Text Type: Fiction/Realistic
Page Count: 20
Word Count: 1,350

Book Summary
Mark buys apple cider from Mia because her sidewalk business is slow. Mia decides to donate her favorite sweater to someone who might need it. On the way the donation center, Mia and her mom rescue a lost kitten and take it to the shelter. Duane takes care of the kitten until the owners come for it. Later that night, Duane shares his tip with Rosaria at the snack bar. What do they all have in common? They all practice SPRAK. What is SPRAK? Read the book to find out!

About the Lesson

Targeted Reading Strategy

• Make, revise, and confirm predictions

Objectives

• Use the reading strategy of making, revising, and confirming predictions to understand the text
• Understand and identify cause-and-effect relationships
• Identify and understand the use of adverbs
• Identify colloquial phrases

Materials

• Book -- SPRAK! (copy for each student)
• Chalkboard or dry erase board
• Prediction, cause and effect, vocabulary, adverbs worksheets
• Discussion cards

     Indicates an opportunity for students to mark in the book. (All activities may be completed with paper and pencil if books are reused.)

Vocabulary

• Content words: annoyed, appreciate, chiquitas, donation center, engrossed, furtively, relieved, tip, volunteer

Build Background

• Ask students whether they can remember a time when someone did something nice for them for no reason other than to be nice. Invite them to share their experiences. Ask how it made them feel or how it would make them feel. Ask: Have you ever done something kind just because you felt like it? Why?

Preview the Book

Introduce the Book

• Give students their copy of the book. Guide them to the front and back covers and read the title. Have students discuss what they see on the covers. Encourage them to offer ideas as to what type of book it is (genre, text type, fiction or nonfiction, and so on) and what it might be about.
• Show students the title page. Discuss the information on the page (title of book, author's name, illustrator's name).

Introduce the Reading Strategy: Make, revise, and confirm predictions

• Explain to students that good readers often make predictions about what might happen in a book based on the series of events and what the characters say, do, and think in the story. As they read the story, readers revise or confirm their predictions based on what they learn from reading. Before reading a book, readers can use the title and illustrations as the basis for making predictions.
• Model using the title and cover illustrations to make a prediction as you preview the book.
  Think-aloud: Looking at the front cover, I see a child standing next to a woman reading a newspaper. They appear to know each other. Maybe they are having a discussion about something in the paper. The title of the book is SPRAK! I've never heard of that name before. Maybe it is the name of a special group, such as a theater or arts group. Perhaps the child wants to join the group. I'll have to read the book find out what happens.
• Create a four-column chart on the board with the headings Make, Revise, Confirm, and Actual. Model writing a prediction in the first column, Make. (For example, SPRAK is the name of a special activity group for children.)
• Introduce and explain the prediction worksheet. Have students preview the table of contents and all the illustrations in the story. Invite them to make a prediction and write it on their worksheet before they begin reading.
• As students read, encourage them to use other reading strategies in addition to the targeted strategy presented in this section. For tips on additional reading strategies, click here.

Introduce the Comprehension Skill: Cause and effect

• Explain to students that ideas and events are often connected to each other. Review or discuss that a cause is an event that makes something happen, and the effect is what happens because of, or as a result of, the cause.
• Create a graphic organizer on the board similar to the cause and effect worksheet. Write the following sentence on the board in the center box: I hit a baseball through a window.
• Model identifying cause-and-effect relationships.
  Think-aloud: If I hit the baseball through a window, certain effects of that cause are likely to happen. I might have to pay for the window. I also might have to apologize for breaking the window. Sometimes there is more than one effect, or event, that happens as a result of a cause.
• Create a two-column chart on the board with the headings Cause and Effect. Write I hit a baseball through a window under the heading Cause. Ask students to identify from the discussion the two effects of the cause (paying for the window, apologizing for breaking the window). Write these under the heading Effect.
• Invite students to explain other possible effects that might happen as a result of hitting a baseball through a window. Write these in the Effect box on the chart.

