Oliver Finds His Way by Phyllis Root - Teaching Ideas

Poor little Oliver finds himself at the edge of the woods, far from home. You see, he saw this beautiful yellow leaf that he just had to follow. Once Oliver realized that he was lost, he started to cry, and then he started to think about how he would get home. He thought and thought and thought and then he finally started to roar. He roared, louder and louder and LOUDER, until he finally heard his mom and dad's roar. Once he heard their roar, he knew exactly how to get home, he followed their roar.

This is another super cute book with adorable bears! A sweet book you will enjoy reading to your kiddos.

Listed below are the reading skills and strategies you could use to create a mini lesson on whatever your students need more help on.

I did create a problem/solution freebie for this book. 

Reading level: 1.5

Theme/subject: bravery

Genre: animal stories

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: clumpy bush, twisty tree, tumble-down hugs

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is about. I wonder if Oliver is lost. I wonder how he finds his way. {possible questions during} I wonder what Oliver is going to do to get home {possible questions after} I wonder if Oliver will wander off again.  **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} Bears don’t live in houses or wear clothes. The illustrator drew cute illustrations. All these things make a very cute and entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Oliver follows a yellow leaf into the woods. {most important event from; middle} Oliver is lost so he roars very loudly. {most important event from end} Oliver follows his mom and dad’s roar to get back home.
• Cause and effect – Why does Oliver get lost? Because he follows a yellow leaf into the woods. Why does Oliver start to cry? Because he was lost. Why does Oliver start to roar? So his mom and dad will hear him. Why do Oliver’s mom and dad roar back? So Oliver could follow the sound home. Why did Oliver get tumble down hugs? Because he was happy to be home.
• Character analysis - describe Oliver {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Compare & contrast – you and Oliver
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} getting lost, finding your way home, finding your parents, being happy to see your parents.
•  Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Why do you think Oliver ran all the way home? {text clues} Oliver was scared and all alone in the woods. {what I know} If I am lost and afraid I want to get home as fast as I can. {my conclusion} I think Oliver ran all the way home because he was scared being all by himself and he wanted to get home to his mom and dad as fast as possible.
• Fact & opinion – {fact} Oliver followed a yellow leaf to the edge of the woods. Oliver got lost. Oliver started to cry. Oliver started to roar. {opinion} It is scary being lost. Oliver should have marked his trail so he didn’t get lost. Oliver is too young to be out by himself.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} Oliver can’t find his way home. {details} Oliver starts to cry. Oliver runs to the wrong tree. Oliver runs to the wrong bush.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when Oliver decides to roar.
• Predict – What do you think the story is going to be about? What do you think will happen to Oliver at the edge of the woods? What is Oliver thinking about in the woods? How do you think Oliver will get back home? Why does Oliver start to roar?  What will Oliver do when he starts to hear his mom and dad roar?
• Problem & solution - {problem} Oliver gets lost. {solution} Oliver decides to roar.
• Sequencing – Oliver follows a yellow leaf. He goes around a twisty tree and a clumpy bush. Oliver goes all the way to the edge of the woods. Oliver tries to run home. He runs to the wrong tree. He goes to the wrong bush.  Oliver starts to cry. Oliver starts to think, and then he starts to roar. Oliver’s mom and dad roar back. Oliver runs home. Oliver gets tumble down hugs and a big yellow leaf.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Oliver got lost because he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. What advice could you give him so he doesn’t get lost again?
• Summarize - {someone} Oliver {wanted} wanted to chase a yellow leaf {but} but he got lost {so} so he started to cry. {then/when} When Oliver heard his mom and dad roar Oliver {finally} finally got home.
• Theme – Pay attention when you are going somewhere for the first time. Crying won’t solve your problems. Your family will always be there for you.
• Visualize – Oliver got lost because he didn’t pay attention as he was following the leaf. Visualize yourself being lost like Oliver was. After crying, Oliver decided to roar as loud as he could so his mom and dad would hear him. Visualize what you would do to get yourself home.

Happy Reading!