Lesson Plans for MURDOCH'S PATH Level R

After Reading

Reflect on Reading Strategies
Draw the students together and invite them to share the strategies they used to understand the text. Encourage volunteers to retell how they figured out words from the context.
Ask and say: Did any of you figure out a vocabulary word without looking in the glossary? Why don't we have [student's name] tell us how [he/she] figured out the word tingled without looking it up. Now, let's check and see if [he/she] was correct. 

Comprehending the Text
Understanding Folktales
Ask students if they noticed how this folktale compared to other folktales they have read before. Ask retelling questions that relate to each of the folktale elements.
Ask: What happened when the fairies offered Pat the gems? What happened to the flowers? What did the shoemaker do when the fairies asked him the same thing? What happened to the shoemaker? Why was Pat rewarded? What do we call it when we learn a lesson by watching a hero rewarded for good behavior, and a villain punished for bad behavior? 

Hand out worksheet 1 and explain to students that they are to choose a familiar folktale and compare it to Murdoch's Path. They should identify the folktale features of each story and write them in the columns across from the names of the features. Guide students as they begin, and then allow them to work independently, intervening if necessary. 

Go to Building Skills