1ZcS BVS[S Comprehension - Ellis Family - Homeellis2020.org/treasures/TG-treasures/unit6_week2_2.pdf · 2012-07-26 · country cricket winds up ... cricket (p. 694): an insect, similar

ComprehensionGenreFantasy is a story with

invented characters, settings,

or other elements that could

not exist in real life.

Analyze Story StructureTheme As you read, fill in your

Theme Map.

Read to Find OutWhat happens when a

country cricket winds up

in a big city?

692

692

MAIN SELECTION• The Cricket in Times Square

• Skill: Theme

PAIRED SELECTION• “The Chance of a Lifetime”

• Text Feature: Advertisement

SMALL GROUP OPTIONS

• Differentiated Instruction, pp. 717M–717V

ComprehensionGENRE: FANTASY

Have a student read the definition

of Fantasy on Student Book page

692. Students should look for animal

characters that can speak.

STRATEGYANALYZE STORY STRUCTURE

Remind students that authors of fiction

organize stories in various ways. The

author of a fantasy story can help

readers understand the theme by using

a particular structure.

SKILLTHEME

Remind students that to identify the

theme of a story, they should look

for clues that tell them what message

about life the author is trying to

express.

Vocabulary Words Review the tested vocabulary words:

eavesdropping, scuffling, wistfully, jumble, logical,

acquaintance, and scornfully.

Story Words Students may be unfamiliar with these words.

Pronounce the words and give meanings as necessary.

cricket (p. 694): an insect, similar to a grasshopper, that makes a noise

at night

brook (p. 696): a small stream

liverwurst (p. 696): a sausage made with ground liver

forlornly (p. 701): sadly

leery (p. 707): cautious, distrustful

Main Selection

693

Story available on Listening Library Audio CD

Main Selection Student pages 692–693

Preview and PredictAsk students to read the title, preview

the illustrations, and make predictions

about the selection. Do they think

the animals get along well together?

Why? Have students write about their

predictions and anything else they

want to know about the story.

Set PurposesFOCUS QUESTION Discuss the “Read

to Find Out” question on Student

Book page 692. Remind students to

look for the answer as they read.

Point out the Theme Map in the

Student Book and on Practice Book

page 195. Explain that students will fill

it in as they read.

Read The Cricket in Times

Square

Use the questions and Think Alouds

to support instruction about the

comprehension strategy and skill.

As you read The Cricket in Times Square, fill in the Theme Map.

How does the information you wrote in the Theme Map help you to analyze the story structure of The Cricket in Times Square?

Clue

Clue

Clue

Clue

Clue

Theme

On Level Practice Book 0, page 195

Approaching Practice Book, A, page 195

Beyond Practice Book, B, page 195

If your students need support

to read the Main Selection,

use the prompts to guide

comprehension and model

how to complete the graphic

organizer. Encourage students

to read aloud.

If your students can read the

Main Selection independently,

have them read and complete

the graphic organizer. Remind

them to use appropriate

strategies for different purposes.

If your students need an alternate selection, choose the

Leveled Readers that match their instructional level.

The Cricket in Times Square 693

ChesterChesterTucker Mouse had been watching the Bellinis and listening

to what they said. Next to scrounging, eavesdropping on human beings was what he enjoyed most. That was one of the reasons he lived in the Times Square subway station. As soon as the family disappeared, he darted out across the floor and scooted up to the newsstand. At one side the boards had separated and there was a wide space he could jump through. He’d been in a few times before—just exploring. For a moment he stood under the three-legged stool, letting his eyes get used to the darkness. Then he jumped on it.

“Psst!” he whispered. “Hey, you up there—are you awake?”There was no answer.“Psst! Psst! Hey!” Tucker whispered again, louder this time.From the shelf above came scuffl ing, like little feet feeling

their way to the edge. “Who is going ‘psst’?” said a voice.“It’s me,” said Tucker. “Down here on the stool.”A black head, with two shiny black eyes, peered down at him.

“Who are you?”“A mouse,” said Tucker, “Who are you?”“I’m Chester Cricket,” said the cricket. He had a high, musical

voice. Everything he said seemed to be spoken to an unheard melody.

“My name’s Tucker,” said Tucker Mouse. “Can I come up?”

694

1

2

Main Selection Student page 694

Develop Comprehension

1 MONITOR AND CLARIFY: READ AHEAD

In the first paragraph, Tucker Mouse

says being able to eavesdrop is one

of the reasons he lives in the Times

Square subway station. How might

reading ahead help you think of other

reasons why a mouse would want to

live in a subway station? (Answers will

vary. Students may note that they can

read ahead to look for other clues

about what Tucker likes, where he lives,

who lives with him, and what his daily

activities are.)

Clarify Check students’ comprehension of the story. Ask, Who is

the first character we meet in the story? Where does he live? Explain

that Times Square is a place in New York City. Make sure students

understand what a subway station is and that Tucker Mouse lives

below the street. Ask, What does he like to do? Discuss the actions of

Tucker Mouse with students. Write Psst on the board and explain it.

Check that students understand words and phrases such as human

beings, newsstand, three-legged stool, peered, and melody.

694

695



2 STRATEGYCONTEXT CLUES

Find the word darted on page 694.

What do you think it means? Use

paragraph clues to check your

prediction. (The phrases out across the

floor and scooted up are context clues.

In this sentence, darted must mean

“ran very quickly in one direction.”)

Vocabulary Research cites that there is

a cumulative advantage phenomenon

in reading. The very students who

are reading well and who have good

vocabularies will read more, learn more

word meanings, and read better.

Donald R. Bear

Go to

www. macmillanmh.com


http://www.macmillanmh.com

“I guess so,” said Chester Cricket. “This isn’t my house anyway.”

Tucker jumped up beside the cricket and looked him all over. “A cricket,” he said admiringly. “So you’re a cricket. I never saw one before.”

“I’ve seen mice before,” the cricket said. “I knew quite a few back in Connecticut.”

“Is that where you’re from?” asked Tucker.“Yes,” said Chester. “I guess I’ll never see it again,” he

added wistfully.“How did you get to New York?” asked Tucker Mouse.“It’s a long story,” sighed the cricket.“Tell me,” said Tucker, settling back on his haunches. He

loved to hear stories. It was almost as much fun as eavesdropping—if the story was true.

“Well it must have been two—no, three days ago,” Chester Cricket began. “I was sitting on top of my stump, just enjoying the weather and thinking how nice it was that summer had started. I live inside an old tree stump, next to a willow tree, and I often go up to the roof to look around. And I’d been practicing jumping that day too. On the other side of the stump from the willow tree there's a brook that runs past, and I’d been jumping back and forth across it to get my legs in condition for the summer. I do a lot of jumping, you know.”

“Me too,” said Tucker Mouse. “Especially around the rush hour.”

“And I had just fi nished jumping when I smelled something,” Chester went on, “liverwurst, which I love.”

“You like liverwurst?” Tucker broke in. “Wait! Wait! Just wait!”

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3


3 GENRE: FANTASY

To make the events in a fantasy story

more believable, an author might

include details that are found in the

real world. What is realistic about the

story so far? (Crickets and mice are

found in real life. Times Square and

Connecticut are real places. Chester’s

home in the tree stump is realistic.)

What about the story could happen

only in a fantasy? (Mice cannot

understand what people are saying.

Mice and crickets cannot speak.)

Find the sentence that contains the word

wistfully . Use wistfully in a sentence that

shows its meaning. (Possible answers: I

spoke wistfully everytime I remembered

the good old days.)


Cross–Curricular ConnectionTIMES SQUARE AND BROADWAY

Tell students that New York City’s Times Square is the site of

the Broadway theater district, where for over a hundred years

actors and musicians have been entertaining people. Invite

students to share any knowledge or experiences they have had

with theatrical performances. They might also compare a live

performance with a movie.

Have students review newspaper or radio ads for theatrical

productions and movies. Then have them create advertising

posters for productions they might have seen or learned

about. Encourage them to use quotations from reviews

and other persuasive text and illustrations or downloaded

photographs and images. Have the class establish criteria for

judging the effectiveness of the posters. They should explain

the cultural perceptions that advertisements play upon.

696

Theme What is the author's message about different types of characters becoming friends?

In one leap, he sprang down all the way from the shelf to the fl oor and dashed over to his drain pipe. Chester shook his head as he watched him go. He thought Tucker was a very excitable person—even for a mouse.

Inside the drain pipe, Tucker’s nest was a jumble of papers, scraps of cloth, buttons, lost jewelry, small change, and everything else that can be picked up in a subway station. Tucker tossed things left and right in a wild search. Neatness was not one of the things he aimed at in life. At last he discovered what he was looking for: a big piece of liverwurst he had found earlier that evening. It was meant to be for breakfast tomorrow, but he decided that meeting his fi rst cricket was a special occasion. Holding the liverwurst between his teeth, he whisked back to the newsstand.

“Look!” he said proudly, dropping the meat in front of Chester Cricket. “Liverwurst! You continue the story—we’ll enjoy a snack too.”

“That’s very nice of you,” said Chester. He was touched that a mouse he had known only a few minutes would share his food with him. “I had a little chocolate before, but besides that, nothing for three days.”

“Eat! Eat!” said Tucker. He bit the liverwurst into two pieces and gave Chester the bigger one. “So you smelled the liverwurst—then what happened?”

697

4

5


4 STRATEGYANALYZE STORY STRUCTURE

Teacher Think Aloud

I know that

the structure of a story can be seen

in the way the author introduces

characters and develops the plot.

So far, I’ve met two characters,

Tucker the mouse and Chester the

cricket. As I read the dialogue, I can

analyze the characters’ thoughts

and behaviors. I notice that Tucker is

being quite friendly toward Chester.

He encourages Chester to tell his

story and even shares his liverwurst

when he hears that Chester likes it.

This information may help me figure

out what the theme is. I can add it

to my Theme Map.

5 THEME

What is the author’s message about

different types of characters becoming

friends? (Suggested answer: Even though

creatures may be different in many ways,

they have some things in common. Even

creatures as different as a mouse and a

cricket can like the same things and be

kind to each other.)


STRATEGIES FOR EXTRA SUPPORT

Question 5 THEMEAsk, Who are the characters of the story so far? (Tucker Mouse,

Chester Cricket) How do they help each other? What kinds of things

do they do that show they have become friends? (listen to each other,

share food) How do you feel about these two animals being friends?

Think about the two characters’ actions. What do you think the

author’s message is?

Clue

Tucker encourages Chester to tell his story and shares his liverwurst.


698698



6 THEME

What clues can you find to the story’s

theme in the way that Tucker responds

to Chester’s story? (The two characters

have just met, but Tucker listens with

real interest to Chester’s story. He

notes that he would have reacted the

same way as Chester did to the events.

This kind of understanding between

two characters shows how friendships

grow.) Add this information to your

Theme Map.

Clue


Clue

Tucker listens well and says he understands Chester’s feelings.

698

“I hopped down from the stump and went off toward the smell,” said Chester.

“Very logical,” said Tucker Mouse, munching with his cheeks full. “Exactly what I would have done.”

“It was coming from a picnic basket,” said Chester. “A couple of tuffets away from my stump the meadow begins, and there was a whole bunch of people having a picnic. They had hard boiled eggs, and cold roast chicken, and roast beef, and a whole lot of other things besides the liverwurst sandwiches which I smelled.”

Tucker Mouse moaned with pleasure at the thought of all that food.

“They were having such a good time laughing and singing songs that they didn’t notice me when I jumped into the picnic basket,” continued Chester. “I was sure they wouldn’t mind if I had just a taste.”

“Naturally not,” said Tucker Mouse sympathetically. “Why mind? Plenty for all. Who could blame you?”

“Now, I have to admit,” Chester went on, “I had more than a taste. As a matter of fact, I ate so much that I couldn’t keep my eyes open—what with being tired from the jumping and everything. And I fell asleep right there in the picnic basket. The fi rst thing I knew, somebody had put a bag on top of me that had the last of the roast beef sandwiches in it. I couldn’t move!”

“Imagine!” Tucker exclaimed. “Trapped under roast beef sandwiches! Well, there are worse fates.”

699

6

7



7 STRATEGYCONTEXT CLUES

Find the word sympathetically on

page 699. What paragraph clues

help you figure out the meaning of

sympathetically? (Tucker says, “Naturally

not,” and “Who could blame you?”

So sympathetically must mean “with

understanding.”)

Animated Films

Explain The Cricket in Times Square was made into a short TV film

many years ago. Today animated films seem to be more popular than

ever. Instead of painting images onto film sheets, some animators now

create puppets or clay figures to portray the characters. Animation

contributes to communication in various ways.

