Chanterelle Finds a Family by Nicole Brierre - Teaching Ideas

For all those animal lovers out there, this is a heartwarming story about an abandoned puppy finding a family to love her. The story starts with the puppy all alone in the woods playing with her friend Porcupine and then going to visit her friends the Beaver family. After watching the Beaver family doing everything together, she wonders what it would be like to have a family to call her own. One day a family is hiking in the woods near her burrow. The puppy is so curious she follows them on their hike. When the puppy gets suddenly hurt by a bunch of porcupine quills the family decides they must help this poor puppy. They are able to coax her into their car and finally get her to the vet. When the puppy is ready to go home she is surprised to learn that she will be going home with the family and not back to her lonely burrow in the woods.

I have created a story map freebie to go along with this book.

Reading level: 6.1 
Theme/subject: animals, pets, family
Genre: realistic fiction

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: burrow, meadow, edge, perched, ledge

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder why Chanterelle doesn’t have a family. I wonder where Chanterelle found a family. {possible questions during} I wonder why Chanterelle was in the woods by herself. I wonder how Chanterelle got in the woods. {possible questions after} I wonder if Chanterelle will miss her friends in the woods. **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 (the puppy, they, she).
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} the author has Chanterelle and the Porcupine talking. When Chanterelle tells the reader what Papa Beaver says, it is pretty silly.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Chanterelle plays hide and seek with her friend Porcupine. {most important event from middle} Chanterelle follows a family that is hiking in the woods. {most important event from end} Chanterelle gets taken to the vet after Porcupine gets startled and sticks Chanterelle with his quills.
• Cause and effect – Why does the puppy love the Beaver family? Because the Beaver family did everything together. Why does the puppy follow the human family? Because she is curious about them. Why is the mom covering her eyes? Because her kids are making her nervous by walking on the edge of the rock. Why did Porcupine get scared? Because the boy was listening to them talk and they got startled when he moved the branches apart. Why did the family have to take the puppy to the vet? Because his got covered with the Porcupine’s quills. Why did the family name her Chanterelle? Because her fur was the same color as the chanterelle mushrooms they saw on their hike. Why did Chanterelle jump up and start licking the little boy? Because she was happy to have her own family.
• Character analysis - describe Chanterelle {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Character changes – at the beginning of the story Chanterelle wondered what it would be like to have a family. At the end of the story Chanterelle got her own family.
• Compare & contrast – compare and contrast your family with the one in the book.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Hiking with your family. Having a puppy. Wondering what it would be like to have a family. Having your puppy or pet get hurt enough that you had to take him to the vet.
• Fact & opinion - {fact} Chanterelle was a puppy that lived alone in the woods. The Beaver family did everything together. Chanterelle and the Porcupine played hide and seek. Chanterelle gets taken to the vet. The family decides to keep Chanterelle. {opinion} Chanterelle is a lucky puppy to live in the woods by herself. Mushrooms are delicious. Hiking is so much fun. Dogs make the best pets.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} the story is mostly about a lonely puppy wanting a family. {details} The puppy loved the Beaver family because they always did everything together. The puppy would think about what it would be like to have a family of her own. The puppy got a family of her own.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when the puppy got stuck with all the porcupine quills.
• Predict – What do you think the story will be about? Do you think Chanterelle wants a family of her own? What do you think will happen if the family sees the puppy following them? Do you think the family will take the puppy home?
• Problem & solution - {problem} the puppy is alone in the woods and wonders what it would be like to have a family of her own. {solution} The puppy hears humans in the woods and decides to follow them. When the puppy gets hurt by some porcupine quills the humans take her to the vet and ultimately take her home to be part of their family.
• Sequencing – The puppy lives alone in the woods. She plays hide and seek with the Porcupine. The puppy visits the Beaver family. The puppy heard a human family hiking in the woods. The puppy followed the family. The Porcupine found the puppy watching the family. The boy heard the puppy and the Porcupine talking. The Porcupine got scared and threw his quills into the puppy. The family put a rope around the puppy to take her to a vet. The vet helped get the quills out. The family decided to take the puppy home as their pet. They named her Chanterelle.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Summarize - {someone}The puppy {wanted} wanted a family {but} she was all alone in the woods {so} so when a human family was in the woods taking a hike the puppy followed them. The puppy got stuck with porcupine quills and {then} then the human family was able to get her into the car to take her to the vet. When the puppy {finally} finally woke up the family named her Chanterelle and took her home.
• Visualize – The family was in the woods hiking around and then all of a sudden the puppy came out hurt with porcupine quills in her. The family coaxed the do into the car and took her to the vet. Visualize how you would have reacted to a stray dog coming out of the woods with porcupine quills in him. 
  
