Diane M. Huot
The structure of the unit will consist of studying the set-up of the book and the set-up of the series, finding what information/idea is constant and growing throughout the series, and using one series to help read another. The unit will begin with the whole class studying one series with the teacher modeling the strategies and skills through mini-lessons. In the second phase of the unit the students will be paired by similar reading abilities and will choose a series, read three books from the chosen series and evaluate using the skills and strategies learned during the mini-lessons to create “Why You Should Read This Series” recommendations.
The series to be studied will range from second to fourth grade reading levels using Developmental Reading Assessments (DRA levels 18-44). Reading books in a series will help make book choices easier for students. Students will get to know the characters better thus becoming more invested in reading. This will help struggling readers carry information from one book to the next. Students will also have ideas about their reading and test them out across the text in the series.
This 6-week unit is comprised of 9 mini-lessons of approximately 20 minutes each and paired reading.
During the first three-weeks the whole class will study three books in one series read aloud by the teacher. The teacher will use the Think-Aloud Strategy to model orally what good readers think about and how they make meaning from what has been read. This will help students make predictions about the text; compare and contrast events, ideas, and characters; visualize the information that is described in the text; and make connections. The series used for teacher modeling is Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant. This series was chosen because of its transitional reading level.
In the second phase of the unit the students will be paired by similar reading abilities and will choose a series. For the next three weeks the partners will read and analyze these three books using the skills and strategies modeled in the mini-lessons.
Objectives
The following objectives from the Connecticut Mastery Test will be covered during this unit.
Forming Initial Understanding
The student will be able to:
Determine the theme within the written work.
Identify or infer important characters, settings, problems, events, relationships and details of a written work.
Developing an Interpretation
The student will be able to:
Make connections between the texts in the series.
Identify or infer the author’s use of structure/organizational patterns.
Draw conclusions about the author’s purpose in including or omitting specific details in a written work.
Use evidence from the text to draw and/or support a conclusion.
Demonstrate a Critical Stance
The student will be able to:
Use information from the text to make a prediction based on what is read.
Analyze the author’s craft.
Evaluate explicit and implicit information and themes within a series.
Materials
Henry and Mudge: The First Book
by Cynthia Rylant (Week One)
Henry and Mudge: The Best Day of All
by Cythis Rylant (Week Two)
Henry and Mudge: The Starry Night
by Cynthia Rylant (Week Three)
Chart Paper
Marker
Post-It Notes
Reading Series on a variety of reading levels
Mini-lessons Week One: Studying the Set-Up of a Book in a Series.
Day One
1. Introduce the concept of series books to the class.
2. Preview the book and make predictions.
3. Read aloud
Henry and Mudge: The First Book
pages 1 to 17.
Synopsis: Henry has no brothers or sisters. He lives in a neighborhood with no other children. Henry is lonely. He asks his parents for a dog and when they agree, he searchs for just the dog he wants and finds Mudge. They become best friends.
4. Discuss the characters and think about their relationship.
Think-Aloud,
-
“I think Henry is a boy about six or seven years old because he’s old enough to walk to school by himself yet worries about the bigger kids. He seems more confident and happy with Mudge and I don’t think he’s lonely anymore.”
6. Make two columns on chart paper listing the two main characters and their characteristics below.
Day Two
1. Read aloud Henry and Mudge: The First Book pages 18-27.
Synopsis: Mudge loves everything about Henry’s room, the smell of his dirty socks, the feel of his stuffed animals, watching the fish in his fish tank, and most of all his bed. Henry loves having Mudge walk him to school and he feels safe and happy. One day Mudge takes a walk without Henry and gets lost. He misses Henry. Then he lies down and falls asleep.
2. Discuss the setting of the book and how it impacts the story.
Think-Aloud,
-
“I think Mudge got lost because he got distracted by his new surroundings and lost his way. I wonder what Henry will do.”
3. Using chart paper, describe the setting.
Day Three
1. Finish reading
Henry and Mudge: The First Book
pages 28 to 39.
