TEACHING READING THROUGH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION WITH ...swebers.weebly.com/.../2/8/...graphic_organizers_.pdf · 6 Scaffolding for Success Grace Nagle, a seventh-grade teacher,

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TEACHING READING THROUGHDIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

WITH LEVELED GRAPHICORGANIZERS

Nancy L.Witherell and Mary C. McMackin

Teaching Reading Through Differentiated Instruction With Leveled Graphic Organizers © Witherell & McMackin, Scholastic Teaching Resources

Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages from this book for classroom use.No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to

Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

Cover design by Maria Lilja

Interior design by Sydney Wright

ISBN: 0-439-79554-0Copyright © 2005 by Nancy L. Witherell and Mary C. McMackin

All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Originally published as Graphic Organizers and Activities for Differentiated Instruction in Reading

© copyright 2002 by Nancy L. Witherell and Mary C. McMackin.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 10 09 08 07 06 05

We would like to thank all the classroom teachers who took the timeto try out the activities in this book. Their feedback, insights, andencouragement were invaluable.

Susan Bergstrand, grade 4Gayle Bradbury, grade 8Helen Collis, grade 6Jaime Daley-Reid, grade 6Grace Nagle, grades 7 and 8Kristina Pontes, Reading SpecialistDr. Sandra Robinson, Literacy CoordinatorDebbie Soares, grade 4Rayna Tulysewski, grade 4Ronnie Zusman, grades 3 and 4

We would like to send a special thank you to our editor, Sarah Longhiof Scholastic Professional Books, for all her help and guidancethroughout this process. We could not end these acknowledgmentswithout thanking “the cheerleaders,” our husbands and children.

To our parents Anthony and Bertha Kopcych and Tom and Helen Carew, with love.


ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Personal Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Think Abouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Predictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Story Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Character Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Character Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Context Clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Problem and Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Cause and Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Compare and Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Main Idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Figurative Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Journal Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112


4

IntroductionWhat Is DifferentiatedInstruction?Differentiated instruction is not only away of teaching, but an educational philosophy. It is the desire to meetthe needs of all students, regardlessof where they fall on the skillsspectrum. Carol Ann Tomlinson, inThe Differentiated Classroom: Respondingto the Needs of All Learners (1999),gives clear explanations and insightsinto understanding differentiatedinstruction, detailing a new approachfor designing lessons, helping educatorsunderstand how to obtain optimal suc-cess for all learners.

How Do Teachers DifferentiateInstruction?When you differentiate instruction, youchoose to modify either the content,process, or product for individuallearners while teaching all studentsthe same skill or concept. Thismodification may make the task simplerfor the students who need more supportor more difficult for students whoneed to be challenged—it all dependson individual students and their needs.

When you differentiate instructionthrough product, as in this book ofleveled activity pages, you assignstudents material or information on anappropriate instructional level. For

example, if your intended outcome is tohave students identify the perspectiveof characters on a particular event orsituation, you would match studentswith the leveled response that they cancomplete successfully—and in the end,all students would come away from theexperience understanding the conceptof character perspective.

Differentiation also requires flexibility.Once a student successfully completesthe lowest-complexity task, he or shemay be assigned the next level so thelearner is continually being challenged.What is important to keep in mind isthat, regardless of the level, the lesson’sobjective does not change. This consis-tency allows students to build skills andconfidence for success at higher-levelactivities.

About This Bookn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Teaching Reading Through DifferentiatedInstruction With Leveled GraphicOrganizers gives teachers practicalapproaches for differentiating readinginstruction by what students produce—the organizers and activity pages thatfollow. In these tiered response activities,the expected outcome always remainsthe same. For example, the skill outcomefor all Story Maps activities is for students


to recall information from the storyand label story elements, includingcharacters, setting, problem, andsolution.

The three activity pages graduallyincrease in difficulty. The introductorylevel asks students to come up with thetitle, main characters, setting, problem,and solution. The intermediate levelrequires students to give more detailsin the description of the setting and tolist all attempts to solve the problem.Finally, in the challenging level,students must categorize charactersas major or minor, state effects of thesetting, and describe both primaryand secondary problems, attempts toaccomplish goals, and the solution.Each level is purposely designed torequire more of the reader than the last,so that each assignment is increasinglychallenging.

How to Use This Bookn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

The diverse group of grades 4–8teachers who tested these organizersall took different approaches; they usedthe graphic organizers for leveledresponses, as an avenue for scaffolding,and for individual projects. How youdecide to use these graphic organizerswill depend on your students’ needs,your academic goals, and your teachingstyle. Keep in mind that by modelingthe target skill prior to assigning thegraphic organizers, you help prepare

students to better understand andcomplete the activity. You’ll findteaching tips under the Model Lessonsection of each chapter and furtherteaching tips under the description ofeach organizer.

a Leveled ResponsesSome teachers modeled the introduc-tory level organizer in a large-groupmini-lesson and then assigned thethree organizers according to theneeds of each student. Assessmentwas instantaneous. Teachers recog-nized immediately when a task wastoo easy or too difficult, and had thestudents try a different level or madea note to assign them the moreappropriate level when they reviewedthat skill.

How the leveled responses wereassigned depended on individualteaching styles. For example, someteachers approached the assignmentsin the same way they assignedleveled books in guided reading;they explained to their students thatevery reader is different and requiresa different challenge. If studentswere uncomfortable—or toocomfortable—with the activity, theteacher would encourage them totry a different level. These teachersemphasized individual challenge andflexibility. They made sure no studentwas “trapped” on a particular level.

5


6

a Scaffolding for SuccessGrace Nagle, a seventh-grade teacher,used the graphic organizers forscaffolding students’ learning. Whenshe began to use tiered responsesfor character analysis (page 38),her students noticed the differentassignments and questioned whythey couldn’t do those activities theyhadn’t been assigned. A masterteacher, Grace explained they werewelcome to try a different response.Some students deepened theirexploration of a character bycompleting the character analysisorganizers at all three levels for thesame character. Although some oftheir answers remained the same ateach level, their confidence andknowledge grew as they completedeach organizer. Eventually, as stu-dents become more adept at thefocused skill, the lower-level tasks nolonger need to be offered. In this way,a group of students might movethrough each level to master thetarget skill.

a Individual ProjectsTeachers also used these graphicorganizers as part of their end-of-book project or as independentreading assignments. Some teachersselected a particular set of organizersfor the final project, and a fewrequired that students complete morethan one level for a given skill. Whenstudents were reading individual

choices, teachers selected graphicorganizers that were compatible withthe book each student was readingand the skills that each studentneeded help with.

No matter how the teachers decidedto use the graphic organizers, onepoint became clear: There must be amatch between the graphic organizerand the book. If the book containsmany time and place descriptions,you might select the Setting orDetails activities. If the book’s themeis important to today’s lifestyles, thePersonal Connections activities maybe most appropriate.

Final ThoughtsThere is no doubt that meeting theneeds of all students does take time,effort, and commitment. The tieredactivities in this book are designed tohelp simplify this task. Each of ourgraphic organizers has been usedsuccessfully and enthusiastically inclassrooms. The lessons are written infirst person to provide you with a clearmodel of how skills can be presentedto students, and each chapter beginswith an explanation of how to use eachactivity or graphic organizer to offer theappropriate challenge for every student.


7

About Personal ConnectionsPersonal connections are links thatreaders make between the informationpresented in the text and their ownexperiences and other relevant back-ground knowledge (schema). In thegraphic organizers for this chapter, thephrase “my own experiences” refers towhat has happened personally to thereader, while “other connections” refersto stories, events, or facts that the readerhas not experienced directly, but hasheard or read about.

A schema is a well-organized, mentalnetwork of a reader’s prior experiencesand background knowledge. This networkhelps readers connect new ideas to whatalready exists in their memories.

Why Is This Skill Important?Making personal connections helpsreaders relate to events, characters,themes, and other story elements,which deepens their comprehensionand investment in the text.

GETTING STARTEDn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Model Lesson: Making personal con-nections with Island of the Blue Dolphinsby Scott O’Dell (Dell, 1960)

h Read aloud from an engaging,short passage. I select a paragraphabout otters from Island of the BlueDolphins with which I feel comfortablemaking connections both throughdirect experiences and backgroundknowledge:

The sea otter, when it is swimming,looks like a seal, but is really verydifferent. It has a shorter nose than aseal, small webbed feet instead offlippers, and fur that is thicker andmuch more beautiful. It is also differentin other ways.The otter likes to lie onits back in the kelp beds, floating upand down to the motion of the waves,sunning itself or sleeping.They are themost playful animals in the sea. It wasthese creatures that the Aleuts huntedfor their pelts. (page 15)

h Draw connections between the textand direct experiences. I explainthat when I read I stay engaged andlearn more by making connectionsbetween what the author writes andmy own experiences. I think out loud,“O’Dell’s description of the way thesea otters look and behave remindsme of a time when I visited anaquarium and watched sea otters atplay.” I go on to describe how I,like the author, am keyed into thedifferences between sea otters and

Personal ConnectionsSkill: Establish relevant connections between the text and one’s schema


8

seals and share with studentswhat I know about how theylook and how they act andcommunicate. I explain that Ican connect the informationin the book directly to experi-ences I’ve had.

h Draw connections betweenthe text and backgroundknowledge. I point out thatthe last line about the ottersbeing hunted for their peltsreminds me of a newspaperarticle I read recently abouthow minks are being raisedand then killed for their fur.This makes me wonder: Is thissimilar to what is happeningto the otters? Did the Aleutshunt the otter as a way of life?Was the killing necessary oronly for profit? I’m makingconnections to other sourcesrather than to my directexperiences. I explain thatmaking connections gets memore involved with whatI’m reading, and when Imake connections I enjoy myreading, understand it better,and want to learn more.

h Help students make per-sonal connections on theirown. I invite students to picka section of a book or articlewe’re reading as a class thatthey feel they can connectwith. I ask individual students

Making Personal Connections

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Connections to my own experiences Connections to other sources (movies, books, other people)

1

2

1

2

What kinds of memories, feelings, and ideas did you have when you read this passage? Did this passage remind you of something you’ve heard or read about or watched on TV?

Book title _____________________________________________________ Page number/section ______________________

Danny March 29

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls Chapter 3

I had to earn money babysittingto buy my hamster.

I taught my hamster to turnaround in tight places.

In Shiloh, Marty has to earnmoney to pay for his dog, too.

My best friend trained his dogto stand on his hind legs byfeeding him treats.

What’s being explained or described in this part?

Chapter 3: Billy tries to earn money to buy his two dogsChapter 16: Billy trains his dogs

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Book title ________________________________________________ Page number/section ___________________


List meaningful links you are making to this passage.Check the appropriate box to show whether eachconnection is based on your own experiences orbased on what you learned from other sources.

OwnExperience

OtherSources

How do these connections help you understand

this passage more fully?

Connections

Connections and Reflections

Introductory

Intermediate

12


What’s the Message?Book title __________________________________________ Page number/section ______

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Describe meaningful connections you make withcharacters, objects, places, ideas, and emotions inthe passage. Use the connections you makebelow to write your own similes.

A simile is a comparison between two unlikely items,linking them with like or as. For example, if you makea connection with a character’s feelings, you mightsay, “After she yelled at Maniac, Amanda Beale feltlike an already chewed piece of bubble gum.”

Connections to my own experiences Super Similes

Connection 1

This connection helps me understand . . .

Connection 2


Connections to other sources (movies, books, other people)

Connection 3


Pick a connection you listed above. Connection # ____. What does it make youwant to learn more about? Write your answer on the back of this page.

Challenging


9

to share a connection they’ve madeand then ask the rest of the classwhether that connection links thereader’s direct experience to thepassage (like my visit to theaquarium), or whether it linksexperiences that go beyond thereader’s direct experience (like myreading about the mink being raisedfor their fur).

h When students can make personalconnections and distinguishbetween direct experiences andinformation they have from othersources, match them with theappropriate tiered activities.

USING TIERED ACTIVITIESn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Readers will:a Briefly summarize the passage. [All]

a Make connections to their ownexperiences and backgroundknowledge. [All]

a Reflect on how these connectionshelp them to understand the text.[Intermediate and Challenging]

a Create a simile that shows theconnection between a character,place, or thing in the book and adissimilar, but appropriate, person,place, or thing. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Making PersonalConnections (page 10)

Tip: If students are having problemsgetting an idea from “other sources,” letthem interview another student to getrelevant information. This studentbecomes the other source.

Intermediate Level: Connections andReflections (page 11)

Challenging Level: What’s the Message?(page 12)

Tip: Make sure students understandwhat a simile is before completing theactivity. I point out that a simile is a typeof connection authors make betweenideas. (See chapter on figurative languagefor more information on similes.)

n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Yellow Bird and Me by Joyce Hansen(Clarion Books, 1986)

The Midnight Horse by Sid Fleischman(William Morrow & Co., 1990)

Encounter by Jane Yolen (Harcourt, Brace& Co., 1992) Picture book


10

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What’s the Message?Book title __________________________________________ Page number/section ______

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Describe meaningful connections you make withcharacters, objects, places, ideas, and emotions inthe passage. Use the connections you makebelow to write your own similes.

A simile is a comparison between two unlikely items,linking them with like or as. For example, if you makea connection with a character’s feelings, you mightsay, “After she yelled at Maniac, Amanda Beale feltlike an already chewed piece of bubble gum.”

Connections to my own experiences Super Similes

Connection 1


Connection 2


Connections to other sources (movies, books, other people)

Connection 3


Pick a connection you listed above. Connection # ____. What does it make youwant to learn more about? Write your answer on the back of this page.


13

About Think AboutsGood readers use a variety of monitoringstrategies to comprehend texts. Thesestrategies include, but are not limited to,prediction, explanation, elaboration, visu-alization, asking questions, and drawingconclusions. Less accomplished readersmay not realize that these strategies exist,while others may be aware of them butmay not be able to apply them. Teachersand students may use think abouts as away to share the thought processes theyuse to construct meaning from print.Students can “see” exactly what strategiesto use while reading.

Why Is This Skill Important?When students can explain their thinking,we gain a clearer picture of what goeson in their minds as they comprehend astory. Teachers can assess whether thestudent is misinterpreting or confusingissues in the story as they do think abouts.More important, this also helps studentssee their own confusion as they discusstheir thoughts with others.


Model Lesson: Using think-aboutstrategies with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cryby Mildred D. Taylor (Bantam Books,1976)

h Select a short passage to modelseveral think-about strategies youuse to better understand the text.In these introductory paragraphs, Taylordescribes a scene in which children arewalking to school. The youngest isabout to make them late. She writes:

“Little Man, would you come on? You keepit up and you’re gonna make us late.”

My youngest brother paid no attention tome. Grasping more firmly his newspaper-wrapped notebook and his tin-can lunchof cornbread and oil sausages, hecontinued to concentrate on the dustyroad. He lagged several feet behind myother brothers, Stacey and Christopher-John, and me, attempting to keep therusty Mississippi dust from swelling witheach step and drifting back upon his shinyblack shoes and the cuffs of his corduroypants by lifting each foot high beforesetting it gently down again. (page 1)

h Think aloud about the strategiesyou used and note the places in thepassage where you stopped toreflect. Although there are a number ofstrategies that can be used to constructmeaning, I use this passage to focus onprediction, personal connections, andasking questions.

First, I predict, saying, “I wonder if thechild telling this story is afraid that she(or he) will be late for school again. The

Think AboutsSkill: Use strategies to self-monitor reading comprehension.