  This freebie is a jpg picture. To use it right click the picture and copy image. Then open Word or PowerPoint (whichever you use) and paste the picture into the document. In the document adjust the picture to fit and then save and or print.

Enjoy!

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The Witch Next Door by Norman Bridwell - Teaching Ideas

If all witches were like this witch, I would want a witch to live next door to me too! She is kind, and neat, she goes to bed early, and invites the neighbor kids over for tea and cookies, who wouldn't want a witch like this as a neighbor. Not only is this a great Halloween themed book but it has a great lesson about the way someone looks. Just because someone looks the way they do, doesn't mean they will behave the way you think they will.

I know this book is an oldie, but it I hope you pull it out and share it with your students. Here are few reading skills and strategies you can use to create a fabulous lesson to go with this book.

Reading level: 1.8

Theme: Halloween

Genre: holiday fiction

  Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder if a witch really does live next door? {possible questions during} Why does the witch live next door? Why were the neighbors so mean when the witch is so nice? {possible questions after} I wonder why the witch said good boys and girls are better than princes and princesses? **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• author's point of view - 1st person - students should find 3 examples proving the first person.
• author's purpose - entertain{evidence} Witches aren't real. Witches don't live in neighborhoods and the picture of the witch walking her pets was very silly. All these things make a very entertaining story.
• characterization - describe the witch {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• compare & contrast - your neighbor and the witch
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Having a very nice neighbor.
• main idea & details - {main idea} The witch next door was a good neighbor. {details} She kept her house very neat. She would send soup and cookies if someone was sick. She helped get kites out of trees.
• plot - the turning point or climax in the story when some neighbors came to the door and told the witch she had to leave because they didn't a witch living next to them.
• predict - What do you think the story is going to be about? Do you think the witch is good or evil? Do you think the spells she does hurts anyone? Who do you think is at the door? Why do you think the people from next door were not happy? How do you think the witch feels after the neighbors came? What do you think the witch is going to do to the neighbors? Why do you think the witch turned the neighbors into a prince and princess?
• problem & solution - {problem} The witch has neighbors that don't want her to live there. {solution} The witch turned them into a prince and princess.
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.

  Here is a Story Map Freebie you can share with your students.

IT'S FREE!!

Happy Reading!

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How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague - Teaching Ideas

One of my favorite books to read at the beginning of the school year. It is a fun book to read because of the rhyming and the pictures are so vivid. I like to use this book as an example of how exciting a story could be when you use your imagination. I will usually have my kids add some imagination into their own story about what they did for summer vacation. When done they read their story to the class and we all guess what parts are true and what parts they made up. It is a lot of fun and makes the writing process "not so boring". 

Along with the writing there are plenty of reading skills and strategies that work great with this book. I have included a FREE story element activity that can be used with this book after reading. Not only can you use it with the book but your students can fill it out as a starting point for their own story - who are their characters, what is their setting and what was the problem and how was it solved.