Introduce the Vocabulary

• Write the words from the glossary in a list on the chalkboard. Point to each word, read it aloud, and ask students to give the thumbs-up signal if they know the word or have heard it before. Circle any words with which most students are unfamiliar.
• Explain to students that good readers can use context clues to help figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word in the text. However, sometimes they will not find enough context clues to clearly define the unfamiliar word. Model how students can use the glossary or a dictionary to locate a word's meaning.
• Ask students to take turns reading the glossary words and their definitions. After each definition has been read, have them turn to the page and find the sentence containing the word. Read the sentence aloud to confirm the definition.
• Introduce and explain the vocabulary worksheet. Allow time for students to play the game with a partner.
• For additional tips on teaching word-attack strategies, click here.

Set the Purpose

• Have students read the book, making predictions about what will happen in the story based on the events and what the characters say, do, and think. Remind them to revise or confirm their predictions as they learn more about the events of the story.

Student Reading

• Guide the reading: Have students read to the end of page 5. Encourage those who finish early to go back and reread.
• Ask students whether they have read enough of the story yet to confirm their first prediction. Model revising a prediction.
  Think-aloud: I predicted that SPRAK is the name of a special activity group for children. As I read, I found out that a boy named Mark was practicing soccer in his front yard, and his neighbor Mia was selling cider across the street. Mark decided to buy a cup of cider from Mia when he saw that she was not getting any customers. Mark did something nice for Mia. I wonder whether Mia will do something nice for Mark in return. The next chapter is titled "A Favorite Sweater." Based on what I've read, I want to revise my prediction. My revised prediction is that Mia returns Mark's favor by loaning him a sweater while he is outside in the chilly night practicing for the big game. I will write this prediction next to my original prediction under the heading Revise.
• Encourage students to use the information they've read and discussed to revise or confirm their prediction. Have them write their new prediction under the heading Revise on their worksheet. Remind them that if their first prediction has been confirmed or has not yet been proven, they may write another prediction in the Make section of their worksheet. Model for students how to think through whether or not their predictions were confirmed, and if not, to explain why not. Invite students to share their predictions.
• Have students turn to page 5. Write Mark went inside to get 50 cents from his mom under the Cause heading in the chart on the board. Ask students to identify what caused Mark to go inside and get money from his mom (he noticed that Mia had not sold any cider).
• Introduce and explain the cause and effect worksheet. Have students write this information under the heading Cause and write Mark got 50 cents to buy cider from Mia under the heading Effect.
• Check for understanding: Have students read to the end of page 8. When they have finished reading, have them share their predictions and the outcome of their predictions. Remind them to revise or confirm their predictions and write on their worksheet what actually happened.
• Ask students to explain what Mia and her mom did after they found the kitten (took it to the animal rescue center). Have them explain the reason why they did this (there were no houses around and it was a busy street). Have students use this information to write a cause-and-effect relationship on their worksheet. Invite them to share their responses.
• Invite students to read the remainder of the book. Encourage them to continue to make, revise, and confirm their predictions as they read the rest of the story.

      Have students make a question mark in their book beside any word they do not understand or cannot pronounce. Encourage them to use the strategies they have learned to read each word and figure out its meaning.

Reflect on the Reading Strategy

• Ask students what words, if any, they marked in their book. Use this opportunity to model how they can read these words using decoding strategies and context clues.
• Think-aloud: I predicted that Mia would return Mark's favor by loaning him a sweater while he was outside in the chilly night practicing for the big game. This prediction was not confirmed, even though the book ends at the soccer field. I learned that SPRAK stands for Spread Random Acts of Kindness. Now I see that this is what everyone in the book was doing.
• Ask students to share their predictions about what they thought might happen in the story. Ask them to compare their predictions with what actually happened in the story and to share any predictions that were confirmed. Reassure students by explaining that using story events and prior knowledge to make predictions, rather than predicting correctly, is the purpose of this reading strategy.
• Ask students to explain how the strategy of making, revising, and confirming predictions helped them understand and enjoy the story.
• Independent practice: Have students finish filling in their prediction worksheet. Invite them to share their predictions, reasoning, and revisions, as well as how their predictions related to the actual outcome of the story.