14

author gave me some pieces of impor-tant information that led me to this pre-diction. She let me know that LittleMan was holding a notebook and lunchbox, and that all the children wereheaded for the same place. It must bemorning (before lunch), so I think theyare all on their way to school. Whengood readers make a prediction, theyoften want to go back and check theevidence once they’ve read on to con-firm or change their original prediction.”I encourage students to put a stick-onnote by the passage and record theirpredictions.

I can also use this passage to connectwhat I’m reading to an experience I’ve hadby saying, “I know exactly how the nar-rator of this story feels. I used to have afriend, Tessa, who lived near me when Iwas a young girl. No matter where wewere going, Tessa made us late. I betthe narrator is getting frustrated withLittle Man, just as I used to get irritatedwith Tessa. When I make connectionslike that to my memories and experi-ences, I feel more involved in and carea lot more about what I’m reading.”

Finally, I ask questions while reading bysaying “I wonder why Little Man is sodressed up? Are the other childrendressed up, too? None of them seems tobe worried about staying clean.” I askstudents how questioning what’s goingon can help them as readers. They real-ize that a question can help a reader getfocused to find important informationand clear up confusion—in this case,

16

Think Abouts

1. Stop at page ______, paragraph ______.



Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

What I’m thinking about . . .The text told me . . .



Book title __________________________________________________________________

17

Think-About Strategies

1. Page ______, paragraph ______

What I’m thinking about . . .Information from the text . . .

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

This is a:Prediction ExplanationConnection Question

Other __________________




Other __________________




Other __________________

Annemarie says “I know I’m goingto win the girls’ race” becauseshe practiced every day. Shewants to race Ellen to the corner

I think I’m like this character.She likes to race and challengeher friends.

4

4

4

There’s something scarygoing on with soldiers in afriendly neighborhood.

Something awful might happen—I think the soldiers will start tomake their lives more difficult.

Annemarie and Ellen say they’rescared and try to avoid all thesoldiers who are occupying thestreets of Copenhagen.

5 7

2 5

1 3

The German soldier yells “Halte”and stops the girls from racing.Annemarie’s heart skips a beat.

Salena Jan. 10

Book title _________________________________________________________________Stop at three points in the passage you’re reading. In each cloud, write what you are thinking about each time you stop. In each book, list information from the text that sparked this idea.In each box, identify the strategy you used as you were thinking about the text.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Introductory

Intermediate

Self TalkWhen you stop to think about what you’re reading, it helps you understand and rememberthe text. As you read, find places where you stop to use these strategies.

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Make a PredictionPage ____ Paragraph ____ What do you predict might happen?

What in the story made you predict that?

Page ____ Paragraph ____What question do you want answered?

How will answering this question helpyou understand the story better?

Page ____ Paragraph ____How does this part remind you of anexperience you’ve had or somethingyou’ve heard or read about?

How does your connection help you understand the story better?

Aska Question

?? Make a Connection to

Your Experience

18

Challenging

Book title _______________

_______________________


15

about the personalities of the charactersand their behavior in this setting.

h Model different types of think-aboutstrategies frequently and providelots of opportunities for students topractice these strategies.* Encouragestudents to be aware of the strategiesthey are using by recording theirthoughts on stick-on notes or in ajournal and frequently discussingstrategies with you and with their peers.

h When students can show theirthinking about their reading bymaking predictions, drawingpersonal connections, explaining toclarify, and asking questions, matchthem with the appropriate tieredactivities.


Readers will:a Identify what they are thinking about

the text during reading and show evi-dence from the text to support thisthinking. [All]

a Predict, make connections, or askquestions while reading. [All]

a Name the strategy they used whenthinking about the text. [Intermediate]

a Reflect on how the strategy helpedthem better understand the story.[Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Think Abouts(page 16)

Tip: Help students show where theymight stop and think by assigning a pagenumber and paragraph at which torespond. Students can compare theirresponses in small groups. Guide studentstoward the intermediate level by havingthem name the type of strategy they used.

Intermediate Level: Think-AboutStrategies (page 17)

Tip: In their books or passages, studentsmight mark “thinking spots” with differentcolored stick-on notes to show what kindof think-about strategy they used at aparticular point.

Challenging Level: Self Talk (page 18)

Tip: The questions in each shape aredesigned to help students think criticallyabout how and why they are using eachstrategy.


Books Worth Using: Homesick, My Own Story by Jean Fritz (GPPutnam, 1982)

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse(Scholastic,1997)

Train to Somewhere by Eve Bunting (ClarionBooks, 1996) Picture book

* Note: You may need to spend time exploring each of thesestrategies separately. Roger Farr (http://www.rogerfarr.com),the creator of “think-alongs,” stresses modeling eachcomponent. Students should be encouraged to supporttheir thinking with evidence from the text.


16

Think Abouts




Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________




Book title __________________________________________________________________


17

Think-About Strategies



Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


Other __________________




Other __________________




Other __________________

Book title _________________________________________________________________Stop at three points in the passage you’re reading. In each cloud, write what you are thinking about each time you stop. In each book, list information from the text that sparked this idea.In each box, identify the strategy you used as you were thinking about the text.


Self TalkWhen you stop to think about what you’re reading, it helps you understand and rememberthe text. As you read, find places where you stop to use these strategies.

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Make a PredictionPage ____ Paragraph ____ What do you predict might happen?

What in the story made you predict that?

Page ____ Paragraph ____What question do you want answered?

How will answering this question helpyou understand the story better?

Page ____ Paragraph ____How does this part remind you of anexperience you’ve had or somethingyou’ve heard or read about?

How does your connection help you understand the story better?

Aska Question

?? Make a Connection to

Your Experience

18

Book title ______________________

______________________


19

About VisualizationVisualization enables readers to interactwith the text by making a picture ofwhat is happening as they read. As read-ers become more adept at visualizing,they use images to infer, interpret, andrecall the text.

Why Is This Skill Important?When students can create mental pic-tures of their reading experience, theytap into background knowledge andpersonal experiences, building a strongreference bank for better understandingas they continue to read.


Model Lesson: Visualizing a scenein The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor(Dial Books, 1987)

h Choose a passage that invitesstudents to picture the action,characters, and/or setting. Iuse the short chapter book TheFriendship to show students howI picture a scene. Taylor’s bookportrays the lives of young blacksin 1933 and provides images andsituations of a not-distant segregatedpast. In the book, a white storekeeperberates and upsets Little Man, a

six-year-old black boy, for havinghands “so dirty that seeds could beplanted” on him. Little Man defendshimself, saying, “They ain’t dirty.They clean.” Then a white customersays, “Best chop them hands off,Dew. They that filthy!” (page 14)Little Man’s siblings try to comforthim. Taylor writes: “But after a fewmoments he did a strange thing. Hereached down and placed his handflat to the dirt. He looked at hishand, looked at the dirt, then drewback again.” (page 21)

h Talk students through picturingthe scene by “making a movie” intheir minds. I guide students withcues such as: “Close your eyes.Now see the children walking intothe old-fashioned store. Picture thecounter and the candy jars. Whatelse do you see? hear? feel? Now seethem leaving the store. Watch LittleMan comparing his hands to the dirt.What do you see? hear? feel?” Theauthor emphasizes that Little Manwas terribly upset by the racist wordsand actions of the white storekeeper.I assess whether or not my studentscan “see” Little Man’s fright, hurt,and confusion, as they infer what hecannot articulate.

VisualizationSkill: Create a mental picture of events, characters, and settings while reading to clarify elements of the book.


20

h Once students are comfortablewith guided imagery, and theyare able to describe what they“see” as they read, match theappropriate tiered activity toeach student.


Readers will:a Sketch their mental image of a

scene and write an accompanyingexplanation. [All]

a Interact with the text through theirinterpretation of a story scene. [All]

a Use a graphic organizer with fivesenses to help visualize details.[Introductory]

a Use ideas from the graphicorganizer and the picture tosummarize the scene.[Introductory]

a Visualize and predict by drawingwhat will happen next.[Intermediate]

a Use drawings of consecutive storyscenes as a rehearsal for summarywriting. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Scene Sketcher(page 22)

Tip: Students may not be able tocomplete the entire organizer as theirreading may not contain descriptionsthat feature every one of the senses.

22

Scene SketcherFill in the graphic organizer with the senses and emotions you pictured from the reading.Note: If there is no information in the story about one of the senses, leave it blank.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Using ideas from your organizer, draw what you visualize happening at this point inthe book.

Book title _________________

________________________________

Pages or chapter _______

Things you see

Things you can touch or feel

Things you can taste

Things you hear

Things you can smell

Emotions inthe story

B. J. Dec. 14

—beat of the salsa music

—warm hug

—scent of garlic

—dominoes clicking—laughter and chatter

—telephone

—excitement and joy

Salsa Stories“New Year’s Day” by Lulu Delacre

1—7

—sofrito sauce —cinnamon

—velvety natillacream

—brown paper package

—red fabric diarywith daisies

23

Picture Perfect

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book page or title___________________________________________________________In the box below, draw what you visualize happening at this point in the book.

Write two to three sentences about what is happening in your picture. Describe anyimportant action or setting details. Explain how the characters are feeling.

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Before you read on . . . draw a picture of an event or situation you “see” happening next as you visualize the story.

Coming Attraction

Introductory

Intermediate

24

Making Movies!Book title or passage ________________________________________________________Make a “movie” in your mind as you read! Think about six important parts of the book. Ineach movie clip, sketch the scene that shows that important part. Remember details thatyou see, feel, taste, and hear.Write a short title for each scene on the top of the clip.

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Use your sketches to help you write a summary of the story on the back of this page.

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Challenging


21

Intermediate Level: Picture Perfect(page 23)

Tip:The banner at the bottom of thepage asks students to make a visualprediction. Have students workingwith this organizer select a point atwhich they’ve just stopped in theirbook to make a true prediction.

Challenging Level: Making Movies!(page 24)

n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Joey Moses by Susan Duncan(Storytellers, Inc., 1997)

Park’s Quest by Katherine Paterson(Puffin Books, 1988)

Nettie’s Trip South by Ann Warren Turner(Macmillan Publishing Co., 1987) Picturebook


22

Scene SketcherFill in the graphic organizer with the senses and emotions you pictured from the reading.Note: If there is no information in the story about one of the senses, leave it blank.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Using ideas from your organizer, draw what you visualize happening at this point inthe book.

Book title _________________

________________________________

Pages or chapter _______

Things you see

Things you can touch or feel

Things you can taste

Things you hear

Things you can smell

Emotions inthe story


23

Picture Perfect

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book page or title___________________________________________________________In the box below, draw what you visualize happening at this point in the book.

Write two to three sentences about what is happening in your picture. Describe anyimportant action or setting details. Explain how the characters are feeling.

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Before you read on . . . draw a picture of an event or situation you “see” happening next as you visualize the story.

Coming Attraction


24

Making Movies!Book title or passage ________________________________________________________Make a “movie” in your mind as you read! Think about six important parts of the book. Ineach movie clip, sketch the scene that shows that important part. Remember details thatyou see, feel, taste, and hear.Write a short title for each scene on the top of the clip.

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Use your sketches to help you write a summary of the story on the back of this page.

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________


25

About PredictionsMaking predictions requires readersto infer. Because writers do not revealexplicitly everything they wantreaders to know, it is up to the readerto combine prior knowledge withinformation from the text in order tofill in these gaps and determine futureevents or actions. The ease of predictingdepends on the amount of relevantinformation provided by the text, thereader’s background knowledge andpersonal experiences, and the reader’sability to combine this information.

Why Is This Skill Important?Making predictions keeps readersactively involved in the unfolding story.As readers make predictions, theyconstantly evaluate information,develop hypotheses, and then confirmor reject those hypotheses.


Model Lesson: Making predictionswith Sarah, Plain and Tall by PatriciaMacLachlan (Harper & Row, 1985)

h Select a passage or short chapterbook and have the class agreeupon a stopping point. I chooseto have students read the first twochapters of Sarah, Plain and Tall. In

Chapter 1, MacLachlan describeshow Caleb misses his mother, whodied the day after he was born. Now,as a young boy, he wants to keep hermemory alive by learning the wordsof songs she used to sing. Caleb’sPapa suggests that perhaps SarahElisabeth Wheaton, the woman fromMaine who has responded to his adfor a wife, knows the forgottenverses. The chapter ends with Caleb’ssister, Anna, asking Papa to find outif Sarah sings. In Chapter 2 we seeletters that Caleb, Anna, Papa, andSarah send to each other. Calebcherishes Sarah’s letters, rereadingthem over and over. In her last letter,Sarah says that she’ll come to visitthem for a month, but she’s hesitantto move so far from the ocean. Shewants to see how it would be to livein a rural community out West beforemaking a commitment. The letter(and the chapter) concludes with:“Tell them I sing . . .” (unpaged)

h Pose a question that will promptstudents to make a prediction.After students read these first twoshort chapters, I ask, “How do youthink Caleb might feel when Sarahcomes to visit?”

PredictionsSkill: Use information presented in the text and prior knowledge or experiences to infer the outcome of future story events.


26

h Help students make inferencesfrom the text and their ownexperiences to back up thatprediction. I explain that theauthor has given us clues that canlead us to predict that Caleb maybe nervous and excited when Sarahcomes to visit (for instance, he asksmany questions about Sarah beforeshe arrives). I ask students howthey would feel if a very importantguest were coming to stay withthem. Students predict that Calebmight do something funny becausehe’s so nervous. I point out thatthey’ve used MacLachlan’s cluesabout the hopes and expectationsCaleb has for Sarah and their ownexperiences to make a predictionabout Caleb’s future feelings andactions. Invariably students wantto read on to check the accuracyof their predictions. In fact, justbefore Sarah arrives, Caleb is sonervous, he asks, “Is my faceclean? . . . Can my face be tooclean?”

h Encourage students to writedown predictions in a journalor on stick-on notes that theycan attach to pages in the bookwhere they’ve made those pre-dictions. Having them keep arecord helps you keep track oftheir thinking and makes thepredictions easy to check andeither confirm or reject.

28

Predict-a-PlotBook title ______________________________________________ Stopped at page ______

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

What clues did the author give that led you to this prediction?Give the page number for each clue.

Clue Page Number

1.

2.

Now continue reading until you find an answer. Answer found on page _____ .Was your prediction correct? Yes No

What just happened? (Sketch the sceneand label it with a caption.)

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

What do you think will happen next?(Sketch your prediction and label it witha caption.)

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

Scene

My Prediction

29

On-Target Predictions

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


Clue Page Number

1.

2.

What clues from your own experience helped you make this prediction?

Now continue reading until you find an answer. Answer found on page ____ .Was your prediction correct? Yes No

What actually happened? ___________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(On the back of this page, explain how this is different from or similar to your prediction.)

Book title ______________________________________________ Stopped at page ______

*********************************************************************

What just happened?

What do you think will happen next?

Chris March 5

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman 1

Prince Brat just got in trouble for tying the wigs ofall the king’s guests to the backs of their chairs.

He might get punished. Maybe whipped.

The king looked mad enough to “spit ink” and he shouted.The title is The Whipping Boy.

When a kid makes his dad really mad, he’ll get punished2

The whipping boy Jemmy gets 20 whacks instead because it’s against the law to hurt a prince.

1

1

Introductory

Intermediate

30

One Prediction, Two Prediction . . .

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Now continue reading until you find an answer. Go back to your predictions and check offthe ones that were accurate. Write a question mark by the ones that were not. What doyou think made any of your predictions inaccurate? _________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

In some cases, an author will give clues that lead to only one logical prediction. For example,let’s say we read, “A young boy is eating liver. He hates liver! His dog is by his side.WhenMom isn’t looking, the boy takes a piece of liver in his hand and lowers it.” We can probablypredict that he gave it to the dog. On the other hand, we could make several probablepredictions if we read, “A man is coming up the steps. A dog runs out to him.” The dogcould stand and bark, growl, jump on the man, perhaps even bite the man, or wag his tail ifthis is his owner! Answer the questions below and then consider whether the clues lead you to one logicalprediction or more than one possible prediction.

