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Grandpa's Goat
Text Type: Fiction • Word Count: 337

READ-ALOUD LESSON
Grandpa's Goat
Consonant Gg /g/

Other Resources
Decodable Book
Get the Gag
Instructional Focus
  • Introduce and expose students to the /g/ sound represented by the letter g.
  • Build oral comprehension skills.
  • Model fluent reading.
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Story Summary
Grandpa is tired of mowing his lawn. It is a terrible chore. So his granddaughter, Meg, gets a goat to eat his grass and keep it trimmed. But, the idea does not turn out as planned. The goat's big appetite leads to no grass at all on the lawn and Meg has to give the goat away. 

Build Background
Ask students if they have ever read a story about a goat. Have them share their knowledge of goats, such as what they look like, what they eat, and where they live. 

Preview the Book
Read the title and ask students to identify the sound at the beginning of the words Grandpa's and goat. Explain that you will read a story aloud that has many words with the /g/ sound. Have students say the /g/ sound. 

Write grandpa's and goat on the board. Read each word aloud to students. Have volunteers come to the board and take turns circling the letter that stands for the /g/ sound in the words. Remind students that the letter g can also stand for the /j/ sound, as in giraffe. 

Open the book and show students the illustrations on each page. Ask them to identify any words with the /g/ sound from pictures. Invite students to predict what the story might be about. 

During Reading
Read the story aloud with expression, emphasizing the /g/ sound in the words. Ask students to clap their hands each time they hear the /g/ sound. 

Allow students to ask questions during reading. Pause occasionally to ask students to predict what might happen next. 

After Reading
Reader Response
Have students explain whether the book is fiction or nonfiction. Invite them to summarize the story and/or describe their favorite part. 

Comprehension
Ask specific questions that allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the book.

  • Why what Grandpa's problem in the story?
  • What does the goat like to eat?
  • Why did Meg have to take the goat back to the girl?