Chapter 1 Mini Lesson-Context Clues

Introduction:  Ask students what strategies they use when they come upon an unknown word.  Do they skip it?  Look it up?  Use other words around it to help figure it out?  Which of these strategies would be the best so that you understand what you are reading? 

Procedure:  Explain that using context clues means using the words that surround to help you figure out the meaning of a word.

Visit the website http://www.scc.losrios.edu/~langlit/reading/contextclues/intro1.htm This can be done as a large group, partners, or individually.  The website walks through strategies, examples, and practice items. 

Closure:  Students will be responsible for demonstrating how they used context clues to help  figure out the Spanish is this book by writing three examples of where they used context clues. 

Chapter 2 Mini Lesson-Character Traits

Introduction:  Ask students to think of a friend or family member that they have positive relationship with.  What words or phrases would they use to describe the relationship.  This will serve as a transition to identifying relationships among the characters. 

Procedure:  Students will work individually to create relationship charts using Inspiration for each set of characters listed.  Students should have a minimum of three words/phrases for each. 

Chapter 3 Mini Lesson-Inferences

Introduction:  Pose the question--What does it mean to read between the lines?  Making an inference is the ability to connect what is in the text with what is in your mind to create educated assumptions. 

Procedure: Read the following scenarios to the students and then have them answer the questions that follow.  The first two are very easy.  The third one requires more thought. 

Mom gave Matt and Josh lunch money and walked them to the bus. When the bus came they got on with all the other children and waved goodbye to Mom.

Where were the children going?  What color was the bus?

“Wow!” said Kim. “That was a pretty one!” All the people were looking at the dark sky. “There goes another one!” said Mom. “It lights up the sky!” When the show was over, the tired children went home and went to bed.

What were the people doing?  Was it daytime or nighttime?

He put down $10 at the window.  The woman behind the window gave $4.  The person next to him gave $3, but he gave it back to her.  So, when they went inside, she bought him a large bag of popcorn.  

Where did this scenario take place?  Why was there an exchange of money?  How did you figure this out?

Closure: Students will be responsible for recording in their journals examples of inferences they had to do while reading this chapter. 

Chapter 4 Mini Lesson-Imagery

Introduction: Ask students to recall a favorite memory.  Why do they remember it so well?  What do they remember seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, hearing?

Procedure:  Have students close their eyes and create a picture in their mind as you read a short story or poem that appeals to as many of the senses as possible (sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing).  Ask students to share what they pictured in their minds. 

Closure:  Students will be responsible for recording examples of imagery used by the author in this chapter.