Comprehending the Text
Have volunteers retell the story. Then discuss the problem and the solution and what effect the characters had on both.
Say: In stories, the writer introduces a problem for the characters. This is what makes the story interesting and keeps the plot moving along. What was the first problem in this story? (The Hoppers didn’t have money for the circus.) How was it solved? (Grandpa Grizzly gave them the money.) From what you already know about Grandpa Grizzly, did you expect that he would be the one to help the Hoppers? What can you tell about what kind of character Grandpa Grizzly is by his actions in this story? Were you expecting something to happen with Snubby Nose? Why? What can you tell about Snubby Nose from what happened in the story? Would it have made sense if Grandpa Grizzly had cried and refused to go home? Why? In a series where the characters are used over and over, the reader comes to expect that certain characters will act in certain ways. The writer must be careful to make the characters consistent all the way through the series.
Give students worksheet 1 and tell them that you want them to write the problem in the first column, how the problem was solved in the second column, and what the solution tells them about the characters in the third column.