Text Type: Nonfiction/How-To
Page Count: 20
Word Count: 1,247

Book Summary
The craft of weaving dates back tens of thousands of years and has been practiced by various cultures all over the world. Readers are led through the process of creating three separate weaving projects--a paper mat, a friendship bracelet, and a dreamcatcher--as well as being given different sources to explore more. The author teaches the basic principles of weaving, and invites readers to experiment through use of different materials, patterns, and colors. Diagrams and photographs support the text.

About the Lesson

Targeted Reading Strategy

• Visualize

Objectives

• Use the reading strategy of visualizing to understand text
• Sequence events
• Recognize and use synonyms
• Identify and form compound words

Materials

• Book -- Weave It! (copy for each student)
• Chalkboard or dry erase board
• Thesauruses
• Visualize, sequence events, synonyms, compound words worksheets
• Discussion cards

     Indicates an opportunity for students to mark in the book. (All activities may be completed with paper and pencil if books are reused.)

Vocabulary

• Content words: alternating, complicated, distorting, freeform, horizontal, interlock, previous, shed, symmetrical, vertical, warp, weft

Build Background

• Preview the book ahead of time, and create the three examples--a paper mat, a friendship bracelet, and a dreamcatcher. Show students the finished products, allowing them to handle them and discuss what they see. Tell them that they will have the opportunity to create their own as they read this book.
• Ask students to tell what they know about weaving. Ask them if they have ever created anything by weaving and, if so, to share their experience. Tell them that weaving is an ancient craft dating back tens of thousands of years.

Preview the Book

Introduce the Book

• Give students their copy of the book. Guide them to the front and back covers and read the title. Have students discuss what they see on the covers. Encourage them to offer ideas as to what type of book it is (genre, text type, fiction or nonfiction, and so on) and what it might be about.
• Show students the title page. Discuss the information on the page (title of book, author's name, illustrator's name).

Introduce the Reading Strategy: Visualize

• Explain to students that good readers often visualize, or create pictures in their mind, while reading. Visualizing is based on the words used in the text and what a person already knows about a topic.
• Read page 4 aloud to students. Model how to visualize.
  Think-aloud: Whenever I read a book, I always pause after a few pages to create a picture in my mind of the information I've read. This helps me organize the important information and understand the ideas in the book. For example, on page 4, the author describes how people in ancient times wore clothing made of grasses that had been woven together. I pictured a boy and girl standing side by side, each wearing a shirt and skirt made of woven grass and a hat made of woven straw. I wonder if they got cold in the winter, wearing woven clothing like that.
• Reread page 4 aloud to students, asking them to use the words in the book to visualize. Introduce and explain the visualize worksheet. Have students draw on the worksheet what they visualized from the text on page 4. Invite students to share their drawings.
• As students read, encourage them to use other reading strategies in addition to the targeted strategy presented in this section. For tips on additional reading strategies, click here.

Introduce the Comprehension Skill: Sequence events

• Review or explain that writers present the instructions in a how-to book in a particular order. Signal words are often provided to help readers identify the order of the events. Ask students to identify examples of signal words (today, first, next, then, and so on).
• Model using sequencing words to describe the process of making a pizza.
  Think-aloud: I know that when I make pizza, I need to follow certain steps for the pizza to turn out the way I want. Since I don't make my own pizza dough, my first step is to take the dough out of the package. Next, I grease the pizza sheet. I like to use a cooking spray for this. Then, I roll out the dough so it is the size of the pizza sheet. I try not to make any holes where the dough is thin. Next, I open a can of pizza sauce. I use a spoon to spread a thin layer of sauce over the pizza. After that, I put a thick layer of mozzarella cheese over the sauce and a few pieces of pepperoni on top of the cheese. Last, I cook the pizza in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Ask students to share the steps they take to make a favorite food. Remind them that many foods need to be made with the supervision of an adult.

Introduce the Vocabulary

• Write the following content vocabulary words on the board: symmetrical, vertical, previous, and horizontal. Read the words aloud with students. Ask them to share what they know about the meaning of each word. Point out to students that using familiar words might help them identify the meanings of the words. (For instance, the word symmetry might help them in thinking about what symmetrical might mean.) Point out that they might recognize these vocabulary words from math class.
• Write each of the content vocabulary words on a piece of poster board. Place students in small groups and assign each group to a poster. Have them discuss what they know about the meaning of their word and write a definition on the paper. Encourage them to add an illustration to their definition. Rotate the groups until each group has visited every poster.
• Review each word and the information about the word that students wrote on the poster. Create a definition based on students' knowledge and write it on the board.
• Have a volunteer read the definition for each word from the glossary. Compare students' definitions with the glossary definitions. Use the comparison to modify the definition for each word on the board.
• For tips on teaching word-attack strategies, click here.

