"Let's Get a Pup!" said Kate by Bob Graham - Teaching Ideas

"Let's Get a Pup! Said Kate is an adorable book about a little girl wanting a new pup. Kate and her mom and dad head to the Rescue Center to pick out the little pup they think would fit their family. But on their way out of the center with their new pup they notice an old dog named Rosie. They watch her and wonder if she might be the one, but continue to leave with Dave...their new pup. At home, Dave was everything they were looking for in a pup...except when it was time to sleep. Nobody got any sleep that night because Dave was restless in his new home. The following morning Kate and her family went back to the center to get Rosie. Once Rosie got home, everyone was happy, including Dave the pup. That night they ALL slept great.

Below is a list of skills, strategies and ideas you can use to create a great lesson for this book.

Reading level: 2.6

Theme/subject: animals, family

Genre: animal stories

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: rescue center, good intention, backward glance, broad

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder if they will get a pup.  {possible questions during} I wonder what kind of pup they will take home. I wonder if they will take Dave back to the Rescue Center. I wonder if they will bring Rosie home instead. {possible questions after} I wonder if Kate’s parents will be mad that Rosie and Dave slept on Kate’s bed.  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (their, they, Kate, mom, dad).
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} The story is told in rhyme. The illustrations of all the dogs are really cute. Dave does silly puppy things when he gets home. All these things make a very entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Kate wanted a new puppy. {most important event from middle} Kate and her mom and dad brought Dave home. {most important event from end} Kate and her mom and dad went back to the Rescue Center to get Rosie.
• Cause and effect – Why did Kate want to get a pup? Because her cat had died. Why did they leave without eating breakfast? Because they were going to the Rescue Center. Why did mom, dad and Kate walk away slowly? Because they kept looking back at Rosie.
• Character analysis - describe Dave. Describe Rosie {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Classify & categorize – Things cats and dogs do.
• Compare & contrast – compare and contrast cats and dogs. Compare and contrast Rosie and Dave.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} having a cat or pet die. Getting a dog from a shelter. Having a puppy. Having an old dog.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Why do you think the family went back to get Rosie? {text clues} The family kept looking back when they left the Center. Dave did not sleep very well when he got home. {my conclusion} I think they family went back to get Rosie because they all missed her, even Dave.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} The story is mostly about Kate and her family getting a new dog. {details} Kate and her family went to the Rescue Center. Kate and her family looked at all the dogs in the Center. Kate and her family took Dave home with them.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when no one was able to sleep because Dave couldn’t sleep.
• Predict – What do you think the story will be about? What kind of dog do you think they will get? What do you think they will name their dog? Do you think they will bring Rosie home? What do you think they will do with Dave when he doesn’t sleep the first night?
• Problem & solution - {problem} Kate wants a dog. {solution} They went to the Rescue Center to get a dog.
• Sequencing – Kate’s cat died. Kate wants a dog. Kate and her family go to the Rescue Center and look at all the dogs. They picked out Dave. Kate and her family see Rosie. They took Dave home and not Rosie. Dave did all the puppy things at home. Kate, mom, dad and Dave did not sleep that night. Kate and her family go back to the shelter and pick up Rosie. That night everyone sleeps good.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.

Happy Reading!