Reading Level:
S

Word Count:
1,665

Pages:
24 

Text Summary
Monkeys are fascinating animals. People love watching them, perhaps because they are so much like humans. Monkey Business discusses the distinctions between monkeys and apes, and between Old World and New World monkeys. Readers will also learn about the many different types of monkeys, where and how they live, and how they interact with people. 

Lesson Objectives

Reading Strategies
Students should use a variety of strategies to determine word meaning and comprehend text. The target strategy for this lesson is: rereading for sense. 

Word and Print Skills
Phonics
Consonant -le syllable -ble
Word Work
Using a pronunciation guide
Grammar
Adverbs 

Targeted Vocabulary Words
primates, anthropoids, prosimians, opposable thumb, New World, Old World, prehensile, Spider Monkey, Marmoset, Howler, Tamarin, Baboon, Mandrill, Colobus, Probiscis, troop, habitat

These are difficult words that students will encounter in the text. You may want to review and discuss the words and have students add them to the classroom word wall or dictionary. 

Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as students work to understand the text. The target comprehension strategy for this lesson is: answering questions using information from a chart. 

Visual Learning
Understand how illustrations and charts can help the reader better understand the text. 

Before Reading

Introduce the Book
Show students the cover illustration and have them read the title to make initial predictions about the main idea or topic.
Ask and say: What do you see on the cover? What do you think this story is about? What do the illustrations tell you about the kind of text this is? What else can you predict from the illustrations or title? 

Build Background
Involve students in a discussion about monkeys to elicit prior knowledge and build background.
Ask: What is a monkey? Where have you seen a monkey? Let’s list some characteristics of monkeys on the board.
Create a list detailing what characteristics students already know about monkeys. 

Book Walk
Give students their copies of the book and go through as much of the book as you feel is necessary. Point out things you feel will challenge students as they read. Look at the pictures with students and discuss what they see. You may want to write down some of the words they suggest. Have them begin by looking at the contents page.
Ask: What information about monkeys do you think we will find?
As you look through the text, point out text features such as headings, bold-face type, pronunciations, charts, and glossary. Ask students how they will use these text features when they read. 

Reading Strategies
Remind students to use any or all of the following strategies to help them in their reading:

• Asking the questions: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right?
• Connect the text with what they already know
• Mentally summarize after reading a section to be sure they understand what they read
• Reread any sentence or page that was difficult, to make sure that they understand the text
• Use what they know about letters and sounds to read new words
• Look for parts of words they know, such as root words, prefixes, and suffixes

Ask students about the strategies they think they will use if they get to a difficult word. You may want to model a strategy you think will help students gain meaning, such as rereading to figure out difficult words or meanings. 

During Reading

Student Reading
Have students read the book independently to find out if the facts they suggested are in fact in the text. You may suggest they read through the book once, and then read it again, stopping to list information on their chart. If the book will be used as a consumable, you may ask students to mark or highlight words they have trouble with or places they are confused. They may also mark or highlight important words or information in a different color. 

After Reading

Comprehending the Text
Draw the group together again and discuss the strategies students used to help them read difficult parts of the text. Then look at the characteristics listed on the board and have students confirm or revise the list based on their reading.
Ask: Which of these characteristics are true? Which are wrong and need to be changed? Let’s find the parts of the book that confirm each prediction.
Discuss other aspects of the text if time allows. Suggested questions are:

• What is the difference between monkeys and apes? Show me where it tells you this in the book. (Apes do not have tails and are usually larger and more intelligent than monkeys.)
• How are Old and New World monkeys different? Can you find the answer to this question in the text? (noses, number of teeth, prehensile tails, time in trees vs. time on ground)
• Which is your favorite monkey? Why?
• Why do you think monkeys live in troops? To answer this question, you need to use some information in the book and your own ideas. (protection, companionship)
• Do you think it is a good thing to have monkeys as pets, in zoos, or as medical research subjects? Do you have to read the book to be able to answer this question? (individual answers)
• How are monkeys in danger? (population and habitat destruction)  

Visual Learning
Give students worksheet 1 and have them turn to the graphics on page 15. Explain how visual information on charts can help them learn more about the topic. Guide them to answer the first couple of questions, and then have them complete the worksheet independently. When they have completed the questions, have them share their answers. If they have difficulty with any question or have recorded a wrong answer, go back to the book and show them how to find the correct answer. 

Building Skills

Phonics
Consonant -le syllable -ble
Write the words able, bubble, available, and possible on the board or chart paper. Have students read each word with you. Circle the -ble in each word. Explain that many words end with a consonant and the letters le. These letters make up a syllable in the word. Brainstorm a list of words with the consonant + le spelling pattern. Have volunteers circle the pattern in each word on the list.

Word Work
Using pronunciation guides
Say: There were a number of multiple-syllable words in the text that used pronunciation guides. Looking at page 11, the word Marmoset has the pronunciation MAHR moh zeht in parentheses. Why did the author do this? Let’s look at how the pronunciation is broken down. Each syllable is written phonetically. Did this help you? Let’s try our own hand at writing out some pronunciations for some of the other multiple-syllable words in the text.
Students may suggest words, use words they highlighted, or use words you noticed them having difficulty with as they read. 

Grammar
Discuss the use of adverbs with students. Explain that adverbs can tell us how many, how much, or how something is done. They can modify verbs, adverbs, or adjectives. Provide examples of each by writing the following sentences on the board: Humans can closely identify with monkeys. Monkeys are very social animals. Monkeys can move very quickly through the trees.
Say: The word closely tells how we identify with monkeys. It modifies the verb in this sentence. The word very modifies the adjective social. It tells how social monkeys are. The word very modifies the adverb quickly. It tells how quickly, and the word quickly is an adverb that tells how monkeys move.
Then give them worksheet 2 and instruct them to find adverbs in the text and list them on the worksheet. 

Expand the Reading

Writing Connection
Discuss with students whether monkeys should be kept in zoos. Have students suggest arguments for and against keeping monkeys in zoos. Then have students take a side for or against, and write an argument that expresses their point of view. Review with students the structure of an argument. It should begin by stating the author’s point of view. This is followed by a series of supporting facts that back up the author’s point of view. It finishes with a conclusion. 

Social Studies Connection
Students can research how monkeys and humans interact, for example, in medical research, in zoos, as pets, and for food. Have students report their findings to the class. 

Science Connection
Collect and read additional books about monkeys. Ask students to find out various monkeys’ sizes, habitats, life expectancies, and past and current populations. 

Reading Independently
Invite students to reread the book independently or with a partner. Have students share their own writing from the Writing Connection with each other.

Home Connection
Invite students to take the book home to read with their families. Have them share their Writing Connection writing with a family member. 

Assessment

• Review students’ completed worksheet 1 to determine how well they can find and locate answers to specific questions in a chart.
• Review students’ completed worksheet 2 to assess how well they understand what adverbs are and how they are used.