Set the Purpose

• Have students read to find out more about weaving. Remind them to stop after every few pages to visualize the most important information and draw on their worksheet how they visualized it.

Student Reading

• Guide the reading: Have students read from page 5 to the end of page 8. Have them visualize the information in the text as they read. Ask students to draw what they visualized on their visualize worksheet. Encourage those who finish before others to reread the text.
• Model visualizing.
  Think-aloud: On page 6, I read about how to begin a paper mat weaving. I pictured a large piece of construction paper, folded in half. I pictured five straight lines drawn from the fold, and then I envisioned myself cutting along those lines. I pictured myself gently unfolding my paper and placing it flat on the table with the cuts lying vertically.
• Invite students to share their drawings of what they visualized while reading. Have them explain their drawings aloud.

      Discuss and have students circle the words in their book that are most important to tell the sequence of steps necessary to weave a paper mat. These include: Fold the paper in half and draw a line 1" from the long open edge. Draw five to seven lines. Cut along those lines, starting at the fold and stopping at the straight line. Unfold it and place it down flat. Weave the 1" x 9" strip of paper from one edge to the other. Continue weaving the weft strips, alternating the start of the rows over and then under. Glue the loose edges of the weft strips. Write the steps listed above on the board.

• Ask students to tell what section 2 was mostly about (weaving a paper mat). Review the steps written on the board. Point out that the book gives other information, including details that help readers be successful in their weaving project, but that these details are not necessary to the basic sequence of steps.
• Check for understanding: Have students read to the end of page 13. Have them visualize the information in the text as they read. Ask students to draw what they visualized on their visualize worksheet. Invite them to share what they visualized.

      Ask students to circle in the book all of the important steps to weaving a friendship bracelet. Discuss the important steps as a class. Introduce and explain the sequence events worksheet. Allow time for students to complete the first section of the worksheet.

• Have students read the remainder of the book. Encourage them to continue to visualize as they read. Remind them to continue thinking about the important steps or sequence for making their next project.

      Have students make a question mark in their book beside any word they do not understand or cannot pronounce. Encourage them to use the strategies they have learned to read each word and figure out its meaning.

• Ask students what words, if any, they marked in their book. Use this opportunity to model how they can read these words using decoding strategies and context clues.

Reflect on the Reading Strategy

• Think-aloud: On pages 16 through 20, I read about how to make a dreamcatcher. Step 5 tells readers to hang their finished product above their bed and enjoy their dreams. I pictured a wire hoop with colorful yarn woven throughout the dreamcatcher. I pictured bold, symmetrical patterns with beads and feathers hanging from the fringe. I envisioned the dreamcatcher hanging above my bed as I lay underneath it.
• Ask students to explain how the strategy of visualizing helped them understand and enjoy the book. Lead a discussion about how the diagrams help readers visualize the steps. Have students study the diagrams on pages 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. Ask them how the diagrams were helpful. Ask them to think about the methods described on those pages and to explain why visualizing the steps would help them correctly complete the projects.
• Independent practice: Have students complete the visualize worksheet. If time allows, have them share their drawings.

Reflect on the Comprehension Skill

• Discussion: Have students turn to section 2 (pages 5 through 9). Point out the sequencing words and numbers used (first, 1, 2, after, and so on).
• Discuss how the numerical steps provided in the book help readers organize the order of events for making each weaving project.
• Independent practice: Have students complete the sequence events worksheet. Allow students time to record the correct sequence for creating a dreamcatcher. If time allows, discuss answers aloud.
• Enduring understanding: In this book, you learned the basic principles of weaving. You also learned that the skill was used in ancient times to create clothing. Now that you know this information, what does it make you think about the evolution of clothing? Do you think people would wear a shirt made of woven grass today? How and why has clothing changed through the centuries?