Book title _____________________________________________ Stopped at page ______

What just happened?

What do you think will happen next and why? (Give evidence from the book.)

Is there anything else that could possibly happen? If so, list as many possibilities asyou can. Continue on the back of this paper if you need more space.H

H

H

Challenging


27

h Point out that the more informationthe students have and the morerelated experiences they can applyto the situation, the more accuratetheir predictions will be. As studentsbecome more advanced with this skill,they will learn to distinguish betweendivergent predictions (based on theclues, there can be multiple logicalpredictions) and convergent predictions(based on the clues, there can be onlyone logical prediction).

h Once your students can combineinformation in the text withtheir background knowledge andexperiences to make predictions,introduce them to the appropriatetiered activities.


Readers will:a Make and justify their predictions with

clues from the book. [All]

a Make explicit connections to theirprior knowledge. [All]

a Check the prediction for accuracy. [All]

a Explain how the prediction mighthave been different from what actuallyhappened. [Intermediate]

a Explain why the prediction might havebeen off target. [Challenging]

a Identify their predictions as divergentor convergent. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Predict-a-Plot(page 28)

Tip: Make sure students are familiarwith making personal connections tolife experiences before they completethis organizer.

Intermediate Level: On-TargetPredictions (page 29)

Challenging Level: One Prediction,Two Prediction . . . (page 30)n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Sounder by William Armstrong (HarperTrophy, 1972)

A Day No Pigs Would Die by RobertNewton Peck (Laurel Leaf, 1977)

River Friendly, River Wild by Jane Kurtz(Simon & Schuster, 2000) Picture book


28

Predict-a-PlotBook title ______________________________________________ Stopped at page ______

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


Clue Page Number

1.

2.

Now continue reading until you find an answer. Answer found on page _____ .Was your prediction correct? Yes No

What just happened? (Sketch the sceneand label it with a caption.)

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

What do you think will happen next?(Sketch your prediction and label it witha caption.)

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

Scene

My Prediction


29

On-Target Predictions

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


Clue Page Number

1.

2.

What clues from your own experience helped you make this prediction?

Now continue reading until you find an answer. Answer found on page ____ .Was your prediction correct? Yes No

What actually happened? ___________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(On the back of this page, explain how this is different from or similar to your prediction.)

Book title ______________________________________________ Stopped at page ______

*********************************************************************

What just happened?

What do you think will happen next?


30

One Prediction, Two Prediction . . .

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

Now continue reading until you find an answer. Go back to your predictions and check offthe ones that were accurate. Write a question mark by the ones that were not. What doyou think made any of your predictions inaccurate? _________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

In some cases, an author will give clues that lead to only one logical prediction. For example,let’s say we read, “A young boy is eating liver. He hates liver! His dog is by his side.WhenMom isn’t looking, the boy takes a piece of liver in his hand and lowers it.” We can probablypredict that he gave it to the dog. On the other hand, we could make several probablepredictions if we read, “A man is coming up the steps. A dog runs out to him.” The dogcould stand and bark, growl, jump on the man, perhaps even bite the man, or wag his tail ifthis is his owner! Answer the questions below and then consider whether the clues lead you to one logicalprediction or more than one possible prediction.

Book title _____________________________________________ Stopped at page ______

What just happened?

What do you think will happen next and why? (Give evidence from the book.)

Is there anything else that could possibly happen? If so, list as many possibilities asyou can. Continue on the back of this paper if you need more space.H

H

H


31

About Story MapsMaking a story map allows students toidentify and organize the key elements ina story: characters, setting, problem, andsolution. By filling in information abouteach of these elements in a map, studentsbegin to see how one aspect of the storyinfluences another. Story maps can beassigned for complicated book chaptersor for an entire book.

Why Is This Skill Important?Students gain a deeper understanding ofa story when they recognize the effectsstory elements have on one another. Storymapping also helps students summarize.


Model Lesson: Story mapping withFudge-a-mania by Judy Blume (Dutton,1990)

h Lead a simple review of storyelements. By fourth grade, moststudents are familiar with the basicstory map and can identify the keyelements of a story with relative ease.I use these simple explanations asreminders:

• Main characters: the people inthe story who experience the bigproblem

• Setting: where and when the storytakes place

• Problem: the main issue that needsto be solved

• Goal: what the characters decidethey need to do to solve the problem

• Solution: the way the problemactually gets resolved

h Find a short chapter (or shortbook) that includes all of theseelements. I use Chapter 5 ofFudge-a-mania. This chapter is aneasy, relaxing read, yet it serves as acomplete story on its own. In thischapter, three children, Pete, Fudge,and Sheila, are searching in strange,new surroundings for a lost parrot,Uncle Feather.

h Model how to locate, organize, anddiscuss the elements. As the classworks together to identify each storyelement, I record students’ responseson an overhead of the Map It! storymap. The major characters in thischapter are Mrs. A, Pete, Sheila,Fudge, and Uncle Feather. The storyproblem is that the parrot is missing;the goal is to find the bird. Thecharacters make numerous attemptsto find Uncle Feather by shuttingwindows and looking around thehouse, forming their “search and

Story MapsSkill: Recall information from the story and label story elements, including characters, setting, problem, and solution.


32

rescue team,” looking up at treesin the new neighborhood, andasking their new neighbors ifthey’ve seen Uncle Feather.As students explain how thechildren tried to solve theproblem, I point out that theattempts help move the plotalong and show us whether thecharacters are achieving theirgoals. We then identify thestory’s solution: Uncle Featherhas found his own way back tohis cage, and it seems he hadnever left the house.

h Discuss how particularelements work together inthe story. We discuss how thisstory could have taken place ina number of settings becausethe actual setting doesn’t havea huge impact on the plot.However, the fact that Fudgeand Pete are new in thisneighborhood setting isimportant and this unfamiliarityaffects how the charactersachieve their goal. For example,a hilarious conversationdevelops with their newneighbor, Mrs. A, because sheassumes that Uncle Featheris an uncle, rather than a pet.

h When students can identifythe components of a story,select the tiered activity thatbest fits each student in yourclassroom.

34

Story Map

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Book title _____________________________________________________ Author __________________________________

Problem!

Character Portrait Gallery

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

Pick the two most important characters in this story and draw portraits of both. Write three words that describe each character you draw.

Draw the place and label it.

What goes wrong and who is involved?

Where does this storymostly happen?

Setting

When does this story

happen?

Write the year,season, and/or time period.

_______________

SolutionHow is the problem solved?

35

Solution

Map It!

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Main Characters: List them and write a brief description for each one. Put a star next tothe character who changes over the course of the story.

Book title _______________________________________ Author ____________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Setting 3Time and place

where the problem is solved


where the problem happens


where the story begins

Problem!

Attempts to solve:

First, ___________________________________

Then, __________________________________

(Other attempts) _________________________

_______________________________________

What went wrong and who is involved?

Introductory

Intermediate

36

Solution


Key Settings

Problem!

Story Building Blocks

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

CharactersCompare each to an animal with a similar trait (for example, you might compare a slycharacter to a fox).Major

c _______________

c _______________

Minor

u _______________

u _______________

Time Place

Effect of setting on plot

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Character goals

Attempts to accomplish goals:

1. ______________________________

2. ______________________________

(others) _________________________

________________________________

__________________ want(s) to

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

Tia Oct 23

Marty Preston faithful dogJudd Travers sneaky coyote

present day West Virginiarural town

woods—place to hunt Marty has a big back yard where he can hide Shiloh

Marty keep Shiloh but he can’tafford to.

hides Shiloh sneaks food and lies

tries to sell Shiloh

Marty bargains withJudd and “earns” Shiloh bydoing chores for Judd.

Shiloh is beaten by Judd and needs a new home.

Ray (father) proud lionDara Lynn pesky rabbit

Shiloh Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Challenging


33


Readers will:a Select key story elements to fill in the

organizer. [All]

a Sequence the events (“attempts”)leading to the solution of the problem.[Intermediate and Challenging]

a Explain how the setting may haveinfluenced the plot. [Challenging]

a Identify character goals and use thesegoals to see events as attempts toresolve a problem. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Story Map(page 34)

Tip: Students may add additional char-acters to their Character Portrait Galleryby writing on the back of the page.

Intermediate Level: Map It! (page 35)

Challenging Level: Story BuildingBlocks (page 36)

Tip: Familiarize students with the termsplot (sequence of story events), goals, andmajor and minor characters.


Books Worth Using: The Well by Mildred D.Taylor (Dial Books,1995)

The Midwife’s Apprentice by KarenCushman (Clarion, 1995)

Mailing May by Michael O.Tunnell(Greenwillow Books, 1997) Picture book


34

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35

Solution

Map It!

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Main Characters: List them and write a brief description for each one. Put a star next tothe character who changes over the course of the story.


_______________________ _______________________ _______________________


where the problem is solved


where the problem happens


where the story begins

Problem!

Attempts to solve:

First, ___________________________________

Then, __________________________________

(Other attempts) _________________________

_______________________________________

What went wrong and who is involved?


36

Solution


Key Settings

Problem!

Story Building Blocks

Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________

CharactersCompare each to an animal with a similar trait (for example, you might compare a slycharacter to a fox).Major

c _______________

c _______________

Minor

u _______________

u _______________

Time Place

Effect of setting on plot

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Character goals

Attempts to accomplish goals:

1. ______________________________

2. ______________________________

(others) _________________________

________________________________

__________________ want(s) to

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________


37

About Character AnalysisWhen readers analyze a character, theyidentify and give meaning to that charac-ter’s traits and actions. Good readersunderstand a character more fully byconsidering how the character isdescribed; what the character says, does,and thinks; and how other charactersreact to him or her.

Why Is This Skill Important?Character analysis allows the reader tolook at what motivates the characterto act as he or she does. Determininga character’s motivations supportsstudents’ understanding of thatcharacter’s role in the story and theirability to predict that character’sbehaviors in new situations. Further,character analysis gives studentsinsights into the behaviors of importantpeople in their own lives.


Model Lesson: Analyzing characterswith Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by JackGantos (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 1998)

h Introduce character analysis byexplaining that in order to under-stand the way characters act, welook for special traits that tell us

about their personalities. Using afamiliar character such as Charlottefrom Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Iask students to identify traits: “In threewords, can you describe what kind ofcharacter Charlotte is?” We pick sever-al of the traits we’ve listed and vote onscenes from the book that show howCharlotte’s actions depict her traits.

h Use a short passage rich in detailsthat make a character’s traits visi-ble through his or her actions.Using Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key—astory about a young boy with ADHDwho truly wants to be good but keepsgetting into trouble—I read a passagefrom Chapter 2 where the author usesactions and thoughts to describe Joey’straits:

My morning pill was supposed to lastall day but it gave out on me. I grippedthe bottom of my chair and held tightand watched the second hand on theclock sweep around and around. And itwasn’t that the important stuff Mrs.Maxy had to say went in one ear andout the other. It was that it didn’t go inat all but just bounced off. And whenthe bell rang, I loosened my grip andblasted off for the door. (page 19)

After reading this passage, the classand I discuss what we know about

Character AnalysisSkill: Show how character traits and actions affect or are affected by story events.


38

Joey: (1) he takes medication;(2) he is easily distracted;(3) he values learning; (4) heunderstands that he has aproblem; and (5) he has lotsof energy. We then identifyinformation from the story thatsupports each character trait.For instance, we know that Joeyvalues learning because he saidthat Mrs. Maxy was teaching“important stuff.”

h When students can namea character’s traits andsupport their choices withactions from the story, matchthem with the appropriatetiered activities. Studentswho are more advanced in thisarea will be able to anticipatea character’s actions in a newsituation, compare charactersaccording to their traits, anddifferentiate between dynamicand static characters.


Readers will:a Name three character traits that

fit a selected character. [All]

a Support each trait with detailsfrom the text, including charac-ter actions, thoughts, andwords. [All]

40

Character SketchA trait is a word or phrase that describes the character’s personality. Choose an importantcharacter and select three traits that fit him or her. Give evidence from the text: thecharacter’s words, thoughts, and actions.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book title ____________________________________ Character _____________________

This character is really . . .

1.TraitActions

Thoughts

Words

2.TraitActions

Thoughts

Words

3.TraitActions

Thoughts

Words

41

Character ChangesBook title ____________________________________ Character _____________________

List the top three character traits for your character :

j _____________________ j _____________________ j _____________________

Choose one trait and give evidence from the book for this trait: appearance, actions,conversations, thoughts and feelings, goals, and desires.

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Did your character change during the book? Yes No If yes, explain the change.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Trait

Actions

Thoughts

Words

GoalsAppearance

“If an adult tells you not to worry,and you weren’t worried before,you’d better hurry up and start’cause you’re already running late.”

Bud runs for the trainand almost makes itand he never loseshis suitcase

To find his fatherwho he thinks isHerman E. Callowayin Grand Rapids,Michigan

Bud takes care of himself and is happy being on his own. By theend of the book, he is glad to have found friends, family, and aplace to belong.

smalla little skinnybig smile

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis Bud Caldwell

funny strong smart

DeAndre Nov. 5

Lefty: “Thank God youdon’t know how to drive.”

Bud: No . . . but if you’da showed me some fangs I’da learned real quick.”

FUNNY

Introductory

Intermediate

42


Character Diamante

Choose a character that interests you. Complete theCharacter Changes activity sheet to help you think ofimportant character traits and changes that happen to thischaracter. Using the information from Character Changes andfollowing the steps below write a character diamante poem.Character diamante structureLine 1 A noun (the character’s name)Line 2 Two adjectives that describe the character’s

personalityLine 3 Three –ing verbs that tell about your character’s actionsLine 4 Four nouns (the first two are the two most important people, places, and things

related to this character ; the next two nouns are people, places, and things that would NEVER fit with this character)

Line 5 Three –ing verbs that describe actions that would never fit this characterLine 6 Two adjectives that describe traits that would never fit this characterLine 7 A noun (the name of the character with the word NOT! before it or the name

of a character that is the opposite to your character)

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Sample Character Diamante

Cinderellabeautiful, nice

working, dancing, runningcoach, slippers, Corvette, bootsgossiping, complaining, napping

lazy, meanNOT! Cinderella

________________

_________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________

_________________ ________________

________________

Challenging


39

a Identify a change in the character andexplain how the change affects thestory. [Intermediate and Challenging]

a Compose a character diamante thatsupplies a characterization contrastwith traits, actions, and associations“opposite” to the selected character.[Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Character Sketch(page 40)

Intermediate Level: Character Changes(page 41)

Challenging Level: Character Diamante(page 42)

Tip: You may want students to firstcomplete the Character Changes sheet sothey have traits and evidence to use fortheir diamante poem. Students may needto review parts of speech before they cancomplete the poem.


Books Worth Using: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl(Puffin Books, 1961)

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell(Dell, 1960)

Crazy Horse’s Vision by Joseph Bruchac(Lee & Low Books, 2000) Picture book


40

Character SketchA trait is a word or phrase that describes the character’s personality. Choose an importantcharacter and select three traits that fit him or her. Give evidence from the text: thecharacter’s words, thoughts, and actions.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


This character is really . . .

