Lessons & Units :: Come On, Rain! 1st Grade Unit

Read-Aloud Lesson: Come On, Rain!

Lesson Plan

Come On, Rain! | AD780L

Come On, Rain!
Learning Goal
Describe how the feelings and actions of the characters change as the weather changes during the story.
Necessary Materials
Provided:
  1. Detailed lesson plan
  2. Graphic organizer for guided practice
  3. Independent student worksheet

Not Provided:
Come On, Rain!
 
  1. This lesson is a close reading of the entire text. So it’s important to engage students often, to enhance their learning. Here are two tips:

    •   When you ask the more complex questions from the lesson, ask students to “turn-and-talk” or “buddy-talk” before answering.

    •   Once you are deep into the lesson, instead of asking students every question provided, ask them to share with you what questions they should be asking themselves at that point in the text. This is also a great opportunity to use "turn-and-talk."
       
  2. Suggested teacher language is included in the lesson.

  3. We recommend you read the book once to your students, either the day or morning before teaching the lesson.

  4. This research-based, read-aloud lesson may seem long. Why do students need the lesson to be this way?
 

Part 1: Teacher Modeling and Questioning

 

Write the student-friendly learning goal on the board, then read the learning goal out loud with the class:

We will explain how the characters change as the weather changes.

 
Read pages 1 and 2 out loud, then stop. Page 2 ends with, “...her parched plants.” Show students the accompanying illustrations. If possible, always show students the illustrations on the pages you read throughout the lesson.
1.
Teacher says: The word “parched” means very thirsty or without water. Remember our learning goal. We are going to pay attention to the characters and the weather. We have read about two characters so far. One of them is a girl who says, “Come on, rain!”
2.
Teacher asks: Who is the other character?
 
Students answer (both of the following responses are acceptable):
  • The other character is Mamma.
  • The other character is the girl’s mamma.
(Make sure students understand that “Mamma” is the mother of the girl before moving on.)
3.
Teacher asks: Now that we know who the characters on these pages are, let’s think about what the weather around them is like. There is a clue in the very first sentence of the story. Listen as I read it again: “‘Come on, rain!’ I say, squinting into the endless heat.” To squint means to almost close your eyes. What does this sentence tell us about the weather?
 
Students answer: The weather is hot.
4.
Teacher asks: Now let’s use that same sentence to help us figure out something Mamma says on the next page. Mamma says that three weeks went by without a drop. What does she mean? A drop of what?
 
If students are unsure, tell them to listen for clues as you reread the first sentence of the story: “‘Come on, rain!’ I say, squinting into the endless heat.’”
 
Students answer (responses may vary in wording but should resemble the following): She means a drop of rainwater.
5.
Teacher asks: How did the first sentence of help us figure out what Mamma meant?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following):
  • The sentence told us the heat was endless. That made me think that it might not have rained for a long time.
  • In the sentence, the girl says, “Come on, rain!” If she wanted there to be rain, that probably meant there had not been any for a while.
6.
Teacher says: Let’s review what we have learned so far. There are two characters, a girl and her mamma. The weather is hot, and there has not been a drop of rain for three weeks. As we read, remember to think about changes in these two characters and the weather.
Read more
 
Read page 3. Page 3 ends with, “‘...in this sun.’” As you read, define the word “uneasy.” Uneasy means worried or uncomfortable.
7.
Teacher says: There are several clues on this page that help us understand how Mamma is feeling. Clues can be things a character says or does. They can also be words the author uses to describe a character. For example, the author describes Mamma “frowning under her straw hat.” That is one clue about the way she feels.
8.
Teacher asks: What are some other clues about how Mamma feels?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • The word “uneasy” is a clue about how Mamma feels.
  • Mamma’s concern about thunder is a clue about how she feels.
9.
Teacher asks: Based on these clues, how is Mamma feeling?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should recognize that Mamma does not feel good.
 
Read page 4. Page 4 ends with, “...I whisper."
10.
Teacher asks: What does the girl notice about the sky?
 
Students answer (responses may vary in degree of detail but should resemble the following):
  • The girl notices gray clouds.
  • The girl notices that the sky is purple.
11.

Teacher says (models thinking): Before we read that three weeks had gone by without a drop of rain. Now gray clouds are coming in, and the sky has turned purple. It sounds like the weather is changing.

