Lesson Plans for LOSING GRANDPA level S

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Hand out the books and have children read the title.
Ask and say: What does the title suggest to you? Share with the group some possible story lines that would fit that title.
Invite children to view the illustrations to see if they suggest a story line that is similar to what happens in this book.

Build Background
Talk with children about dealing with sickness or death in a family. Ask any child, who feels that they would like to, to share an experience that they may have had. You may want to begin a discussion such as this with a personal recount of your own. Issues that you should raise through your own recount are:
  • The importance of working through your own feelings. It’s healthy to grieve.
  • You don’t have to keep busy when dealing with grief. Time out to acknowledge your feelings is valuable.
  • Adults aren’t always strong. They feel deeply, too. Often they cry.
  • People don’t have control over what they feel in situations like this. They only control what they do. Different people having the same feelings will do different things.

To initiate class discussion, ask: Have you ever lost someone close to you? How did you feel when it first happened? How did you express your feelings? Do you feel the same way now? Do you think your feelings have healed over time?
Discuss with children how feelings of pain and loss can lessen over time. Explain that feelings are a part of being human, and that each person can choose healthy ways to deal with and to feel their emotions.

Book Walk
Ask children to turn to pages 3–4.
Say: Sometimes authors use particular words and phrases for a particular purpose. This author uses words and phrases to help emphasize how the main character Hannah is feeling.
Read the paragraph "What happened? Is he real sick? Is he going to stay at the hospital?" The questions tumbled out of Hannah’s mouth.
Ask: Why do you think the author wrote, The questions tumbled out of Hannah’s mouth? What feeling was she trying to get across? How would this sentence have been different if the author had just said, asked Hannah, instead of, questions tumbled out of her mouth?
Have children turn to page 10. Ask them what they understand by zany, ghoulish pranks. Have children provide synonyms for zany and ghoulish to show that they know the meaning of the words. Ask children to read the last two words on page 10.
Say and ask: These two words describe how Hannah and her grandpa sometimes acted during playful times. What do they mean to you?
Have children turn to page 13 and read the second paragraph.
Say: Let’s talk about the words, she blurted out between her sobs. What does this tell you about how Hannah is feeling? How is it better than saying, she cried?
Invite children to read the rest of the chapter heads and add to their predictions about the story line. Have children return to page 3.


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