1.TraitActions

Thoughts

Words

2.TraitActions

Thoughts

Words

3.TraitActions

Thoughts

Words


41

Character ChangesBook title ____________________________________ Character _____________________

List the top three character traits for your character :

j _____________________ j _____________________ j _____________________

Choose one trait and give evidence from the book for this trait: appearance, actions,conversations, thoughts and feelings, goals, and desires.

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Did your character change during the book? Yes No If yes, explain the change.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Trait

Actions

Thoughts

Words

GoalsAppearance


42


Character Diamante

Choose a character that interests you. Complete theCharacter Changes activity sheet to help you think ofimportant character traits and changes that happen to thischaracter. Using the information from Character Changes andfollowing the steps below, write a character diamante poem.Character diamante structureLine 1 A noun (the character’s name)Line 2 Two adjectives that describe the character’s

personalityLine 3 Three –ing verbs that tell about your character’s actionsLine 4 Four nouns (the first two are the two most important people, places, and things

related to this character ; the next two nouns are people, places, and things that would NEVER fit with this character)

Line 5 Three –ing verbs that describe actions that would never fit this characterLine 6 Two adjectives that describe traits that would never fit this characterLine 7 A noun (the name of the character with the word NOT! before it or the name

of a character that is the opposite to your character)

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Sample Character Diamante

Cinderellabeautiful, nice

working, dancing, runningcoach, slippers, Corvette, bootsgossiping, complaining, napping

lazy, meanNOT! Cinderella

________________

_________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________

_________________ ________________

________________


43

About Character PerspectiveWhen students identify a character’sperspective, they show the character’sviews about particular events usingthe support of the character’s actions,thoughts, and conversations. Thisskill builds on students’ abilities toanalyze characters: Students must usethe information they know about thecharacter (such as his or her traits) toexamine the character’s viewpointabout story events (see CharacterAnalysis, page 37).

Why Is This Skill Important?A character’s perspective underlies hisor her motives and actions in a text.Being able to identify actions that are“in character” will improve the accuracyof students’ predictions.


Model Lesson: Identifying characterperspectives with The War with Grandpaby Robert Kimmel Smith (Dell Yearling,1984)

h Select an important event ina familiar text to introducecharacter perspective. My studentslove the characters in The War withGrandpa, a story in which Grandpa

comes to live with Pete’s family and isgiven Pete’s room. Pete is angrybecause he must sleep in the spookyattic room.

h Lead students to identify keycharacter actions, thoughts, andconversations that show how thecharacter “sees” this event. In TheWar with Grandpa, Pete starts the“war” by setting Grandpa’s alarmat an early hour, making boobytraps, and doing other things to getGrandpa to leave his space. Studentseasily identify Pete’s actions andhis resentful attitude towardthe situation.

h Help students clarify onecharacter’s perspective bycontrasting it with anothercharacter’s actions, thoughts,and conversations about thesame event. Using what we havelearned in the text, I ask the studentsto compare Grandpa’s reaction totaking Pete’s room with Pete’sreactions. (Students discover thatGrandpa, too, dislikes the situation,but Pete does not realize this.)

Throughout the book Pete initiatesincidents that sometimes amuse andother times anger Grandpa. At onepoint Pete steals Grandpa’s slippers

Character PerspectiveSkill: Show the perspectives of characters through support in the text (conversations, thoughts, and actions in response to events).


44

and he writes a note saying,“You have been defeeted” [sic].I lead with these questions:“Are Pete’s actions fair and isGrandpa’s anger justified?What do you think aboutGrandpa’s feelings in contrastto Pete’s feelings?” Throughthis discussion students realizethat Pete doesn’t understandGrandpa’s feelings andGrandpa doesn’t understandhow serious this intrusion is toPete. When students advocatefor Grandpa or Pete, it isevident they have ownershipof character perspective.

h Review perspective with afamiliar fairy tale situation,where students can take onthe perspective of one char-acter or another. I use“Goldilocks and the ThreeBears” to see if students canreason how different charactersmight react over a given situa-tion, such as the three bears’reactions to their porridgebeing eaten.

h When students can offeranswers that show theyunderstand characterperspectives, assign theappropriate tiered activities.

46

Persp

ective Perspective

What’s That Character’s Perspective?Find an event that has a big impact on one of the key characters in your book. Sketch orwrite a description of the event. Then, in the thought balloons, show what the characterthinks or feels about the event.

Character

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Thoughts and feelings about this event


The Big Event

Book title __________________________________________________________________

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Book title _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Select an event that impacts two important characters in your book.Write a short summary of this event in the chart. In thethought bubbles below the characters’ names, write how each character views the event.

How do their individual perspectives make these characters act differently?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Character Perspectives in Contrast

Pers

pect

ivePerspective

Character #1

Big Event

Character #2

Mela May 23

Bridge to Terabithia by Katharine Paterson

Jess was madbecause he hadpracticed sohard all summer.He wanted towin the race.

Leslie was gladshe got to jointhe race, butwas sad that theboys didn’t wanta girl to win.

Leslie Jess

Leslie thinks Jess is her friend because he stuck up for her. Jess sticks up forLeslie, but he’s mad at her and won’t talk to her.

The 5th grade boyshave a race on thefirst day of school.Leslie wins the raceand the boys getangry.

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Book title ___________________________________________________________________________ Stopped at page ____

Focus on two main characters who experience the same event.Write a summary of the event in the center column. Undereach character’s name, write his or her perspective (how he or she thinks and feels about the event). Under the final column,write the traits which might make the character react with this view. Then predict what this character might do next.

Character Perspectives, Events, and Support

Trait/Support Perspective Perspective Trait/Support

What might ______________________ do next?character #1

_____________________ Character #1

_____________________ Character #2

What might ______________________ do next?character #2

jj j j

Big Event

Introductory

Intermediate

Challenging


45


Readers will:a Summarize a key event. [All]

a Show how a character perceives aparticular event. [All]

a Show how two characters perceive thesame event differently and explain thisdifference in terms of unique perspec-tives. [Intermediate and Challenging]

a Identify and compare charactertraits that support the character’sperspective. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: What’s ThatCharacter’s Perspective? (page 46)

Tip: Explain that cartoonists use thoughtballoons (the cloudlike bubbles abovea character’s head) to show what thecharacter is thinking. Students shouldprovide words related to what an impor-tant character in their story is thinking orfeeling about an event. You might helpstudents select a main character and arelated key event that will provide themwith enough material to determine thatcharacter’s thoughts and feelings.

Intermediate Level: CharacterPerspectives in Contrast (page 47)

Tip: To emphasize different perspectives,encourage students to choose characterswho have very different responses to thesame event.

Challenging Level: CharacterPerspectives, Events, and Support(page 48)

Tip: Since this organizer requiresstudents to predict a character’s nextaction, make sure students note thepoint in their book at which they havestopped reading.n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor(Atheneum, 1991)

A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voigt (Scholastic,1983)

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson (WilliamMorrow & Co., 1994) Picture book


46

Persp

ective Perspective

What’s That Character’s Perspective?Find an event that has a big impact on one of the key characters in your book. Sketch orwrite a description of the event. Then, in the thought balloons, show what the characterthinks or feels about the event.

Character

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________



The Big Event

Book title __________________________________________________________________


47

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49

About SettingSetting describes the time and location inwhich a story takes place. The author’schoice of setting details influences thethoughts and actions of the characters andthe line of the plot. This lesson movesstudents beyond simple identification oftime and place details and helps themshow how the setting influences the largerstructure of the story.

Why Is This Skill Important?Students need to understand that thesetting influences characters’ actions, dia-logue and responses. More accomplishedreaders will understand that the settingmay be affected by factors such as weatherconditions and the attitudes of people wholived in the era in which the story takesplace (e.g., attitudes toward land usage).


Model Lesson: Analyzing setting withSing Down the Moon by Scott O’Dell(Yearling Books, 1973)

By fourth grade, students can usuallyidentify time and place details. I use plentyof examples of stories and passages richwith setting details and challenge them tothink about how each setting uniquelyshapes each story and its characters.

h Select a passage with detailed timeand place elements that influencethe action. Sing Down the Moon, ahistorical fiction novel, focuses on ayoung Navaho girl’s life from 1863 to1865. This time in Navaho historyincludes “The Long Walk,” when theUnited States government forcedNavahos to leave their homeland,Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly, and walk300 miles to Fort Sumner, NewMexico. In Sing Down the Moon, thesetting is integral to the plot of thebook. The author develops the settingby contrasting the beauty of Canyonde Chelly with Fort Sumner. Changesin the setting are reflected in changes ofattitudes among the Navaho characters.

h Identify components of the settingand show how these influence thestory. As I read the story with students,I think aloud to model how I’m keyinginto setting details that are important tothe plot. I contrast the two settings andstart to talk about the Navaho people’srelationship with and experiences ineach location. For example, Navahotraditions, such as respect for elders,were strong at the beginning of thebook, when they lived in Canyon deChelly, but, I point out, “When theNavaho are taken to Fort Sumner theyact differently. They seem to lose their

SettingSkill: Analyze time and place details and explain the setting’s influence on the story’s plot.


50

spirit and give up. They are nolonger the same people in thisnew setting.” Through mycomments and our discussion, thestudents understand that settingdoes influence the characters’feelings and actions.

h Make sure students can applywhat they know about setting.I ask students, “Do you think thisstory could take place somewhereelse or during another time?” Ilike using this question because itreally gets them thinking aboutwhat happens in the plot andwhether these actions couldindeed take place in another eraor another country.

h When students can identifysetting details and describetheir effect on the story’s plot,match them with the appropri-ate tiered activity.


Readers will:a Identify the place and time of the

story. [All]

a Explain why that setting isimportant to the story. [All]

a Explain how the setting affects acharacter’s actions. [Intermediateand Challenging]

a Identify factors such as weatherconditions and the attitudes of

52

Setting the Scene

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

What surprised or interested you about this setting? If you could visit, would you want to?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Place of story Setting

Fill in the boxes to describe the setting of the story and sketch a scene in this setting.

Book title ___________________________ Important characters _____________________

Time of story

_________________

Setting sketch

53

Setting WebBook title __________________________________________________________________

Important characters _________________________________________________________

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Place of story

SettingTime of story

_______________

Importance of place to the story(What happens because the

story is set in this place?)

Importance of time to the story(What happens because the story is

set during this time?)

Setting’s influence on the main character _____________________(How does this character act or behave because of the time and place in which he or she lives?)

Karana

Karana knows the island very well. Sheknows how to use the plants and animalson the island to survive.

Missionaries are importantat this time. They have abig impact on the lives ofthe Indians.

Early 1800s

Island off the coast of southernCalifornia

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’DellKarana, Ramo, Rontu, Rontu-Aru

Gabrielle April 14

Because the island is soisolated, it’s easy tounderstand how Karanaand Ramo could be left there.

Introductory

Intermediate

54

Setting, Events, and Character ActionsBook title __________________________________________________________________Fill in the chart below. Describe the setting using details from the text, summarize an event,and explain how the setting influenced character actions.

Could this event have taken place in a different setting? Yes No Explain your answer.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Setting

Fill in all the details youcan to describe the setting.

Place:

Time:

Weather/Climate:

Any special attitudes orbeliefs from this time?

Event

Describe a main eventthat occurred in thissetting.

Character Action

Describe how the settinginfluenced character actions in this event.

Challenging


51

people who lived in the era in which thestory takes place. [Challenging]

a Summarize events that occurred andexplain how the setting influenced thecharacters’ actions. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Setting the Scene(page 52)

Tip: Remind students that there may bemultiple time and place details in thepassage they’re reading. For introductoryand intermediate levels, encouragestudents to select and analyze only onesetting from the story.

Intermediate Level: Setting Web (page 53)

Challenging Level: Setting, Events, andCharacter Actions (page 54)

Tip: Encourage students to consider twoor three different settings from the story orpassage. When they’ve completed theorganizer, have them compare and contrastand discuss why the author may haveselected these two or three settings.n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth GeorgeSpeare (Yearling, 1983)

The Cage by Ruth Minsky Sender (AladdinPaperbacks, 1986)

Painted Words, Spoken Memories by Aliki,(William Morrow & Co., 1994) Picture book


52

Setting the Scene

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

What surprised or interested you about this setting? If you could visit, would you want to?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Place of story Setting

Fill in the boxes to describe the setting of the story and sketch a scene in this setting.

Book title ___________________________ Important characters _____________________

Time of story

_________________

Setting sketch


53

Setting WebBook title __________________________________________________________________

Important characters _________________________________________________________

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Place of story

SettingTime of story

_______________

Importance of place to the story(What happens because the

story is set in this place?)

Importance of time to the story(What happens because the story is

set during this time?)

Setting’s influence on the main character, _____________________(How does this character act or behave because of the time and place in which he or she lives?)


54

Setting, Events, and Character ActionsBook title __________________________________________________________________Fill in the chart below. Describe the setting using details from the text, summarize an event,and explain how the setting influenced character actions.

Could this event have taken place in a different setting? Yes No Explain your answer.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Setting

Fill in all the details youcan to describe the setting.

Place:

Time:

Weather/Climate:

Any special attitudes orbeliefs from this time?

Event

Describe a main eventthat occurred in thissetting.

Character Action

Describe how the settinginfluenced character actions in this event.


55

About Context CluesVery seldom do we read lists of isolatedwords. More often than not, the wordswe read are placed in a context (i.e.,they are surrounded by other words).Many times, the context provides enoughinformation for us to determine themeaning of unfamiliar words. Authorsuse a variety of techniques, includingcomparing and contrasting ideas,providing examples, and embeddingdefinitions in the text, to enable readersto understand unfamiliar words.

Why Is This Skill Important?When they use context clues effectively,students can unlock the meaning ofunfamiliar words, which helps thembuild vocabulary and more completelyunderstand the text. We can helpstudents become aware of how thecontext can support comprehensionby providing examples of differenttypes of context clues.


Model Lesson: Using context clueswith Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry(Simon & Schuster, 1968)

h Select and read aloud a passagewith one or two unfamiliar words

surrounded by helpful contextualclues. Call It Courage is the story ofa young boy, Mafatu, whose fear ofthe sea causes other members of hisisland community to scorn him.

Throughout this book, Sperryprovides rich context for vocabularydevelopment. One example can befound in the following passage, whenwe begin to realize that Mafatu willnever be able to overcome his fear ofthe sea nor contribute to the tribe as afisherman. In this example, the readercan determine the meaning of twowords: coir and pursuits.

So, finally, he was not allowed to fareforth with the fishermen. He brought illluck. He had to stay at home makingspears and nets, twisting coir—the huskof the coconut—into stout sharkline forother boys to use. He became veryskillful at these pursuits, but he hatedthem. (pages 7–8)

h Point out signs that often indicatecontext clues are present. I explainthat punctuation is sometimes used tohelp readers figure out the meaning ofunfamiliar words. For example, whenI see an em dash (—) following aword I don’t know, I simply continueto read, realizing that the word willprobably be defined and followed byanother em dash, as is the case with

Context CluesSkill: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using clues the author provides in the surrounding text.


56

the word coir above. I providestudents with additional examplesand ask them to be on thelookout for other instances inwhich punctuation (em dashes,parentheses, or commas) is usedfor this purpose.

I continue by explaining that inorder for me to determine themeaning of pursuits I need toweave together several piecesof information. I model my think-ing process: “The author lets meknow that rather than being withthe fishermen, Mafatu is ‘makingspears and nets, twisting coir.’ ”I continue, “I also know thathe was ‘very skillful at thesepursuits.’ ” I explain that thesetwo pieces of information lead meto believe that pursuits has some-thing to do with Mafatu’s work.