After the girl notices the clouds and the purple sky, a creeper of hope circles ’round her bones. Even if I do not know every word in that sentence, I can still figure out the sentence’s meaning from the words in it that I do know.
12.
Teacher asks: Listen again to the sentence, and concentrate on the words you know. A creeper of hope circles ’round her bones. How is the girl feeling?
 
Students answer: The girl is feeling hopeful.
13.
Teacher says (models thinking): I notice that as the weather is changing, the feeling of one of the characters also starts to change. Let’s see whether there are any more changes.
 
Read pages 5-8. Page 8 ends with, “...a melon.” Define “senseless” and “kneeling” on page 8. “Senseless” means unable to feel anything. “Kneeling” means getting down on your knees and resting on them.
14.
Teacher asks: What is the weather like?
 
Students answer: The weather is hot.
15.
Teacher asks: What is Mamma doing?
 
Students answer: Mamma is kneeling over a melon.
16.
Teacher asks: How is Mamma feeling?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should reflect the text. For example:
  • Mamma feels nearly senseless.
  • Mamma can barely feel anything.
 
Read pages 9 and 10. Page 10 ends with, “...she murmurs.”
17.
Teacher asks: What is Mamma doing now?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • Mamma is sitting in a chair.
  • Mamma is sweating.
  • Mamma presses a glass of iced tea against her skin.
18.
Teacher says (models thinking): Mamma has sat down on a chair and is pressing a cold glass against her skin. These details show us that Mamma feels tired and hot. The girl, Tessie, says rain is coming. Let’s see whether the way Mamma feels changes if rain comes.
 
Read pages 12 and 13. (Page 11 contains no text.) Page 13 ends with, “...rain comes.”
19.
Teacher says: We read that “the wind grows bold and bolder.” That means that the wind is getting stronger and stronger.
20.
Teacher asks: What is the weather like now?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • It is windy.
  • It is raining.
21.
Teacher asks: Is the weather now the same or different from the weather at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer: The weather now is different.
22.
Teacher asks: How is the weather different from what it was before?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The weather was dry, but now it is raining.
  • The was not a wind before, but now there is.
 
Read pages 14-20. Page 20 ends with, “...in the streaming rain.”
23.
Teacher says: We already knew that it was raining in the story. Now we know a lot more about what the rain is like and how much there is. We also know other details about what the weather is like when it is raining. One detail is that the rain is “streaming,” or coming down so fast that it is like a small river of water.
24.
Teacher asks: What other details have we just read about the weather in the story?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they come from the book. For example:
  • The first drops plop down big.
  • The air has cooled.
  • The clouds burst.
25.
Teacher says: Now that rain has come, I wonder whether the feelings of the characters have changed. Let’s find out.
 
Read through the last complete sentence on page 21. The last complete sentence is: “A smile spreads from porch to porch.” Define the word “racket” as you read. As used here, a racket is a loud noise.
26.
Teacher asks: What spreads from porch to porch?
 
Students answer: A smile spreads from porch to porch.
27.
Teacher asks: What does the author mean when she writes that a smile spread from porch to porch?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should resemble the following:
  • The people standing on their porches are smiling at each other. (acceptable answer)
  • The mothers standing on their porches are smiling at each other. (strong answer)
28.
Teacher asks (showing illustrations on pages 21 and 22 to students): Picture this moment in the story. The mothers of the girls are standing on their porches, smiling at one another. How do the mothers probably feel?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): The mothers probably feel happy.
 
Read the rest of page 21 out loud, then continue reading through page 26. Page 26 ends with, “...silver.” As you read, define “twirl” and “sway” on page 25. “Twirl” means to turn around. “Sway” means to move back and forth.
29.
Teacher asks: What are some of the things the characters do in the rain?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • The mammas dance down the steps.
  • The mammas and the girls dance with each other.
  • The girls grab the hands of their mammas.
  • The girls twirl their mammas around.
  • The characters all laugh.
30.
Teacher asks: Picture the characters laughing and dancing in the rain. How do they probably feel?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): The characters probably feel happy.
 
Finish reading the story.
31.
Teacher asks: What is the weather like at the end of the story? Support your answer with information from the book.
 