Discuss Ask students what their favorite animated films are. Do

they prefer to watch films with painted images or clay figures?

Apply Ask partners to do some research on types of animation.

Then have them plan how they would animate one scene from

The Cricket in Times Square. How would they design the characters?

What actors would do the voiceovers? Have partners show sketches

of the characters as they explain their ideas to the class.


“At fi rst I wasn't too frightened,” said Chester. “After all, I thought, they probably come from New Canaan or some other nearby town. They'll have to unpack the basket sooner or later. Little did I know!” He shook his head and sighed. “I could feel the basket being carried into a car and riding somewhere and then being lifted down. That must have been the railroad station. Then I went up again and there was a rattling and roaring sound, the way a train makes. By this time I was pretty scared. I knew every minute was taking me farther away from my stump, but there wasn't anything I could do. I was getting awfully cramped too, under those roast beef sandwiches.”

“Didn’t you try to eat your way out?” asked Tucker.“I didn’t have any room,” said Chester. “But every now and then

the train would give a lurch and I managed to free myself a little. We traveled on and on, and then the train stopped. I didn’t have any idea where we were, but as soon as the basket was carried off, I could tell from the noise it must be New York.”

“You never were here before?” Tucker asked. “Goodness no!” said Chester. “But I’ve heard about it. There was

a swallow I used to know who told about flying over New York every spring and fall on her way to the North and back. But what would I be doing here?” He shifted uneasily from one set of legs to another. “I’m a country cricket.”

“Don’t worry,” said Tucker Mouse. “I’ll feed you liverwurst. You’ll be all right. Go on with the story.”

“It’s almost over,” said Chester. “The people got off one train and walked a ways and got on another—even noisier than the first.”

“Must have been the subway,” said Tucker.

700



8 MAINTAINSUMMARIZE

How would you summarize Chester’s

journey to New York? (He was sitting

in his stump in Connecticut when

he smelled liverwurst. He followed

the smell to a nearby picnic. Soon he

jumped into the picnickers’ basket to

eat some of the liverwurst. Later, he fell

asleep because he’d eaten too much.

He woke up trapped under a bag of

roast beef sandwiches in the basket.

The people carried the basket and

Chester onto a couple of trains. Chester

worked himself loose and leaped out

of the basket when they got off the

second train.)

700

“I guess so,” Chester Cricket said. “You can imagine how scared I was. I didn’t know where I was going! For all I knew they could have been heading for Texas, although I don’t guess many people from Texas come all the way to Connecticut for a picnic.”

“It could happen,” said Tucker, nodding his head.“Anyway I worked furiously to get loose. And finally I made

it. When they got off the second train, I took a flying leap and landed in a pile of dirt over in the corner of this place where we are.”

“Such an introduction to New York,” said Tucker, “to land in a pile of dirt in the Times Square subway station. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“And here I am,” Chester concluded forlornly. “I’ve been lying over there for three days not knowing what to do. At last I got so nervous I began to chirp.”

“That was the sound!” interrupted Tucker Mouse. “I heard it, but I didn’t know what it was.”

“Yes, that was me,” said Chester. “Usually I don’t chirp until later on in the summer—but my goodness, I had to do something!”

The cricket had been sitting next to the edge of the shelf. For some reason—perhaps it was a faint noise, like padded feet tiptoeing across the floor—he happened to look down. A shadowy form that had been crouching silently below in the darkness made a spring and landed right next to Tucker and Chester.

“Watch out!” Chester shouted, “A cat!” He dove headfirst into the matchbox.

701

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9



9 GENRE: FANTASY

What information does the author

include on pages 700 and 701 that

could only happen in a fantasy?

(Suggested answers: Chester could

not know that he was in New York,

because how would a cricket have

that knowledge? Crickets don’t chirp

because they are nervous.)

10 CHARACTER

What do Chester Cricket’s actions so far

tell you about the kind of creature he

is? (Chester is brave, because he was

able to get loose from the sandwiches

and jump out of the basket. Even

though he is far from home, he has

been all right so far in New York.

Chester is also nervous and frightened,

because he stayed in one place for

three days while he thought about

what to do.)

10


Harry CatHarry CatChester buried his head in the Kleenex. He didn’t want to see

his new friend, Tucker Mouse, get killed. Back in Connecticut he had sometimes watched the one-sided fights of cats and mice in the meadow, and unless the mice were near their holes, the fights always ended in the same way. But this cat had been upon them too quickly: Tucker couldn’t have escaped.

There wasn’t a sound. Chester lifted his head and very cautiously looked behind him. The cat—a huge tiger cat with gray-green eyes and black stripes along his body—was sitting on his hind legs, switching his tail around his forepaws. And directly between those forepaws, in the very jaws of his enemy, sat Tucker Mouse. He was watching Chester curiously. The cricket began to make frantic signs that the mouse should look up and see what was looming over him.

Very casually Tucker raised his head. The cat looked straight down on him. “Oh, him,” said Tucker, chucking the cat under the chin with his right front paw, “he’s my best friend. Come out from the matchbox.”

Chester crept out, looking first at one, then the other.“Chester, meet Harry Cat,” said Tucker. “Harry, this is

Chester. He’s a cricket.”“I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance,” said Harry Cat

in a silky voice.“Hello,” said Chester. He was sort of ashamed because of all

the fuss he’d made. “I wasn’t scared for myself. But I thought cats and mice were enemies.”

702




Teacher Think Aloud As a new

character is introduced here, I notice

how the author is careful to show us

Chester’s reaction. Chester is afraid

of the cat, so at first I also think the

cat is dangerous. Cats and mice are

usually enemies, so the fact that

Harry is not a danger to Tucker or

Chester is a surprise. How else does

the introduction of a friendly cat

affect your understanding of the

story?

(Encourage students to apply the strategy

in a Think Aloud.)

Student Think Aloud I find out

that Tucker and Harry are best

friends, because Tucker says so.

This is important to know, because

I already read about how friendly

Tucker is to Chester. Now I see that

three very different kinds of animals

can get along. I will keep reading to

find out how they will look out for

each other.

Find the sentence that contains the word

acquaintance . Which of the following

words and phrases has the meaning closest

to the meaning of acquaintance: friend,

co-worker, best friend, casual friend,

stranger? (casual friend)

11

12

702

703



12 THEME

How does Chester’s behavior on page

702 show that he already trusts Tucker

and values him as a friend? (He tries

to warn Tucker about the cat, because

he does not want his new friend to be

killed. When Tucker says the cat is a

friend, Chester trusts Tucker and comes

out to meet him.) Add this information

to your Theme Map.

Clue


Clue


Clue

Chester tries to warn Tucker about the cat; Chester trusts Tucker about meeting Harry.

Have students respond to the selection

by confirming or revising their

predictions and purposes.

Can students identify clues

about the theme of a story? If

not, see the Extra Support on

this page.

Stop here if you are reading

this story over two days.STOP

Theme

If students are having difficulty identifying events and character

traits that provide clues to the author’s message, guide them with

questions such as the following.

• How did Chester feel when he first arrived in Times Square?

(nervous, confused, and unhappy)

• How does he feel now? (happier, more relaxed, less worried about

his future in New York)

• What brought about this change in his mood? (Tucker has made

friends with him, showing interest in his problem, sharing food

with him, and introducing him to a yet another new friend.)

• How do Tucker and Harry feel about Chester? (They both admire

Chester’s music. They give him hope about being able to leave, but

also give him reasons to stay.)


“In the country, maybe,” said Tucker. “But in New York we gave up those old habits long ago. Harry is my oldest friend. He lives with me over in the drain pipe. So how was scrounging tonight, Harry?”

“Not so good,” said Harry Cat. “I was over in the ash cans on the East Side, but those rich people don't throw out as much garbage as they should.”

“Chester, make that noise again for Harry,” said Tucker Mouse.Chester lifted the black wings that were carefully folded across

his back and with a quick, expert stroke drew the top one over the bottom. A thrumm echoed through the station.

“Lovely—very lovely,” said the cat. “This cricket has talent.”“I thought it was singing,” said Tucker. “But you do it like

playing a violin, with one wing on the other?”“Yes,” said Chester. “These wings aren’t much good for flying,

but I prefer music anyhow.” He made three rapid chirps.Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat smiled at each other. “It makes

me want to purr to hear it,” said Harry.“Some people say a cricket goes ‘chee chee chee,’” explained

Chester. “And others say, ‘treet treet treet,’ but we crickets don’t think it sounds like either one of those.”

“It sounds to me as if you were going ‘crik crik crik,’” said Harry.

“Maybe that’s why they call him a ‘cricket,’” said Tucker.

704



13 MONITOR AND CLARIFY: READ

AHEAD

Find the word scrounging on pages 694

and 704. How might reading ahead

have helped you to understand its

meaning? (On page 704, Harry explains

what scrounging means by saying he

had been looking through garbage

cans for food. On page 694, we learn

that Tucker likes scrounging, but the

context doesn’t necessarily explain

what it means.)

IMMIGRATION

People who leave their homes in one country to move to a new

country are called immigrants. New York City is known for welcoming

people from different backgrounds and giving them the chance to

become friends. Tucker says that, in the country, a cat and a mouse

would be enemies. In the city, however, they become friends. New

immigrants like Chester are often nervous about their new home at

first, but they soon grow to appreciate the friends they make.

Have students recall the immigrant characters in My Diary from Here

to There and The Gold Rush Game. In several paragraphs, ask them

to compare and contrast their experiences of coming to live in the

United States with Chester’s arrival in New York. They should also

discuss the similarities and differences in how the authors tell the

immigrants’ story.

13

14

704

705



14 THEME

How does Tucker’s and Harry’s reaction

to Chester’s chirping add to your

understanding of the story’s theme?

(Both Tucker and Harry really like

Chester’s chirping, which shows that

friends appreciate the special qualities

that each has. The author may be

trying to show that taking time to

appreciate others can lead to having

good friends.) Add this information to

your Theme Map.

STRATEGIES FOR EXTRA SUPPORT

Question 14 THEMEReread aloud the dialogue on page 704 that tells what Tucker

and Harry think about Chester’s chirping: “Lovely . . . cricket has

talent . . . Like playing a violin . . .” Say that Tucker and Harry are

complimenting Chester on his ability to chirp. Write the word

compliment and give other examples. Ask, What does the characters’

behavior tell you about their feelings for each other? How does their

behavior help you understand the theme? (Friends appreciate each

other’s qualities.) Write appreciation on the board and ask, How do

you show your appreciation for your friends?

Clue


Clue


Clue


Clue

Tucker and Harry compliment Chester on his chirping skills.


They all laughed. Tucker had a squeaky laugh that sounded as if he were hiccupping. Chester was feeling much happier now. The future did not seem nearly as gloomy as it had over in the pile of dirt in the corner.

“Are you going to stay a while in New York?” asked Tucker.“I guess I’ll have to,” said Chester. “I don’t know how to

get home.”“Well, we could always take you to Grand Central Station and

put you on a train going back to Connecticut,” said Tucker. “But why don’t you give the city a try. Meet new people—see new things. Mario likes you very much.”

“Yes, but his mother doesn’t,” said Chester. “She thinks I carry germs.”

“Germs!” said Tucker scornfully. “She wouldn’t know a germ if one gave her a black eye. Pay no attention.”

“Too bad you couldn’t have found more successful friends,” said Harry Cat. “I fear for the future of this newsstand.”

“It’s true,” echoed Tucker sadly. “They’re going broke fast.” He jumped up on a pile of magazines and read off the names in the half-light that slanted through the cracks in the wooden cover “Art News—Musical America. Who would read them but a few long-hairs?”

“I don’t understand the way you talk,” said Chester. Back in the meadow he had listened to bullfrogs, and woodchucks, and rabbits, even a few snakes, but he had never heard anyone speak like Tucker Mouse. “What is a long-hair?”

706




How has the author used clues in the

plot to bring out the theme of the story?

Student Think Aloud The author

has shown us that, even though two

individuals are very different, they

can be kind to each other. We see

this when Tucker listens carefully

to Chester’s story. Also, we know

that Harry would never eat Tucker.

Friends also take care of each other.

For example, we see that Tucker

shares his liverwurst when Chester is

hungry. And friendship also means

being willing to share your talents,

like singing and chirping.

16 DRAW CONCLUSIONS

How do you think Tucker has learned

to speak the way he does? (At the

beginning of the story, we learn that he

loves to eavesdrop on humans. He has

probably picked up a lot of vocabulary

and phrases from them. Chester says

he has never heard such words in the

country, but that is because there are so

few people in the country.)

15

16

706

Tucker scratched his head and thought a moment. “A long-hair is an extra-refined person,” he said. “You take an Afghan hound—that's a long-hair.”