Although students can determinethe meanings of these two targetwords from the context, I cautionthat the context will not alwayshelp them unlock the meaningof unfamiliar words. In thefollowing example from thisbook, for instance, the wordluminous cannot be defined fromthe context: “Now the air wasluminous with promise ofanother day. Out of the sultrymists . . .” (page 26). We searchfor other examples of contextsthat are useful and not useful indefining unfamiliar words.

58

Clueing In to Context CluesUse clues from the passage to help you figure out two unfamiliar words.Write a definition inyour own words.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book title __________________________________________________________________

Check to make sure you have the correct meaning for these words.

j

jj

jjjjjjj

jj

jj

jj

jj

j

jj

jjjjjjj

jj

jj

jj

jj

WORD

Page ____

What clue(s) from the text helped you figure out this word?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Your definition __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

j

jj

jjjjjjj

jj

jj

jj

jj

j

jj

jjjjjjj

jj

jj

jj

jj

WORD

Page ____


_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Your definition __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

4

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Use clues from the passage to help you figure out two unfamiliar words.Write a definition in your own words.

Book title _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Capturing Context Clues

j

jj

jj

jj

jj

j

jj

jjjjjjj

jj

jj

jj

jj

j

jj

jjjjjjWORD

Page ____

4What clue(s) from the text helped you figure out this word?______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Your definition _______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Dictionary definition __________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Example

Compare/contrast

Definition within text

What type of contextclue is given?

j

jj

jj

jj

jj

j

jj

jjjjjjj

jj

jj

jj

jj

j

jj

jjjjjjWORD

Page ____

4What clue(s) from the text helped you figure out this word?______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Your definition _______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________

Example

Compare/contrast



Sara Nov. 6

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Graighead George

gussaks

9

lichens

9

“gussaks, the white-faced”“she spoke half in Eskimo and half in English”

white people in Alaska who speakEnglish—not Alaskan Indians

(not in dictionary—an Inuit word)

“Only moss, grass, lichens, and a few hardyflowers take root . . . in summer”

a type of plant that can survive thetundra in Alaska

a type of plant made up of algaeand fungi that grow on rocks barks, and

other solid surfaces.

4

4

60

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Use clues from the passage to help you figure out two unfamiliar words.Write a definition in your own words.

Book title _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Creating Context Clues

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4What do you think this word means? _____________________________

___________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________


Use the word in a sentence of your own. Make sure you include contextclues that help the reader understand the word. Write the sentence on the back of this page.

Example

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Use the word in a sentence of your own. Make sure you include contextclues that help the reader understand the word. Write the sentence on the back of this page.

Example

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Introductory

Intermediate

Challenging


57

h Once students have been exposedto various types of context clues,and can demonstrate throughguided practice that they under-stand how to use them, matchthem with the appropriate tieredactivities.


Readers will:a Analyze the context to unlock the

meaning of two unfamiliar words. [All]

a List the clues that the author providedto help determine each word’smeaning. [All]

a Define the target words. [All]

a Verify their definitions with anotherperson (friend, teacher, aide, orparent). [Introductory]

a Verify their definitions with adictionary. [Intermediate andChallenging]

a Identify the type of context clue usedby the author. [Intermediate andChallenging]

a Apply knowledge of the new wordsby creating original sentences,incorporating context clues that canhelp illustrate the words’ meanings.[Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Clueing In toContext Clues (page 58)

Tip: Let students know how they shouldcheck their definitions (e.g., confirmwith a friend, teacher, aide, parent,and/or dictionary).

Intermediate Level: Capturing ContextClues (page 59)

Tip: Make sure that students understandthe definitions of the different types ofcontext clues. “Within text” is used forembedded definition.

Challenging Level: Creating ContextClues (page 60)

Tip: To check their work, have studentsread their sentences to a partner to seeif the partner can define the word fromits context.n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Don’t You Know There’s a War On? by Avi(HarperCollins, 2001)

No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt(Berkley, 1970)

Uncle Jed’s Barbershop by Margaree KingMitchell (Simon & Schuster, 1993)Picture book


58

Clueing In to Context CluesUse clues from the passage to help you figure out two unfamiliar words.Write a definition inyour own words.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book title __________________________________________________________________

Check to make sure you have the correct meaning for these words.

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_____________________________________________

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_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________

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_____________________________________________

Your definition __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

4


59

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61

About Problem and SolutionThe problem and the solution of a storyare the simplest forms of the plot: therising action leading to the climax ofthe story, followed by the resolution.A character’s attempts to solve theproblem and reach his or her goal arethe basis for excitement and suspensewithin texts.

Why Is This Skill Important?Understanding the plot of a story is themost important factor in comprehend-ing the text. To understand the story,students need to comprehend what ishappening in the story, why it ishappening, and what actions andreactions the events are causing.


Model Lesson: Identifyingproblems and solutions with Journeyof the Sparrows by Fran Leeper Buss(Dell Publishing, 1991)

h Choose a book with a story linethat makes identifying theproblems and solutions easy. I useJourney of the Sparrows, a book abouta teenage girl who, along with anolder sister and younger brother,illegally crosses the Mexican border

only to find a meager existenceworking at a sweatshop factory inChicago. Problems surround theirjourney to Chicago, their life inChicago, and their attempts to bringtheir mother and baby sister acrossthe border.

h Point out that goals often drivethe plot, causing characters to actin ways that create problems orthat counteract existing problems.We discuss Maria’s goal: to bring herentire family to Chicago. Explain thatacting on this goal is dangerous bothphysically and legally and threatensto break the family apart for good.

h Help students identify problemsand generate probable solutions.As I read this book with the class welist each problem, generate possiblesolutions, and then read on to see ifthe author used one of our solutions.(The structure and topic of Journeyof the Sparrows support the frequentuse of this prediction strategy;throughout the story the immigrantsencounter numerous problems forwhich they must find solutions.)When students read about Mariaattempting to cross the border withher baby sister, they are able toidentify several solutions: She can

Problem and SolutionSkill: Identify problems and solutions within a text and explain whether the solutions aided the characters in reaching their goals.


62

wade and swim across the RioGrande with the baby, she canpay for a ride with a “coyote”(a driver willing to sneak themacross the border), or she canpay for someone to row themacross. The solution that wouldenable Maria to obtain hergoal—that of getting herselfand the baby safely back toChicago—is not clear. Thismakes for both a great readingand a real-world lesson: Studentsmust assess, along with Maria,which might be the safest choice.

h When students are able toidentify a character’s goaland the related problemsthat character faces, andevaluate the solutions, selecta tiered activity that bestmeets each learner’s needs.


Readers will:a Identify the main problem and

the solution. [All]

a Explain whether the solutionaided the character in obtainingthat goal. [All]

a Write alternative solutions thatcould solve the problem.[Intermediate and Challenging]

a Compare the story solutionwith alternative solutions.[Intermediate and Challenging]

64

Problem Path

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

What is the main goal of the character(s)?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What is the problem that makes this goal difficult to reach?

Does the solution help the character or characters achieve the main goal? Explain.

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Problem!

Solution

How is the problem solved?

Book title _________________________________________ Section or chapter _________

65

Solution Stew

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________



What is the main goal of the character or characters?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________


Problem!

Write the solution from the story and create one other solution of your own.

Solution StewDid the story’s solution help the character(s) achieve the goal? Yes No

Explain why or why not. ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Would your solution have worked better? Explain. _______________________

________________________________________________

_____________________

Actual story solution Your solution

Richard June 8

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli

Palmer wants to keep Nipper as a pet.

In Waymer everyone thinks that pigeons are just for killing as a sport. If people find out about Nipper, Palmer

could lose his pet.

Palmer gave up his membership in Beans’ gang and disrupted the pigeon shoot. He probably won’t be accepted anymore, but he knows who his true friends are.

No, because Palmer could be an example for others. Maybe

Waymer will change.

Palmer rescues Nipper on the

shooting field and carries him

home. Everyone finds out.

Palmer and his family move fromWaymer to a town where hecan keep Nipper out of danger.

Introductory

Intermediate

66

What’s H appening? What E xamples can you give to solve the problem? What do you L ike about each option? What might P revent each solution from working? What’s the

best S olution?

HELPS

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________




_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What’s Happening: What happens in the text that causes the problem?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Write the solution from the story and create two of your own possible solutions.Explain what you like about each solution and what might prevent it from working.

Example 1: (Story solution) Example 2: (Your solution) Example 3: (Your solution)

Like: Like: Like:

Prevent:Prevent: Prevent:

Challenging


63

a Evaluate the advantages anddisadvantages of possible solutions.[Challenging]

a Decide which solution is best andexplain how this would help thecharacter or characters achieve thegoal. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Problem Path(page 64)

Intermediate Level: Solution Stew(page 65)

Challenging Level: HELPS (page 66)

Tip: In the Example category, studentsshould provide probable and validideas they have thought of to help thecharacter or characters.


Books Worth Using: Far North by Will Hobbs (Avon Camelot,1996)

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt byDeborah Hopkinson, (Dragon Fly Books,1993) Picture book

The War with Grandpa by Robert KimmelSmith (Dell Yearling, 1984)


64

Problem Path

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


What is the main goal of the character(s)?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________


Does the solution help the character or characters achieve the main goal? Explain.

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Problem!

Solution

How is the problem solved?



65

Solution Stew

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________




_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________


Problem!

Write the solution from the story and create one other solution of your own.

Solution StewDid the story’s solution help the character(s) achieve the goal? Yes No

Explain why or why not. ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Would your solution have worked better? Explain. _______________________

________________________________________________

Actual story solution Your solution


66

What’s H appening? What E xamples can you give to solve the problem? What do you L ike about each option? What might P revent each solution from working? What’s the

best S olution?

HELPS

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________




_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What’s Happening: What happens in the text that causes the problem?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Write the solution from the story and create two of your own possible solutions.Explain what you like about each solution and what might prevent it from working.

Example 1: (Story solution) Example 2: (Your solution) Example 3: (Your solution)

Like: Like: Like:

Prevent:Prevent: Prevent:


67

About DetailsAccording to the Merriam-WebsterDictionary (1997), details are the“extended treatment of or attention toparticular items.” Authors give thisextended treatment to important parts oftheir writing to develop and clarify ideas.Details are often included in a piece offiction to move the story line along, orto reveal something about a character,setting, problem, conflict, or resolution.

Why Is This Skill Important?Concentrating on a text’s details helpsstudents better visualize the content andfocuses attention on explicit or implicitinformation. Furthermore, students whohave experience reading richly detailedpieces may transfer their understandingof the author’s craft to their own writing.


Model Lesson: Examining detailswith Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco(Philomel Books, 1994)

h Read aloud from an engaging,short passage. In Pink and Say,Patricia Polacco reconstructs arelationship that forms between twoboys—one black and one white—during the Civil War. She provides

readers with rich details of theirjourney together, as friends andyoung soldiers. Take, for example,the following passage. It takes placejust after Pinkus (Pink) has foundSheldon (Say) so badly woundedthat he can’t walk on his own:

I remember being pulled and carried,and stumblin’. I remember hardbranches snappin’ back in my faceand mouths full of dirt as we hit theground to keep from being seen. Iremember sloggin’ through streams,haulin’ up small bluffs and belly-crawlin’ through dry fields. I rememberthese things in half-sleeplike, but I doremember being carried for a powerfullong way. (unpaged)

h Emphasize the power in usingdetail to enrich a text. I point outthat Polacco could simply havewritten, “Say was carried by Pink along way through all kinds of weatherand terrain”—and leave it at that. Butby adding specific details, she lets us“see” in our mind’s eye exactly what itwas like for Say to be carried by Pink.I explain that details help us realizehow long and arduous the trip was.I tell students how I came to thisconclusion: I explain that Say wasonly partially conscious. I ask them toshare what it’s like to carry a sleeping

DetailsSkill: Examine texts for detail-rich passages.


68

child and to relate this to Say’scondition and Pink’s effort tocarry him “a powerful long way.”

I reread the part about the hardbranches and the mouths full ofdirt. I help students see thatthrough carefully crafted details,the author revealed informationabout character traits (Pink’sbravery and strength), setting(wilderness in dangerous,rebel-controlled territory), andother story elements.

h Use a snapshot metaphor toillustrate how an authoremploys details to focus thereader’s attention. Next, Ishow two photographs: onethat is bright and clear, andanother that is out of focus. Iexplain that when we take asnapshot with a camera, wewant to be able to home in on aparticular thing, person, orplace and see the physicaldetails clearly.

h Invite students to offercolorful descriptions of theirown. In writing, we can use thesame idea of a “snapshot” (Lane,1993) to help us see what isbeing described. To do this, weneed clear, vivid details. We canadd details, even to a rich pas-sage, to make it more focused.For instance, suppose an authorwrote, “I rollerbladed cautiouslythrough a throng of poky

70

Detail DetectiveFind two passages that are rich in detail and copy them in the spaces provided below. Makea key of different colors or symbols that stand for details the author used to help you see,hear, feel, smell, and maybe even taste parts of the story. Use the color or symbol to markthe appropriate details in the passage.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book title _________________________________________________________________

My detail keyDetails that helped me

see feel taste hear smell

Passage from page(s) _______

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

1

3

2

4

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Book title _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Find a passage that is rich in detail and copy it below.Write anumber (1, 2, 3, and so on) by each detail in the passage.

Explain what each detail you numbered shows aboutthe character(s), setting, problem, conflict, or solution.

Deciphering Details

Passage from page(s) ______

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________72

Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

Book title _________________________________________________________________

Copy a short passage from the book. Next, explain what the details tell you about the character(s), setting, problem, or otherparts of the story. Then, use this information to write your own snapshot. To do this, elaborate on or add details to the passagefrom the book. Include specific details that clearly describe what you were picturing while you read the passage.

Writing a Picture

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____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

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____________________________

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____________________________

What do the details reveal? Write your own snapshotPassage from page(s) _____

There were still about tenplayers around, Red Soxersand Green Soxers, andMcNab was making themmarch up to the plate andtake their swings. . . . Aftereach whiff, he laughedand bellowed the strikeouttotal. . . . He was like ashark. He had the bloodlust.The victims were hunchedand trembling, walking thegangplank. “Thirty-four! . . .Thirty-five!”

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Brian May 15

The game is no fun becauseMcNab is a bully. He makesthe players “march up to theplate” to get defeated andlaughs at them. (problem)

McNab is like an executioner.He gets compared to ahungry shark. (character)

The scene makes everythingseem hopeless. He’s up to35 strikeouts. Time forManiac to step in! (plot)

McNab got frothy at themouth like a dog withrabies. He threw strikeafter strike and the ballswent whizzing by theshaking batters. Aftereach one got struck outhe scurried away fromthe plate, fearing anotherbite. McNab licked hischops and called for hisnext meal.

23

Introductory

Intermediate

Challenging


69

tourists who strolled along PerkinsAvenue.” The following snapshotreveals more of what I’m picturingabout the setting: “I rollerbladed cau-tiously through a throng of pokytourists, who had expensive camerashanging from their necks. Theystrolled along Perkins Avenue, peekinginto the windows of the tastefully dec-orated gift shops that lined the quaintstreet.” I invite students to revise andshare examples from their own writ-ing. This activity prepares students forthe Writing a Picture organizer.

h When students have demonstratedan understanding of how detailsare used to create a picture inthe reader’s mind and focus thereader’s attention, match them withthe appropriate tiered activities.


Readers will:a Find and examine richly detailed

passages. [All]

a Explain what the details reveal aboutthe character, setting, conflict, problem,and resolution. Analyze how detailsallow the author to divulge explicitor implicit information. [Intermediateand Challenging]

a Use the snapshot technique to revise apassage from the book. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Detail Detective(page 70)

Intermediate Level: Deciphering Details(page 71)

Tip: Be sure students understand theterminology used in the directions (e.g.,conflict, solution).

