Book Summary
In this story Maria is asked to join a baseball team. She accepts the invitation and is excited about being a part of the team. However, at school her friend Amos gives her an invitation to his birthday party. The party is on the same day as Maria’s baseball game. Maria has a decision to make. She must decide if she is going to be a good team member and play in the game or go to the birthday party.

About the Lesson 

Targeted Reading Strategy

• Make, and confirm or revise predictions

Objectives

• Use the reading strategy of making predictions and then confirming or revising them when reading realistic fiction stories
• Identify the attributes of characters and settings in a realistic fiction story
• Blend individual sounds into words that are segmented
• Identify and read words that begin and end with the consonant diagraph ch
• Understand that quotation marks are used to identify speakers’ words
• Understand and read content vocabulary related to baseball

Materials

• Book – Maria Joins the Team (copy for each student)
• Chalkboard or dry erase board
• A piece of elastic or rubber band
• Characters and setting, and vocabulary worksheets

    Indicates an opportunity to use the book interactively (All activities may be completed with paper and pencil if books are not consumable.) 

Vocabulary

• High-frequency words: come, asks, says, should, could
• Content words: baseball, team, mitt, catch, coach, shortstop, game, birthday, balloon, party, Tuesday, school, family, night