“Do Afghan hounds read Musical America?” asked the cricket.“They would if they could,” said Tucker.Chester shook his head. “I’m afraid I won’t get along in New

York,” he said.“Oh, sure you will!” squeaked Tucker Mouse. “Harry, suppose

we take Chester up and show him Times Square. Would you like that, Chester?”

“I guess so,” said Chester, although he was really a little leery of venturing out into New York City.

The three of them jumped down to the floor. The crack in the side of the newsstand was just wide enough for Harry to get through. As they crossed the station floor, Tucker pointed out the local sights of interest, such as the Nedick’s lunch counter—Tucker spent a lot of time around there—and the Loft’s candy store. Then they came to the drain pipe. Chester had to make short little hops to keep from hitting his head as they went up. There seemed to be hundreds of twistings and turnings, and many other pipes that opened off the main route, but Tucker Mouse knew his way perfectly—even in the dark. At last Chester saw light above them. One more hop brought him out onto the sidewalk. And there he gasped, holding his breath and crouching against the cement.

707



17 THEME

How does the author show that Tucker

and Harry value having Chester as a

new friend? (They offer to help him

get back to Connecticut, but they

also want to show him all the things

that New York has to offer. They

seem to want him to stay.) Add this

information to your Theme Map.

18 MAINTAINSUMMARY

How would you summarize the tour of

Times Square that Tucker and Harry give

Chester? (First, they squeeze through

the crack in the newsstand and cross

the subway station. Tucker points out

interesting places to eat, such as Nedick’s

and Loft’s candy store. Then they travel

through the drain pipe, twisting and

turning in the dark for a long time, until

they come up onto the sidewalk.)

Clue


Clue


Clue


Clue


Clue

Tucker and Harry seem to want Chester to stay in New York.

17

18

Semantic/Meaning Cues

Explain Good readers use their background knowledge and context

clues to help them predict and check meanings of words.

Model Discuss the word venturing on page 707.

Think Aloud

I don’t know what the word venturing means, but it

reminds me of the word adventure. It appears right after Tucker

says he and Harry will show Chester Times Square. The -ing

ending shows that it is a verb, and it is followed by the adverbs

out and into. Venturing must mean “going” or “traveling.” That

makes sense: Chester is leery about going out into New York City.

Apply Encourage students to use context clues and their background

knowledge to help them with other difficult words or phrases, such as

extra-refined on this page.

Ways to Confirm Meaning


Theme How does the author use his characters to express the theme?

They were standing at one corner of the Times building, which is at the south end of Times Square. Above the cricket, towers that seemed like mountains of light rose up into the night sky. Even this late the neon signs were still blazing. Reds, blues, greens, and yellows flashed down on him. And the air was full of the roar of traffic and the hum of human beings. It was as if Times Square were a kind of shell, with colors and noises breaking in great waves inside it. Chester’s heart hurt him and he closed his eyes. The sight was too terrible and beautiful for a cricket who up to now had measured high things by the height of his willow tree and sounds by the burble of a running brook.

“How do you like it?” asked Tucker Mouse.“Well—it’s—it’s quite something,” Chester stuttered.“You should see it New Year's Eve,” said Harry Cat.Gradually Chester’s eyes got used to the lights. He looked up.

And way far above them, above New York, and above the whole world, he made out a star that he knew was a star he used to look at back in Connecticut. When they had gone down to the station and Chester was in the matchbox again, he thought about that star. It made him feel better to think that there was one familiar thing, twinkling above him, amid so much that was new and strange.

708


19 THEME

How does the author use his characters

to express the theme? (Suggested

answer: The three characters are very

different kinds of creatures, yet they

have learned how to trust one another

and to care for each other. They see the

differences between them as positive

things and reasons to be happy together

rather than as problems. The author

shows how they speak to each other

with respect and offer help when it’s

needed. By seeing how these characters

behave together, we understand how

important good friendships are.) Add

this information to your Theme Map.


19

Clue


Clue


Clue


Clue


Clue

Tucker and Harry seem to want Chester to stay in New York.

Theme

Friendships are valuable. They make any place feel like home.

708

709


Develop ComprehensionRETURN TO PREDICTIONS

AND PURPOSES

Review students’ predictions and

purposes. Were they correct? Did

students know what would happen

when a country cricket winds up in the

city? (Even though Chester knew no

one when he arrived in New York, he

soon made two very good friends.)

Students should view and respond to

classic texts.

REVIEW READING STRATEGIES

■ In what ways did analyzing the story

structure to identify the theme help

you understand this story?

■ What strategies did you use when

you came to difficult words?

Encourage students to select useful

visual organizers after reading to

organize information.

PERSONAL RESPONSE

Ask students to write about a time

when they made friends with someone

very different from themselves.

Invite them to perform their stories

nonverbally, as in pantomime.

During Small Group Instruction

If No Approaching Level Leveled

Reader Lesson, p. 717P

If Yes On Level Options,

pp. 717Q–717R

Beyond Level Options,

pp. 717S–717T

Can students use clues to

identify the theme of a story?


George SeldenGeorge Selden wrote this story after he heard a cricket chirping in the Times Square subway station. Chester’s whole story came to George immediately. The cricket reminded George of his home in the countryside where he used to live.

Garth WilliamsGarth Williams worked very hard to make the creatures in this story look and act like real people. First he started with an actual photograph of the animal. Then he drew and redrew until the animal seemed to have human qualities.

Author's PurposeWhy did George Selden write The Cricket in Times Square? Was his main purpose to explain, entertain, or persuade? What details help you to know?

On a On a JourneyJourney with with GeorgeGeorge and and GarthGarth

Other books by George Selden and Garth Williams

Find out more about George Selden

and Garth Williams at

www.macmillanmh.com

710

710

Respond Student page 710

Author and Illustrator

ON A JOURNEY WITH GEORGE

AND GARTH

Have students read the biographies of

the author and the illustrator.

DISCUSS

■ How did George Selden use his

own experiences to create a work of

imaginative fiction?

■ What advantages and disadvantages

might Garth Williams have had from

working with photographs of animals?

WRITE ABOUT IT

Have students write about a new place

they would like to visit. Ask them to

give a detailed description of things

they would like to see there. Use a

world map as a prompt for students

to share their ideas about travel

destinations.

Students can find more information about George Selden and Garth Williams at www.macmillanmh.com

Author’s CraftHumorous Contrast

■ Writers often place animals in situations together even though

they would not face each other in real life.

■ For example: “‘Who are you?’ ‘A mouse,’ said Tucker, ‘Who are

you?’ ‘I’m Chester Cricket,’ said the cricket.’” (p. 694) In real life, a

mouse and a cricket would not make homes near each other.

■ Ask students how contrasting situations and odd animal pairs

adds humor to the story.

■ Have students look for and discuss other examples of humorous

contrast, such as “‘I jumped into the picnic basket,” continued

Chester. “I was sure they wouldn’t mind if I had just a taste,’” (p. 699)

and “directly between those forepaws, in the very jaws of his enemy,

sat Tucker Mouse.” (p. 702)

Author’s PurposeHave students look for clues in the

story and in the author’s biography

that indicate George Selden’s purpose

for writing. Suggest that they consider

the story’s theme when looking for and

discussing the clues. Students should

conclude that he wrote to entertain.



Comprehension Check

Summarize

Summarize The Cricket in Times Square. Tell about the main characters, the most important events in the story, and the theme.

Think and Compare

1. New York City is fi lled with people from many diff erent backgrounds and countries. What message do you think the author is sending by making a cricket, a cat, and a mouse his main characters? Use your theme chart to answer the question. Analyze Story Structure: Theme

2. Reread page 708 of the story. How do you think Chester feels about New York after he sees Times Square? Use story details to support your answer. Analyze

3. If you could be a character in the story, which character would you choose to be, Chester or Tucker? Explain your answer. Apply

4. Tucker advises his new acquaintance Chester to give the city a try. How would you decide if this is a good idea? Support your answer with details from the text. Evaluate

5. Read “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse” on pages 690–691. How is Country Mouse’s experience similar to Chester’s on pages 701 to 704? How is it diff erent? Use details from both selections in your answer. Reading/Writing Across Texts

711

Respond Student page 711

Comprehension Check

SUMMARIZE

Have partners summarize The Cricket in

Times Square in their own words. Remind

students to use their Theme Map to help

them organize their summaries.

THINK AND COMPARE

Sample answers are given.

1. Theme: The author’s message

seems to be that a big city is filled

with many different characters who

can still become friends despite their

differences.

2. Analyze: Chester is very

overwhelmed by New York City’s

lights and sounds. He feels that it is

beautiful but busy since it is so much

bigger and noisier than the place he

came from. USE THINK AND SEARCH

3. Text to Self: Students may say

that they would rather be Tucker

because he is very energetic and

outgoing. Some students might

prefer to be Chester because he is

quiet and a talented musician.

4. Text to World: Answers may vary.

Students’ may say that if they were

Chester, they might feel better

about staying in the city because of

friends like Tucker and Harry.

FOCUS QUESTION

5. Text to Text: Both Chester and

the Country Mouse are from the

country. They both think the city

is dangerous, busy, and noisy. The

Country Mouse’s trip was a planned

visit with a friend, but Chester

comes to the city by accident.

Chester is considering staying in

the city, but Country Mouse goes

home. USE THINK AND SEARCH

Think and Search

Model the Think and Search strategy with questions 2 and 5.

The answer is found in more than one place in the selection. You

need to put different parts of the text together.

Question 2 Think Aloud:

I first read that Chester was

frightened by the noises he heard. Then I learned that he was

from a very quiet place. Therefore, Chester must have been

scared but excited in this new place.

Question 5 Think Aloud:

In “The Country Mouse and the

City Mouse,” I read that Country Mouse took a planned trip to

the city to see her friend. In The Cricket in Times Square, Chester

accidentally found himself in the city. Both are surprised at what

they see and hear in the city. Country Mouse decides to return

home. Chester may decide to give the city a chance.


Fluency/Comprehension

711A

Objectives• Read accurately with good

prosody

• Rate: 113–133 WCPM

Materials

• Fluency Transparency 27

• Fluency Solutions

• Leveled Practice Books, p. 196

FluencyRepeated Reading: Punctuation

EXPLAIN/MODEL Tell students that paying close attention to

punctuation will help them with proper intonation and expression.

Contrast intonation for statements and exclamations as you model

reading the passage on Fluency Transparency 27 aloud. Then read

one sentence at a time, having students echo-read the sentence,

imitating your intonation.

Think Aloud

I see that most sentences end with periods, so I

will make my voice stay level at the end. One of Chester’s lines

ends with a exclamation point, so I will read that line with more

emphasis. Provide a Context Discuss

what is happening in

the passage and the

character’s feelings. Make

sure students understand

that Chester is talking to

Tucker Mouse. Echo-read

the passage with students.

You may need to explain

the expression “Little did I

know!”


If No Approaching Level Fluency, p. 717N

If Yes On Level Options, pp. 717Q–717R

Beyond Level Options, pp. 717S–717T

Can students read accurately with good prosody?

As I read, I will pay attention to end punctuation in each sentence.

Stripes raised his eyes and blinked at Jani. He was a lovely

12 striped cat. Jani thought he looked like a little tiger. She picked

24 the cat up. She sat with him on a chair, stroking his head.

37 “You’ll never believe what we learned in school today,” she

47 told Stripes.

49 Stripes looked up at her with wise green eyes. “People used

60 to make leopard-skin coats,” she told him. “Some people still

71 do. A coat made from a cat, Stripes. It makes me so mad!”

84 Jani could not be sure, but she thought that Stripes scrunched

95 up his nose in disgust.

100 That night, Jani fell into a restless sleep. She tossed and

111 turned. She dreamed about animals who could talk. In her

121 dream, she hid nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.

129 The animals were in danger. And they needed help. Suddenly

139 she woke up. It was almost midnight, but there was a light in

152 her room. “Who’s there?” she asked. 158

Comprehension Check

1. Why does Jani fall into a restless sleep? Make Inferences

2. Why might Jani feel sympathy for leopards? Make Inferences

Words Read – Number of Errors = Words

Correct Score

First Read – =

Second Read – =

Jani falls into a restless sleep because she is still upset about the idea of a coat made from an animal’s fur. Jani probably feels sympathy for leopards because they are also cats, and she loves her own cat, Stripes.

On Level Practice Book O, page 196

Approaching Practice Book A, page 196

Beyond Practice Book B, page 196

Transparency 27

“At first I wasn’t too frightened,” said Chester. “After all, I thought, they probably come from New Canaan or some other nearby town. They’ll have to unpack the basket sooner or later. Little did I know!” He shook his head and sighed. “I could feel the basket being carried into a car and riding somewhere and then being lifted down. That must have been the railroad station.”