Challenging Level: Writing a Picture(page 72)n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinsonby Bette Bao Lord (Harper Trophy, 1984)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle(Farrar Straus & Giroux, Inc., 1962)

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by AmyHest (Scholastic, 1997) Picture book


70

Detail DetectiveFind two passages that are rich in detail and copy them in the spaces provided below. Makea key of different colors or symbols that stand for details the author used to help you see,hear, feel, smell, and maybe even taste parts of the story. Use the color or symbol to markthe appropriate details in the passage.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book title _________________________________________________________________

My detail keyDetails that helped me

see feel taste hear smell


_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________


71

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73

About Point of ViewPoint of view is how an author decidesto tell a story. There are two commonlyused points of view. One is called thethird-person, or omniscient, point of view,meaning “all knowing.” In this case, theauthor gives the reader knowledge ofwhat all the characters are thinking.The other point of view, which is calledfirst person, tells the story in the wordsof one of the characters. When anauthor writes from a first-personviewpoint, she can provide alternativepoints of view by allowing differentcharacters to speak.

Why Is This Skill Important?Students need to understand that theauthor has deliberately chosen a certainpoint of view. Readers should know whois telling the story, and how using thispoint of view influences the story.


Model Lesson: Recognizing point ofview in The Music of Dolphins by KarenHesse (Scholastic, 1996) and in Lyddie byKatherine Paterson (Puffin Books, 1991)

h Introduce the third-person point ofview. I use two different books toteach point of view. I begin with the

book Lyddie, a novel about young girlsworking mill jobs in Lowell,Massachusetts. Using the third person,Paterson gives us information on fourcharacters as she writes: “Ameliacorralled Lyddie and Prudence forlong walks along the river before itgrew too dark. Betsey, of course, didwhatever she liked regardless ofAmelia.” (page 79) Discuss with theclass what the author is telling usabout each character. We learn thatAmelia is friendly and energetic andlikes to walk. Lyddie and Prudence areagreeable and friendly and will gowith Amelia. Betsey, on the otherhand, seems to be independent anddoes not walk with the girls. I pointout that we can learn a little abouteach character the author chooses tofocus on through an outside observerperspective. So, even though the bookfocuses on Lyddie’s story, we hearabout her; she does not tell us directlywhat is in her heart and mind.

h Introduce the first-person point ofview. To compare this to a first-personnarrative, I use the book The Musicof Dolphins by Karen Hesse. The bookis about Mila, a teenager, who wasfound on an isolated island where shehad been raised by dolphins.Interestingly, the reader can follow

Point of ViewSkill: Recognize the author’s point of view and determine how this influences the story.


74

Mila’s humanization by hergrowth in speech throughout thechapters. The poignancy of thestory is dependent on Mila’sperspective as she views lifethrough the lens of the dolphinculture in which she was raised.To illustrate the effect of afirst-person narrative, I use thefollowing passage, where Milais talking about her conceptof family to Sandy, her caretaker.

I have another family too.Dolphin family. The ones wholove and care for me. The ones Ilove and care for. Can they seeme again? I say, Sandy, can thedolphins see me again? (page 15)

We discuss Mila’s feelings andideas. She believes that since thedolphins loved and cared forher, they are family. Mila lovesthe dolphins, misses them, andwants to see them again. I ask,“Because this is written in firstperson, what don’t we know?”In this case, the reader does notknow what Sandy thinks aboutthis. We also do not have anopportunity to see Mila throughan outside-observer lens. Wediscuss that when a story iswritten in first person, welearn about the story through aone-character perspective.

76

Which Point of View?

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book or chapter title _________________________________________________________

Check the correct box. This book is written in

first-person point of view. third-person point of view.

4

How did you know which point of view was used? Give clues from the text that helpedyou decide.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Select two quotes from the book that clearly show this point of view. Explain whatinformation is given to you about characters and events from this point of view.

Write quote #1 from page ____. “__________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________”

What did you learn about the character(s) or events from this quote?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________”


______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

77

Visualizing Views

Summarize two important passages from the text. Explain how the information would bedifferent if the passages were written from another point of view.

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book or chapter title ________________________________________________________



4

Passage #1, page ______

Summarize what the author is saying.

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

What might you know about the eventsor other characters if the author wrotefrom a different point of view?

______________________________

______________________________

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______________________________

______________________________

j



_________________________________

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_________________________________


______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

j

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

92

137

Mr. Pignati loved his wifevery much and she wasvery important to him. Hefinally admits to Johnand Lorraine that hiswife is dead,

Jesse Feb.16

If it was written fromMr. Pignati’s point ofview, we would havefound out about hiswife’s death earlier.There wouldn’t havebeen a secret.

From Mr. Pignati’s point ofview, we might know moreabout how Mr. Pignatireally felt about John andLorraine and their friendswrecking his house andbreaking his trust.

John calls Mr. Pignati toapologize for his housebeing wrecked and inviteshim to go to the zoo.

4

Introductory

Intermediate

78


Author’s/narrator’s point of view _______________________________________________

Summarize an important passage from the text. Explain how the information would be different if it were written from another point of view.Then write it.

Passage page(s) ______

The Power of Point of View

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Write a summary of what the author/narrator is saying.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Rewrite the passage from a different point of view. Be sure to include the points youlisted above. Use the back of this page if you need more room.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

What might you know about the events or other characters if the author were writingfrom a different point of view?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Challenging


75

h Work together to identify differentpoints of view. Before having stu-dents work independently on point ofview, I have them work in pairs anddiscuss the following sentences. Theymust be able to explain whether thesentences are written in first or thirdperson and how that influences theinformation the reader receives. Thepartners then discuss their ideas withthe class.

It seems that I am always calling myfriends and they never call me. (first)

Colleen, Kaitlin, and Tasha were talkingnext to the water fountain.Tasha didn’ttell the others she had a date thatnight. (third)

Andy and Tomas put on their coatsand walked out the door arm-in-arm.Andy was glad his friend had forgivenhim.Tomas knew he had done theright thing. (third)

“Don’t people understand why I dothese things?” I thought. “Don’t theyknow I just don’t know what else todo?” (first)

h When students can distinguishbetween first-person and third-person narration, match them withthe appropriate tiered activity.


Readers will:a Identify the author’s point of view

and explain how this informs thereader. [All]

a Explain how the author can slantinformation depending on the viewby stating what may be missing ormisleading. [Intermediate andChallenging]

a Synthesize information to rewrite apassage from a new point of view.[Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Which Point ofView? (page 76)

Intermediate Level: Visualizing Views(page 77)

Challenging Level: The Power of Pointof View (page 78)

Tip: Make it clear that at theintermediate and challenging levels,students must use their imaginationsto make inferences when writingfrom a different point of view.n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Moon Over Tennessee by Craig Crist-Evans(Houghton Mifflin, 1999)

The Pigman by Paul Zindel (Bantam Books,1968)

Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst(Greenwillow Books, 2001) Picture book


76

Which Point of View?

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book or chapter title _________________________________________________________



4

How did you know which point of view was used? Give clues from the text that helpedyou decide.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Select two quotes from the book that clearly show this point of view. Explain whatinformation is given to you about characters and events from this point of view.


______________________________________________________________________”


______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________”


______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________


77

Visualizing Views

Summarize two important passages from the text. Explain how the information would bedifferent if the passages were written from another point of view.

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________




4



_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


______________________________

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______________________________

j



_________________________________

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_________________________________

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_________________________________


______________________________

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______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

j


78


Author’s/narrator’s point of view _______________________________________________

Summarize an important passage from the text. Explain how the information would be different if it were written from another point of view.Then write it.

Passage page(s) ______

The Power of Point of View

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Write a summary of what the author/narrator is saying.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Rewrite the passage from a different point of view. Be sure to include the points youlisted above. Use the back of this page if you need more room.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

What might you know about the events or other characters if the author were writingfrom a different point of view?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


79

About Cause and EffectCause and effect is a relationship thatwriters use to show “how facts, events,or concepts (effects) happen or comeinto being because of other facts,events, or concepts (causes)” (Vaccaand Vacca, 1993, page 41). In otherwords, cause is any event or action thatproduces a result. The result is theeffect. Sometimes causes and effects areclearly stated. In such instances, theauthor may use signal words includingbecause, since, and consequently. At othertimes, however, the relationship mayonly be implied.

Why Is This Skill Important?Students need to understand therelationship between events and theirconsequences in order to make logicalstory connections.


Model Lesson: Introducing cause andeffect with The Giver by Lois Lowry(Houghton Mifflin, 1993)

h Introduce the concept of causeand effect with examples thatrelate to students’ experiences. Ibegin by introducing a few real-lifeexamples of cause-and-effect

relationships: (1) Dave was notallowed to practice with the trackteam (effect) because he had the flu(cause). (2) Since Tatianna knewhow to burn a CD (cause), all herfriends expected her to make copiesfor them (effect).

Identifying cause-and-effect relation-ships can be difficult at first. You mayneed to model several examples ofthis strategy using words such asaction (for cause) and result (for effect)before students are able to workindependently.

h Read aloud from an engagingshort passage. Once I feel thatstudents are comfortable with thecause-and-effect concept, I introduceexamples of implicit relationships. Onpage 46 of The Giver, readers find outthat when children in this fictionalcommunity turn ten years old, theyget their hair cut.

. . . each child’s hair was snipped neatlyinto its distinguishing cut: females losttheir braids at Ten, and the males, too,relinquished their long childish hair andtook on the more manly short stylewhich exposed their ears.

h Help students identify the causeand the effect. I explain that thecause (action) is turning ten years

Cause and EffectSkill: Identify cause-and-effect relationships in narrative texts.


80

old. The effect (result) is anew hairstyle that signals theend of youth. This cause-and-effect relationship is a bitmore abstract than the twoexamples at the beginningof the lesson, where signalwords are used to indicatethe relationship. Here, readersmust infer the connectionbetween ideas.

I tell my students that Isometimes like to imaginethat the action (cause)produces a different result(effect) than the one theauthor uses in a story. In thiscase, turning ten (the action)could lead to many results.The ten-year-olds in this bookcould be given more free timeand less regulated tasks; theymight be excused from one ofthe community rituals. I ask,“What else could happenwhen these children turnten?” and students brainstormother possible effects. Thisactivity helps studentsprepare for the EffectiveEffects and Going BeyondCause and Effect organizers.

h After students are ableto identify causes andeffects in the examplesyou provide, match themwith the appropriatetiered activities.

82

Cause and Effect

Identify three causes (actions that produce a result) and three effects (results) that occurbecause of these actions.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


83

Effective Effects

Identify two causes (actions that produce a result) and two effects (results) that occurbecause of these actions. Then use your imagination to think up another possible effect foreach cause. How would each of your “possible” effects change the story’s outcome?

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________


(found on page ______) _______________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Another possible EFFECT __________

_________________________________

_________________________________

How might this have changed the outcome

of the story? ______________________

_________________________________

(found on page ______) _______________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


_________________________________

_________________________________


of the story? ______________________

_________________________________

Introductory

Intermediate

84


Identify the two most important cause-and-effect situations in the book. Explain how each effect impacted the rest of the story.

Going Beyond Cause and Effect

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Put a star next to the cause-and-effect situation that you think has the biggest impact on thestory. Explain your choice on the back of this page.

Impact on the story

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

(found on page(s)_ ___) (found on page(s) ____)

Impact on the story

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

(found on page(s) ____) (found on page(s) ____)

Antonio Oct. 30

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

Grandfather and LittleWilly are broke andthe potatoes need tobe harvested.

They harvest a big crop of potatoes and Little Willyproves he can do whatever he puts his mind to.

Searchlight and Willywork the plow andfinish the harvest.

16–18

Willy discovers thatthey owe $500.00 oftaxes on the farm.

Willy enters the dog sled race and has to competewith Stone Fox. Both need to win to save their land.

Willy decides to try towin the $500.00 in adog sled race.

34–6 43

19

Challenging


81


Readers will:a Identify causes and related effects in

a story. [All]

a Assume a writer’s perspective andcreate a plausible alternative effectfor each of the three causes they’veidentified. [Intermediate]

a Explain how each alternative effectmight have changed the outcome ofthe story. [Intermediate]

a Determine which of the actual effectsfrom the story had the biggest impacton the story’s outcome. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Cause and Effect(page 82)

Tip: You can scaffold this assignment forstudents by selecting and filling in eitherthe cause or the effect.

Intermediate Level: Effective Effects(page 83)

Challenging Level: Going Beyond Causeand Effect (page 84)n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Nowhere to Call Home by CynthiaDeFelice (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1999)

That Was Then,This Is Now by S. E. Hinton(Dell Publishing, 1971)

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter andConnie Roop (Carolrhoda Books, 1985)Picture book


82

Cause and Effect

Identify three causes (actions that produce a result) and three effects (results) that occurbecause of these actions.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________



83

Effective Effects

Identify two causes (actions that produce a result) and two effects (results) that occurbecause of these actions. Then use your imagination to think up another possible effect foreach cause. How would each of your “possible” effects change the story’s outcome?

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________


(found on page ______) _______________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


_________________________________

_________________________________


of the story? ______________________

_________________________________

(found on page ______) _______________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


_________________________________

_________________________________


of the story? ______________________

_________________________________


84


Identify the two most important cause-and-effect situations in the book. Explain how each effect impacted the rest of the story.

Going Beyond Cause and Effect

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Put a star next to the cause-and-effect situation that you think has the biggest impact on thestory. Explain your choice on the back of this page.

Impact on the story

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

(found on page(s) ___) (found on page(s) ___)

Impact on the story

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

(found on page(s) ___) (found on page(s) ___)


85

About Compare and ContrastComparing and contrasting elements innarrative texts involves identifying howstory elements, situations, and plots arealike and different. Comparing likenessesand differences helps readers make con-nections and draw distinctions betweenkey elements in a story.

Why Is This Skill Important?Analyzing the differences and similaritiesin story components helps students focuson details that cause certain actions orresults in the story. This gives them agreater understanding of the text.


Model Lesson: Comparing and con-trasting characters in Holes by LouisSachar (Yearling Books, 1998)

h Introduce the idea of comparingand contrasting with simple objectmodels. I use a Venn diagram (page88) to compare two different objectslike shoes or backpacks. In the outercircles we note the differencesbetween the objects, and in the areawhere the circles intersect we note thesimilarities. My next step is to use acompare-and-contrast organizer tomap out familiar story elements such

as character traits. For instance, whenI want to compare and contrast twocharacters, I start by inviting studentsto analyze two well-developedcharacters from a passage or passagesin which students do not strugglewith the text. (See also CharacterAnalysis lesson, page 37.)

h Read aloud from an engagingshort passage. In the book Holes, aninnocent but unlucky adolescent,Stanley, is sent to a juvenile detention“camp” as punishment for stealing.There, he and his fellow “campers” aremade to dig a five-foot hole daily.Using this book, I model comparingand contrasting by focusing on theactions and dialogue of two minor(but strongly articulated) characters:the Warden and Mr. Sir, the campguard. In the following passage, theWarden, knowing she is close to find-ing her treasure, demands harderwork from the young boys:

By lunchtime the Warden was begin-ning to lose her patience. She madethem eat quickly, so they could getback to work. “If you can’t get them towork any faster,” she told Mr. Sir, “thenyou’re going to have to climb downthere and dig with them.”

After that, everyone worked faster,especially when Mr. Sir was watching

Compare and ContrastSkill: Identify the similarities and differences between two characters, settings, or other story elements in a text or texts.


