Lesson Plans for AESOP'S FABLES Level M

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Show children the book and have them read the title and scan the illustrations to make initial predictions about the main idea or topic.

Ask and say: What do you see on the cover? What do you think this story is about? What do the illustrations tell you about the kind of text this is? Share with the group anything else that you can infer from the illustrations or title. 

Building Background
You will want to offer suggestions for eliciting prior knowledge and building background. Provide questions that get to what the child already knows about the topic. What do they know about fables?

Ask: What is a fable? What is a moral?  

Book Walk
While doing your book walk, go through as much of the book as you feel necessary, pointing out things you believe will challenge children as they are reading. Look at the pictures with the 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 a book with unfamiliar text.

Using the worksheet
Introduce and explain the second worksheet. Children should fill in each section of the chart as they read through the text. 

Reading Strategies
Remind children to use any or all of the following strategies to help them in their reading.

  • Ask: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right?
  • How does what you read connect to what you already know?
  • What can you do if you don't understand a passage you just read? Say: Reread any sentence or page that was difficult to make sure that you understand the text.

Ask children about the strategies they will use if they encounter a difficult word. You may want to act as a role model to show them how it might look or sound as they are reading. Pretend to read, getting confused or slowed down because you are not understanding a part. Model a strategy to help yourself gain meaning through rereading, asking yourself questions, and looking at illustrations or diagrams.


Go to During Reading

About Us | Samples | Help | Contact
Testimonials | Research | Usage Policy | Site Map | Members | My Account
Home | All Books | Guided Reading | Phonics | Vocabulary | Fluency
Poetry | Alphabet | Assessment | More Resources | Subscribe