Lesson Plans for BREEDS OF DOGS level P

Before Reading

Building Background
Ask children to bring pictures of dogs, such as family pets, pets of friends, or pictures from magazines. Use the pictures to create a bulletin board. Ask children to suggest ways to arrange the pictures that allow them to compare features (e.g., shorter dogs, older dogs, hairy dogs, bigger dogs).

Have children collect more pictures of dogs during the reading period. Suggest that they may add new categories (e.g., breeds of dogs from the book) and rearrange the pictures according to the new categories and different opinions. Stress the idea that moving pictures is allowed, and all opinions are equally valid. To encourage participation in this project, consider giving small prizes for the picture of the fattest dog, funniest looking, longest ears, shortest tail, etc.

A pre-reading activity that will prime children for comparing sets of information is the "Find the Differences" cartoons found in the Sunday paper. Or check this website for samples: http://www.gospelcom.net/cartoonworks/puzzle.html

Introducing the Book
Show the front and back covers, and the title page.

Ask: What do you see on the covers? What do you think the book will be about? What does breeds mean? What kind of information can we get from the title page?

Book Walk
  • Table of contents. Ask: What kind of information can we get from the table of contents?
  • Section heads. Ask: How do the section headings or chapters help us when we read the book?
  • Pictures. Ask: How do the pictures help us when we read the book?
  • Index. Ask: What is an index? How do we use the index?
  • For Information box. Ask: What is in the For Information box? How can we use the information box?

Reading Strategies
Have children look at the table of contents and section headings. Brainstorm for a set of general questions that children should be using while they read the book. For example;
  • Introduction
  • Ask: What kinds of dogs will be in the introduction? Why are there so many different kinds of dogs? What does the word breed mean?
  • Other sections
  • Ask: What is a sporting dog? Hound? Working dog? Herding dog? Terrier? Toy? Non-sporting?

The following questions can be asked about the different kinds of dogs listed above. Modify the questions as necessary.
What do sporting dogs do?
What is an example of a sporting dog?
How are sporting dogs and hounds similar?
How are herding dogs different from toy dogs?
What could we do to help us remember and keep track of information about different kinds of dogs?

Suggest that children use Post-it notes or a small notebook.

Think Aloud
When we are comparing things, for—example, two pictures—we might have to look back and forth to make sure that we see similarities and differences. Today, while we read this book, we may have to read a section and then go back and reread a section that we have already read to compare information. We can also look ahead to see if we can find similarities or differences.


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