My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza - Teaching Ideas

Hmm, I wonder whose lucky day it will be. Will the fox have a nice tasty dinner, or is the pig up to something sneaky?

I think that is all I am going to say about this book, other than it is a great book your your students will LOVE it!

Listed below are the reading skills, strategies and ideas you might need to create a great lesson to go with this book.

With so many great teaching opportunities in this book, I could help but make a packet to go with it. 

Reading level: 1.5

Theme/subject: cleverness, imagination, creativity

Genre: fable/folktale

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: polished, hauled, pig roast, useless, massage, exhausted

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is about. I wonder whose lucky day it is. I wonder if it is the fox or the pig that is lucky. {possible questions during} I wonder why the piglet keeps helping the fox. I wonder why the pig looks so happy if he is just going to be eaten. I wonder why the fox looks so angry while he is preparing his pig roast.  {possible questions after}  I wonder if the piglet will trick the bear like he tricked the fox. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this.
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} Animals don’t cook or live in houses. The pig outsmarted the fox. It was funny when the fox was massaging the pig. All these things make for a very entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} The pig knocked on Mr. Fox’s door. {most important event from middle} Mr. Fox bathed, massaged and fed the pig a nice meal. {most important event from end} Mr. Fox passed out because he was so exhausted.
• Cause and effect – Why did Mr. Fox grab the piglet? Because he was standing at his front door. Why did the piglet kick and squeal? Because Mr. Fox grabbed him. Why did Mr. Fox give the piglet a bath? Because he was filthy. Why did Mr. Fox give piglet and nice meal? Because he needed to fatten him up. Why did Mr. Fox give piglet a massage? So he could make him tender. Why did Mr. Fox pass out? Because he was exhausted.
• Character analysis - describe the piglet. Describe Mr. Fox {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Compare & contrast – Mr. Fox to piglet. Compare Mr. Fox to the wolf in The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Preparing a meal. Roasting a pig. Being exhausted because of hard work. {possible text-to-text connections} Connect to The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza because both the wolf and Mr. Fox wanted to catch another animal, only to have that other animal outsmart him.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Do you think the bear at the end of the story will be tricked like Mr. Fox was tricked? {text clues} The piglet was pretty clever when he was with Mr. Fox. He came to the bears house looking filthy just like he did at Mr. Fox’s house {my conclusion} I think the bear will be tricked just like Mr. Fox was.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} Mr. Fox was getting the piglet ready for roasting. {details} He gave the piglet a bath, a nice meal and a massage.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Mr. Fox passed out from exhaustion.
• Predict – What do you think the story will be about? Whose Lucky Day will it be? Who do you think will be at the door? Do you think the piglet will be able to escape Mr. Fox? How do you think Mr. Fox will fatten up the piglet? How will the fox tenderize the piglet? Where did Mr. Fox go? What do you think the piglet will do now that Mr. Fox has passed out?
• Problem & solution - {piglets problem} Piglet was caught by Mr. Fox. {solution} Piglet tricked Mr. Fox into doing a lot things for him such as a nice bath, delicious dinner and a relaxing massage. Mr. Fox passed out exhausted from all the work.
• Sequencing – Piglet knocks on Mr. Fox’s door. Mr. Fox grabs piglet. Mr. Fox starts to prepare the piglet for the roast. Piglet suggests a bath since he is filthy. Mr. Fox gives piglet a bath. Piglet tells Mr. Fox that he should be fattened up before cooking. Mr. Fox fixes the piglet a delicious meal. Piglet tells Mr. Fox that his muscles are a bit tough, so Mr. Fox gives piglet a nice massage. Mr. Fox collapses from exhaustion because of all the work. The piglet runs home as happy as can be.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Mr. Fox said it was his lucky day, but it was really the piglet’s lucky day. What would you tell the bear at the end of the story about piglet so he won’t get tricked like Mr. Fox did.
• Summarize - {someone} Mr. Fox {wanted} wanted a roast pig for dinner {but} but was tricked by the piglet into giving him a nice bath, delicious dinner and a relaxing massage.  {then} Then Mr. Fox passed out from exhaustion. {finally} Finally the piglet went home, happy as can be. 
• Visualize – The piglet tricked Mr. Fox into giving him a nice bath, delicious meal and a relaxing massage. Visualize something you really want for dinner that your mother won’t fix you. How would you trick your mom into fixing it for dinner?

 

What you will find in the packet:
* Asking Questions - 2 pages
* Author's Purpose - 1 page
* Beginning, Middle, End - 5 pages
* Character Analysis - 6 pages
* Compare and Contrast - 3 pages
* Text-to-Self Connections - 3 pages
* Text-to-Text Connections - 2 pages
* Drawing Conclusions/Inferencing - 3 pages
* Main Idea and Details - 7 pages
* Predicting - 3 pages
* Sequencing - 9 pages plus 2 keys
* Story Map - 3 pages
* Strong Thought - 3 page

Happy Reading!