Students answer: Students should recognize that the rain has stopped. Examples of support include the following:
  • The clouds move off.
  • The sun comes out again.
32.
Teacher says: Now think about the actions of the characters at the end of the story. Actions are things the characters do. One action is that the girl hugs her mamma.
33.
Teacher asks: What are some other actions?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • The girl’s mamma hugs her.
  • The girl traces the drips on her mamma’s face.
  • The girl and her mamma walk home together.
34.
Teacher asks: How do the girl and her mamma feel at the end of the story? Support your answer with information from the book.
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The girl and her mamma feel good.
  • The girl and her mamma feel fresh.
35.
Teacher asks: Now let’s compare the way the characters feel at the end of the story with the way they felt at the beginning. How did the characters feel at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should reflect the text. For example:
  • Mamma felt worried.
  • The girl felt hopeful.
36.
Teacher asks: Are the feelings of the characters now the same or different from their feelings at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer: Their feelings are different.
37.
Teacher asks: How are the feelings of the characters different from what their feelings were before?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • Mamma was worried, but now she is happy.
  • The girl was hopeful, and now she is joyful.
 

Part 2: Guided Practice and Discussion

 
For this oral lesson, it is suggested to have the completed graphic organizer on the board with the answers concealed. After students provide a correct answer, reveal the corresponding answer on the graphic organizer.
1.
Teacher asks: What is the weather like at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The weather is hot.
  • The weather is dry.
2.
Teacher asks: What are some of the actions of the characters at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should reflect the text. Examples include:
  • Mamma frowns.
  • Mamma sags over her parched plants.
  • Mamma presses a glass of iced tea against her skin.
  • The girl squints in the heat.
3.
Teacher asks: What are the feelings of the characters at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • Mamma feels worried.
  • The girl feels hopeful.
4.
Teacher asks: What is the weather like in the middle of the story?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The weather is rainy.
  • The weather is cool.
5.
Teacher asks: What are some of the actions of the characters in the middle of the story?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should reflect the text. Examples include:
  • The mammas dance down the steps.
  • The girls twirl their mammas around.
  • The girls and their mammas laugh.
6.
Teacher asks: What are the feelings of the characters in the middle of the story?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following): The characters feel happy.
Read more
7.
Teacher asks: What is the weather like at the end of the story?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The weather is partly sunny.
  • The weather is partly cloudy.
8.
Teacher asks: What are some of the actions of the characters at the end of the story?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should reflect the text. Examples include:
  • The girl hugs Mamma.
  • Mamma hugs the girl.
  • The girl and Mamma walk home together.
9.
Teacher asks: What are the feelings of the characters at the end of the story?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The girl and Mamma are in a good mood.
  • The girl and Mamma feel fresh.
 
After the answers for the graphic organizer have been completed and discussed with the class, ask the following two extension questions.
 
Teacher asks: Imagine that there had not been any rain in the story. How would the characters have felt at the end?
 
Students answer (responses may vary and include the following):
  • The characters would have been in a bad mood, because they wanted it to rain, but rain did not come.
  • The characters would have felt the same way at the end as they did at the beginning.
  • The characters would have felt even hotter than they did at the beginning.
 
Teacher asks: Listen again to these sentences from the end of the story. “I hug Mamma hard, and she hugs me back. The rain has made us new.” What does it mean that the rain has made these characters new? Support your answer with information from the story.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the story. For example, students may respond that the rain has made the characters new because it has made them feel new and fresh.
 

Part 3: Student Independent Practice

 
Read each question out loud to your students and have each student complete the worksheet independently. For questions 5 A) and 6, you can have students draw their answers, answer orally, or write their answers, depending on your students’ progress. If you have them write their answers, you may want to write the word(s) on the board for them to copy. Question 7 is a class discussion question.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

User Comments

it is just an amazing....thanks

Submitted by gabriel_g72_2231649 on 9/8/16

This is very helpful!!

Submitted by mkcajuste on 2/22/16

this is very helpful!!!!!!! 9/25/16

Submitted by mkcajuste on 9/25/16

This lesson ideas would be of great help to my students and I. It so happened that Come On Rain! is the next book we will read beginning Monday. I will use the comprehension questions orally in class then have students answer the printed questions individually for homework. Thanks for making the life of a teacher a lot easier..

Submitted by Gurlyd_1883172 on 2/18/16

Great lesson!

Submitted by Karen on 6/18/15

Thanks soooooooooooo much. Finally, my tutor student is enjoying reading.

Submitted by annagodwin2 on 1/24/15

Great lesson for my various lexile students. Thank you so much.

Submitted by SimsS on 10/26/14