Fluency Transparency 27

from The Cricket in Times Square, page 700

PRACTICE/APPLY Divide students into two groups. The first group

reads the passage a sentence at a time. The second group echo-

reads. Then groups switch roles. Students will practice fluency using

Practice Book page 196 or the Fluency Solutions Audio CD.

Fluency/Comprehension

ComprehensionMAINTAIN SKILLSUMMARIZE

EXPLAIN/MODEL

■ To summarize means to tell about something in a brief and

organized way.

■ A summary of a story includes the main idea and supporting

details. Sometimes a story’s main idea is not stated; it may be

implied by the details. What are the secondary ideas?

Lead a class discussion about how students would summarize a

favorite story. Ask, What are the most important details?

PRACTICE/APPLY Discuss the story The Cricket in Times Square and

have partners summarize and evaluate Chester’s adventurous trip to

Times Square by role-playing the character. Ask each partner to take

a turn acting out different parts of his city experience.

Have students use opinions and reactions of their teachers and

classmates to evaluate their own interpretations of the book.

For comprehension practice use Graphic Organizers on Teacher’s

Resource Book pages 40–64.

Objective• Summarize text by

identifying important details

Summarize

Introduce 377A–B

Practice /Apply

378–401; Leveled Practice, 104–105

Reteach / Review

405M–T, 543A–B, 544–557, 561M–T; Leveled Practice, 150–151

Assess Weekly Tests; Unit 3, 5 Tests; Benchmark Tests A, B

Maintain 627B, 651B, 711B, 777B

The Cricket in Times Square 711B

ScienceGenreEditorials are articles

printed in newspapers and

magazines that express the

opinions of the writer.

Text FeatureAdvertisements are text

and pictures that try to

persuade consumers to

buy a product.

Content Vocabularycolony

echolocation

insecticides

cont. on page 714

by Patricia West

What words come to mind when you see or think of a

bat? Creepy? Dark? Dangerous? People who know very little about this creature might answer in this way. Those who know bats would use words such as “fascinating,” “amazing,” even “beautiful.”

All of us here in Austin have an incredible opportunity to take

a first-hand look at the Mexican free-tailed bat. A colony of bats has settled under the Congress Avenue Bridge.

I urge all of you to come out to see these bats. They tend to come out around sunset. Depending on the size of a colony, bats can eat tens of thousands of insects during their nightly flights. That, my friends, is a lot of mosquitoes.

The Chanceof aof a LifetimeTheThe ChanceChanceof aof a LifetimeLifetime

712

Paired Selection Student page 712

Informational Text: ScienceGENRE: EDITORIALS

Have students read the bookmark on

Student Book page 712. Explain that

editorials

■ are printed in newspapers and

magazines;

■ express opinions that may or may

not be supported with facts;

■ may be written to convince readers

to see things the same way the

writer does.

Text Feature: Advertisement

Point out the advertisement on page

713. Explain that an advertisement tries

to persuade people to buy a product

or service. This advertisement is trying

to motivate customers to buy a house

to keep bats.

■ An advertisement contains text and

pictures.

■ It gives important facts, details, or

descriptions about the product or

service.

■ It includes persuasive words and

techniques and is designed to catch

the reader’s attention.

Ask students what makes the bat

house being advertised on page 713

unique enough to purchase. (It is

designed by the Bat Society.) Discuss

the importance of having correct

information in the advertisement.

(All the details must be correct so

consumers will know how to purchase

the product and what it will cost.)

Content VocabularyReview the spelling and meaning of each content vocabulary word

for “The Chance of a Lifetime” on Student Book page 712: colony,

echolocation, and insecticides.

■ A colony is a group of animals or plants of the same kind living in a

particular place. Have you ever seen a colony?

■ Bats use echolocation , bouncing sound waves off objects, to fly

around. What other animal do you think might also use echolocation

or something similiar?

■ Insecticides are chemicals used to kill insects. In what ways are

insecticides harmful to our environment?

712

Science

Special: Hammocks—Up to 50% off!Wheelbarrows—10% off when you bring this adFor a limited time only. Sales end 6/30.

KRAMER’S LAWN AND GARDEN555 Main Street, Cedar Park, Texas • (555) 555-5555

Open daily 10-6

Reading an AdvertisementThe purpose of an advertisement is to

persuade people to buy a product. Look

for ways in which the author motivates

customers to come to Kramer’s.

Advertisement

Our Best Bat House Just Went On Sale!

Now Only $40.00(Regularly $55.00)Designed by the Bat SocietySlanted roof for better run-offWeather-resistant red cedarMade in the USA

SALE!

713

1

2

Informational TextRead “The Chance of a

Lifetime”

As you read, remind students to

apply what they have learned about

advertisements. Also have them

identify clues to the meanings of the

highlighted words in the selection.

1 TEXT FEATURE: ADVERTISEMENT

What items are on sale at Kramer’s

Lawn and Garden? (The bat house,

hammocks, and wheelbarrows are on

sale.) Which item could you save the

most on? (You could save the most on

a hammock.)

2 TEXT FEATURE: ADVERTISEMENT

How does the advertisement try to

persuade consumers to buy the bat

house? (It states that it is the best bat

house designed by the Bat Society. Its

roof is designed for better run-off and

it is made of material that withstands

weather.)

Author’s Viewpoint Use the article to make a list of the amazing

things about bats. Reread the text and call out the positive things

about bats. Discuss with students. Ask, Why do you think the author

of this article likes bats? What words does she use to let the reader

know bats are amazing? Point out the exact words and phrases the

author uses to convey her opinion.



cont. from page 712

Unfortunately, bat populations are falling all around the county. This decline is due to several factors. Insecticides have killed many bats. People have disturbed bat roosts. Sadly, people who mistakenly think that bats are dangerous or carry disease have intentionally destroyed them. Scientists, however, believe that fewer than one bat in 200 is sick. Sick bats are too weak to fly, so they rarely come in contact with people. We need to spread the word.

Tips on Viewing Bats Look for bats at dawn or dusk.

Pick an open spot to see bats against the sky.

Look for bats near water or streetlights.

Never touch a bat.

Do not disturb bats during the day when they sleep.

Dr. Markus Rivera, a scientist who

studies bats, has some helpful

advice to pass along. Here are his

bat-viewing suggestions.

714

3

4


Informational Text

3 CONTENT VOCABULARY

Look at the word insecticides on

page 714. What clues help you to

understand the meaning of the word?

(“killed many bats”)

4 CAUSE AND EFFECT

What are two causes of the decline

in bat populations? (insecticides and

misinformed people who disturb and

kill the bats) What are two effects of

sickness in bats? (Sick bats cannot fly,

and they rarely come into contact with

people.)

Advertisements use pictures and text to get people to buy or do something. Advertisements use several techniques of persuasion:• loaded language, such as best, better, and special• bandwagon, or urging that you join many other people • testimonials, or the backing of a celebrity• warnings that the offer is good for a limited time only

Read each advertisement. Then answer the questions.

Our world-class bird feeder will blow you away! It’s the best there is. As Bob Wells of the Nature Channel says, “You won’t find a better feeder anywhere.”

1. What techniques does the advertisement use?

2. What words or phrases did you use to fi gure out the advertisement’s

approach?

Join your friends and neighbors by donating to the Save the Tigers fund. Act now and receive this beautiful tote bag.

3. What techniques does the advertisement use?

4. What words or phrases did you use to fi gure out the advertisement’s

approach?

loaded language and testimonial

world-class; blow you away; best there is; Bob Wells says

bandwagon and limited time offer

join friends and neighbors, act now and receive a gift




Connect and Compare1. What are some persuasive techniques used in the ad on page

713? Could a customer at Kramer’s get 50% off all hammocks?

Explain. Reading an Advertisement

2. If you want to watch bats, when and where should you look?

Analyze

3. Think about the editorial and The Cricket in Times Square.

What are some misunderstandings that people have about

crickets? About bats? Reading/Writing Across Texts

Science Activity

Research either bats or crickets. Draw a picture of one.

Write three facts you learned in your research.

Find out more about bats at www.macmillanmh.com

Did you know that bats do not rely on their eyes when they fly and hunt insects? They use echolocation. They emit high-pitched sounds. When the sound waves bounce off objects and return to the bat’s ears, it can tell how far away the object is.

Did You Know?

715


Informational TextConnect and Compare

SUGGESTED ANSWERS

1. There are three persuasive techniques:

(1) the use of persuasive, or loaded,

words such as best, better, and special;

(2) the testimonial, or backing, by the

Bat Society; (3) the statement that the

sale is for a limited time only, which

urges customers to buy now. No,

a customer can get up to 50% off.

READING AN ADVERTISEMENT

2. At dawn or dusk you can see them

in an open spot against the sky,

near water or streetlights. ANALYZE

3. FOCUS QUESTION People

sometimes fear these creatures

when they shouldn’t. Many people

think crickets are noisy and carry

germs. Others believe bats to

be dangerous and carry disease.

READING/WRITING ACROSS TEXTS

Internet Research and Inquiry Activity

Students can find more facts about bats at

www.macmillanmh.com

Science ActivityHave students share their research and

relate the three facts they learned. As

students share their facts, list them on

the board under a column marked bats

or a column marked crickets. Students

can also display the pictures they drew.

Nocturnal Animal Facts

Encourage students to learn more about nocturnal animals. Have

them brainstorm and share any facts they know already about

animals that come out at night.

Invite student partners to use library and Internet resources to learn

more about an animal of their choice. Ask partners to tell about the

animal they’ve chosen, including at least five interesting facts about it.

Have partners share their research with the class. Remind students

to use the Discussion and Conversation Guidelines on page

662I. You may wish to compile the facts into a book. Each pair

of students can contribute a page that focuses on their animal.

Encourage students to make the page colorful and to add

photographs or illustrations. Suggest that students help their

partners follow directions.




Features of a News Article

In a news article, the writer gives true information about a specific

topic. A news article tells about an event or topic of interest to a

large audience and is written to inform.

■ A news article answers the questions who, what, when, where,

and why about a newsworthy event.

■ A news article includes only facts, not opinions.

■ It opens with an interesting first sentence or question that gets

the reader’s attention.

■ It often ends with a concluding sentence that wraps up the

article.

Write aNews Article

What ARE Those Birds?

by Matthew E.

Have you seen the big green birds on the

telephone poles behind the school? Their messy

nest has been there for at least three years,

growing larger every year.

The birds are called monk parakeets, but

they are a kind of parrot that originally lived

in South America.

How did they get here? They are probably

escaped pets. Bird experts think the parakeets

like it here on the coast

because it doesn’t get too

cold in the winter. Next

time you’re outside for

recess, take a look at our

monk parakeet colony.

I included the “five Ws”-who, what, why, when, and where.

I wrote a fact-filled news article about an interesting subject.

Writer’s CraftFacts and OpinionsNews articles answer the questions who, what, where, when, and why. These “five Ws” should be explained within the text of the article. Present the facts and avoid giving opinions.

716

716

WritingFacts and Opinions

READ THE STUDENT MODEL

Read the bookmark about facts and

opinions. Explain that readers and

writers can prove facts true through

research or by observing events.

Opinions tell what someone thinks or

feels.

Have students turn to pages 712–713.

Identify, contrast, and discuss facts and

opinions.

Have the class read Matthew E.’s news

article and the callouts. Tell students

that they will write a news article

about an animal. They will also learn to

use facts and opinions in their writing.

WRITING• Expository Writing

• Writer’s Craft: Facts and Opinions

WORD STUDY• Words in Context

• Context Clues: Paragraph

• Phonics: Homophones

• Vocabulary Building

SPELLING• Homophones

GRAMMAR• Comparing with Adverbs

SMALL GROUP OPTIONS

• Differentiated Instruction, pp. 717M–717V

Transparency 105

Writing Transparency 105

PREWRITE

Discuss the writing prompt on page

717. The purpose of a news article

is to inform. Students can work

independently or in pairs to brainstorm

animals for their articles. Ask them to

choose the animal they think is the

most interesting.

Display Transparency 105 then

present the mini lesson on

Organization on page 717B. Matthew

used a Five-W’s chart to plan a news

article that answers the important

questions with facts. Have students use

a similar chart to plan their own news

articles.

DRAFT

Display Transparency 106. Talk about

ways to improve the draft. Before

students write, present the lesson on

Facts and Opinions on page 717A and

the mini lesson on A Strong Opening

on page 717B. Have students use their

charts to write their articles. Remind

them to include only facts.

