When I Am Old with You by Angela Johnson - Teaching Ideas

What a great concept for a book! Notice the word "with" in the title and not the word like? The word "with" has the child imagining himself old with his grandfather, doing all the things they love to do together.

Throughout the story the grandfather and child are having a wonderful time doing the things together that the child wants to do when they are older. The reality is that they will never be the same age together and in the end realizing that you don't have to be the same age to have a wonderful time together.

This is such a sweet and touching story, one that makes you appreciate today.

Reading level: 2.5

Theme/subject: Family

Genre: fiction

Suggested vocabulary/phrases: lightning bugs

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions – these are just possible questions or wondering from either the student or teacher
• Before
1. I wonder what the title means, When I Am Old with You.
2. I wonder what the story is going to be about.
• During
1. I wonder why looking at pictures might make them cry.
2. I wonder why they might be sad looking at the trees on the farm.
• After
1. I wonder if they really will do all those things together.
2. I wonder if the boy will ever be old with his grandaddy.

  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.

• Author's point of view – First person
• Author's purpose – Entertain
• Evidence
1. The illustrator made beautiful illustrations.
2. The author just wrote a story about a boy and his grandaddy.
3. The boy and his grandaddy spend some great times together.
• Beginning, middle, end – the most important event from each
• Beginning – The boy tells his grandfather what they will do together when they are old with each other.
• Middle – The boy and his granddaddy are enjoying the day together.
• End – The boy sits in a rocking chair next to his grandaddy after their long day.
• Character analysis - describe grandaddy. Describe the boy. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character, how others think/see the character}
• Compare & contrast
• The things you and your grandaddy do to the things the boy and his grandaddy do.
• Connections
• Text-to-self   
1. Spending time with your grandaddy (playing cards, fishing, sitting on the porch, going to the beach, etc.)
• Text-to-text  
1. Grandpa’s Quilt by Betsy Franco – both stories are about grand-kids with their grandfather.
2. Sunday Best by Juwanda G. Ford – both stories are about a boy and his family.
3. Grandma Calls Me Beautiful by Barbara M. Joosse – both stories are about the special relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Can the boy do all the things he wants to do with his grandaddy when he is old with him, now, when he is a young boy?
• Text clues – all the things the boy is talking about doing with his grandaddy are things that they can do when he is a boy.
• What I know – I know that the boy is never going to be old with his grandaddy.
• My conclusion – I think the boy and his grandaddy should do all those things now because he will never be old with his grandaddy.
• Main idea & details
• Main idea – the story is mostly about the boy thinking about all the things that he wants to do with his grandaddy when he gets old with him.
• Details
1. The boy and his grandaddy will go fishing.
2. They will play cards out in the meadow.
3. They will go to the beach.
• Predict
1. What do you think the story is going to be about?
2. What do you think the title means?
3. Are the boy and his grandaddy really doing these things?
4. Do you think the boy is ever going to be old with his grandaddy?
• Sequencing
1. The boy is going to sit in a rocking chair next to his grandaddy and talk about everything.
2. They will go fishing.
3. They will play cards under a big tree.
4. They will look at all the old clothes that are in a chest in the attic.
5. They will look at pictures are remember their family from the past.
6. They will cook bacon for breakfast.
7. They will invite people over to roast corn.
8. They will take a trip to the ocean.
9. They will take long walks.
10. They will rest on the porch when they get tired.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – someplace in the story that the reader has a strong reaction for example an “I knew it”, or  “don’t do it” type of moment while reading.
1. The boy wants to do these things with his grandaddy when he is old with him, but they will never be old together. How would you explain this to the boy? What advice would you give the boy?
• Summarize
• Someone – The boy
• Wanted – wanted to do many things with his grandaddy when he got old with him
• But – but he is not going to be old with him
• So – so he should do those things now
• Then – he will always have those memories when he
• Finally – finally gets old like his grandaddy.
• Theme – the lesson, message or moral of the story·         You will never be old with your grandparents so do the things you want with them now.

• Visualize – what do YOU picture…
• The boy wants to do so many things with his grandaddy when he is old with him.
1.  If you could be old with your grandaddy what would you want to do?

Happy Reading, 

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Snow Globe Family by Jane O'Connor - Teaching Ideas

All the poor little snow globe family wants is for the family in the big house to give them a little shake. Their snow is flat and they are tired of making snow angles. They want hills to go sledding! Unfortunately, the snow globe is all but forgotten as it sits on the mantle in the big house. That is, until Baby is left alone in the room while his family goes sledding in the snow. Being all alone, he climbs up to grab the snow globe and just as he grabs the snow globe he and the snow globe tumble to the ground. To the snow globe family’s delight they get the snow blizzard they had been wanting. The snow globe family as well as the family from the big house spend the day sledding in the freshly fallen snow. Exhausted and happy both families fall asleep thinking about all the fun they had playing in the snow.

This is such a fun winter book with so many teaching ideas. Listed below are 20 teaching tips to help you plan and create a truly meaningful lesson.

What stood out to me was how perfect this book was for comparing and contrasting, so I created a freebie to go along with it (link below).

