Before Reading

Lesson Plans for KEB NEEDS A HOME level M

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Distribute the books to children and ask them to follow along as you introduce the book. Direct their attention to the front cover. Ask: What do you see? Does the picture look like anything you’ve seen before? (from the Building Background section) Explain that it is a crab. Point to the title and have children read along as you say the words. Ask: Does the picture and the title give you information about what is going to happen in the book? Note the illustrator and author names. Ask the children to turn to the title page. Ask them to read aloud the title and then look at the picture. Ask: Where do you think the crab is in the picture? How can you tell? Now can you guess what the story is going to be about? Have children turn to the back cover and point to the title of the book. Explain that the picture on the back cover is one taken from inside the book.

Building Background
Ask children if they have been to a beach near an ocean or sea. If some children have experienced walking on a beach or sandy shore, ask if they have noticed seashells that have washed ashore, such as empty snail shells. If the children have little knowledge or no knowledge of the topic, locate picture books that depict beach scenes, books with seashells, etc. Or, locate a video that can be shared with the entire class. Explain that one kind of sea animal that lives on the beach or seashore is called a crab, a broad, flat shellfish with four pairs of legs and a pair of claws. Show pictures of different types of crabs, especially the hermit crab. Ask: Where do you think crabs live on the beach? Do you think they burrow into the sand to keep warm? Do they crawl into old washed up shells to live in? How do you think they find safety from predators? To extend the discussion, have children research other animals that live at the seashore or beach.

Book Walk
Have children follow along in the book as you introduce them to important features. Begin with the cover and the title page. Ask them to pay attention to the illustrations. For example, on page 3, ask: What do you see on this page? Do you think the hermit crabs are at the ocean? On page 4, ask: What time of day is it? How can you tell? On page 5, note the words spectacular proportions and check for understanding. On page 7, slowly read the second sentence, Being big made it easy for hungry gulls to spot Keb as they hung like kites in the stiff sea breeze. Ask: What does it mean to "hang like kites in the stiff sea breeze?" Explain that this is an example of a simile, or a way of describing something by comparing it with something else. A simile uses the word like or as. For example: "They hung like kites in the stiff sea breeze."

Continue the Book Walk to page 10. Note the compound word normal-sized. Explain that it is one of three types of compound words—two whole words separated by a hyphen. Also note the word enormity and check for understanding. On page 18, tell them to look at the words fine-looking. This is an example of another compound word separated by a hyphen. On page 22, ask: What is the bubble for on the page? Is Kermit thinking about something? What do you think he is thinking? On page 24, point out the word ah-ha and have children repeat ah-ha. Ask: Do you say ah-hah? Move along to page 27 and point to the words ooooed and aaahed. Ask: What do these words mean? When do you use these words?

On page 28, ask children to describe what they think is happening. Direct their attention to the sign Open House and the presents and crackers. Also note the word laughingstock and ask if they know what the word means. If not, explain that it’s a compound word that is used when something is being made fun of—The dog was the laughingstock of the show.

Reading Strategies
Discuss reading strategies children can use to help them read. Focus on comprehension strategies rather than on word meaning strategies. You might ask questions such as:

How will the pictures help you understand the text?
How does what you read connect to what you already know?
What can you do when you come to a word you do not understand?

What can you do if you don’t understand a part you have just read?

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