REVISE

Display Transparency 107 and discuss

Matthew’s revisions. Point out that he

used precise words and facts. Students

can revise their drafts or work on

them later. If they choose to revise,

have them work in pairs to use the

Writer’s Checklist on page 717. Then ask

students to proofread their writing.

For Publishing Options, see 717A.

For lessons on Grammar and Spelling,

see page 717B and 5-Day Spelling and

Grammar on pages 717G–717J.

Transparency 105: Five-W’s

Chart

Transparency 106: Draft

Transparency 107: Revision

Writer’s Checklist

Ideas and Content: Did I pick an interesting topic

and present facts, not opinions?

Organization: Did I answer the questions “Who?,”

“What?,” “Where?,” “When?,” and “Why?”

Voice: When I read the article aloud, did it sound

as if I used enough facts to support the topic?

Word Choice: Did I use precise words?

Sentence Fluency: Did my writing flow smoothly

from one idea to the next?

Conventions: Did I use more or most or other

adverbs that compare? Did I check my spelling?

Expository Writing

Your TurnWrite a news article about an animal

outside its habitat. Choose a topic that

is important or unusual—something

that will interest your readers. Think

about the “five Ws” as you research

and write: who, what, where, when,

and why. Make sure you answer these

questions with facts. Use the Writer’s

Checklist to check your writing.

717

Writing Student pages 716–717

My Five-Ws Chart

Who? Big green birds called monkparakeets; really parrots fromSouth America

What? They have a big colony thatgets bigger every year.

Where? Nest is behind the school.

When? Nest has been there for atleast three years.

Why? Probably escaped pets; like it here because it isn’t toocold in the winter



SPEAKING STRATEGIES

■ Speak clearly, using a

natural note of voice.

■ Catch your audience’s

attention with your

introductory sentence.

■ Present ideas in a logical

sequence.

■ Show interest in the

animal but do not show

opinion or emotion.

LISTENING STRATEGIES

■ Listen carefully for facts

and details about the

animal.

■ Keep track of the answers

to the five W’s.

■ Be prepared to ask

questions about the

animal.

717A

Facts and OpinionsEXPLAIN/MODEL

Good writers use only facts in a news article. Facts are pieces of

information that can be proven, usually through research or by

personal experience and observation. Opinions tell how someone

thinks or feels. Display Transparency 108.

Think Aloud The first sample sentence is a fact that I can prove

by looking up white-tailed deer in an encyclopedia or almanac.

The second sample sentence has a fact in it, which is that deer

eat vegetable gardens, but it is still an opinion because it states

the view that deer are pests. Some people think that deer are

important food sources or beautiful animals. If people can

disagree with an idea, it is an opinion.


Transparency 108

PRACTICE/APPLY

Work with students to read the four sentences and identify the facts.

Ask students to tell why these statements are facts and how they

could be proved. Then have students identify and discuss facts in

another news article they have recently read.

Tell students that as they draft their news article, they should

include only facts. Urge students to use their facts to answer the

five W’s.

Publishing OptionsStudents can read aloud their news articles to the class. See the Speaking and Listening tips below. They can also use their best cursive to write their news article. (See Teacher’s Resource Book pages 163–168 for cursive models and practice.) Then invite students to submit their articles to the school or local paper.

4- and 6-Point Scoring Rubrics

Use the rubrics on pages 787G–787H to score published writing.

Writing Process

For a complete lesson, see Unit Writing on pages 787A–787H.

Writer’s CraftWriting

Facts and Opinions

Fact: White-tailed deer are the most common deer in

North America.

Opinion: White-tailed deer are pests because they eat the

vegetable garden.

1. A male white-tailed deer may weigh as much as

200 pounds.

2. Male deer have bigger antlers, which makes them

much more interesting than female deer.

3. White-tailed deer don’t have an actual home; they

just move around in a home area.

4. Deer can be a problem because they bring bugs

that carry dangerous diseases.

(1. fact; 2. opinion; 3. fact; 4. opinion)

Writing Transp

arency 108

Technology

Writing

Writer’s Toolbox

To help them find definitions or synonyms, tell students

to select the word in their draft, go to the Tools menu, and

then choose Thesaurus or Dictionary to find what they

need.

Writing Trait: Organization

Explain/Model For a news article, writers can

organize ideas around answering the five W’s: who,

what, when, why, and where. Point out the phrase

“on the telephone poles behind the school” on

page 716. Explain that this phrase answers the

question where.

Practice/Apply Work with students to find the

answers to the other five-W questions in the

student model. Discuss how organizing according

to the five W’s helps writers make sure they include

all the important information.

Comparing with Adverbs

Explain/Model Adverbs can be used to compare

actions. To compare using most one-syllable

adverbs, add –er or –est, as in quicker or slowest.

For adverbs with two or more syllables, add the

words more or most to the adverb, as in more

carefully.

Practice/Apply Work with students to find

examples of comparing with adverbs in the

student model on page 716. Ask students to pay

attention as they write to using adverbs correctly

to compare. For a complete lesson on comparing

with adverbs, see pages 717I–717J.

A Strong Opening

Explain/Model Explain that strong openings get

readers interested and keep them reading. For

a news article, good writers often start with an

attention-grabbing sentence or a question to get

readers involved. This makes readers respond to the

question and keep reading to see how the writer

answers it.

Practice/Apply Discuss with students why

Matthew’s opening works. Then invite students to

suggest other strong openings Matthew could have

used. As students draft, tell them to use a strong

opening to get readers interested in their news

article.

Spelling Homophones

Ask students to find the word seen in the student

model on page 716. Point out that this word

is spelled s-e-e-n. Explain that the word scene

sounds the same but is spelled s-c-e-n-e. These

words are homophones—they sound the same

but have different spellings and meanings. Have

students find other homophones in the student

model, such as their/there. Remind them to make

sure they have the correct word when they spell

homophones. Remind them that they can use a

print or online dictionary to check spelling in their

drafts. For a complete lesson on homophones, see

pages 717G–717H.

The Cricket in Times Square 717B

717C

Objectives• Apply knowledge of word

meanings and context clues

• Use paragraph clues to

understand the meanings of

unfamiliar words

Materials

• Vocabulary Transparencies

53 and 54

• Leveled Practice Books,

p. 198

Practice Vocabulary

Create a pile of objects

to illustrate a jumble of

things. Say, This is a jumble

of books, pencils, and paper.

Have students discuss

where in their homes there

is a jumble of objects. (a

drawer/a closet)

eavesdropping (p. 694)

listening to other people

talking without letting

them know you are

listening

scuffling (p. 694) the

sound of feet shuffling

wistfully (p. 696) sweetly

sad; thoughtfully

jumble (p. 697) a

confused mixture or

condition; a mess

logical (p. 699)

reasonable; thoughtful

acquaintance (p. 702)

someone known or

introduced

scornfully (p. 706) angrily;

disapprovingly

Review

VocabularyWords in Context

EXPLAIN/MODEL

Review the meanings of the vocabulary words. Display

Transparency 53. Model how to use word meanings and context

clues to fill in the first missing word with students.

Think Aloud In the first sentence, I read that Barbara learns secrets

from other people’s conversations. She must have been listening

without their knowledge. That’s eavesdropping. I think the missing

word is eavesdropping. It makes sense in the sentence.

PRACTICE/APPLY

Instruct students to complete the remaining sentences on their

own. Have them use context clues to fill in the missing words for

items 2–7 on a separate sheet of paper. Then students can exchange

papers, check their answers, and explain the context clues they used

to figure out the missing words.

Story Time In small groups, students should tell a story

using vocabulary words. A student might start the story with

eavesdropping, as in, We were eavesdropping in the bushes when a

loud noise startled us. Another student continues the story using

another word.

Word Study

Word Study

jumble logical acquaintance scufflingscornfully wistfully eavesdropping

1. Barbara learned our secrets by eavesdropping on our

conversations.

2. She is not a good friend; she is more like an

acquaintance .

3. Grandma wistfully told stories of her happy girlhood.

4. I heard the raccoon scuffling along the driveway.

5. It didn’t seem logical that wild animals would wander

the city.

6. The animal’s nest was a jumble of fur, feathers, and

dried grass.

7. He glanced scornfully at the rowdy children, saying

that he did not want to be disturbed.

Transparency 53

Vocabulary Transparency 53

Context clues are words in the same or surrounding sentences that help a reader figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

Read the passage below. Then write the meaning of each word in dark type and the context clues that helped you figure it out.

The audience streamed into the theater to hear Regina Jackson’s talk.

Hundreds of people moved smoothly but quickly into their seats. Jackson

was the world’s leading authority on jaguars. No one else knew more

than she did about the lives of these big cats. From the moment she began

to speak everyone sat quietly. You could see by their interested expressions

that they were fascinated by what she had to say. When Regina finished,

everyone stood up and began to applaud.

1. audience Defi nition:

Context clues:

2. streamed Defi nition:

Context clues:

3. authority Defi nition:

Context clues:

4. jaguars Defi nition:

Context clues:

5. fascinated Defi nition:

Context clues:

Possible responses provided.

people who come to hear something

hundreds of people, hear talk

moved smoothly

moved smoothly and quickly

expert

no one else knew more than she did

large mammals of the cat family

big cats

very interested

sat quietly; interested expressions




Word Study

Vocabulary Strategy Transparency 54

Use Context Clues

Have students turn to

Student Book page 694

and model how to read

surrounding text to

identify the meaning of

scuffling. Point out how the

phrase after the comma

helps define the word.

Repeat this activity with

jumble on page 697.

Paragraph Clues

1. There was a jumble of things in Eric’s room. There were shoes, hats, shirts, books, and pens. Eric came in from school and threw his clothes on the floor, his books on the bed, and his sneakers on the desk!

2. Emily peered at the animals in the park. From her tenth story window, she could barely see how many dogs there were. By staring intently, she noticed that there were twice as many dogs as pigeons.

3. After the bell sounded, Scott dashed across the field. His teammates looked on with excitement and hope as they watched him go. The first person to cross the finish line would win ice cream for the whole team! They were confident because Scott was the fastest runner in grade four.

4. The child sat forlornly on the bench. People raced by, ignoring him. He seemed so alone and sad. Was he lost? Where could his family be?

Transparency 54

STRATEGYCONTEXT CLUES: PARAGRAPH

EXPLAIN/MODEL

Explain that writers sometimes include context clues throughout a

paragraph. Students may want to read the entire paragraph to help

them understand the meaning of an unknown word. Context clues

may be one or more sentences away from the original word. Model

finding the meaning of the word jumble in the first paragraph on

Transparency 54. Then have students read items 2–4 to figure out

the underlined words’ meanings using paragraph clues.

PRACTICE/APPLY

Have students identify the paragraph clues for liverwurst on Student

Book pages 696–697. Then tell students to use those clues to write

sentences to answer the following questions: Is liverwurst something

to eat? Is it a kind of vegetable or a kind of meat?


If No Approaching Level Vocabulary, pp. 717N–717O



Can students use context clues and paragraph clues to choose

the correct word and understand unfamiliar words?

The Cricket in Times Square 717D

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. The words right and write are homophones. right = correct write = make marks on paper

Fill in each blank with the correct homophone.

1. tale / tail He told a about a lion that lost its

.

2. patience / patients The doctor encouraged his

to have more while they waited to see him.

3. dough / doe The and her fawns ate the

that the baker left on the window sill.

4. wade / weighed She tried to across the river

wearing a backpack that ninety pounds.

5. bolder / boulder The skier grew after he

jumped over the .

6. plain / plane We flew in a over the

where the buffalo were.

7. week / weak I felt for a .

8. aloud / allowed “There are no photos ,” the

guide said .

tale

tail

patients

patience

doe

dough

wade

weighed

bolder

boulder

plane

plain

weak week

allowed

aloud




717E

Phonics Homophones

EXPLAIN/MODEL

Homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently

and have different definitions. One reason that there are a number

of homophones in English is that there are often different ways to

spell the same sound. Write doe and dough.

Think Aloud

I know that these words are both pronounced with

long o. In one case, the vowel sound is spelled oe, as in toe. In

the other, the sound has the unusual spelling ough. When I read

/dō/, I must be sure that I don’t confuse the meaning. I can use

context clues or a dictionary to be sure of the correct meaning.

PRACTICE/APPLY

Write these words on the board: weighed, root, tail, and weave.

Have students sound out the words and write homophones for

them on the board. (wade, route, tale, we’ve) Ask students to use

the homophones in sentences.

Decode Multisyllabic Words Write flower, flour; capital, capitol;

ceiling, sealing. Sound out the words as a class. Ask students to

define each word. Have students use each word in a sentence.

For additional practice, use the decodable passages on Teacher’s

Resource Book pages 32–33.

