Before Reading
Introducing the Book
Show children the front and back covers of the book. Ask students to predict what the book might be about. Ask children if they know what Ricardo’s dilemma might be. Look at the back cover. Ask: What is Ricardo doing? What does the flyer say?
Write down children’s predictions and follow up on them after reading the book.
Building Background
Ask children if they have ever been to a ballet and what they thought of it. Explain that ballet dancing is very challenging and that dancers have to practice for years and years to develop strength and proper techniques.
Ask children what a dilemma is. Ask if they have ever had a dilemma. Explain that a dilemma is not just a problem, but is an internal struggle. This means that it is something you feel, for example, when you really want to do something but you are afraid to do it. Sometimes this is because people are worried about what others might think of them. It is like going two different directions at the same time. It is not when something happens outside of you, like a tornado. Ask: What was the dilemma? How did you solve it? Did you have to do something or did the situation resolve itself? How did you feel while you were going through it? How did you feel once it was resolved?
Book Walk
As you look at each page in the book with children, have them tell you what they think is going on in the plot. Also, have them describe Ricardo’s expressions. Have children try to guess how he is feeling on each page. Discuss children’s descriptions and ask if they think Ricardo enjoys ballet.
Reading Strategies
Ask: How will the pictures help you to understand the text? Explain that the illustrations can give hints as to what the main idea is so the reader does not have to know every word to understand what is happening. Ask: What can you do if you come to a word you do not understand? Read page 10 to children. Ask what incredibly far to one side might mean. Explain that the context of the sentence can give the reader almost enough information that some words can be understood even when we have never seen them before.
Go to During Reading
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