86

them. Stanley practicallyran when he pushed hiswheelbarrow. Mr. Sir remindedthem that they weren’t GirlScouts. (page 73)

h Help students compare andcontrast on their own. Tohelp my students compareand contrast, we firstidentify the Warden’s traits:impatient, bossy, andinconsiderate. We can seethat Mr. Sir is subservientto the Warden, frightening tothe boys, insensitive, andobservant. To find similarities,I ask, “How are the Wardenand Mr. Sir alike? I see thatthey both can boss the boys.What other things do you seeas the same?” Students offerresponses such as: They areboth mean, neither caresabout the boys, and bothwant to get the job done. Iexplain the importanceof these similarities anddifferences to the plot, andhow they help us to predictthe behavior of the characters.

We can now easily move fromthe Venn Diagram to theCompare Chart organizer,where I show students howto record the evidence fromthe text that supports ourcomparisons.

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Name _______________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________

____________________________________Item 1

____________________________________Item 2

Book title(s) ____________________________________________________________________________________________

DifferentAlike

Different

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89

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Compare Chart

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Comparing ______________________________ and ______________________________

from __________________________________________________________ (book title(s))

How alike? Support from text or texts

How different? Support from text or texts

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q

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They both have nicknames that describe how the othercampers see them.

They are both willing to help someone else.

Zero (Hector) is called that“because there’s nothinginside his head.” (p.19) Stanley was called Cavemanbecause he was so big. Zero spent time digging holes for Stanley andStanley taught Zero to readand write.

Zero was small, but tough and Stanley wasbigger but not verystrong.

Stanley is closer to hisfamily.

“Zero was the smallest kid inGroup D, but he was thefirst to finish digging.” (p.37)Stanley was a slow digger.(p. 73)He got letters from his mom and dad. Zero was a wardof the state. (p. 144)

Stanley Yelnats Hector ZeroniHoles by Louis Sachar

Kim April 12

Introductory

Intermediate

90

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H

H

Select two items to compare. In each box labeled Similar, write one point of comparison, andin each box labeled Different, write one point of contrast.Then, in the Support column, writethe evidence from the text that supports the similarities or differences.

Supporting Similarities

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Which similarity or difference do you feel is most important in this story? Explain.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Book title(s)

________________________

________________________

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Challenging


87

h When students can use detailsfrom the text to compare andcontrast two characters or anyother two story elements, matchthem with the appropriate tieredactivities.


Readers will:a Label the two areas being compared,

and list details that show how theseareas are alike and different. [All]

a Support their ideas with evidencefrom the text or texts. [Intermediateand Challenging]

a Think critically and determine categor-ical elements common or differentto both areas (such as honesty as acharacter trait, or friendship as atheme) in two texts. [Challenging]

a Evaluate which similarity or differenceis the most significant, and explainwhy. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Venn Diagram(page 88)

Intermediate Level: Compare Chart(page 89)

Challenging Level: SupportingSimilarities (Adapted from Swartz andParks, 1994) (page 90)

Tip: When using the SupportingSimilarities activity, show the studentsa completed sample before they dotheir own. n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: True North by Kathryn Lasky (The BlueSky Press, 1996)

Among the Hidden by Margaret PetersonHaddix (Aladdin, 1998)

When Pigasso Met Mootise by Nina Laden(Chronicle Books, 1998) Picture book


88

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Compare Chart

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Comparing ______________________________ and ______________________________

from __________________________________________________________ (book title(s))

How alike? Support from text or texts

How different? Support from text or texts

______________________________

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90

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H

H

Select two items to compare. In each box labeled Similar, write one point of comparison, andin each box labeled Different, write one point of contrast.Then, in the Support column, writethe evidence from the text that supports the similarities or differences.

Supporting Similarities

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Which similarity or difference do you feel is most important in this story? Explain.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Book title(s)

________________________

________________________

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Item 1 Item 2


91

About SummaryGiving a summary—a concise recap ofmain points—may sound simple, but itis a complex skill. To summarize effec-tively, students must distinguish betweenideas that the author deems importantand those that are interesting but sec-ondary. Students must also be able todifferentiate between main ideas anddetails.

Why Is This Skill Important?Summarizing can help students monitortheir own comprehension (Can I recapin my own words what I just read?),remember information, and thinkabout the text as a whole.


Model Lesson: Writing chaptersummaries with Sadako and the ThousandPaper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (PuffinBooks, 1977)

h Read aloud from the book’s open-ing chapters. I model summarizingby reading aloud the first two chap-ters of Sadako and the Thousand PaperCranes. This is the story of Sadako, an11-year-old girl who developsleukemia as a result of radiationcaused by an atomic bomb, which

was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan.The opening chapters set the scene:Sadako and her family join the PeaceDay celebration in which the dead arehonored. While reading, I ask theclass to pay special attention to themain characters, setting, problem,and important events.

h Help students focus on the story’simportant points. I record thefollowing ideas on the Puzzlinggraphic organizer (page 94). Using asfew words as I can, I write down theimportant points for each category.Later, we’ll decide which ideas bestsummarize the story and put theminto categories.

Setting: Japan—August, 1954

Big event: Peace Day “celebration”—happens every year.

Character : Sadako Sasaki—maincharacter. She runs fast. Sadako looksforward to celebration—fun withfriends. Sadako enjoys celebration.

Character : Mr. Sasaki—reminded ofhow awful bombing was. Mr. Sasakilost six members of his family in thebombing.

Problem: Sadako sees the celebrationas a carnival, while Mr. and Mrs. Sasakiconsider it a time to pay respect tothose who were killed by the bombdropped on Hiroshima.

SummarySkill: Synthesize and restate the key points from the text in a sentence or short paragraph.


92

h Eliminate unnecessary ideasand write a structured sum-mary. I explain that now wehave to evaluate each idea andtrim down the list by eliminatingunnecessary ideas and combin-ing others. I remind studentsthat we are eliminating someideas that may be interesting butare probably not essential to theoutcome of the story. We workto make our ideas fit into thisformat: ______(main character)wants ______ (character desire)but ______ (problem), so _____(solution). Sadako wants to havefun at the Peace Day celebrationbut her father has bad memories ofthe destruction caused by the bombdropped on Hiroshima, so they actin different ways.

h Help students combine keyideas. With more advancedstudents, I think aloud whilecombining ideas: “In one sen-tence, I can explain what PeaceDay is and why it is celebrated.In another sentence, I can usephrases and conjunctions (and,but) to put together severalideas: who Sadako is, what shelikes to do, and how her fatherand she react differently.” Imodel this on a copy of theCombine and Condense graphicorganizer (page 95) and end upwith the following summary: There is a Peace Day “celebration”every year to remember those who

94

PuzzlingAs you read, use this graphic organizer to record important ideas about the main character,setting, problem, big events, and solution. Use your own words and list one idea in eachpuzzle piece.You may not need all the pieces.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________

Book title ___________________________________ Chapters or pages ______________

Cross out any ideas you don’t need and use the ideas you have left to write a short summary.

______________________________ wants ___________________________ (main character)

________________________________ but ___________________________

_______________________________________ , so _____________________

________________________________________________________________ .

character character

setting big event big event

problem solution

95

Combine and Condense

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Use short phrases to record important ideas about the main character or other importantcharacters, as well as setting, problem, big events, and solution. List one idea on eachnumbered line.You may not need all the lines.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

Cross out any ideas that are not important to the overall story.Now, combine the ideas that are left! Select the most important one from each category.

Use these ideas to write a summary of 2 to 4 sentences.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Characters + Setting + Problem + Events + Solution

No. ___ + No. ___ + No. ___ + No. ___ + No. ___

!


Introductory

Intermediate

96

Record what you think are important ideas about the main character, setting, problem,important events, and solution.

Final Reduction

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Now cross out any idea that’s not important. Use the ideas to write a summary (2 to 4sentences). _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Think about your summary. If you had to reduce it to one sentence, what would it be?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

!

Setting

Characters

Events

Problem Solution

Book title ________________________________________

Phillip—prejudiced, American boy

Mrs. Enright —mom, wants to leave

Mr. Enright—dad, wants to stay

Timothy—ship hand, a black islander, brave, reliable, caring

During WWII in 1942, Phillip and his mother try to escapeCuracao on a U.S. bound ship that gets torpedoed by the Germans. Phillip isblinded, but saved by a ship hand Timothy who is a black islander. Phillip isprejudiced, but learns to respect Timothy when they are stranded on thecay. Timothy dies when he tries to save Phillip during a hurricane. Phillip isrescued, but realizes how much he respects and misses his friend..

During WWII, an American boy Phillip survives a German torpedo attack butis blinded and then stranded on a cay with a black islander and ship hand

Timothy who helps Phillip overcome his prejudice.

The Cayby Theodore Taylor

Angela Nov. 30

1942 - World War IICuracao island(Caribbean)

Phillip and Timothy arestranded on the cay.Then Timothy dies in ahurricane and Philliphas to survive alone.

* Germans attack Curacao and tankers

* Phillip’s ship is torpedoed* Phillip is blinded* Phillip and Timothy

escape on a raft

A Navy destroyer seesPhillip’s signal andrescues him. Phillip realizeshow much he respectsand misses Timothy.

Challenging


93

died when a bomb was dropped onHiroshima. Sadako Sasaki, the maincharacter, always enjoys the celebrationwith her friends, but her father, who lostsix family members in the bombing, isreminded of how awful that day was.

h Show students how to further syn-thesize these ideas. For studentswho will use the Final Reductionorganizer (page 96), I explain how Icould take this summary and reduceit to one main-idea sentence: Everyyear Sadako and her family go to thePeace Day celebration, where peoplecommemorate in different ways the livesof victims of the Hiroshima bombing.

h When students are able todistinguish between “important”main ideas and “interesting”details, they should be ready tocomplete the basic tiered activity.Observing students’ responses duringlessons will help determine whenthey’re ready for the other activities.Throughout my teaching, I emphasizethat there is no one right way tocreate a summary, but that the purposeis to reduce the text to just the keypoints. In order to improve theirsummarization skills, most studentswill probably need repeated modelingof this process as well as examples ofstrong and weak summaries, followedby critiques and discussions.


Readers will:a Record all ideas that may be important

about character, setting, events,problem, and solution. [All]

a Evaluate the importance of each ideato the outcome of the story. [All]

a Eliminate ideas that are interestingbut only secondarily important to theoutcome of the story. [All]

a Write a brief summary that containsonly key points. [All]

a Condense and combine ideas.[Intermediate and Challenging]

a Reduce the essential ideas to onesentence. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Puzzling (page 94)

Tip: Remind students that when they areselecting key ideas, they are determiningwhat the author would see as importantto the overall story.

Intermediate Level: Combine andCondense (page 95)

Challenging Level: Final Reduction(page 96)n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Hiroshima by Laurence Yep (Scholastic,1995)

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle byAvi (Avon Flare Books, 1990)

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco(Philomel,1994) Picture book


94

PuzzlingAs you read, use this graphic organizer to record important ideas about the main character,setting, problem, big events, and solution. Use your own words and list one idea in eachpuzzle piece.You may not need all the pieces.

Name ___________________________________________ Date ___________________


Cross out any ideas you don’t need and use the ideas you have left to write a short summary.

______________________________ wants ___________________________ (main character)

________________________________ but ___________________________

_______________________________________ , so _____________________

________________________________________________________________ .

character character

setting big event big event

problem solution


95

Combine and Condense

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

Use short phrases to record important ideas about the main character or other importantcharacters, as well as setting, problem, big events, and solution. List one idea on eachnumbered line.You may not need all the lines.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

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Cross out any ideas that are not important to the overall story.Now, combine the ideas that are left! Select the most important one from each category.

Use these ideas to write a summary of 2 to 4 sentences.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Characters + Setting + Problem + Events + Solution

No. ___ + No. ___ + No. ___ + No. ___ + No. ___

!



96

Record what you think are important ideas about the main character, setting, problem,important events, and solution.

Final Reduction

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Now cross out any idea that’s not important. Use the ideas to write a summary (2 to 4sentences). _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Think about your summary. If you had to reduce it to one sentence, what would it be?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

!

Setting

Characters

Events

Problem Solution

Book title ________________________

________________________________


97

About Main IdeaWhen readers seek out the main idea(s)of a passage, their job is to briefly sum-marize the implicit elements to get thebig idea(s) in the writing. This lessonasks students to phrase the main idea ina sentence that goes beyond a summarystatement—to show the deeper meaningbehind events and actions.

Why Is This Skill Important?It’s difficult, and usually not necessary,for readers to remember everything theyread; they can focus by culling meaningfrom important events and informationand focusing on main ideas.


Model Lesson: Identifying mainideas with Nettie’s Trip South by AnnTurner (Simon & Schuster, 1987)

Identifying the main idea of a story isa difficult skill for many students tomaster, and it’s even more difficult whenstudents work with authentic literaturein which there are usually several keyideas woven together.

h Initiate main idea instruction byusing a short passage or a picturebook that has a clear message,

like Nettie’s Trip South. This pow-erful picture book is based on a diarythat was kept by the author’s great-grandmother. It’s a letter that Nettie,a ten-year-old girl from Albany, NewYork, writes to her cousin Addie justbefore the Civil War. In it shedescribes the disturbing realities ofslavery, as witnessed firsthand duringher trip to Richmond, Virginia.Nettie writes that the sight of slavesliving in poverty on a wealthyplantation haunt her, and thatbearing witness to the Negro Auctionmade her physically sick. Shecomments, “If we slipped into ablack skin like a tight coat, every-thing would change.”

h Think out loud about how togenerate the main idea. I explainthat I’m going to describe, in onesentence, the big idea or the centralmeaning behind the book. I takenote of the title and talk about why Ithink the author used this title andwhat it has to do with the importantmessage of the book. (For example,the economy of the South in thistime period is driven by agricultureand slavery. Nettie’s trip involvesa learning experience about therealities of slavery.) Next, I invitestudents to help me list on the board

Main IdeaSkill: Create a summary statement of key, implicit ideas from a passage.


98

or overhead some of theimportant events (or details)in the book. After the list iscomplete, I provide a mainidea statement that pulls thisinformation together: “Ithink the main idea is thatNettie is upset by the whitesoutherners’ treatment ofpre–Civil War slaves, whosuffered many injusticesbecause of the color of theirskin.” Then I go backthrough our list and thebook, showing how theevents, details, and title cluessupport this main idea.

h Using the key ideas inthe book, brainstormalternative titles that canhelp students generate amain idea statement.For example, I suggest thebook could be called Nettie’sNightmare because theexperiences depicted in thebook continued to haunt herwhen she returned home.

h When students can providea main idea statement fora text, match them withthe appropriate tieredactivities. Students who aremore advanced in this areawill be able to move from themain idea to a more concisestatement of theme.

100

What’s the main idea?

Title of book or chapter ___________________________________________________

What’s It All About?

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Titles can give clues aboutimportant ideas in a story. Whatclues do you notice in this title?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

List four of the most importantdetails from this book.

As you thinkabout the mainidea, look carefullyat the clues fromthe title and thedetails you listed.What’s important?What is your listmostly about?

1

2

3

4

The title describeshow Sarah looks.She is honest abouthow she looks.

The title makes Sarahsound strong. Thefamily cares moreabout strong womenthan pretty ones.

Caleb and Anna reallywant a mother.

Sarah and her cat fit inwell at the farm.

Sarah helps Papa duringa storm.

Sarah leaves but comesback to her family on theprairie.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Jennifer P. Dec. 11

Wherever your family is,that’s where home is.

