Before Reading

Lesson Plans for THE CASTAWAY PINES level Q

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Hand out the books and have the children turn to pages 3 and 4.
Ask: What do these pages tell you about the text format of this book?
Discuss playscripts. If necessary, review the features of playscripts. Ask questions such as the following: What does scene mean? Why are there sometimes words in italics after the characters’ name? Why are there sometimes words in italics within, and at the end of, the character dialogue? When you are reading a play, do you read the words in italics out aloud?
Have children read the title.
Say: Read the title and share with the group what you think this play might be about.
Read the first sentence of the logger’s dialogue on page 4. Wow! Three pines, castaways in a sea of evergreens.
Ask: What does this sentence mean? Does it help to explain the title? Can you now make more accurate predictions about the setting?
Discuss the genre. You may need to review different genres because children may confuse text structure and playscript with genre fantasy.
Ask: If trees are talking, what type of story will this be? What are the other elements that make a story a fantasy?

Build Background
Discuss the reasons that people cut down trees. Use the board or chart paper to record children’s responses. Before children read the text, ask open-ended, higher level questions that relate to the cutting down of trees. Record responses on the chart. This will help children understand the author purpose that will be discussed after reading. Ask questions such as:

Share some important ideas that you have about cutting down trees?
Do you know any of the effects of cutting down trees?
Are there lessons to be learned from what some countries have already done?
What are these lessons? Are there ways that people can solve their problems without cutting trees?
What is your feeling about cutting Christmas trees each year?

Book Walk
Have children read page 3.
Say: Read page 3 and then be prepared to discuss the instructions the author is giving to the readers.
Have children read the italics at the beginning of page 4.
Ask: What is the logger wearing and what is he doing?
Have children turn to page 5. Read the first set of italic text to them. Lifts his head and yawns as he stretches his limbs
Ask: Is this a complete sentence? Share with the person next to you why or why not.
Have children scan the italic text on pages 5 through 8.
Ask: Who knows what the word distracted means? Who can use it in a sentence to show the meaning? What does dramatically mean? How would you read something dramatically? Read the first sentence on page 8 dramatically.
Have children turn to page 9 and find the word reverently in italics.
Ask: What does reverently mean? How would you say something reverently? How is reverently different from dramatically?
Invite children to scan the italic text in the rest of the book, thinking about what they are learning about the characters and the setting as they go. Then have them return to page 3.

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