Text Type:
Fact / Informational Text
Reading Level:
J
Word Count:
400
Pages:
18
Text Summary
Are you teaching children about animal skeletons or the human body? If so, you need to read Animal Skeletons. This book looks at the similarities and differences between many types of animal skeletons. The author explains why various animals have the kinds of skeletons they do. The book uses repetitive patterns to help children feel a sense of confidence as they are reading.
Reader Supports
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Reader Challenges
Although there is quite a bit or repetition in this book, it has more words than some books that readers at this level have read. There may be a sense of nervousness associated with the number of words on the page. There also may be new vocabulary introduced throughout the book. Finally, new punctuation is introduced: question mark, apostrophe and colon.
Lesson Objectives
Reading Strategies
Children should use a variety of strategies to decode words and bring meaning to print. The targeted strategy for this lesson is: Using context clues.
Throughout this book, the author and illustrator give children opportunities to interact and use the pictures to help gain an understanding of why animals have skeletons and what they look like. By looking at the pictures and listening to what they are reading, children should be able to ask themselves, "Does this make sense? Do the pictures and the words look and sound like they go together?" If the answer is no, then the child should go back and reread for better understanding.
By making connections between what they are reading and what they already know, and through discussion, children will show their level of comprehension of the subject matter in the book.
Word and Print Skills
Phonological Awareness
Syllabication
In this book, single syllable, two syllable, and three syllable words are used. Use the text to explain the term syllable to children. As children listen to the book, tell them to listen and see if they can hear more than three word "parts" in any of the words. Clap a few of the words out to identify the number of syllables in each.
Hint — Often it helps children count by "clapping" with one finger at a time in an open hand for each syllable. Their fingers do the counting as they read the word. For example, using the word inside, one finger claps on the other hand for in. A second finger claps on the hand and counts out side. Children look at the number of fingers they have up, and that is the number of syllables in the word.
Phonics
Initial consonant s vs. an s blend
Throughout this book, there are many words that begin with the letter s. Due to the fact that there are so many, the s is seen followed by many other letters. This can change the sound of the letter itself. Have children look through the book and focus just on the words that begin with the letter s. Have them say them aloud and listen to how the s sounds. Ask: Does it sound different when followed by a vowel as opposed to a consonant? Which words can you specifically hear the /s/ sound and which words does it seem the /s/ is blended with another letter? What have you learned about the letter s?
Word Work
High Utility Words
light, many, know, kind
Suffixes
–ing, ed, and -er
Explain that any time children see the letters -ing,- ed, and -er added to a word it is an example of a suffix. Ask them to look for all the words in the book ending in one of these suffixes and to count them (6). Then ask them to come up with a list of other words that have suffixes on them.
Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as children work to understand the text. The targeted comprehension strategy for this lesson is: Compare and contrast.
Animal Skeletons is a great book to compare and contrast. Because there are many different types of animals discussed in the book, children will be able to look at the pictures and tell you or write down the similarities and/or differences of the various species of animals.
Visual Learning
As you read through the book, have children answer the questions posed by the author. As children are reading, they should point to each picture as they are telling what animal it is. You could also have children point out the bones on the animal that helped them figure out what it was. You could ask: Are those bones in the skeleton unique to this animal? (By asking this question, you are introducing a new vocabulary word.) If you wish, you can have children color in or circle their favorite animal when you have finished reading.
Targeted Vocabulary Words
High Utility Words
light, many, know, kind
Content words
animal, skeleton, bones, different, support, shape, safe, hollow, feathers, flippers, slithers, skulls
These content words are associated with animal anatomy. These are words that children will encounter in the reading. You may want to review and discuss what the words are and how they fit in with the reading. You may wish to have children add words to the classroom word wall or dictionary.
Before Reading
Introducing the Book
Introduce the book by showing children the front and back cover, and the title page.
Ask: What do you notice on the covers of this book? What predictions do you have regarding what this book may be about?
Say: Look at the animals on the covers. What might that tell you about what the book will be about?
