After Reading

Lesson Plans for RICARDO'S DILEMMA level T

After Reading

Comprehending the Text
Ask if children’s predictions before they read the book were correct. Begin a discussion about Ricardo’s dilemma. Ask the following questions and discuss each with children:

Explain that Ricardo was a very confident boy. He wanted to do something fun, but he was worried about his reputation. Point out that when people let others make decisions for them, it can feel like a big dilemma. Explain that talking about your feelings, being honest, and doing the things that make you happy are much more important than what others think of you.

What would you have done if you were Ricardo?
Do you think you might have done anything differently?
When Ricardo decided to take ballet classes, did he tell his best friend?
How do his friends end up finding out about Ricardo’s dancing ability?
Do you think Ricardo made good choices in this story?
What do you do when you are worried about what other people might think about something you like to do?

Visual Learning
To get children to focus on the illustrations and their significance, ask the following questions.

How do you think Ricardo feels on page 13?
How was he feeling on page 14?
How do the author’s descriptions match the illustrator’s descriptions?
How can you tell what emotions the characters are having on each page? What part of the illustration do you look at to figure out how a character feels? Is that true when you want to know what a real person is feeling?

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