Word Work
Discuss pronouns with children.
Say: Pronouns are words used in place of a noun or a noun phrase. You can say, "Bob is going to the store," or, "He is going to the store." He replaces Bob. Can you think of any more words used to replace a person's name? (He, she, they, him, her, them, I, we, you, his, hers, our, your, mine, their) What about the sentence The dog is black? If I didn't want to say the dog, what pronoun could I use? (It is black.)
Search for and discuss pronouns in the text, making a list for the classroom. 

Word Study
Discuss root words with children.
Say: A root is the unchanging part of a word, related to its origin and usually its meaning. If you take the word email, what part do you think is the root? (Mail) What does mail mean? What does the e- stand for? (Electronic) Together e- plus mail equals email. Email means mail sent electronically. Let's look for more root words and see if they help us figure out the meaning of the words. 

Comprehension
Discuss comparing and contrasting with children.
Say: Each section of this book talks about one way of sending messages. What are the differences between each of these forms of communication? Draw a simple chart on the board, with the modes of communication on top and comparable categories such as speed, distance, and equipment down the side. Have children list the different characteristics of each method of sending messages.


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