Draw It! Write pairs of homophones on cards, both words on one

card. Divide the class in two. A player from Team A selects a card,

then draws clues that will help Team B name the words. After Team

B correctly identifies the words, Team B players must spell both

homophones. Players on Team A then must use both homophones

correctly in sentences. The teams then switch roles. Teams earn

points by drawing, guessing the words, spelling the words, and using

the words correctly.

Objectives• Identify and distinguish

homophones

• Identify antonyms

Materials

• Leveled Practice Books, p. 199

• Teacher’s Resource Book,

pp. 32–33

Homophone Practice

Create sentences for the

following homophone

pairs: red/read, see/sea,

cent/sent. Discuss the

meanings of the words and

the differences in spellings.

Make a classroom chart

of homophones with

students’ illustrated

sentences for them to refer

during writing and reading

activities.

Word Study

Word Study


If No Approaching Level Phonics, p. 717M



Can students decode words that are homophones?

Vocabulary BuildingWord Study

Vocabulary Building

Antonyms Help students identify the parts of

speech for the following vocabulary words: logical,

disappointment, scornfully, acquaintance, fragile, and

threatened. In pairs, have students come up with

antonyms for each word. Have them see who can

think of the most antonyms per word. Ensure that

the antonyms are the same part of speech.

Spiral Review

Build-A-Cricket Find line art of a cricket and

duplicate it. Cut each cricket into several pieces,

making a puzzle. Write current and previous

vocabulary words on pieces of the cricket. Divide

the class into groups. Place a jumble of assorted

cricket parts (enough for each student to make a

cricket) on a group’s table. Have students earn the

pieces to build a cricket by defining the word on

the part and using it in a sentence that contains

at least one context clue for the word. When

a student is done with his or her cricket, that

student may help another student in the group

build a cricket by providing antonyms or context

clues for words on the missing parts.

Vocabulary PuzzleMaker For additional vocabulary and

spelling games, go to

www.macmillanmh.com

Edit Writing Using Adverbs

Adverbs Remind students that they can fine-tune

their writing by using adverbs or changing words

into adverbs. Review:

An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an

adjective, or another verb.

Sometimes an adverb describes when or how often

the action is done. Sometimes an adverb describes

where the action is done. At other times an adverb

describes in what manner, or how, the action is done.

To make adjectives into adverbs, you add -ly. The

giraffe is wistful. The giraffe sings wistfully.

Like adjectives, adverbs also have a comparative

and a superlative form. You use the comparative

form of the adverb to compare two. You use the

superlative form of the adverb to compare more

than two. Some long adverbs do not add -er and

-est. Use more and most to form the comparative

of these adverbs.

Apply Vocabulary

Write a Story Direct students to use the

vocabulary words to write a short story about

animal friends. The short story could be a fantasy,

mystery, or folk tale. Encourage students to give

the animals human characteristics. They should

include at least four vocabulary words in their

stories.

The Cricket in Times Square 717F


717G

Pretest Word Sorts

Dictation Sentences 1. A tree root grew out of the

ground.

2. Have you heard the tale of Paul Bunyan?

3. Do you like to wade in the ocean?

4. My dog wagged his tail excitedly.

5. The prince lives in the castle.

6. It’s fun to roll out cookie dough.

7. The moose has large antlers.

8. She prints her letters carefully.

9. We’ve been here all day.

10. Can you weave on a loom?

11. Whose jacket is on the floor?

12. We took the quickest route home.

13. Who’s coming to the party?

14. We climbed over a boulder.

15. The baby weighed seven pounds.

16. Have patience with your brother.

17. Outside school, the child seemed bolder.

18. We saw a doe run in the woods.

19. I tasted the chocolate mousse.

20. My doctor gives lollipops to her patients.

Review/Challenge Words 1. My shirt is made of pure cotton.

2. I ate a toasted corn muffin.

3. He turned eleven years old.

4. An iron makes curly hair straight.

5. The strait was too narrow for the boat to pass through.

Word in bold is from the main selection.

Spelling Practice Book, pages 167–168

doe boulder patience moussewho’s weighed tail doughroute patients prince whoseweave tale bolder rootmoose prints wade we’ve

There are ten pairs of spelling words that are homophones. They sound the same but are spelled differently. Sort the homophones into pairs. Write each pair on the lines below.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Order Please!

Write the following words in alphabetical order: patience, weighed,tail, dough, whose, weave, bolder, root, moose, and prints.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

doebolderroute

patiencemooseprincewho’swade

weavetail

doughmoose

patiencepp

bolder

printspp

doughboulder

root

patientsmousseprints

whoseweighed

we’ve

tale

tailweave

weighed

root

whose

Spelling Practice Book, page 169

Spelling

5 Day Spelling

Homophones

ASSESS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Using the Dictation Sentences, say

the underlined words. Read the

sentences and repeat the words.

Have students write the words on

Spelling Practice Book page 167.

For a modified list, use the first 12

Spelling Words and the 3 Review

Words. For a more challenging list,

use Spelling Words 3–20 and the

2 Challenge Words. Have students

correct their own tests.

Have students cut apart the Spelling

Word Cards BLM on Teacher’s

Resource Book page 92 and figure

out a way to sort them. Have them

save the cards for use throughout

the week.

Use Spelling Book page 168 for

additional practice with this week’s

Spelling Words.

For Leveled Word Lists, go to

www.macmillanmh.com

TEACHER AND STUDENT SORTS

■ Write doe and dough, pointing out

that these words are homophones.

Homophones are words that sound

the same but are spelled differently

and have different meanings.

Explain that all the Spelling Words

for this week are homophones, and

are not arranged in any specific

spelling patterns. Have students

find all the homophone pairs

and discuss their spellings and

meanings.

■ Challenge student pairs to sort

all the word cards in two ways.

Have them record both sorts

by listing the headings and

corresponding words. (Possible

sorts include vowel sounds,

syllables, initial letters, number of

letters, or parts of speech.)

■ When students have finished,

discuss the different ways they

sorted.

root prints weighed

tale we’ve patience

wade weave bolder

tail whose doe

prince route mousse

dough who’s patients

moose boulder

Review cotton, muffin, eleven

Challenge straight, strait


Review and Proofread

Spelling

Word Meanings

DEFINITIONS

Read each definition below. Ask

students to copy the definitions

into their word study notebooks,

and then write the correct Spelling

Word for each.

1. a female deer (doe)

2. a story (tale)

3. walk in shallow water (wade)

4. a large rock (boulder)

5. people who visit a doctor

(patients)

Challenge students to write

definitions for other Spelling,

Review, or Challenge Words. Have

them create a list and exchange

with a classmate who can try

supplying the correct Spelling

Word for each definition.

Have partners create crossword

puzzles, using clues for homophone

pairs. They can exchange papers and

solve each other’s puzzles.

SPIRAL REVIEW

Review the final /әn/ spellings.

Write cotton, muffin, and eleven on

the board. Have students identify

other words with the schwa + n

sound that are spelled these three

different ways.

PROOFREAD AND WRITE

Write these sentences on the

board, including the misspelled

words. Have students proofread,

circle each misspelled word, and

write the word correctly.

1. You need patients when you

make bread doe. (patience,

dough)

2. The prints enjoys eating lemon

moose. (prince, mousse)

3. Who’s tale is longer, the mouse’s

or the lion’s? (Whose, tail)

4. To get to Root 4, we make a

right at the big bolder. (Route,

boulder)

POSTTEST

Use the Dictation Sentences on

page 717G for the Posttest.

If students have difficulty with any

words in the lesson, have students

place them in a list entitled

Spelling Words I Want to Remember

in a word study notebook.

Challenge student partners to look

for words that are homophones in

this week’s reading materials.

doe boulder patience moussewho’s weighed tail doughroute patients prince whoseweave tale bolder rootmoose prints wade we’ve

What’s the Word?

Complete each sentence with a spelling word.

1. We made double of the pictures of the birds in the park.

2. The man had to into the fountain to save the cat.

3. Our dog’s was run over by a car.

4. been trying to rid our house of mice for months.

5. It would be funny to see a in the city.

6. Mrs. Jennings has no for untrained animals.

7. The elephant at the city zoo more than six tons.

8. You have to be careful not to hit a deer when driving down that

.

9. The squirrels in the park are not afraid of people and are becoming

every day.

10. pet is this?

11. There is a and her baby who live near that road.

12. Have you heard the of the cricket that lived in New York?

13. that man with the yellow hat?

14. Nothing could move that except an elephant.

15. The at the city hospital like to watch the birds in the park.

16. The bread takes an hour to rise.

printswade

tailWe’ve

moosepatience

weighed

route

bolder

doetale

Who’s

boulder

Whose

patients

dough


Proofreading

There are six spelling mistakes in this story. Circle the misspelled words. Write the words correctly on the lines below.

A Tael of the Two Deer

Once upon a time, there was a dou named Cinnamon. Cinnamon lived

in a grand kingdom with all of her animal friends. Cinnamon was also very

much in love with Printse Butternut. But Cinnamon and Butternut were

very upset. Their kingdom was in danger. Nearby was a large human city.

Every year the humans would build another road or roote closer to their

kingdom. If a deer heard a car coming he would raise his taile to warn the

other animals. Then one day, Cinnamon and Butternut had an idea. They

got all the other animals in the kingdom to help them. Bowlder upon rock,

the animals built a wall that would protect them from the cars on the roads.

Cinnamon hoped that all the animals would be very careful and not cross the

wall. That way the kingdom would remain safe.

1. 3. 5.

2. 4. 6.

Writing Activity

Write a story about animals interacting with humans. Use at least three spelling words in your paragraph.

taledoe

Princeroute

tailBoulder


Look at the words in each set below. One word in each set is spelled correctly. Use a pencil to fill in the circle next to the correctword. Before you begin, look at the sample set of words. SampleA has been done for you. Do Sample B by yourself. When you are sure you know what to do, you may go on with the rest of the page.

Sample A: Sample B:

� peice � peese� pease � piece� peace � pease� piese peice

1. � doe� doo� doa� dow

2. � doo� dow� dough doa

3. � boalder� bowlder� boleder� bolder

4. � boulder� boleder� bowlder boalder

5. � rute� route� rewt� rout

6. � rute� rewt� root rout

7. � payshenz� payshense� paitients� patience

8. � payshents� patients� paitents payshenz

9. � moose� mewse� moosse� muese

10. � mewse� mousse� muese moosse

11. � prinz� prinse� printz� prince

12. � prinz� prints� printz prinse

13. � hoo’s� who’s� hew’s� whue’s

14. � hoose� whooze� whose huze

15. � wayd� wade� waid� wayed

16. � wayed� waid� wayd weighed

17. � weeve� wheave� weave� wheeve

18. � we’ve� wee’ve� we’v whee’ve

19. � taile� talle� tael� tail

20. � taile� tale� tael talle

�

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��


Assess and Reteach

The Cricket in Times Square 717H

Grammar

5 Day Grammar

Daily Language ActivitiesUse these activities to introduce each day’s lesson. Write the day’s activity on the board or use Daily Language Transparency 27.

DAY 1Natasha’s cat was nice but mine was nicest. Peters pet was hungryest than Molly’s pet. The mouse seemed to listen polite. (1:nicer; 2: Peter’s; 3: hungrier; 4: politely.)

DAY 2Sarah is a well listener. She listens more hard than I do. She asked curiouslier than Al about our trip to the city. (1: good; 2: harder; 3: more curiously)

DAY 3Sarah and me enjoy vacations, but Gerard enjoy them more of all. He gets ready fastest than we do in the mornings. (1: and I; 2: Gerard enjoys; 3: most of all; 4: faster)

DAY 4The bus ride seemed more slower than last time. “Weave got to go to the second floor.” my teacher said. (1: seemed slower; 2: We’ve; 3: floor,)

DAY 5I saw well sights on our field trip. When it was time to go, it was most sad than before? (1: good; 2: sadder; 3: before.)

Use Concrete Examples

Demonstrate the

difference between more

and most. For example,

have Student A run quickly,

another more quickly than

Student A, and a third

most quickly of all. Create

a sentence about each.

Emphasize that adverbs

compare actions instead of

things.

Grammar Practice Book, page 167

• Use more or most to form comparisons with adverbs that endtin -ly or with longer adverbs.y

• Use more to compare two actions.• Use most to compare more than two actions.t• When you use more or most, do not use the ending -er or -r est.

Use more or most with the underlined adverb in each first tsentence to complete the two sentences that follow.

1. The train that Chester was on shook harshly as it moved on the track.

The second train shook every now and then.

But the subway car shook of all.

2. Chester furiously tried to escape from the picnic basket.

He tried as the train rattled and shook.

