Reading Level:
R

Word Count:
1,421

Pages:
22

Text Summary
The Thesaurus is a fictional story about Angie, a girl who is given an assignment by her teacher to bring a thesaurus to class. Angie doesn't know what a thesaurus is and imagines that it is a dinosaur. Her mother gives Angie a thesaurus when she gets home from school. Although she is disappointed at first, Angie soon learns to love the book and the words she discovers in it.

Lesson Objectives
Reading Strategies
Children should use a variety of strategies to determine word meaning and comprehend text. The targeted strategy for this lesson is: Using context clues.

This book has some vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to readers. The reader can use context clues and pictures to help them decipher the text and make sense of the content.

Word and Print Skills
Phonics
Long vowel sounds

Word Work
Grammar

sentence types, simple and complex

Word structure

Multiple syllable words

Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as children work to understand the text. The targeted comprehension strategy for this lesson is: Predicting.

Have children suggest what will happen after reading page 5. After reading page 7, ask the children to predict again. Have children describe what Angie is thinking.

Visual Learning
Say: Look at the picture on page 12. Compare this picture to the picture on page 21. Describe the pictures and what you think they are about. Ask: How are they alike and how are they different? What do you think the story is about? Do you think that Angie is imagining things? 

Have children discuss some things that they have imagined. Ask: Have you ever daydreamed? What do you like to daydream about?

Targeted Vocabulary Words

Content Words
antonyms, synonyms, thesaurus

Explain to children that these terms tell about words. Antonyms are opposites of each other. Synonyms are similar to each other. A thesaurus is a book that gives synonyms and antonyms for words.

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Show children the book. 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 children should not judge their predictions to be "bad" if they prove to be wrong. A prediction is an educated guess about what could possibly happen. Scientists use predictions all the time. While they learn that their predictions may not be true after they finish their research, the predictions still provide a good starting point to learn from.

Have children look at the cover of the book. Ask: What do you think a thesaurus is? Have you ever used a thesaurus?

Building Background
Start a discussion with children about words. Ask: Have you ever used a thesaurus? Why did you use it? Can you name some pairs of words that have the same meaning?

Book Walk
Have children look at the picture on page 4. Suggest that Angie is looking out the window of her classroom and daydreaming. Ask: Have you ever looked out the window and daydreamed about something? Look at the picture on page 14. Ask: Have you ever heard a word that you didn't know? Were you surprised when you found out the real meaning?

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?
  

Think Aloud: Read page 6. Have children look at the second sentence. Ask: What does this sentence mean? Use synonyms to describe the words fascinated and hulking.

During Reading

Student Reading
Have children read the book with a partner. Review some of the strategies readers use while reading:

• Reading for context clues by reading ahead.
• Rereading when the story does not make sense.
• Checking the pictures to see if they will help with context clues.

After Reading

Comprehending the Text
Ask children to tell what happened in the beginning of the story. Share two parts from the middle of the story. Explain what happened at the end of the story. Ask: What did Angie do with the thesaurus at the end of the story?

Visual Learning
Holding the book so children can see it, point to the picture on page 12. Ask: What does Angie think a thesaurus is? How do you think she got that idea? Ask: What kinds of creatures do you imagine you can see in the clouds?

Building Skills

Phonics
Have children look through the story and list all of the long-vowel words. Then have them sort these long-vowel words into long a, long e, long i, long o, and long u.

To reinforce the long and short vowel distinction, play Stand-up Sit-down with children. Children must stand next to their desks. When you say a long vowel, they should sit down. Each time you say another long vowel, they should sit or stand. They should do nothing if they hear a short vowel.

Word Work
Simple and Complex Sentences
Have children turn to page 11 and notice the sentence with the dash. Read the sentence that follows the dash. That sentence has a comma to set apart the two parts of the sentence. Have children find two simple sentences and two complex sentences.

Expand the Reading

Writing Connection
Have children write a story about an imaginary creature. Suggest that the name of the creature be a word that might be confused with another word with a very different meaning. Then have children use a thesaurus to write their story. For example -dandelions sound like they might be ferocious, shoe horns have nothing to do with music, and no one would want to wear a water moccasin.

Art Connection
The illustrations that children draw should reflect the words in their story.

Reading Independently
Have children read the book independently or with a partner. You can also encourage them to read other books of their choice at the appropriate level.

Home Connection
Have children take their book home and share what they have learned with a family member. Have them tell their own stories to their families.

Assessment

• Monitor children's responses in the Comprehending the Text section to assess how well they understand the text or story.
• Monitor reading to see if children are using the effective reading strategies.
• Assess children's knowledge of writing with a thesaurus by reading their writing.
• Check the Comprehension and Skills Activity Sheets for their ability to follow directions and complete the activity accurately.