Reading level: 3.5

Theme/subject: family, winter

Genre: adventure

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: mantle, parlor, tramp through the snow

Reading skills and strategies:

1. Asking questions –
1. Possible questions before - I wonder what the story is going to be about. I wonder if it is a real family that lives in the snow globe.
2. Possible questions during - I wonder why there is a family living in a snow globe. I wonder why the big family doesn’t notice the snow globe family.  
3. Possible questions after - I wonder if the family will now pay attention to the snow globe. **Remember to have your students answer /reflect on their questions.
2. Author's point of view – third person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this. (she, her, they)
3. Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} there cannot be anyone that lives in a snow globe. It is pretty silly to see the baby’s really big eyes in the window. The snow globe family would have really gotten hurt if they were flung around in real life.
4. Most important events from the beginning, middle, end –
1. Beginning - The baby was the only one that noticed the snow glove.
2. Middle - The baby pulled the snow globe off the mantle and shook it all up.
3. End - The big family and the snow globe family were all fast asleep.
5. Cause and effect – How come nobody noticed the snow globe anymore? Because it had been there for such a long time. Why did the snow globe family want the big family to shake the snow globe? So they could go sledding. How come the big family doesn’t hear the snow globe family yell “Hellooooo…”? because the big papa is reading a story. How come the snow globe papa got thrown out of the bathtub? Because it was a big snowstorm. How come there was a gentle flurry once a week? Because the made would dust the snow globe. How come the big baby didn’t get to go out sledding with the rest of the family? Because it was bedtime. How come the snow globe family got a snowstorm? Because the baby dropped it and shook it all up. How come the mama in the big house decides to bring the baby outside to go sledding? Because the snow was too wonderful to miss. How come the snow globe family has to leave their house through the upstairs window? Because the snow is covering their front door. 
6. Character analysis - describe the snow globe family. Describe the big house family. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
7. Classify & categorize – Things to do when it snows: inside and outside.
8. Compare & contrast – compare and contrast the two families.
9. Connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world) –
1. Possible text-to-self connections - Waiting for a snowstorm. Wanting a snowstorm. Having a now globe. Going sledding.
2. Possible text-to-text connections - Snow Globe Adventures: A Christmas Story about Family Love by Robert Bettis both stores are about living in a snow globe.
10. Drawing conclusions & inferencing – How come no one in the snow globe family cares about the snow flurries? {text clues} The book says that the flurries happen once a week. The book also says that the snow glob family really wants a blizzard.  {what I know} I know that when something happens all the time, you get tired of it and start to ignore it. I also know when you really really want something; there is nothing that can take its place. {my conclusion} I think the snow globe family doesn’t care about the snow flurries because they happen every week and they really really want a snow blizzard.
11. Fact & opinion – {facts} The snow globe sits on a mantle. The big house baby is the only one that pays attention to the snow globe. The big house family goes sledding after it snows. The baby climbed up and got the snow globe off of the mantle.  {opinion} Winter is the best season. Sledding is a lot of fun. The family in the big house should pay more attention to the snow globe. Going sledding is a lot of work.
12. Main idea & details - {main idea} the story is mostly about the family living in a snow globe really wanting a snowstorm. {details} The snow globe family loves the snow. The snow globe family is hoping that someone from the big family will shake the snow globe to cause a snowstorm. The baby from the big house grabs the snow globe and shakes it up.
13. Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when the baby grabbed the snow glob off the mantle.
14. Predict – What do you think the story will be about? Do you think the family in the big house will ever pay attention to the snow globe family? Do you think the snow globe family will get the snowstorm they are wanting? Do you think the baby will get to go out sledding with his family?
15. Problem & solution - The snow globe family has a problem. {problem} the snow globe family really wants a snow storm.  {solution} The baby in the big house grabbed the snow globe off of the mantle and dropped it causing a big snowstorm in the snow globe.
16. Sequencing – There are two stories going on in this book. Students can sequence each of the stories.
1. Sequence for the family in the big house.1.      The family is having tea and cake. 
   2.      The baby notices the snow globe on the mantle. 
   3.      Papa reads the family a story and the baby looks at the family in the snow globe. 
   4.      The maid dusts the snow globe. 
   5.      The children are hoping for a blizzard. A blizzard comes and the kids go out sledding. 
   6.      The baby cannot go out sledding. 
   7.      The baby grabs the snow globe off the mantle and drops it. 
   8.      Mom takes the baby out sledding. 
   9.      The family goes to sleep after sledding.

2. Sequence for the snow globe family.

1. The snow globe family is having tea and cake.
2. The snow globe family goes out to play in the snow. 
3. The snow globe family is hoping for a snow storm.
4. The snow globe family tries to get the attention of the family in the big house by yelling, “Helloooo”.
5. Papa told stories of the big storms of the past.
6. The snow globe family doesn’t care about the snow flurries that happen once a week.
7. A big snow storm comes.
8. The family slides out the upstairs window to play in the snow.
9. The snow globe family spends the da sledding.
10. After sledding they all fall fast asleep.

17. Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
18. Strong thought – The baby is climbing up to the mantle because he was left by himself in the room. What would you say to the baby if you walked into the room and saw what he was doing?
19. Summarize - {someone} The snow globe family {wanted} wanted a snow storm {but} the family in the big house ignored the snow globe, {so} so Baby grabbed the snow globe off the mantle causing it to fall to the ground.  The snow globe family {finally} finally got their snow storm.
20. Visualize – Snow globes have many different settings inside of them, some have snow that swirls around, some have sand and some have glitter. Visualize yourself living inside a snow globe. What would your snow globe setting look like?

 IT'S FREE!!

Happy reading!

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Christmas In The Country by Cynthia Rylant - Teaching Ideas

Christmas in the country consists of a freshly cut tree, that is too big for the room, favorite Christmas ornaments and family. 

This book is a sweet story showing the simple country style of a family Christmas and how the simplest things can make Christmas extra special.

This book is definitely one that should be shared during the Christmas season and if you do share it with your class, use the following ideas, skills and strategies to make it a meaningful lesson as well. 

I have created a Skills and Strategies packet to go with the book if you  want to dig deeper and make the story more than just a Christmas story.

Reading level: 2.9
Theme/subject: Family, Christmas
Genre: Christmas

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: coal stove, can apples, mothballs, saucer, and commotion, hauled


Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder if Christmas in the country is different than Christmas in the city. {possible questions during} I wonder why the girl lived with her grandparents. I wonder why they got a tree that barely fits in their room. {possible questions after}  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – first person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (I, we, my).
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} The illustrations are beautiful water colors. The girl loved to wait for Christmas. The Christmas tree was too big for the house. All these things make a very nice story that was also entertaining.
• Beginning, middle, end – {most important event from beginning} The girl and her grandparents were getting ready for Christmas. {most important event from middle} The family decorated the Christmas tree. {most important event from end} The girl got the doll she wanted from Santa.
• Cause and effect – Why is the country so quiet in the winter? Because the snow slows everything down. Why would grandfather take his ax to the woods behind the house? So he could chop down a Christmas tree. Why would grandmother and the girl pull out boxes of old ornaments? So they could decorate the Christmas tree. Why does the girl love the ornaments? Because each ornament reminded her of her whole life. Why would everyone have to squeeze around the living room? Because grandfather would bring home a Christmas tree that was a little too big for the room. How come they couldn’t wait to turn on the Christmas tree lights at night? Because it was the prettiest thing they had. Why did the girl give her grandfather her tangerine? Because she knew he loved them. Why did the girl get a new doll from Santa? Because that is what she really wanted. Why were the cookies and milk she left for Santa gone? Because Santa liked / ate it all. Why was the church service short on Christmas morning? Because the preacher knew that the children wanted to be at home playing with their toys. Why were the dogs barking so much on Christmas? Because there was so much commotion in the house.
• Character analysis - describe the girl. Describe the family. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Compare & contrast – compare and contrast your Christmas with the girl and her grandparents’ Christmas.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} living with your grandparents. Cutting your Christmas tree from the woods. Going to church on Christmas Eve. Writing a letter to Santa. Leaving milk and cookies for Santa. Finding Santa’s milk and cookies gone on Christmas morning.
• Drawing conclusion – Why did the girl ask her grandparents to help her see what Santa brought her? {what I know} At home I always open my gifts from Santa with my family around. {my conclusion} I think the girl asked her grandparents to help her see what Santa brought because she wanted to see the presents with her grandparents there.
• Fact & opinion – {fact} The girl lived with her grandparents. Grandfather cut the Christmas tree down from the woods behind the house. Grandmother and the girl got boxes of ornaments from the closet. Grandmother helps the girl write a letter to Santa. The girl got exactly what she wanted for Christmas; a doll. {opinion} Everyone was ready for Christmas. Everything slows down when it snows. Christmas trees are the prettiest thing at Christmastime. A new doll is the best Christmas present to get. Everyone should have ham for Christmas dinner.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} the story is mostly about the girl and her grandparents getting ready for Christmas. {details} Grandfather cut down a tree from the woods at the back of the house. Grandmother and the girl pulled boxes of ornaments from the closet. Grandmother helped the girl write a letter to Santa.
• Predict – What do you think the story is going to be about? What is everyone ready for? What kind of tree do you think grandfather will bring home? What will the girl and her grandparents do when they get home from church? What do you think the girl asked Santa for? Will Santa eat and drink the milk and cookies?
• Sequencing – In the winter the girl waited for Christmas. Grandfather went to the woods to find a  Christmas tree. Grandmother and the little girl got the ornaments. Grandfather brought home a tree that was too big. On Christmas Eve they went to church. All the kids sang a Christmas carol. The girl wrote a letter to Santa and went to bed. The little girl and her grandparents woke up to see what Santa brought. The little girl brought her new doll to church. Family came over. It was time to take down the Christmas tree.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – the little girl thinks the tree is the prettiest thing they had. Think about how your house is decorated this time of year, what do think the prettiest thing is in your house?
• Visualize – The little girl got exactly what she wanted for Christmas, a new doll. Visualize what you think Santa will get you for Christmas.

Happy teaching!

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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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"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!

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