101

What’s in a Name?Title of book or chapter ___________________________________________________

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Does the title of this book or chapter give any clues in helping you decidewhat the main idea is? Explain.


Key event or detail

Key event or detail

Key event or detail

Key event or detail

Think of the mainidea as you writea new title forthis text.

A good title might be ____________________________________________________________________________because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another good title might be _______________________________________________________________________because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Think of a secondmain idea as youwrite another newtitle for this text.

H

H

H

H

Introductory

Intermediate

102

What’s the Message?Title of book or chapter ___________________________________________________

Give an example from the book.that supports your main idea

A theme is a generalization about life, the world, or the universe. Themes focus on big,important ideas.They are often inspirational. Some examples of themes may be that allpeople should be treated kindly and fairly, regardless of their skin color ; it’s best to behonest; or being nice and working hard is rewarded.

Think about the main idea in the text that you just read. Create a bumper sticker thatdepicts the theme of this text.

Theme Bumper Sticker

Give an example from the book.that supports your main idea


Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Challenging


99


Readers will:a Explain whether or not the main idea

of the book is reflected in the title.[Introductory and Intermediate]

a List important details from thepassage. [Introductory]

a Determine the main idea. [All]

a Create new titles for the book basedon key ideas from the book andprovide a rationale for each new title.[Intermediate]

a Transform the main idea from aninterpretation into a theme.[Challenging]

a Design a bumper sticker that depictsthe book’s theme. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: What’s It All About?(page 100)

Tip: Provide students with instructionand practice in summarization (see page91) to help them identify key events thatthey can use as details in the organizer.

Intermediate Level: What’s in a Name?(page 101)

Challenging Level: What’s the Message?(page 102)

Tip: Students need to understand theconcept of theme to complete thebumper sticker on this activity page.Make sure to discuss main idea in termsof theme. Themes are generalizationsthat state big, important ideas, and areoften inspirational and more condensedthan the summary-style statement stu-dents have been working with. I begin bysharing themes from stories they know.For example, in the popular picture bookIra Sleeps Over (Waber, 1972), a thememight be “Be your own person.” Someadditional examples are provided in theWhat’s the Message? organizer.n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: The Cricket in Times Square by GeorgeSelden (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1960)

My Brother Sam Is Dead by James LincolnCollier (Scholastic, 1974)

Faithful Elephants, A True Story of Animals,People and War by Yukio Tsuchiya(Houghton Mifflin, 1988) Picture book


100


Title of book or chapter ___________________________________________________

What’s It All About?

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Titles can give clues aboutimportant ideas in a story. Whatclues do you notice in this title?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

List four of the most importantdetails from this book.

As you thinkabout the mainidea, look carefullyat the clues fromthe title and thedetails you listed.What’s important?What is your listmostly about?

1

2

3

4


101

What’s in a Name?Title of book or chapter ___________________________________________________

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Does the title of this book or chapter give any clues in helping you decidewhat the main idea is? Explain.


Key event or detail

Key event or detail

Key event or detail

Key event or detail

Think of the mainidea as you writea new title forthis text.

A good title might be ____________________________________________________________________________because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another good title might be _______________________________________________________________________because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Think of a secondmain idea as youwrite another newtitle for this text.

H

H

H

H


102

What’s the Message?Title of book or chapter ___________________________________________________

Give an example from the book.that supports your main idea.

A theme is a generalization about life, the world, or the universe. Themes focus on big,important ideas.They are often inspirational. Some examples of themes may be that allpeople should be treated kindly and fairly, regardless of their skin color ; it’s best to behonest; or being nice and working hard is rewarded.

Think about the main idea in the text that you just read. Create a bumper sticker thatdepicts the theme of this text.

Theme Bumper Sticker

Give an example from the book.that supports your main idea.


Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________


103

About Figurative LanguageFigurative language employs images andcomparisons to create a special feelingor effect. Similes and metaphors are twoof the most commonly used figures ofspeech. A simile compares two unlikethings using the words like or as (Shewas shaking like a leaf). A metaphorcompares two unlike things implicitly(That problem is a thorn in my side).

Why Is This Skill Important?To understand figurative language,students must “see beyond” the literalmeaning of the words so they read thetext at a deeper level.


Model Lesson: Interpreting figurativelanguage with “No Difference” fromWhere the Sidewalk Ends by ShelSilverstein (Harper & Row, 1974),“Magic Carpet” from A Light in the Atticby Shel Silverstein (Harper & Row,1981), and Encounter by Jane Yolen(Voyager Books/Harcourt Brace, 1992)

h Provide an explanation of simileand metaphor by introducingclear examples from well-likedpoetry. Using Shel Silverstein’s poem“No Difference,” we analyze the

phrases he uses to tell us that weare all the same in the dark: “smallas a peanut, big as a giant, rich as asultan, and poor as mite.” We discusshow these similes create much morecolorful images than plainly sayingwe are all the same inside, despiteour differences physically, socially,economically, and so on.

Once students understand similes, Imove on to metaphors. In “MagicCarpet,” the poet implicitly comparesthe imagination to a magic carpet:“You have a magic carpet / That willwhiz you through the air / To Spainor Maine or Africa / If you just tell itwhere. . . .” The question What couldthat magic carpet be? helps studentswho are reading the poem literally,and helps them understandSilverstein’s message: that they havethe option to use or not use theirimaginations.

h Provide some practice identifyingsimiles and metaphors. Similes areusually less confusing than metaphorsbecause they are less abstract, andthey have the signal word as or like inthe text. To help students learn howto distinguish between metaphorsor similes, I use paired simile andmetaphor examples like the following

Figurative LanguageSkill: Identify a simile or metaphor and explain the author’s meaning.


104

in a focus lesson. We discusshow the use of similes andmetaphors creates differentimages.

• The growing boy was as tall asa tree.The mighty redwood stand offootball players raised theirhelmets to the crowd.

• Annie’s room is like the Wild West—anything goes.Down the hall is a dump withrotten apples and dirty gymsocks: my sister’s room.

• The dog ran like the wind to warn us of the fire.A four-siren alarm, the dogbarked and howled until wewoke up.

h Support students as theyinterpret similes andmetaphors in longerpassages. I follow up withmodel passages from Encounter.This book uses a Taino boy’sperspective to tell of the landingof the strange, greedy whitemen (Columbus and his crew)on San Salvador. We discussthe following lines and I assesstheir interpretations to see ifthey are ready to work withmetaphors and similesindependently. (Note: no pagenumbers are given.)

• I watched their chief smile.It was the serpent’s smile—nolips and all teeth. (metaphor)

106

Figuring Out Figurative Language

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Simile: A comparison using likeor as between two unlike things.The boy was as tall as a tree.

Metaphor: A direct comparison of twounlike things. A four-siren alarm, the dogbarked and howled until we woke up.

Page number _____

Sentence from text

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Check one: qSimile qMetaphorWhat do you think the author means?

_________________________________

Sketch the simile or metaphor.

Page number _____

Sentence from text

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


_________________________________


Book title _________________________________________________________________

107

Figurative Fun

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

In each box, write the page number and the metaphor or simile from the text.Then explainhow the figure of speech makes you feel or think about what the author is describing.

Page number ___________ Check one: qSimile qMetaphor

Sentence from text ________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

What do you think the author means?

Was this a good comparison? Explain how the author’s description makes youfeel or think.



________________________________________________________________



Book title _________________________________________________________________

Cobble’s knot was the biggest, most difficult knot ever. Itcould have been in a museum—like an ancient relic.

Yes. The Seven Wonders of the World are the most amazing buildings and places of the ancient world. That makes theknot even more amazing.

He means the candy would be melted and soupy because ofthe heat.

Yes. It made me think of how crayons melt in the car on a hot summer day—all gross and sticky.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Marc Feb. 17

68“If the Wonders of the World hadn’t stopped

at seven, Cobble’s knot would have been number eight.”

59“It was a hot day in August . . . so hot, if you

were packing candy, you had soup in your pocket by two o’clock.”

4

4

Introductory

Intermediate

108

Select examples of figurative language from your reading and fill in the organizer below toevaluate how well the simile, metaphor, or other figurative language device worked.

Figurative Fantasy

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Page number ___ Check one: qSimile qMetaphor qOther _______


________________________________________________________________


Think of another way to say what the author has written.Write your ownmetaphor or simile that could replace the one in the book.



________________________________________________________________



Book title _________________________________________________________________

Challenging


105

• They [the chief ’s eyes] were blue and gray like the shifting sea.(simile)

• But in my dream that night, threegreat-winged birds with voices like thun-der rode wild waves in our bay. (simile)

• And many of them had hair growinglike bushes on their chins. (simile)

• The hand felt like flesh and blood,but the skin was moon to my sun.(simile and metaphor)

h When students can identify a simi-le and a metaphor and distinguishbetween the two, match them withthe appropriate tiered activities.Students who are more advanced inthis area might try identifying othertypes of figurative language, suchas personification, through which anauthor attributes human characteristicsor actions to nonhuman things (Thesun winked at me).


Readers will:a Identify a sentence or phrase as a

simile or metaphor, and explain itsmeaning in the text. [All]

a Clarify the image or special effectcreated. [Intermediate]

a Explain how a metaphorical imageinfluences their feelings about thetopic. [Intermediate and Challenging]

a Create a figure of speech that is similarto the one in the text. [Challenging]

Graphic Organizers:Introductory Level: Figuring OutFigurative Language (page 106)

Tip: You may want to assign a passage,poem, or chapter that contains severalgood examples of similes or metaphors.With practice, your students should beable to do an independent “free search” ora “collection” while reading.

Intermediate Level: Figurative Fun(page 107)

Challenging Level: Figurative Fantasy(page 108)n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Books Worth Using: Yellow Bird and Me by Joyce Hansen(Clarion Books, 1986)

The Midnight Horse by Sid Fleischman(William Morrow & Co., 1990)

Encounter by Jane Yolen (Harcourt, Brace& Co., 1992) Picture book


106

Figuring Out Figurative Language

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Simile: A comparison using likeor as between two unlike things.The boy was as tall as a tree.

Metaphor: A direct comparison of twounlike things. A four-siren alarm, the dogbarked and howled until we woke up.

Page number _____

Sentence from text

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


_________________________________


Page number _____

Sentence from text

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________


_________________________________


Book title _________________________________________________________________


107

Figurative Fun

Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

In each box, write the page number and the metaphor or simile from the text.Then explainhow the figure of speech makes you feel or think about what the author is describing.



________________________________________________________________





________________________________________________________________



Book title _________________________________________________________________


108

Select examples of figurative language from your reading and fill in the organizer below toevaluate how well the simile, metaphor, or other figurative language device worked.

Figurative Fantasy

Name _____________________________________________ Date ___________________



________________________________________________________________





________________________________________________________________



Book title _________________________________________________________________


109

About Journal ResponsesA journal response is not meant togo beyond a first draft. The content isconsidered more important than themechanics. Journals allow students tofocus on their interpretations of specificelements of the story. The response is aswriting should be: thinking and feelingwritten down.

Why Is This Skill Important?Journal writing enables students toorganize and articulate their thoughts.As we know, reading reinforces writing,and writing reinforces reading. Inaddition, like oral responses, journalsallow each student to express his orher understanding of the reading,but may encourage more in-depth,personal responses.


h Make sure students have a journalor notebook that they can useexclusively for writing responsesto literature. This will become theirreading journal, reading responsenotebook, or whatever you chooseto call it.

h Model using the journal as aplace to collect ideas about your

reading that help you betterunderstand a story or text.Encourage students to date theirentries so that they can refer back toprevious entries and check theirearlier reflections and understand-ings. This process will help studentsmove forward with their thinking.

h Review different skills andstrategies that students can useeach time they respond toliterature. Look back through thelessons in this book—any skill lessonor activity page may serve as aspringboard for a journal response.I allow students to write in all typesof ways in their journals, includingfree writing, writing in response toa question or prompt, filling in adiagram or chart, and sketching.

h Differentiate instruction throughthe activities you design or thelevel of questions that you pose.Some types of responses requiremore critical thinking than others.For example, asking students tocompare and contrast events isgenerally more involved than askingthem to describe an event. In thetable on page 111 I’ve providedexamples of questions that representintroductory, intermediate, and

Journal ResponsesSkill: In a journal entry, respond to literature thoughtfully and use supporting information from the text.


110

challenging levels of comprehensionand interpretation.

h Model any type of response youwant students to be able to makein their journals. I provide examplesof strong and weak journal entriesfor any skill we’ve worked on. Forexample, if a student is writing aboutcharacter traits and responds, “I likethis character because he’s funny,” Icomment that I’m not convincedabout this until the reader gives mesome evidence to support why hethinks that character is funny. Werefer back to the activity pages we’vecompleted for character analysis toreview ways to respond with supportfrom the text. I encourage studentsto use the activity pages they’veused and are comfortable with as atemplate for their journal responses.


Readers will:a Identify components of the story. [All]

a Support their responses with informa-tion from the text and from their ownexperiences. [All]

a Make judgments based on informationfrom the text and from their ownexperiences. [Intermediate]

a Analyze story elements and createalternate scenarios. [Challenging]


111

Journal Response Activities Since students will respond to thesetiered prompts in their individualjournals, no reproducible activity pagesare included. Students should read to a

designated place in the text and thenrespond to the appropriate prompt ormodel their response after one of theactivity pages they’ve already completed.

Sample Journal Response Prompts

Introductory

Which is your favoritecharacter? Explain why thisis your favorite character.How are you similar to anddifferent from this character?

What do you think is the mostimportant event in the story?Explain why this is the mostimportant one.

Tell where and when thisstory takes place.

List three actions (causes) andthree resulting effects.

Brainstorm ideas relating tothe 5 W’s about this book:Who (characters), when andwhere (setting), what (whathappens), and why (why is thisstory happening—what’s theproblem that needs to besolved?). Highlight or circlethe most important ideas.

Intermediate

List 3–5 traits that describeyour favorite character. Explainwhy she or he is your favoritecharacter. Which traits do youadmire or like the most? Whichtraits do you not like? Why?

Describe the most importantevent. Explain why you thinkthis is the most importantevent. (How did it affect thecharacters and their actions?)

Tell where and when thisstory takes place. (If there ismore than one setting, brieflydescribe each of them.)Why do you think the authorchose this setting (or thesesettings) for this book?

Describe an important cause-effect relationship from thisstory and come up with adifferent (but plausible) effectfor the cause.Why do youthink the author chose theoriginal sequence of events?

Complete a story map andwrite a summary of the storyusing the information fromyour map.

Challenging

Contrast your favorite characterwith your least favoritecharacter. Explain why youchose these two characters.

Summarize the most importantevent. Explain how you wouldchange it to give the story adifferent twist.

If this story happened some-where else or at anothertime, how would the plot bedifferent?

Pick a critical cause-and-effectrelationship and explain how adifferent cause or effect mighthave changed the whole story.

Imagine that you are writing atelegram to a friend about thisbook and you are paying bythe word! Write a briefsummary of the book withthe most important pointsin one sentence.

CHAR

ACTE

RAN

ALYS

ISST

ORY

MAP

SSE

TTIN

GCA

USE

AND

EFFE

CTSU

MM

ARY


112

Professional Works CitedLane, B. (1993). After the end: Teaching and learning creative revision. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.

Swartz, R.J., & Parks, S. (1994). Infusing critical and creative thinking into content instruction:A lesson design handbook for the elementary grades. Pacific Grove, CA: CriticalThinking Press and Software.

Tomlinson, C.A. (1999). The Differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Vacca, R.T., & Vacca, J.L. (1993). Content area reading. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins.


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