Reading level: 2.5

Theme: Imagination

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: westbound, plains, wrangler, cowhand, stampede, matador, buckaroo

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} Did the cowboy save the boy? {possible questions during} Was Wallace afraid when he was taken by the cowboys? Is Wallace ever going to get to his aunts house? Why did all the cowboys hide when the cows were stampeding?  {possible questions after} Is that what Wallace really did for summer vacation? Why can Wallace hardly wait for summer vacation?
• author's point of view - First person point of view. Wallace Bleff, the main character is telling the story.
• author's purpose -  entertain {evidence} The story is told in rhyme. The illustrator drew a phone booth in the middle of the desert. The story about being taken by cowboys is all made up, Wallace's imagination. All these things are silly which make an entertaining story.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Wallace was take by a bunch of cowboys. {most important event from middle} Wallace learned some cowboy tricks - roping, riding, and making fire with sticks. {most important event from end} Wallace saved everyone at the picnic from the stampeding cattle.
• cause and effect - Why was Wallace telling this story? because he had to write a story about how he spent his summer vacation. Why was Wallace captured by cowboys? because they needed a new cowboy, the last one quit. Why did Wallace write to Aunt Fern? so she wouldn't worry. Why did Aunt Fern call? because the round up was over and she was having a barbecue.  Why did the cowboys hide behind a tree at the barbeque? because a stampede of cows was coming. Why did Wallace grab the red tablecloth? because he used it like a matador would to scare the stampede of cows away.
• characterization - describe Wallace {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• compare & contrast - your summer to Wallace's summer
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Riding a horse. Visiting family during the summer. Having to write a story at school about what you did this summer.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - Do you think the teacher believes Wallaces story? {text clues}Throughout the story the teacher keeps looking at Wallace like she is not quite believing Wallace's story. {my conclusion} I don't think Wallace's teacher believe all of Wallace's story.
• plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when the round up was done and Aunt Fern called and invited everyone over for a barbeque.
• predict - What do you think the cowboys are going to do with Wallace?  The story say's "there is more to being a cowboy than boots and a hat..." what do you think that means? Why do you think all the cowboys hid behind the tree instead of trying to stop the cows from stampeding? What do you think Wallace is going to bring in for show and tell?
• problem & solution - There are a number of  "problems" in this story, here are a few you can talk about. 1. {problem} Wallace had to write "another" story about how he spent his summer vacation. {solution} Instead of making it a boring story Wallace used his imagination and wrote an exciting tale about his summer vacation. 2. {problem} Wallace was taken by cowboys and couldn't get to his aunts house. {solution} He decided to help the cowboys and wrote his aunt a letter so she wouldn't worry. 3. {problem} There was a stampede of cows at the barbeque. {solution} Wallace grabbed a red tablecloth and used it like a matador to scare the cows away.
• sequencing - Wallace headed out west to visit his aunt. Wallace was captured by cowboys. The cattle boss asked Wallace to help them and Wallace said yes. Wallace wrote to his aunt so she wouldn't worry. Wallace was given new cowboy clothes. He learned to rope, ride and make fire with sticks. Aunt Fern called with the roundup was over and invited everyone to a barbeque. They ate delicious food and listened to music. Someone yelled "They're gonna stampede!". Wallace grabbed a red tablecloth and used it like a matador to scare the cattle away. All the cowboys cheered because Wallace was a true buckaroo.
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution. 
• summarize - {someone} Wallace's parents {wanted} wanted him to visit his aunt {but} he got captured by cowboys who asked him to help. {so} So he got some new clothes and learned some new cowboy tricks.  {then} When the roundup was all finished Wallace's aunt called and invited them all to a barbeque. {finally} At the barbeque there was a stampede and Wallace saved the day!

 IT'S FREE!!

I have also created a True False Comprehension Game to be used after reading this book.

Happy teaching!

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Don't Eat the Teacher by Nick Ward - Teaching Ideas

Poor little Sammy has such a bad habit, when he gets excited, he eats everything. It was Sammy's first day of school and needless to say he was very excited! He chomped the breakfast table, a little fish friend, the story book, his painting and soon the TEACHER! This is such a fun read aloud, your students will love it!

