Before Reading

Lesson Plans for BIG MACHINES level L

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Before handing out the book, show the front and back covers, and title page. Ask: What do you see on the front cover? What do you think the book will be about?

Building Background
Children will be familiar with many big machines. Help them identify and articulate information that they already know about the topic. Ask: How do machines help us? What are some big machines that you know about? Where could we find big machines? Use one common example of a big machine, such as a dump truck. Ask: What kind of work does a dump truck do? Where might we see a big dump truck? Why do you think a dump truck is called a dump truck? Some of children may have toys, models, replicas, or pictures of big machines. Allow some limited time for show and tell, or create a display and bulletin board.

Book Walk
Hand out the book. For the table of contents, ask: Do you think this book has information about airplanes? Where could we check? For section headings (pages 7, 9, 10, 13, 15), ask: How many sections are in this book?

Think Aloud
Say: When we study or read, we should make a plan, so that we can finish our work. One way to do this is to decide how much time we have and then divide our work. For example, if we have one day to finish this book, we could plan to read three sections in the morning and three sections in the afternoon. Ask: If we have two days to read the book, what plan could we make to finish our work? Three days?

For visuals, ask: How will the pictures help us to understand what we have read? Show the picture on the title page. Ask: What do you see? What do you think this machine could be used for? Do you think we would see it in the city? Desert? Mountains? How do you think it works? Remind children to ask themselves these types of questions as they read the book.

Reading Strategies
Prior to beginning, review these strategies with children.

What do you already know about big machines? What new information did you learn after reading the book?
Does the name of the machine, the picture of the machine, and the work that it does make sense?
How does rereading the sections help you remember the information?

Introduce the idea of using memory cues. Convey the idea that memory cues can be different things for different people, but cues can also be useful if shared. Say: When we read new information, it is helpful to use a memory cue. For example, look at the picture on page 5. Say: When I see this picture it reminds me of digging in the garden. So this helps me to remember that shovels are used for digging. Ask: What does this picture remind you of?

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