Day

Purpose/ Objective

Lesson

One- LONG lesson

Activate background about questioning and story.

Think aloud questioning before reading the story, during and after

Materials:

ü      Little Red Riding Hood (original story) from the Brothers Grimm. I *think* the one I used was retold by Paul Galdone.

To begin the unit I asked the class what the word question meant.  What words do we use to write questions (who, what, where, etc) and what do we end a question with.  I did this just to get their minds whirling!

Then I asked who had read the story Little Red Riding Hood. Of course, most the class knew the story (this is fourth grade remember!).  I told the students how good readers asked questions not only while they read, but before and after too!

I looked at the cover and thought aloud some questions.  Then paged through the story and brainstormed more questions orally (before).  Then I read aloud the story and asked myself questions.  At this point many of these were predictions and then I would confirm or adjust a prediction as I went.  After I closed the book I mused out loud, like why did the girl and grandmother STILL survive after the woodsman cut the wolf open (remember: the original Grimm version is much more gruesome- which the kids LOVED)?  Why did the author choose the villain/ antagonist to be a wolf- why not a snake or a human? And so on.

The kids were dying to contribute by this point, so I allowed some discussion.  In the beginning, I pretty much ran the show and released some to the kids as I read the book.

Two

Think aloud questioning before reading the story, during and after

Invite students to share their questions as I read.

Introduce using sticky notes for questioning

Materials:

ü      Lon Po Po by Ed Young

ü      Sticky notes

ü      Chart paper divided into three sections (before, during and after)

I review with the kids what questioning was.  Then I shared that we would read another version of Little Red Riding Hood (or LRRH as we began to call it!).  This one took place in China. 

I began by flipping through the book and looking at the cover.  Anytime I wondered pout loud I jotted a note down on a sticky notes (I may have done this ahead of time, I can’t remember!)  I told them I did this because I wanted to remember my question in case I answered it later on, or if it helped me think about he story.

While reading the story I invited kids to share t Introduce using sticky notes for questioning

their during questions.  I always said, “Oh, I wish I had a sticky note to jot that down on!” or something of the effect.

Then we discussed our after questions. These are usually the most thought provoking questions- and often had no answers.  I told the kids it was OK if the question didn’t have an answer- it just makes our brains work even harder.

Three- LONG

Think aloud questioning before reading the story, during and after

Invite students to share their questions as I read.

Introduce using sticky notes for questioning

Materials:

ü      Little Red Cowboy Hat by Susan Lowell,

ü      Sticky notes for whole class

ü      Chart paper divided into three sections (before, during and after)

I told the kids TODAY we would share our questions.  I gave each child three sticky notes.  I invited them to write down questions they had form the story.  Of course (I love it when they do this) a student asked if they could do one for before, another for during and the last for after.  I said it was their choice.

I read aloud this adorable story and then would stop every so often and have a child share their question and we would discuss.  I did have to limit this because so many wanted to share.  I did stop once or twice and allow them to share a question with a neighbor AND LET THEM DISCUSS.  The cool part of questions is that they usually lead to conversation!

Then at the end I let the students attach their sticky notes to the chart divided up into the three sections.

Four

Think aloud questioning before reading the story, during and after

 Invite students to share their questions as I read.

 Introduce using sticky notes for questioning

 Materials:

ü      Petite Rouge by  Mike Artell,

ü      Sticky notes for whole class

ü      Chart paper divided into three sections (before, during and after)

Same lesson as yesterday- but with a Cajun twist!

-Can use the ADORABLE power point of "reading" the book Petite Rouge by Artell  Power Point

Five

Independent practice using sticky notes and questioning

Materials:

ü      Sticky notes for whole class

ü      Several Little Red Riding Hood Stories or Fairy Tales and Fractured Fairy Tales

This was a short lesson. We met briefly and I told students that they were aloud to chose any book at the front of the room in the browsing box (at the beginning of the unit I raided the library for fairy tales and fractured fairy tales).   While I met with guided reading groups, they could read any story (from the box- I wanted it to be books I was familiar with) and mark questions.  We would meet back together at the end of class to share.

One note of caution- I had to make my guided reading groups a little shorter so that everyone would have something to share and contribute.

Six

Independent practice using sticky notes and questioning 

Materials:

ü      Sticky notes for whole class

ü      Several Little Red Riding Hood Stories or Fairy Tales and Fractured Fairy Tales

Same as yesterday- more time for practice 

However, we did also mention these in guided reading groups (actually a student did in EVERY group)  and kids started marking this as well when reading the text- but they thought it was their idea!

Seven- short

Preparing and thinking about the purpose of questioning

Materials:

Chart paper already marked with these three questions:

I can’t remember but I took them directly form Debbie Miller’s book (and my guide!) Reading With Meaning.  When I get back to school I will post it and a picture of the poster we made.

I showed students the chart I had made.  Then I let them know we would all be answering the three questions.  If we were taking the time to question it must be important, but why?  How did it help us as readers?  I stressed their really wasn’t a wrong answer.

I told them to think on it for awhile and we would discuss it tomorrow!

Eight

Materials:

Chart paper already marked with these three questions (straight from Debbie Miller's book Reading With Meaning):

What do we know about asking questions?

How does asking questions help the reader?

How do readers figure out the answers to their questions?

See a picture of this poster below:

Give each student a sticky note.  Ask them to share their thoughts.  I gave them a chance to write something to answer the first question.  Then they turned to a neighbor and discussed what they wrote.  That gave kids who had a hard time thinking, more chances to write.  Then students were able to share their thoughts- or their partners.  We did this for each question.  Then all sticky notes were posted on the chart.  After the lesson I sorted though all the posit- its, discarded the repeats and copied them down on the anchor chart that know hags in our room!