Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Objective: The students will make predictions, connections, and wonder about the text while listening to a read aloud.
Materials: Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
Lesson Sequence:
· Before Reading:
o “Readers, I was recently introduced to a really funny book and I am so excited to read it aloud together and share it with you. Have you ever heard of the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss? (Show book) This is a hilarious book about the power of punctuation marks and the differences they make in writing. I want you to look at the cover of this book and tell me what you observe. Based on your observations, what do you think this book will be about? What does the title mean? What does the illustrations on the cover tell us about the text? Can you make a prediction?”
o Allow students to predict. Ask, “What on the cover or in the title makes you think that?”
o “These are all very interesting predictions, readers. We are going to read the book now. As we read, I want you to listen and think about the predictions that we made and see if they were true or if we would change them with new information we discover. We use predictions to think about what we believe will happen in the story in order to be active readers. Raise your hand when you hear one of your predictions being confirmed or when you need to make a new prediction.”
· During Reading:
o Stop reading occasionally and allow students to think about their predictions. Allow them to confirm and change predictions. If students are not engaged with the story, stop and redirect by asking questions or discussing a connection.
o Places to stop and engage in conversation:
§ Pg 2: “How do the illustrations help us understand the differences between the sentences? How did I read each sentence? Were they the same or different?”
§ Pg 4: “After reading the past two pages I was wondering what the author’s purpose for writing this book is. Does anyone have an idea?”
§ Pg 5 (Do not show pictures): “After I read this page, what were you picturing in your head?”
§ Pg 6 (Do not show pictures): “How did the way I read this same sentence change the picture in your head from the previous page?”
§ Pg 8: At the end of this page I am thinking about the powerful use of punctuation and how it makes me read differently as a reader. I am beginning to understand how important it is to use commas as I read text so that I understand what the author is trying to say. A comma is a punctuation mark that indicates a breath while reading. I need to make sure that I pause and separate the independent phrases.”
· After Reading:
o Readers, we are going to stop here for today. I want you to turn and talk to a neighbor about what we just read:
§ What did you like about the book so far?
§ What do you think the author’s purpose for writing this book was?
§ Do you have any questions about the book or anything you want to explore further after reading?”
o After three minutes, discuss the questions as a whole group.
o Create a chart with the class’s ideas about the author’s purpose for writing this story and other purposes’ authors have for writing books.
o “We did some great thinking today as readers and the ideas are making me excited to investigate and read the rest of the book!”
· Assessment:
o How will you know if students are successful?
§ Students will be successful if they are able to make reasonable predictions, accurate observations, understand the author’s purpose for writing the book, and interesting connections to the text in order to explain their thinking through oral discussion and creation of the chart.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Objective: The students will make predictions, connections, and wonder about the text while listening to a read aloud.
Materials: Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
Lesson Sequence:
· Before Reading:
o “Readers, I was recently introduced to a really funny book and I am so excited to read it aloud together and share it with you. Have you ever heard of the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss? (Show book) This is a hilarious book about the power of punctuation marks and the differences they make in writing. I want you to look at the cover of this book and tell me what you observe. Based on your observations, what do you think this book will be about? What does the title mean? What does the illustrations on the cover tell us about the text? Can you make a prediction?”
o Allow students to predict. Ask, “What on the cover or in the title makes you think that?”
o “These are all very interesting predictions, readers. We are going to read the book now. As we read, I want you to listen and think about the predictions that we made and see if they were true or if we would change them with new information we discover. We use predictions to think about what we believe will happen in the story in order to be active readers. Raise your hand when you hear one of your predictions being confirmed or when you need to make a new prediction.”
· During Reading:
o Stop reading occasionally and allow students to think about their predictions. Allow them to confirm and change predictions. If students are not engaged with the story, stop and redirect by asking questions or discussing a connection.
o Places to stop and engage in conversation:
§ Pg 2: “How do the illustrations help us understand the differences between the sentences? How did I read each sentence? Were they the same or different?”
§ Pg 4: “After reading the past two pages I was wondering what the author’s purpose for writing this book is. Does anyone have an idea?”
§ Pg 5 (Do not show pictures): “After I read this page, what were you picturing in your head?”
§ Pg 6 (Do not show pictures): “How did the way I read this same sentence change the picture in your head from the previous page?”
§ Pg 8: At the end of this page I am thinking about the powerful use of punctuation and how it makes me read differently as a reader. I am beginning to understand how important it is to use commas as I read text so that I understand what the author is trying to say. A comma is a punctuation mark that indicates a breath while reading. I need to make sure that I pause and separate the independent phrases.”
· After Reading:
o Readers, we are going to stop here for today. I want you to turn and talk to a neighbor about what we just read:
§ What did you like about the book so far?
§ What do you think the author’s purpose for writing this book was?
§ Do you have any questions about the book or anything you want to explore further after reading?”
o After three minutes, discuss the questions as a whole group.
o Create a chart with the class’s ideas about the author’s purpose for writing this story and other purposes’ authors have for writing books.
o “We did some great thinking today as readers and the ideas are making me excited to investigate and read the rest of the book!”
· Assessment:
o How will you know if students are successful?
§ Students will be successful if they are able to make reasonable predictions, accurate observations, understand the author’s purpose for writing the book, and interesting connections to the text in order to explain their thinking through oral discussion and creation of the chart.