Lessons & Units :: Drawing Conclusions 1st Grade Unit

Lesson 3: Text Clues and Background Knowledge

Lesson Plan

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day | 970L

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Learning Goal
Use background knowledge, pictures, and context clues to draw a reasonable conclusion about a story.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Direct Teaching and Guided Practice Example Chart, Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: Chart paper, markers, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that we are going to practice thinking about what we already know as we read, to better understand the story. I will begin reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst aloud, stopping after page 5. I will think aloud about the story and identify what I already know to answer the question “Why does Alexander not want to sit in the middle?” (Example Chart is provided.)

    TIP: Discuss picture clues from the text to help support student thinking. For example, pay close attention to Alexander’s face in each picture. He looks sad, angry, and frustrated throughout the book. I know when I have a very bad day, I feel sad, angry, and frustrated.

  • Think Check

    Ask: "How was I able to figure out why Alexander did not want to sit in the middle?" Students should respond that you read the text, looked at the picture, and thought about how you would feel scrunched in the middle.

  • Guided Practice

    will continue reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day aloud, stopping after page 13. We will chart our thinking about the story and identify what we already know to answer the question “Why does Alexander say he is going to Australia next week?” (Example Chart is provided.) We will finish reading the book aloud.

  • Independent Practice

    will chart your thinking about the story and identify what you already knew that helped you answer the question: Why does Alexander’s dad say "please don’t pick me up anymore?” (Independent Practice Worksheet is provided.)

Build Student Vocabulary scolded

Tier 2 Word: scolded
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story Alexander’s mom came back with the car and scolded him for being muddy and fighting.
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) To scold means to speak to someone in an angry way. When Alexander’s mom scolded him, she told him in an angry way that he was wrong for fighting and for being muddy.
Students repeat the word Say the word scolded with me: scolded.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts Sometimes teachers scold students when they are mean to each other. A parent might scold a child for spilling milk at the dinner table. A librarian might scold someone for talking too loudly in the library.
Students provide examples Can you think a time when you have seen someone get scolded? Start by saying, “I once saw someone get scolded for ________________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? scolded
Additional Vocabulary Words invisible, plain

Build Student Background Knowledge

After reading the book, ask your students if they know where Australia is. Then, point to Australia on a map, and explain that Australia is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. Australia is known for their wildlife, like crocodiles and kangaroos. Australians also speak English, though it sounds different than American English. Ask students why they think Alexander wants to go to Australia to escape his terrible day.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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

User Comments

An excellent resource for my English Language Learners AND my native English speakers!

Submitted by LynnGreen on 4/6/15