Synopsis: Henry thought Mudge had run away. He was very upset but realized after an hour that Mudge must be lost. Henry walked, called, and looked everywhere for Mudge.
He called one last time and Henry woke from his lonely sleep and came running. Mudge never went for a walk alone again and Henry never worried that Mudge would leave.
2. Study the structure of the book, think about the impact of time and how this affects the story.
Think-Aloud,
-
“I notice that this book is divided into chapters alternating between Henry and Mudge. The first two chapters described Henry and then Mudge and how they came to be together. The middle chapters seem to focus on Mudge’s comfort with Henry and his new home. This causes Mudge to go out and explore on his own which creates the problem (plot) of the story. Mudge gets lost and both Henry and Mudge are lonely and scared. I notice that the problem is resolved when Henry finds Mudge. I notice that Henry and Mudge have walked to school together more than once and they have developed a strong friendship. This makes me think that the story takes place over a few days. The last chapter makes me think that Henry and Mudge will always be together and that they will never forget the day Mudge got lost.”
3. Using chart paper, outline the elements of the story: character, setting, plot, and resolution.
Mini-Lessons Week Two: Studying the Set-Up of a Series.
Day Four
1. Preview the book and make predictions.
Ask the students, “What might be some of the expectations in this new book about Henry and Mudge?”
2. Read aloud
Henry and Mudge: The Best Day of All
pages 1-18.
Synopsis: It was Henry’s birthday and he was excited. He tried to wake his dog Mudge but he rolled over and continued to snore. Mudge finally woke up when Henry told him about having cake, ice cream and crackers. Mudge loved crackers. Henry’s house was decorated with balloons. His father took lots of pictures with his camera and his mother made a special pancake breakfast.
3. Think about the way the characters are acting and if they are acting in ways that are predictable. Think about any new characters that are introduced and how they impact the story.
Think-Aloud,
-
“Mudge is still sleeping on Henry’s bed which leads me to think they are still best friends. I notice that Henry’s mother and father have a bigger role in this story. I can tell they really want their son’s birthday to be special by the way they’ve decorated the house, taken lots of pictures and made a special breakfast.”
4. Add any new characteristics to the Henry and Mudge chart from Day One.
Day Five
1. Finish reading aloud
Henry and Mudge: The Best Day of All
pages 19-40.
Synopsis: Henry invited his friends to his birthday party. His mother and father had fixed all sorts of games for the back yard. A big pi–ata was hanging from a tree. Henry’s father fixed a blindfold over Henry’s eyes and Henry started to swing at the pi–ata with a stick. On the fourth swing the pi–ata cracked open and out fell candy, gum and little crackers. Everyone was happy and Mudge was the happiest of all. He loved crackers! They had cake and ice cream after the games. Henry received lots of presents including a box of dog treats. When the party was over, Henry, his parents and Mudge rested in the backyard dreaming about birthday wishes on the best day of all.
2. Notice if the setting or movement of time changes inside the series and how it affects the characters in the story.
Think-Aloud,
-
“This book is also a chapter book. However, it only has four chapters. I can tell by the title that the story takes place over one day, Henry’s birthday. I noticed that the first two chapters focus on the early part of the day when Henry and his parents are getting ready for the party. I can tell that the major event (plot) of this story is the birthday party because everyone has spent so much time preparing for it. The story ends with the family resting in the backyard after the party reflecting on the best day of all.”
3. Using chart paper, outline the elements of the story: character, setting, plot, and resolution.
Day Six
1. Prepare a large Venn Diagram (two intersecting circles) on chart paper. Title the chart
Henry and Mudge.
Label one circle
The First Book
and the second circle
The Best Day of All
2. Review and reread
Henry and Mudge: The First Book and Henry and Mudge: The Best Day of All
by Cynthia Rylant. While reading list ways in which the two books are the same in the intersection and different in each their respective circles.