This is a great beginning of school book because you can do a character lesson on how to behave in class and what are acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in the classroom.

Listed below are skills and strategy questions and ideas that can be used with this book. I have also created a story map freebie for you to use with your students.

Reading level: 2.5

Theme: School and manners and conduct

Genre: Humorous fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: unfortunate, blushed, beamed, elegantly

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} Is the shark really going to eat the teacher? {possible questions during} Why doesn't Sammy's friends and teacher get mad at him for eating everything? {possible questions after} Did Sammy really eat all those things or did he just put them in his mouth then spit them out?
• author's point of view - Third person
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} Sharks don't live in houses. Sharks don't drive cars and sharks don't go to school. All these things are silly and make the story entertaining.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Sammy was so excited to start his first day of school he ate the table. {most important event from middle} Sammy kept getting excited and eating the things in his classroom. {most important event from end} Sammy learned that he shouldn't eat the teacher.
• cause and effect - Why did Sammy eat the table? because he was excited for his first day of school. Why did Sammy eat his friend? because he got excited playing tag. Why did Sammy eat the story book? because his teacher said it was a story you could sink your teeth into. Why did Sammy eat almost eat the teacher? because he got very excited as he danced around as a storm.
• characterization - describe Sammy {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• classify & categorize - Life on land and life under water.
• compare & contrast - compare and contrast Sammy's first day of school to your first day of school.
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Being excited for your first day of school. Playing tag. Dancing in the classroom. Being excited about a story.  
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - Do you think Sammy kept eating everything because he was mean? {text clues} every time Sammy ate something he blushed and said sorry. {what I know} Sometimes I do things that can hurt something or someone but I didn't do it to be mean. {my conclusion} I don't think Sammy was eating everything to be mean.
• fact & opinion - {facts} Sharks live in the ocean. Sharks have sharp teeth. Some sharks eat other fish. Sharks don't go to school. Sharks don't drive cars. {opinions} Sharks are scary. Sharks are the coolest animal ever. Sharks can swim fast. Sharks can jump really high out of the water.
• predict - Do you think Sammy will eat the teacher?
• problem & solution - {problem} Sammy keeps eating everything when he gets excited. {solution} Sammy promises to be better tomorrow.
• sequencing - Sammy is excited to go to school. Sammy eats the table. Sammy plays tag at school and eats a friend. The teacher says the story is one to sink your teeth into so Sammy eats the storybook. Sammy eats his paintbrush and painting. Sammy's class starts to dance. Sammy gets so excited dancing that he eats a lot of things in the classroom. Sammy almost eats the teacher. Sammy promises to be better tomorrow.
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.

Here is a Story Mapping Activity Freebie for you and your students...have fun! Click on the picture to download the activity.

**Printing tip - Make sure under SIZE OPTIONS you chose "ACTUAL SIZE"**

Happy reading!

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Max by Bob Graham - Teaching Ideas

After a 2 week spring break it is time to get back to work. I hope you all enjoyed your time off as much as I did mine! Now to get to our featured book, Max by Bob Graham. This story is about a superhero that is just as ordinary as everyone else. Max can't fly, no matter how much his parents try to get him too he just can't. One day a little bird is about to fall out of a tree. Max sees this little bird and rushes down the stairs to try to catch him, but to his {and his parents} surprise he flew right up to save him. Now Max is not ordinary anymore, not only can he fly, but he is called the small hero because he saves all the small creatures that are in danger!

If you wish to use this story for more than just a read aloud, here is a bit more information that should help you plan.