Grammar and Mechanics: Synonyms

• Write the word useful on the board. Ask students to suggest a word that means almost the same thing (beneficial, handy, helpful). Review or explain that a word that means the same or almost the same as another word is called a synonym.
• Ask students to explain why the use of synonyms is important in writing (they help to describe something in text, they make the writing more interesting and varied, and so on).
• Write the following sentence from page 11 on the board: Insert a toothpick crosswise just under the knot--over one warp thread and under the next one. Circle the word insert. Ask students to use the context clues in the sentence to suggest a word that means the same or almost the same as insert (add, place, and so on). Write these words on the board.
• Ask students what the differences might be between inserting a toothpick and adding a toothpick. Ask them to explain how the word insert allows readers to get a more accurate description of the instruction, rather than just using its synonym add. Point out that not all synonyms are the most appropriate word in a sentence, so writers need to think carefully about which word best expresses the thought they want to convey.
• Show students a thesaurus. Model how to locate synonyms for the word inserting in the thesaurus. Write the synonyms on the board. Remind students to look for the root or base word (insert) if they cannot find the word they're looking for in the thesaurus.
• Check for understanding: Write the following sentence from page 19 on the board: Attach beads, feathers, and other decorative items directly to the hoop. Circle the word attach. Ask students to use the context clues in the sentence and picture clues on the page to suggest a word that means the same or almost the same as attach (join, connect, and so on). Write these words on the board.
• Give pairs of students a thesaurus. Ask them to locate synonyms for the word attach and write them on a separate piece of paper. Then have them choose one of the synonyms and use it to write a sentence on the paper. As time allows, provide additional practice using a thesaurus.
• Independent practice: Introduce, explain, and have students complete the synonyms worksheet. If time allows, discuss their responses.

Word Work: Compound words

• Review or explain that when two words are combined to form a new word, the new word is called a compound word.
• Write the words overhand, paper-weaving, and Native Americans on the board. Tell students that these are examples of different types of compound words. Each example has two parts that make up one word meaning; however, some compound words are separated by hyphens, some are joined, and some are separate. Explain that the definitions of the two separate words can help students figure out the meaning of the bigger word (overhand: with the hand raised over).
• Have students turn to page 10 in the book. Read the following sentence: You can make friendship bracelets with this finger-weaving technique and also use it in dreamcatchers. Have students locate the sentence and identify three compound words (friendship, finger-weaving and dreamcatchers). Ask students to identify the two separate words that make up each compound word (friend and ship, finger and weaving, dream and catchers). Discuss the concept of compound words (combining two separate words to make a new word).
• Check for understanding: Have students look for compound words on page 9 (butterfly, highlight, paper-weaving). Encourage them to name other compound words they know, and list them on the board. Create a poster titled Compound Words and fill it with all of the compound words found in the text and listed from prior knowledge. Post it on the classroom wall, and add to it as more words are found or remembered later.
• Independent practice: Introduce, explain, and have students complete the compound words worksheet. Discuss their answers aloud once everyone has finished working independently.

Independent Reading

• Allow students to read their book independently. Additionally, partners can take turns reading parts of the book to each other.

Home Connection

• Give students their book to take home to read with parents, caregivers, siblings, or friends. Have students practice visualizing the content of the book with someone at home and then compare the pictures they created in their mind.

How-To Writing Connection
Provide print and Internet sources for students to research a different type of weaving: card weaving, backstrap loom, or weaving on a frame loom or floor loom. Review the books and website tips mentioned on page 22 of the book, and have them write a how-to book about one of the four types listed. Have students write in the same style as Weave It!, giving numbered steps and clear directions. Explain that most of the sentences in the book are commands, telling readers precisely what to do or what not to do. When finished, have students read their reports aloud to a small group. If time allows, have partners try out the directions given to see if they can accurately create the project based on the instructions.

Visit Writing A-Z for a lesson and leveled materials on how-to nonfiction writing.

Social Studies Connection
Provide print and Internet sources for students to further research Native American dreamcatchers. Have students read to find out more about their importance in the culture, how the tradition began, what they symbolize, and what tribes use them. Have them find out who makes dreamcatchers today, what materials are used to decorate them, and whether tribes are able to sell them for a profit. Facilitate a round-table discussion in which students discuss these facts, along with any other interesting facts they found.

Skill Review
Discussion cards covering comprehension skills and strategies not explicitly taught with the book are provided as an extension activity. The following is a list of some ways these cards can be used with students:

• Use as discussion starters for literature circles.
• Have students choose one or more cards and write a response, either as an essay or a journal entry.
• Distribute before reading the book and have students use one of the questions as a purpose for reading.
• Cut apart and use the cards as game cards with a board game.
• Conduct a class discussion as a review before the book quiz.