Think-Aloud,
-
“I notice that Henry and Mudge care a lot about each other in both books. Mudge sleeps on Henry’s bed. Both stories end with Henry and Mudge resting together. In
The First Book
I can see the author spent some time introducing the reader to each character and letting us know how and why they met. In the second book,
The Best Day of All
, I noticed that Mudge is truly an important member of the family, as even Mudge gets a special present of dog treat on Henry’s birthday. He enjoys spending time with all the family. We get to know how much Henry’s mother and father love him. I think if I hadn’t read The First Book I still would have liked the second even though I wouldn’t have known how they got together.”
3. Complete the Venn Diagram with the students.
Mini-Lessons Week Three: Common Ideas Throughout the Series
Day Seven
1. Develop a hunch across the books and find evidence to support it.
Ask the students, “What might be some of the expectations in this book now that we’ve read two Henry and Mudge books?”
2. On chart paper, list the students’ hunches.
3. Read aloud
Henry and Mudge: The Starry Night
pages 1-16.
Synopsis: Henry and Mudge always went camping in August with Henry’s parents. His mother knew all about camping. His father could play the guitar and sing but knew nothing about camping. Henry told Mudge all about the animals they would see.
4. Think about the characters and how they act across the series.
Think-Aloud,
“I can see from the first chapter that Henry, Mudge and his parents are a very close-knit family. They seem to like to do things together and camping will certainly be a very close experience. I’m surprised Henry’s father doesn’t know much about camping since they go every year. They are happy in each others’ company.”
5. Add any new characteristics to the Henry and Mudge chart from Day One.
Day Eight
1. Read aloud
Henry and Mudge: The Starry Night
pages 17-31.
Synopsis: Henry and his family all drove to Big Bear Lake and hiked with backpacks on. Mudge’s backpack was filled with crackers. Henry saw fish, a doe and her fawn, andwaterfalls. Mudge didn’t see much of anything. He smelled raccoon, deer and Henry’s oatmeal cookie. Henry gave Mudge the cookie from his pocket. Henry’s parents set up the tent and unpacked all the gear. Henry’s father took out his guitar to sing and Henry looked at Mudge and groaned.
2. Think about the series through conversations. Ask, “What ideas do you have about Henry’s family?
Think-Aloud,
“ I notice that Mudge is still enjoying crackers. I bet that’s his favorite treat. The family really likes to be together. They spent lots of time planning the birthday party and now they are camping together.”
3. List any evidence that confirms hunches from the last lesson on the chart.
Day Nine
1. Finish reading aloud
Henry and Mudge: The Starry Night
pages 31-40.
Synopsis: Henry and his parents were looking up at the stars in the sky. Mudge wasn’t looking at the stars; he was chewing on log. Mudge loved camping. After Henry’s father sang one more song they all went inside the tent to sleep. Henry’s parents snuggled, Henry and Mudge snuggled, and everyone slept safe and sound.
2. List any evidence that confirms hunches from the lesson two days ago on the chart.
Ask the students, “What is the Big Idea that has been carried throughout all the books?
The Big Idea: Henry and Mudge books are stories about the friendship between a boy and his dog and the love of his family.
Weeks Four to Six
Having analyzed three books in the
Henry and Mudge
series, the students will have gained some independence while reading. The partners will use the information learned to help read another series of their choosing.
Over the next three weeks the partners will read one book a week (two copies of the same book will be provided) in their selected series. Students will plan the work they will be doing by deciding how many chapters they will read per day and use the Think- Aloud/To Themselves Strategy to analyze the text and find what information/idea is constant and growing throughout the series. The partners will be provided various ways for engagement. Their interactions may include: keeping a personal response log, writing response notes between the two partners, and discussion of very specific questions. Students will be able to show their thinking by using Post-It notes, charting and Venn Diagrams to share with others.
The unit will culminate with the students filling out a 5x7 inch index card titled: “Why You Should Read This Series” with their recommendations. It will include:
Title
Author
Main Characters
Other Characters
Setting
Big Idea
Recommendations
