Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont - Teaching Ideas

Rover is snug as a bug in his doghouse when it starts to rain. He is happy to be out of the rain but then he gets some unwanted company. The cat, mouse, blue jay, raccoon and others come to his doghouse to get out of the rain. Soon Rover and all his soggy friends get a surprise visitor...a skunk! What will they do now?

Listed below are the skills and strategies you can use to create a lesson or practice activity for your students. I have also created a FREE sequencing activity if this is something your students need practice with.

Reading level: 2.6

Theme/subject: weather, animals

Genre: animal stories

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: skit-scat, whiff, skitter, scatter, scamper, scurry, romping, sopping

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is about. I wonder why Rover needs to move over. {possible questions during} I wonder if the blue jay will fit in the doghouse. {possible questions after} I wonder if the doghouse still smells like skunk.  **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.
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} The story is told in rhyme. Animals are always entertaining. The illustrator drew cute animals. All of these things make an entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} It started to rain while Rover was in his doghouse. {most important event from middle} All the animals got into the doghouse to get out of the rain. {most important event from end} The skunk stunk up the doghouse and all the animals left because of the smell.
• Cause and effect – Why did the animals all go into the doghouse? Because of the rain. Why did all the animals flee the doghouse? Because the skunk stunk up the doghouse. Why was Rover happy? Because he was all alone in the doghouse.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} the story is mostly about the animals finding shelter from the rain. {details} The cat came in. The raccoon came in. The blue jay came in.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when the skunk stunk up the doghouse.
• Problem & solution - {problem} It started to rain and all the animals needed to get out of the rain. {solution} All the animals squeezed into Rover’s doghouse.
• Sequencing – Rover was in his doghouse. It started to rain. The cat came in. The raccoon came in. The squirrel came in. The blue jay came in. The mouse came in. There was a terrible smell. All the animals ran out. The skunk was left in the doghouse. The storm is over. Rover is all alone in the doghouse.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Visualize – When it started to rain Rover snuggled into his doghouse. Visualize where you want to be when it starts to rain with thunder and lightning?

Happy Reading!