curved part of each celery stick. Finally, I push raisins into the peanut butter.

Use sequence signal words to emphasize the sequence of events as you ask and answer questions that re-state the order of the steps you need to follow.

What do I do before I wash the celery? I gather the ingredients. I need to remember what I do after I spread peanut butter on the celery…I know, I put raisins on top! So, which of these steps comes first: washing the celery, or spooning peanut butter? I have to wash the celery first.

Display the sequence word cards and have students read them aloud.

These are some words that can help us answer the question “When?” We can use these time-order words to make sure we understand the steps in a recipe or other kinds of directions. We can also look for these words as we read, because authors include them to help us understand when events are taking place.

DescriptionSupplemental Lexia Lessons can be used for whole class, small group or individualized instruction to extend learning and enhance student skill development. This lesson is designed to focus students’ attention on the sequence of events in informational and narrative text. The lesson will help students develop strategies to clarify the time order in which things occur. The lesson will focus on helping students identify clues to sequence in the text, and how to interpret and use these signal words such as before, next, and at last.

Teacher Tips

The following steps show a lesson in which students use time order signal words with written directions (informational text) and with narratives. You can adapt and use this lesson for older students by using examples from their classroom reading that are better suited to their independent reading levels.


• Write these signal words on index cards: first, next, after, then, finally, at last, before, earlier, when, as, while, until, now, soon.

• Find and display a simple recipe for a food item (or use the sample provided)

• Copies of the Sentence Sets at the end of this lesson (cut apart)

Script page 2



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Point to each word card and read it aloud with students.

Listen as I read this story. Pay attention and listen for all of the words that tell us about time order.

When Alicia was a little girl, she wished she could have a dog. Now that Alicia is a teenager, she has dozens of them! Alicia’s job as a dog walker began last month.

Think aloud about shifts in time.

To understand the story, I have to pay attention to when events are taking place. This author takes us back to the past—when Alicia was a little girl. Then the author takes us to the present time—now that Alicia is a teenager. Then the author takes us back into the past again—Alicia’s job began last month.

Sum up the strategic behavior.

To understand sequence when I read, I ask myself “When” questions. I can look in the sentences for words that signal time order, and I can use time-order words to check my understanding of when events occur.

Guided Practice Cut out the sentence strips from Sentence Set #1. Display them out of order and read each

sentence with the students.

Let’s work together to figure out the sequence of events in a story. We are going to put these four events in order. First, let’s look for words in each sentence that signal time. What are some words that give us clues to help us decide “when”? (Answers for Set #1 should include: first, then, as, in the end)

As students point out words, highlight or underline the time-order signal words in each sentence.

Great, now we have clues to help us put these events in the correct sequence. Remember, there is a word in each sentence that tells us when it happens.

Have a student select the correct sentence and place it at the top of the display. Continue by asking students to identify sentences in order, using the signal words in your question to prompt them if needed. Students can take turns selecting sentences and placing them in order.

If students need additional practice before moving to Independent Application, you can use the additional Sentence Sets and repeat the above procedure. You may also choose to provide text selections from classroom reading material at their independent reading level.

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Independent Application Have students work in pairs or independently. Provide students with a set of already cut-

apart Sentence Strips that they did not use in Guided Practice. Have the students read each sentence and underline the time-order signal word. Students will then sequence the sentences into the appropriate order, using the time-order signal words as cues.

After students have sequenced the sentences, have them restate the sentences by using a different time-order signal word. Students should write the new sentences in sequence and check that their new signal words do not change the order of events. Emphasize that there is more than one correct way to restate the information.

Have students share their new sentences. Together, check that the restatement has the same meaning as the original.

Wrap-Up Check students’ understanding.

What do we call the order in which events happen in a story or passage? (sequence) What clues help us determine the sequence of events? (words that tell about time)


Script page 4



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Adaptations


Substitute a lesson in which students read simple sentences with time-order signal words, underline the signal word, and tell what happened “first,” “after” or “at the same time.” For example:

Display: Before we marched, we sang songs.

Have students underline the word that tells about time order. (before)

What happens first? (singing)

Display: We danced on the grass after we sang songs.

Have students underline the word that tells about time order. (after)

What happens after singing songs? (dancing)

Display: While we danced, the rain started falling.

Have students underline the word that tells about time order. (while)

What happens at the same time? (dancing and raining)

Use students’ own reading to point out one or two sentences with the sequence signal words from this lesson. Have students reread the sentences, identify the time-order words, and use their own words to answer a When question about the information.


Have students locate a how-to article on a topic of interest. For example: how to play a game, how to do a crafts project, how to prepare a food, how to improve a skill. Display the sequence signal word cards. Have students select words to explain the steps in the instructions.

Students who are reading biographies or books on historical topics are likely to find timelines in these works. Have students use a text of interest and create a timeline of their own using the events in the text. Students should focus on signal words to help order the events on their timeline.

Reproducible page 1



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Recipe for Ants on a Log Ingredients:

6 stalks of celery (trimmed) ½ cup of peanut butter ¼ cup of raisins

• Wash and dry celery.

• Use a spoon to scoop peanut butter from the jar.

• Spread a spoonful of peanut butter onto each stalk of celery.

• Place raisins on top of the peanut butter.

Eat and enjoy!

Sentence Set #1

In the end, the players make a list of all of the objects that they find in the game.

As they players hunt, the player who hid the object gives the hunters clues like "cool, colder, freezing" if they are far away, or "hot, hotter, burning" as they get closer.

Then the players hunt for the object.

First, one player hides a small object in the room while the other players cover their eyes.

Reproducible page 2



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Sentence Set #2

Soon, the cost of making a Model T was lowered and more people could afford to buy this car.

While using a moving assembly line, Model T's were made at a record-breaking rate.

Then, Ford decided to have workers stay in place while the car parts came to them on a moving belt, called an assembly line.

At first, workers walked around the factory to put each Model T together.

Sentence Set #3

When Andy read the postcard, he laughed because Pablo always said such funny things. He realized how much he still missed Pablo.

Then one day, Andy came home and found a postcard from Pablo.

At first, Andy was very sad but he kept busy playing baseball.

Andy and Pablo were best buddies until two months ago, when Pablo moved away.

description · 2017-03-19 · category, like mystery stories or friendship stories. the main...

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