Reflect on the Comprehension Skill

• Discussion: Review with students the cause-and-effect relationships listed on their worksheet. Ask them to explain or show how the strategy of identifying cause-and-effect relationships helped them understand the story.
• Independent practice: Have students work with a partner to identify at least one more cause-and-effect relationship and write it on their worksheet. Have them discuss how the effect of one event in the story led to the cause of the next event. If time allows, discuss their responses.
• Enduring understanding: In this story, each child chose to do something special for another person for no other reason than to do a nice deed. Now that you know this information, what will you do the next time you experience someone doing something nice for you or another person?

Grammar and Mechanics: Adverbs

• Have students turn to page 8. Read the following sentence aloud: A small kitten walked slowly in front of the car. Have students identify the verb in the sentence (walked).
• Ask students how the kitten walked (slowly). Explain that slowly is an adverb that describes the verb walked.
• Review or explain that adverbs are words that describe or modify verbs or adjectives. Adverbs express the time, manner, or degree to which something happens.
• Ask students to identify the root word of slowly (slow). Point out that the word slow is an adjective. Explain that many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to the end of adjectives.
• Write the question How often? on the board. Have students turn to page 13. Read the following sentence aloud: Usually, Anna annoyed Rosaria. Ask students how often Anna annoyed Rosaria (usually). Explain that usually is an adverb that describes the verb annoyed. Ask students to identify the root word of usually (usual).
• Write the words gentle, final, and sudden on the board. Have student volunteers come to the board and add -ly to each root word and then use the resulting adverb in an oral sentence.

      Check for understanding: Have students work in pairs to underline all of the adverbs with an -ly suffix in the book and identify the verb or adjective that each adverb describes. When students are done, discuss their responses.

• Independent practice: Introduce, explain, and have students complete the adverbs worksheet. If time allows, discuss their responses.

Word Work: Colloquial phrases

• Ask students to reread the bottom of page 5 in their book. Point out that Mark responds to Mia with the phrase No sweat. Ask students to explain what they think the phrase means and why they think the author used these words.
• Explain that the phrase No sweat is a figure of speech, or an expression not meant to be taken literally. These types of expressions, which are used often in conversation, are called colloquial phrases. Point out to students that these colloquial phrases are often specific to a particular language.
• Invite students to share other colloquial phrases they may know (such as hop in the car, tie the knot, bored out of my mind, and so on). Write these phrases on the board.
• Check for understanding: Write the phrase take a break on the board. Ask students to work with a partner to explain the meaning of the phrase. Invite pairs to share their explanations aloud.
• Independent practice: Write the phrase the ball went sailing down the field on the board. Ask students to explain the meaning of the phrase and write it on a separate piece of paper. If time allows, discuss their responses.

Independent Reading

• Allow students to read their book independently. Additionally, partners can take turns reading parts of the book to each other.

Home Connection

• Give students their book to take home to read with parents, caregivers, siblings, or friends. Have students identify cause-and-effect relationships that happen at home. For example: I set the table (effect); It is time for dinner (cause). Have them write each cause and effect on a piece of paper and practice matching them with someone at home.

Realistic Fiction Writing and Art Connection
Review or explain to students that realistic fiction stories are based on characters, setting, problems, events, and solutions that could happen in real life. Have students write a story about someone who does something nice for another person, which causes someone else to do something nice for a different person.

Visit Writing A–Z for a lesson and leveled materials on realistic fiction writing.

Social Studies Connection
Discuss with children the many charitable organizations that exist in or around your community, such as clothing donation centers, homeless shelters, and pet rescue centers. Assign pairs of students the task of locating and researching one organization and the services it provides. Have students share their findings.

Skill Review
Discussion cards covering comprehension skills and strategies not explicitly taught with the book are provided as an extension activity. The following is a list of some ways these cards can be used with students:

• Use as discussion starters for literature circles.
• Have students choose one or more card and write a response, either as an essay or a journal entry.
• Distribute before reading the book and have students use one of the questions as a purpose for reading.
• Cut apart and use the cards as game cards with a board game.
• Conduct a class discussion as a review before the book quiz.