Building Background
Talk to children about the different animals they are familiar with. Maybe you have been talking about different animals in class that you can bring up again in a new context. You may want to ask if they have ever seen the skeleton of an animal. Ask: What did it look like? Did you find it interesting? Did you notice anything particularly interesting about it? Depending on children’s knowledge of the subject, you can introduce the book after building background if you feel that would be more effective. This may help children get an idea of what the book will be about. You don’t want to give away too much, so when they are ready to move on, you can go on to the Book Walk.
Book Walk
Prior to the model reading, you may want to go through a few pages of the book with children, pointing out different things, such as words or issues you discussed as a group. You can also show them the questions that are on every other page, which they will try to predict the answers to. Point out anything that you feel children may have difficulty with later. This is also a time to begin discussing strategies that are in the following section.
Reading Strategies
Remind children to use any or all of the following strategies to help them in their reading:
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After asking children questions about what strategies they use to help them read, you may want to act as a role model to show them how it might look or sound as they are reading. By pretending to be a new reader, you show them what they can do when they get stuck. Pretend to read and have trouble on a word. Show some strategies, such as looking at the pictures, breaking up the words and/or sounds within the words, skipping the word and going back, and rereading to make sure it makes sense.
During Reading
Model Reading
Read the story aloud to children in order to model the proper intonation and fluency. Pause periodically to discuss and reflect on what has been read, and to check for understanding by asking probing questions that show comprehension on children’s part. Pause on words that children can guess from picture or context clues. As the story continues, you may get some participation with the repetitive reading.
Student Reading
Hand out the books to children to read quietly or aloud at there own pace. Children should point to each word as they read. Remind children to use the various reading strategies discussed earlier.
After Reading
Comprehending the Text
Talk to children about the book. Ask the following questions to check for understanding of the book. Ask: What did you like about this book? Was there anything you didn’t like about this book? Which animal did you like best that was in the book? Why? What do you think the author was trying to teach us in this book? Why do you think the author was asking you questions?
Visual Learning
Because this book requires the reader to be interactive with the pictures, the reader really gets an opportunity to look closely at the pictures. To beginning readers, the illustrations in a book are essential. You can ask children the following questions to see the level of their visual learning.
Ask: Why do you think the illustrator drew the pictures that she drew? Were you able to look at the pictures and guess what the animal was in each picture? Would you have drawn the animals differently if you were the illustrator?
Building Skills
Phonological Awareness
Using the finger clapping technique described earlier in this lesson, have children go through the book and see if they can find the four words in the book that have three syllables (skeleton, animal, different, supported). Challenge them to count up the number of words that have two syllables. For extra fun, they can see who can think of a word with the most syllables.
Phonics
Talk to the class about the different way s is seen. Have children come up with word families using /s/ as an initial consonant sound.You may want to put these lists up on large pieces of chart paper.
For example:
| s with a vowel some sure sorry |
sh shut shame shutters |
st store stampede stapler |
Have children make a list of the different ways that the letter s is used.
Word Work
High Utility Words
light, many, know, kind
By incorporating these words into there writing, children will become more familiar with them. If they have access to them on either a word wall or personal dictionary, they may be more inclined to use the words more often. You can also incorporate these words into a weekly spelling test.
A word activity
Choose a few sentences from the book. Write the sentence out, putting only one word and one type of punctuation per piece of paper. Hand out the papers, and have children arrange themselves into a sentence with the punctuation in the appropriate place. To make this more challenging, hand out more than one sentence at a time, and have children figure out which words and punctuation go together.
Expand the Reading
Writing Connection
Explain to children that they will write about what it would be like to be their favorite animal. They will write how their skeleton would be different and how they would move around. They will answer these questions:
Would there be anything that they would be able to do as that animal that they aren’t able to do in their human body?
Would it be harder or easier to get around?
Science Connection
This book lends itself to talking about the different body parts that the animals in the book have. Some of the vocabulary will be new for children, but it will be a great introduction to the varying body types that different classes of animals have, which children will learn in their upcoming years of education.
Reading Independently
Have children read the book independently or with a partner. You can also encourage them to read other books of their choice at the appropriate level.
Home Connection
Send the book home with children to read with a family member. Have them tell the names of the animals to the person they read the book to. They will also tell the person which is their favorite of all the animals in the book, and why.
Assessment
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