Chester tried the of all when they fi nally reached New York.

3. Harry Cat speedily jumped toward Chester and Tucker Mouse.

Chester jumped the of all into the matchbox.

Chester jumped than Harry Cat.

4. Chester chirps sweetly when he is excited.

Chester chirps when he is scared.

But Chester chirps the when he is happy.

5. Chester moves hastily through the drain pipe.

Harry Cat moves through the drain pipe.

But Tucker moves the of all through the drainpipe.

more harshly

more furiously

most harshly

more speedily

most furiously

most speedily

more sweetlymost sweetly

more hastilymost hastily

Grammar Practice Book, page 168

Introduce the Concept

INTRODUCE ADVERB

COMPARISONS

Present the following:

■ Adverbs can be used to compare

two or more actions.

■ To compare using most one-

syllable adverbs, add -er or

-est: Amelia tried harder than her

teammate. Ken tried the hardest of

all.

■ Adverbs with two or more

syllables are usually used with

the words more or most to make

comparisons: Tom read more

carefully than Monica. I read the

most carefully of all.

■ When adverbs are used with more

or most, they do not use endings

to make comparisons.

REVIEW ADVERB COMPARISONS

Discuss with students how to

compare with adverbs. Ask them

for some basic rules for deciding

whether to use endings or to use

more and most.

INTRODUCE IRREGULAR

COMPARATIVE ADVERBS

Present the following:

■ To make comparisons using the

adverb well, use better and best:

Shania works well in math. Bo

works better.

■ To make comparisons using the

adverb badly, use worse and

worst: I swam the 100-meter

badly. It was not my worst time

though.

Teach the Concept


See Grammar Transparency 131 for modeling and guided practice.


717I

Review and Proofread

• An adverb can compare two or more actions.• Add -er to short adverbs to compare two actions.r• Add -est to short adverbs to compare more than two actions.t• Use more or most to form comparisons with adverbs that endt

in -ly or with longer adverbs.y• Use more to compare two actions.• Use most to compare more than two actions.t• When you use more or most, do not use the ending -er or -r est.

Add more or most to the beginning of each boldfaced adverb totcomplete the sentences below.

1. easily Tucker Mouse moves through the city

than Chester.

2. clumsily Of the three friends, Chester runs the

through Times Square.

3. terribly Times Square upset Chester thanhe had imagined.

4. kindly Harry Cat treats mice and crickets than other cats do.

5. politely City cats behave than country cats.

6. speedily Chester thought that Harry ran the of all.

7. widely Chester opened his eyes as he got used to the lights.

8. dazzlingly Of all the lights in the sky, there was one star that shone

the .most dazzlingly

more easily

most clumsily

more terribly

more kindly

more politely

most speedily

more widely

Grammar Practice Book, page 169 Grammar Practice Book, page 170 Grammar Practice Book, pages 171–172




Grammar

Review and Practice

REVIEW COMPARING WITH

IRREGULAR ADVERBS

Review how to make comparisons

using well and badly.

MECHANICS AND USAGE:

ADVERB COMPARISON

■ Use more or the -er ending

with an adverb to compare one

action with one other action.

This creates the comparative

form of the adverb.

■ Use most or the -est ending

with an adverb to compare

one action with two or more

other actions. This creates the

superlative form of the adverb.

■ Irregular adverbs better and

worse compare an action with

one other action. Best and worst

compare an action with two or

more other actions.

REVIEW COMPARISONS WITH

ADVERBS

Ask students when to use -er,

-est, more, and most. Review the

comparative and superlative forms

of adverbs.

PROOFREAD

Have students correct errors in the

following sentences.

1. The mouse ate well, but the

cricket ate best. (better)

2. The cat ran fast but the mouse

ran fastest. (faster)

3. The mouse liked the cheese

and the sugar, but he liked the

dried prune more of all. (most)

4. Country mouse decided she

would live happier in the

country than in the city. (more

happily)

ASSESS

Use the Daily Language Activity

and page 171 Grammar Practice

Book for assessment.

RETEACH

Write the corrected sentences from

the Daily Language Activities and

the Proofread activity on the board.

Tell students to copy the sentences

down on a sheet of paper. Students

should identify what items are being

compared. Have them write the

items being compared and identify

if more/er or most/est was used.

Have students restate the rules of

comparatives and superlatives after

the activity.

Also use page 172 of the Grammar

Practice Book for reteaching.

Assess and Reteach

The Cricket in Times Square 717J

En

d-o

f-W

ee

k A

sse

ssm

en

t

Fluency Assessment

ELL Practice and

Assessment, 166–167

Administer the Test Weekly Reading Assessment, Passage and questions, pages 341–348

ASSESSED SKILLS

• Theme

• Vocabulary Words

• Context Clues: Paragraph Clues

• Comparing with Adverbs

• Homophones

Administer the Weekly Assessment online or

on CD-ROM.

FluencyAssess fluency for one group of students per week.

Use the Oral Fluency Record Sheet to track the number

of words read correctly. Fluency goal for all students:

113–133 words correct per minute (WCPM).

Approaching Level Weeks 1, 3, 5

On Level Weeks 2, 4

Beyond Level Week 6

Alternative Assessment• ELL Assessment, pages 166–167

Weekly Assessment, 341–348Assessment Tool

717K

VOCABULARY WORDS

VOCABULARY STRATEGY

Context Clues: Paragraph

Clues

Items 1, 2, 3, 4

IF...

0–2 items correct . . .

THEN...

Reteach skills using the Additional

Lessons page T7.

Reteach skills: Go to

www.macmillanmh.com

Vocabulary PuzzleMaker

Evaluate for Intervention.

COMPREHENSION

Skill: Theme

Items 5, 6, 7, 8

0–2 items correct . . . Reteach skills using the Additional

Lessons page T2.


GRAMMAR


Items 9, 10, 11

0–1 items correct . . . Reteach skills: Grammar Practice Book

page 172

SPELLING

Homophones

Items 12, 13, 14

0–1 items correct . . . Reteach skills: Go to

www.macmillanmh.com

FLUENCY 109–112 WCPM

0–108 WCPM

Fluency Solutions


Diagnose Prescribe

En

d-o

f-We

ek

Asse

ssme

nt

To place students

in the Intervention

Program, use

the Diagnostic

Assessment in the

Intervention Teacher’s

Edition.

TriumphsAN INTERVENTION PROGRAM

R E A D I N G

The Cricket in Times Square 717L



Phonics

Approaching Level Options

Objective Decode homophones

Materials • dictionary • Student Book “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse”

HOMOPHONES

Model /Guided Practice

■ Explain that homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled

differently and have different meanings.

■ Write tow and toe on the board. I know these words are both pronounced

with a long o. In the first word, the vowel sound is spelled ow as in snow. In

the other, the vowel sound is spelled oe as in Joe. When I read /tō/, I need

to be sure of its meaning, so I can use context clues or a dictionary. In the

dictionary I learn that t-o-w means to pull along behind with a chain, rope,

or cable. A t-o-e is part of the foot.

■ Have students follow your model to figure out the difference between

stair and stare. Provide constructive feedback as needed.

MULTISYLLABIC HOMOPHONES

■ Write seller and cellar on the board. I know these words are both

pronounced /sel әr/. When I read /sel әr/, I need to be sure of its meaning, so I

can use context clues or a dictionary. Write the following sentences on the

board: The seller sold his home for a lot of money. In my house the furnace

is in the cellar. Help students use the context clues in these sentences to

figure out the correct meaning of each word.

■ Have pairs of students work together to practice reading longer

homophones. Write the following homophone pairs on the board and

ask students to copy them onto a sheet of paper. Have them say each

word and look up its meaning in the dictionary. Then partners can take

turns writing riddles that can be answered with a homophone from the

list for the other partner to solve.

manner/manor capital/capitol principle/principal

stationery/stationary serial/cereal patience/patients

■ Check each pair for their progress and accuracy.

WORD HUNT: HOMOPHONES IN CONTEXT

■ Review the different spellings of homophones.

■ Have students search page 690 of “The City Mouse and the Country

Mouse” to find the following words that are part of a homophone pair:

one, I, night, and there.

■ Have students write the homophones for the words they found: won,

eye, knight, and their/they’re.

For each skill below,

additional lessons are

provided. You can use these

lessons on consecutive days

after teaching the lessons

presented within the week.

• Theme, T2

• Context Clues, T7

• Advertisements, T11

Additional Resources

To help students build

speed and accuracy with

phonics patterns, see

additional decodable

text on page 31 of the

Teacher’s Resource Book.

Decodable Text

For students who are

confused by homophones,

such as we’d/weed, provide

additional practice with

these words in sentences

with context clues. For

example, We’d all have to

work hard to pull every weed

from the garden. Point out

that we’d is a contraction

for we would and weeds

are unwanted plants in

a garden. Help students

make up additional context

sentences that help them

remember the meanings

and spellings of other

homophones, such as stare/

stair and sweet/suite.

ConstructiveFeedback

717M

Objective Read with increasing prosody and accuracy at a rate of 113–123 WCPM

Materials • Index cards • Approaching Practice Book A, page 196

WORD AUTOMATICITY

Have students make flashcards for the following homophones: roots, prints,

weighed, tale, we’ve, patience, wade, weave, bolder, tail, whose, doe, prince,

route, mousse, dough, whose, patients, moose, and boulder. Display the

cards one at a time and have students say each word. Repeat twice more,

displaying the words more quickly each time.

REPEATED READING

Encourage students to follow along as you read aloud the fluency passage

on Practice Book A page 196. Tell students to pay close attention to the

way punctuation affects your reading. Then read one sentence at a time

and have students echo-read the sentence, copying your intonation.

During independent reading time, have students work with a partner. One

student reads aloud while the other repeats each sentence. Ask students

to write down any words they felt were difficult to pronounce. Circulate

and provide constructive feedback.

TIMED READING

At the end of the week, have students do a final timed reading of the

passage on Practice Book A page 196. Students should

■ begin reading the passage aloud when you say “Go.”

■ stop reading the passage after one minute when you say “Stop.”

Keep track of miscues. Coach students as needed. Help students record

and graph the number of words they read correctly.

Vocabulary

Objective Apply vocabulary word meanings

Materials • Vocabulary Cards • Transparences 27a and 27b

VOCABULARY WORDS

Display the Vocabulary Cards for: wistfully, eavesdropping, scuffling,

acquaintance, jumble, scornfully, and logical. Help students locate the words

in “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse” on Transparencies 27a and

27b. Then provide students with a sentence for each vocabulary word,

leaving a blank where each word should be. Include two choices after

each sentence and have students identify the correct choice. For example:

If you are , you’re listening secretly to someone else’s conversation.

(scuffling/eavesdropping)


If students read without

sufficient pauses, stops, and

attention to punctuation,

reread the passage to

them, exaggerating the

correct pauses, stops, and

intonation. Then read one

sentence at a time and

have students echo-read

the sentence, copying

your pauses, stops, and

intonation.

ConstructiveFeedback

The Cricket in Times Square 717N

Vocabulary

Approaching Level Options

Review last week’s words

(reference, prospectors,

disappointment, annoyed,

circular, outstretched,

glinted) and this week’s

words (wistfully,

eavesdropping, scuffling,

acquaintance, jumble,

scornfully, logical). Have

students find a synonym for

each word and use it in a

sentence.

Objective Use context clues

Materials • Student Book “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse”

CONTEXT CLUES: PARAGRAPH

Read paragraphs 3–5 on page 690 of “The Country Mouse and the City

Mouse.” Ask students to skim through the paragraphs to find context

clues for the word eavesdropping. (Country Mouse followed City Mouse as

she tiptoed quietly into a cupboard and listened. “Shhh. We’re doing a bit

of eavesdropping. When the cook leaves for the night. . . . ”) Ask students

to find other vocabulary words in “The Country Mouse and the City

Mouse” that have paragraph context clues in their surrounding sentences.

Comprehension

Objective Identify theme

Materials • Student Book “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse”

• Transparencies 27a and 27b


Remind students that recognizing how an author organizes a story can

help them understand the theme.

SKILLTHEME

Explain/Model

The theme is the main idea, or lesson about life, an author wants to tell.

■ The theme is usually implied, but in a fable, the theme, or moral, is

often stated directly.

■ A recurring theme is a theme that repeats throughout a selection.

Display Transparencies 27a and 27b. Reread the first page.

Think Aloud

I can underline details about what the characters do and

say that will give me clues about the story’s theme. Sometimes the

author does not state the theme, and I must put the clues together.

Practice

Read the rest of the story. After reading, invite students to retell the story,

identifying the theme. Discuss the following.

■ Did Country Mouse and City Mouse enjoy the same things?

