Before Reading
Build Background
Discuss the elements of folktales.
Say: Share with the group what you know about folktales. Talk about the special features that folktales have.
Lead the discussion, if necessary, so that children comment on the following elements: Folktales are narratives. They have a setting, characters, a conflict or problem, and a quick resolution. There are good and bad characters. The bad characters usually have the advantage during most of the story, but the good characters always win in the end. Many folktales start with words such as, Once upon a time and end with, They lived happily ever after. Folktales also have animals or ogres of some kind, and elements of magic and trickery.
Ask: Who can name some folktales?
Introducing the Book
Hand out the books and ask children to read the front cover.
Ask: Why do you think it says retold by rather than written by? What does this tell you about this book? What does a Yao Folktale mean? What are some other folktales you have read?
Invite children to use the cover illustration and the word Yao to speculate on where the Yao may live and where the story may be set.
Make sure that children know what a flute is. Explain that they are instruments that make music when air is blown through them.
Say and ask: Scan the illustrations to help you make an informed prediction about who the main character may be. Which animals does he have to deal with? Can you work out from the illustrations how the golden flute helps the boy solve the problem?
Book Walk
Ask children to read page 3.
Ask: What can you now add to the predictions you already made?
Read the first sentence on page 4 to children. Little Red’s mother vaguely heard her daughter’s words carried on the wind.
Ask children what vaguely means. You may need to discuss the word vague to help them with understanding.
Ask: Who can use the word vaguely in another sentence?
Have children read the verse on page 4.
Say: Now, let’s talk about this verse. Let’s discuss how it adds to the predictions you made when you scanned the illustrations. Does it confirm for you who the boy in the illustrations is? Does it also help you to understand the plot? Share with the group what you think will happen now you have this information.
Ask children to turn to page 5 and read the first sentence. Ask then what the word staggered means.
Ask: Who can show me by moving what the word staggered means? Who can suggest another word that means the same as staggered?
Have children turn the pages until they find the part where the boy finds the flute.
Say and ask: Read the sentence on page 12 that starts with the word, suddenly. Then be prepared to discuss the effect that the flute has on animals. How do you think the boy can use this to outwit the dragon?
Have children return to page 3.
Go to During Reading
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