Theme: relationships, new life experiences
Genre: fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: legendary, phantom, ordinary, exploits, hovering

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before reading} - What is the story about? Which one is Max? {possible questions during reading} - What does legendary mean? How come Max did not fly? Why does Max wear those clothes to school? Why is Max running out of the house? How come Max was finally able to fly? How come Max can't stay in his seat? Why did they call him a small hero?  What are quiet deeds?
• author's point of view - 3rd person point of view
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} - they lived in a lightning bolt house, Max was floating in his seat at school and Max flew his friends around at school. All these things are entertaining to see or read about.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Max could walk and talk early but he couldn't fly. {most important event from middle} everyone kept asking and wondering why Max could not fly. {most important event from end} Max saw that a baby bird was going to fall out of it's nest so he flew to save it.
• cause and effect - Why did his parents bounce him and bump him? because they wanted him to fly. Why would Max not play with the parakeet?  because Max couldn't fly. When granddad was younger why would he get in trouble? because he would leave fingerprints on the ceiling lamp. Why did Max wear those clothes to school? because he was a superhero. Why did Max start to fly? because he needed to save a bird. Why was Max's mom so proud? because he could finally fly. Why was Max "not quite ordinary" because he could fly. Why was Max called the small hero? because he saved small things.
• characterization - describe Max {his feelings, thoughts, looks, character}
• classify & categorize - classify and categorize things that would make someone a superhero and a regular ordinary hero {police officer, firefighter, etc}
• compare & contrast - there is a line in the book that says, "Everyone's different in some way, aren't they?" compare how you and a friend are the same and different.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - Why do you think it took so long for Max to fly? {text clues} Max started flying when a little bird was in trouble. {what I know} I know that sometimes it is hard for me to do something if there is not a reason to do it. {my conclusion} I think it took Max so long to fly because there was no reason for him to fly until the bird needed him.
• plot - the turning point of the story is when Max sees a bird that is going to fall out of his nest.
• predict - What do you think the story is going to be about? How come Max can't fly? Do you think Max will ever fly? When do you think he will fly? Why do you think Max is running down the stairs and out of the house?
• problem & solution - {problem} Max is a superhero and he can't fly. {solution} Max finally sees something that needs saving so he flies to the rescue.
• sequencing - Max was born a superhero. Max walked and talked early. Max's parents tried to get him to fly. Max still couldn't fly. Max went to school and his friends asked why he couldn't fly. Max sees a bird about to fall out of it's nest. Max flies to save the bird. Max's mother is very proud. Max flies his friends around at school. Max is called the small hero because he saves small things.
• story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, theme, genre, beginning, middle, end or problem and solution.
• summarize - {someone}Max's parents {wanted} wanted him to fly {but} but he couldn't {so} so they kept trying to get him to practice. {then} Then one day Max saw a little bird about to fall out of it's nest {finally}which finally made him fly.

Here is a story map for you to use with this book. Please let me know if you download it. So many times I post freebies without knowing if anyone is actually using them. Thank you in advance for taking the time to leave me a comment!!

TO DOWNLOAD CLICK ON THE PICTURE

Happy reading!

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Clifford's Valentines by Norman Bridwell - Teaching Ideas

This level 1 Hello Reader is a great book for your beginning readers to read during your Valentine's Day activity filled day. This book has many sight words and super fun illustrations for the picture support your young readers need.


Here is some more information about this book you might find helpful.

Reading level: 1.0

Theme: holiday - Valentine's Day

Genre: animal stories, holiday

Suggested Vocabulary: letter carrier

Reading skills and strategies:

• beginning, middle, end - {beg} It's Valentine's Day and Clifford gets some cards. {mid} It starts to snow. {end} Clifford goes to the park where everyone is and makes a heart in the snow.
• characterization - describe Clifford
• predict - What is Clifford's idea? What is Clifford going to do at the park?
• sequencing - It is Valentine's Day. Clifford gets a card from a boy. Clifford gets a card from a girl. Clifford gets a card from a woman. Clifford gets a card from a man. The mail man bring Clifford cards. It starts to snow. Clifford runs to the park. Clifford makes a heart in the snow.
• story elements - setting, characters, beginning, middle & end, plot

Instead of having your students just read the story, extend their learning by having them sequence the story or draw the information needed to complete the story map that I have created to go with this book.

IT'S FREE!!

Happy reading!

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