Word Work

Quotation Marks
Discuss quotation marks with children.
Say: Point out a sentence that uses quotation marks in the text. What kind of punctuation is in this sentence? Yes, there are quotation marks. What do the quotation marks tell you? They are at the beginning and end of something that someone is saying. Discuss and search for quotation marks in the text, making a list for the classroom. Have each child dictate or write a sentence with quotation marks. 

Multiple Meaning Words
Discuss multiple meaning words with children.
Say: Some words have more than one meaning, like the word run. It can mean to go faster than walking by moving your legs: "He can run fast." Or it can mean to unravel as in a stocking: "She has a run in her stockings." The way a word is used in a sentence helps us understand its intended meaning. Let's read through the story and see if we can spot any words that may have multiple meanings. Some suggestions: monitor, screen, spread, mouse, mind, and play. Children may find more words. Have them make a list of compound words found in the text, discussing the words that make up the compound word and how their meaning changes as a compound word. These can be included in the class word wall or dictionary.


Go to Expand on the Reading