■ Do you think City Mouse found the city as scary as Country Mouse did?

Student Book, or Transparencies 27a and 27b

retold by Jeff Banner

717O

Leveled ReaderLeveled Reader Lesson

Objective Read to apply strategies and skills

Materials • Leveled Reader In the Land of the Giants

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students read the title and preview the illustrations and first

chapter. Ask students to make predictions about what they will read.

Have them note any questions they might have before reading.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Review the Vocabulary Words as needed. As you read together, discuss

how each word is used in context.


Remind students that recognizing how the author organizes a story can

help them understand the theme.

SKILLTHEME

Tell students to read the first two chapters of the story. Remind students

to pay attention to what the characters do and say, and what happens as

a result.

Think Aloud In the first chapter, I learn that Roberto agrees to go with

the mice to save the dog that has been kidnapped. Roberto learns

that the dog is not free, it lives in a cage, and it is very sad. I need to

remember this information for my Theme Map.

READ AND RESPOND

Finish reading In the Land of the Giants with students. Discuss the

characters and the theme using the following questions.

■ What qualities did Roberto have that enabled him to rescue the dog

from the powerful giants?

■ Do you think the giants had a right to keep the dog because they were

stronger than Roberto and the mice?

MAKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS TEXTS

Invite students to compare The Cricket in Times Square and In the Land of

the Giants.

■ Is the author’s message equally clear in each story? Discuss the theme of

each story to support your answer.

Leveled Reader

Context Clues Review the

vocabulary words before

reading. Ask students to use

context clues to complete

these sentences using the

vocabulary words.

1. By I could hear

right through the door.

(eavesdropping)

2. There was a of

papers, pencils, and crayons

on the table. (jumble)

3. We use gas to our

car. (fuel)

4. I was very excited to

meet Sarah and said, “I am

very happy to make your

.” (acquaintance).

The Cricket in Times Square 717P

Leveled Reader LessonVocabulary

On Level Options

Student Book

Student Book

The Chanceof a LifetimeThe Chanceof a Lifetime


As I read, I will pay attention to end punctuation in each sentence.

Stripes raised his eyes and blinked at Jani. He was a lovely

12 striped cat. Jani thought he looked like a little tiger. She picked

24 the cat up. She sat with him on a chair, stroking his head.

37 “You’ll never believe what we learned in school today,” she

47 told Stripes.

49 Stripes looked up at her with wise green eyes. “People used

60 to make leopard-skin coats,” she told him. “Some people still

71 do. A coat made from a cat, Stripes. It makes me so mad!”

84 Jani could not be sure, but she thought that Stripes scrunched

95 up his nose in disgust.

100 That night, Jani fell into a restless sleep. She tossed and

111 turned. She dreamed about animals who could talk. In her

121 dream, she hid nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.

129 The animals were in danger. And they needed help. Suddenly

139 she woke up. It was almost midnight, but there was a light in

152 her room. “Who’s there?” she asked. 158

Comprehension Check

1. Why does Jani fall into a restless sleep? Make Inferences

2. Why might Jani feel sympathy for leopards? Make Inferences

Words Read – Number of Errors = Words

Correct Score

First Read – =

Second Read – =

Jani falls into a restless sleep because she is still upset about the idea of a coat made from an animal’s fur. Jani probably feels sympathy for leopards because they are also cats, and she loves her own cat, Stripes.

Objective Use vocabulary words and context clues

Materials • Vocabulary Cards • Student Book The Cricket in Times Square

VOCABULARY WORDS

Have the group play a game of Ten Questions. Allow one student to be

“it.” The student will think of one of the vocabulary words. Students can

ask yes/no questions until they figure out the word. Questions can relate

to the part of speech, the meaning, or the syllabification. (Is it a noun?

Does it have three syllables?) If the group asks ten questions and still can’t

get the word, the person who is “it” tells the word.

CONTEXT CLUES: PARAGRAPH CLUES

Remind students that they can look for context clues in surrounding

sentences to help them understand the definition of an unfamiliar word.

Have students find unfamiliar words in The Cricket in Times Square. Ask

them to identify any context clues near the word. Then have them create

a new sentence using each of the words and their own context clues.

Text Features

Objective Read advertisements for information

Materials • Newspapers and magazines • Student Book “The Chance of a Lifetime”

ADVERTISEMENTS

Discuss how effective the advertisement is in “The Chance of a Lifetime.”

Then have students look through newspapers and magazines to point out

and discuss the purpose and target audiences of the advertisements.

Objective Read fluently with appropriate prosody at a rate of 113–133 WCPM

Materials • On Level Practice Book O, p. 196

REPEATED READING

Model reading the Fluency passage on page 196 of Practice Book O.

Remind them that paying close attention to punctuation will help them

with proper intonation and expression. Then read one sentence at a time,

having students echo-read the sentence, imitating your intonation.

During independent time, partners can take turns reading the passage.

Timed Reading At the end of the week, have students read the passage

and record their reading rate.

717Q



Materials • Leveled Reader The Tiger-Stripe Potion

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students preview The Tiger-Stripe Potion.

■ Ask students to predict what the selection is about.

■ Ask students to write down any questions they have about Jani.


Remind students that analyzing how an author organizes a story can

help them understand its theme.

SKILLTHEME

Review: The theme is the main idea, or lesson about life, that an author

wants to tell readers. It is usually implied, but in a fable, the theme, or

moral, is often stated directly. Explain that students will fill in information

about theme in Theme Maps.

READ AND RESPOND

Read Chapter 1. Pause to discuss the characters and events. At the end

of Chapter 1, fill in the Theme Map. Have students describe the main

problem that the characters face.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Ask students to identify the vocabulary words that appear in The Tiger-

Stripe Potion and discuss how each word is used. Ask, Do you think Kartik

and Asha expected to be friends or just acquaintances when they met?

MAKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS TEXTS

Invite students to analyze the theme and draw connections between The

Cricket in Times Square and The Tiger-Stripe Potion.

■ Ask students to describe the theme of each story.

■ Ask students to compare and contrast the authors’ messages.

ELLLeveled Reader

Go to pages

717U–717V.

Leveled Reader

The Cricket in Times Square 717R

Vocabulary


Beyond Level Options

Objective Generate questions and answers using content vocabulary words

Materials • Student Book “The Chance of a Lifetime” • Dictionaries

EXTEND VOCABULARY

Write the content vocabulary words on the board and invite students to

write their own dictionary entries for each word, including pronunciations,

definitions, parts of speech, example sentences, and etymologies. Have

students compare entries with a partner. Remind students to use two

different dictionaries for examples of word entries and to check the

spelling of each word.

Text Features

Objective Read advertisements for information

Materials • Newspapers and magazines

ADVERTISEMENT

Point out that an advertisement is used to try to persuade consumers to

buy things. Ask students if they think the advertisement for Kramer’s in

“The Chance of a Lifetime” could make a lot of people want to shop there.

Have students think of a product they would like to invent. Ask them to

identify their audience and to keep it in mind when thinking about an ad.

Then invite students to use advertisements in newspapers and magazines

as models to write their own advertisements for their products. Ask

students to display their ads for the class.

Objective Read fluently with appropriate prosody at a rate of 123–133 WCPM

Materials • Beyond Practice Book B, p. 196

REPEATED READING

Work with students to begin reviewing the Fluency passage on page 196

of Practice Book B. Remind students that commas call for a brief pause,

periods require a full stop, exclamation points indicate excitement, and

quotation marks show when another person is speaking. Read the first

part of the passage, pausing, stopping, and changing tone according to

the punctuation. Have partners finish marking the passage on their own.

During independent reading time, listen for accuracy as partners take

turns reading the passage they have practiced reading aloud.

Timed Reading At the end of the week, have students read the passage

and record their reading rate.

Student Book

The Chanceof a LifetimeThe Chanceof a Lifetime

Using Advertisements

Explain that another

type of advertisement

is a commercial. Have

students work in groups

to create a commercial for

a product of their choice.

Ask students to think

about their audience and

keep it in mind while they

work on the commercial.

Students should create a

script for their commercial

and act it out. Then when

students are finished, have

the groups present their

commercials to the class.

717S



Materials • Leveled Reader The Wood Sprite

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students preview The Wood Sprite, predict what it is about, and set

a purpose for reading.

SKILLTHEME

Ask a student to explain what the term theme means and why it is

important for understanding a story. Explain that students will read

The Wood Sprite together and fill in a chart with information about the

story’s theme.

READ AND RESPOND

As they read, students should identify details of the theme in the story

and use them to fill in their Theme Maps. Invite students to discuss

details from their maps with one another. Have students critique the story

together after reading.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Have students pay attention to vocabulary words as they occur. Review

definitions as needed. Ask, What kind of scuffling noise did Stella hear in her

own backyard?

Self-Selected Reading

Objective Read independently to analyze the theme of a selection

Materials • Leveled Readers or trade books at students’ reading levels

READ TO ANALYZE THEME

Invite students to choose a fiction book for independent reading and

enjoyment. As they read, ask them to identify details that will help them

understand the theme. After they finish reading, have students paraphrase

the story using the theme as the focus. They should include supporting

details they have identified. Have the groups discuss their readings and

compare themes. Do any themes seem to recur across different genres,

time periods, and cultures?

Leveled Reader

The Cricket in Times Square 717T

English Language Learners

Academic LanguageThroughout the week the English language learners will need help in

building their understanding of the academic language used in daily

instruction and assessment instruments. The following strategies will help

to increase their language proficiency and comprehension of content and

instructional words.

Use Strategies to Reinforce Academic Language

■ Use Context Language (see chart below) should be

explained in the context of the task during Whole Group.

Use gestures, expressions, and visuals to support meaning.

■ Use Visuals Use charts, transparencies, and graphic

organizers to point out and explain key labels to help

students understand classroom language.

■ Model Demonstrate the task using academic language in

order for students to understand instruction.

Academic Language Used in Whole Group Instruction

Content/Theme Words Skill/Strategy Words Writing/Grammar Words

wild animals (p. 688)

colony (p. 712)

echolocation (p. 712)

insecticides (p. 712)

consumers (p. 712)

paragraph clues (p. 691)

unfamiliar word (p. 691)

analyze story structure (p. 691A)

theme (p. 691A)

editorials (p. 712)

advertisements (p. 712)

product (p. 712)

persuasive words and techniques

(p. 712)

facts and opinions (p. 716)

news article (p. 716)

who, what, where, when, why

(p. 716)

sentence fluency (p. 717)

comparisons with adverbs (p. 717I)

irregular comparative and superlative

adverb forms (pp. 717I–717J)

For additional language

support and oral language

development use the lesson

at www.macmillanmh.com

717U


ELL Leveled ReaderELL Leveled Reader Lesson

DEVELOP ORAL LANGUAGE

Build Background Tell the class that you had a

dream with some “wild visitors.” I dreamed last

night that there were wild animals, like elephants,

tigers, and zebras, running around the city.

Review Vocabulary Before class, write definitions

for each word on sentence strips. Then write the vocabulary and story

support words on the board. Read each definition and have students

help you pair them to the words. Model using each word in a sentence.

I know Dan’s sister, but not very well. She’s not a good friend. She’s an .

(acquaintance)

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Point to the cover illustration and read the title aloud. What do you think

this story may be about? Why? Turn to the Table of Contents and have

students add to their predictions.

Set a Purpose for Reading Show the Theme Map and remind students

they have used one before. Ask them to make a similar map, look for clues

to help identify the theme, and record them on the map.

Choose from among the differentiated strategies below to support

students’ reading at all stages of language acquisition.

Beginning

Shared Reading After

reading each chapter, model

how to summarize it. Identify

clues and record them in the

map. At the end of the book,

read the clues and identify

the theme.

Intermediate

Read Together Read the

first chapter. Help students

retell it. Model how to record

clues in the map. Use these

clues to identify the theme.

Take turns reading the story

with students. Then ask

them to use the strategy and

fill in the map.

Advanced

Independent Reading

After reading each day,

ask students to identify

and record clues in the

map. Have them share this

information with a reading

partner to identify a theme.

Remind students to use the vocabulary and story words in their whole

group activities.

Objective• To apply vocabulary and

comprehension skills

Materials

• ELL Leveled Reader

DAY 1 • Academic Language

• Oral Language and Vocabulary Review








• ELL Leveled Reader Comprehension Check and Literacy Activities

ELL Teacher’s Guide

for students who need

additional instruction

The Cricket in Times Square 717V

Documents

1ZcS BVS[S Comprehension - Ellis Family - Homeellis2020.org/treasures/TG-treasures/unit6_week2_2.pdf · 2012-07-26 · country cricket winds up ... cricket (p. 694): an insect, similar