Before Reading

Lesson Plans for VALENTINE'S DAY Level L

Before Reading

Introduce the Book
Show children the cover of the book. Quickly flip through the pages to show each illustration. Explain to children that this is a series. Each book uses the same characters to tell different stories.
Have children look at the illustrations in the book. Ask: What do you think this story is about? Who are the characters? Have you seen them before? As you show children the last illustrations in the story, ask what holiday it is.

Build Background
Ask questions that uncover what children already know about the topic. What do they know about Valentines Day?
Ask: What is Valentine’s Day? What do you do on Valentine’s Day? Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Explain that Valentine's Day came from a Catholic saint from Roman times. A Roman emperor, Claudius II, decided to outlaw marriage so that soldiers wouldn't use it as a reason to avoid battle. A priest named Valentine didn’t like the law. He secretly married couples in Rome. Later, this priest was sainted, and a holiday about love was created in his honor—Saint Valentine’s Day.

Book Walk
Go through as much of the book as you feel is necessary, pointing out things you think will challenge children when they read. Look at the pictures with children and discuss what they see. You may want to write down some of the words they suggest. This step helps reduce the anxiety that some children feel when they are faced with an unfamiliar book.

Cover and title page
Say and ask: What do you think this book is about? Is it fiction or nonfiction? (Fiction) How can we tell from the first few pages? (Fanciful illustrations, animal characters, etc.)
Look through the first few pages.
Say and ask: When you look through this book, try to figure out what might be happening in the story. What can you tell so far from the illustrations?

Reading Strategies
Remind children to use any or all of the following strategies to help them read. Ask:

How will the pictures help you understand the text?
What can you do if you don’t understand a part you just read? Reread any sentence or page that was difficult in order to make sure you understand the text. Mark things you don’t understand.

Ask children about the strategies they think they will use if they get to a difficult word. You may want to act as a model to show them how it might look or sound when they read. Pretend to read, getting confused or slowing down because you do not understand a part. Model a strategy that may help children gain meaning, such as rereading, asking questions, or looking at the illustrations.

Using the Worksheet
Introduce the worksheet and have children work on it as they finish reading.

Go to During Reading

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Build Background
Ask questions that uncover what children already know about the topic. What do they know about Valentines Day?
Ask: What is Valentine’s Day? What do you do on Valentine’s Day? Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Explain that Valentine's Day came from a Catholic saint from Roman times. A Roman emperor, Claudius II, decided to outlaw marriage so that soldiers wouldn't use it as a reason to avoid battle. A priest named Valentine didn’t like the law. He secretly married couples in Rome. Later, this priest was sainted, and a holiday about love was created in his honor—Saint Valentine’s Day.

Book Walk
Go through as much of the book as you feel is necessary, pointing out things you think will challenge children when they read. Look at the pictures with children and discuss what they see. You may want to write down some of the words they suggest. This step helps reduce the anxiety that some children feel when they are faced with an unfamiliar book.

Cover and title page
Say and ask: What do you think this book is about? Is it fiction or nonfiction? (Fiction) How can we tell from the first few pages? (Fanciful illustrations, animal characters, etc.)
Look through the first few pages.
Say and ask: When you look through this book, try to figure out what might be happening in the story. What can you tell so far from the illustrations?

Reading Strategies
Remind children to use any or all of the following strategies to help them read. Ask:

How will the pictures help you understand the text?
What can you do if you don’t understand a part you just read? Reread any sentence or page that was difficult in order to make sure you understand the text. Mark things you don’t understand.

Ask children about the strategies they think they will use if they get to a difficult word. You may want to act as a model to show them how it might look or sound when they read. Pretend to read, getting confused or slowing down because you do not understand a part. Model a strategy that may help children gain meaning, such as rereading, asking questions, or looking at the illustrations.

Using the Worksheet
Introduce the worksheet and have children work on it as they finish reading.