Before Reading

Lesson Plans for CASTLES level Q

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Show children the book and ask: What do you think this book will be about? Do you think it will be a fact book or a fiction book? Why do you think so? There should be a lot of predictions from children. Write their predictions on the board and see if they match up later. Explain that predictions cannot be wrong because they are only guesses. They might not be true, but a prediction is only what could possibly happen. Scientists use prediction all the time, and while they are sometimes not the reality, they are often a good start to understanding ideas. Have children turn to the table of contents and point out the chapter titles. Ask: Which chapter title do you think sounds interesting? Have children turn to page 24. Explain that a glossary is like a dictionary and that these are words from the book that readers may need an explanation for.

Building Background
Start a discussion with children about castles. Ask: Has anyone ever been to a castle? Write down any castles that children may have visited. Ask: Do you think people still live in castles?

Book Walk
Have children turn to pages 6 and 7 and have them look at the pictures. Explain that these are castles that were built the earliest and are not like the castles we might see today. Have children look at the castle on page 7 and ask: Is this castle more like what you expect to see in a picture of a castle? Have children look for the words mott and bailey on page 6. Explain that mott is a tall hill and bailey is the fence surrounding the area around the hill. Have children look through the rest of the book and discuss each page.

Reading Strategies
Discuss any reading strategies children can use to help them read.

How will the pictures help you read the words?
What can you do when you come to a word you cannot read?
What can you do if you don’t understand a part you have just read?
Have children summarize with a partner at the end of each chapter.

Think Aloud
Read the second paragraph on page 9. Have children look at the glossary on page 24 to find the word crenellation. Ask: What does this word mean? Finish reading the paragraph.

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