Reading Level:
V

Word Count:
1,639

Pages:
16 

Text Summary
This book recounts how Robin Hood met Little John. The two first engage in a fight, and then an archery contest. Robin Hood wins the archery contest even after losing the fight. This impresses Little John, who proceeds to declare his allegiance to Robin and his men.

Vocabulary
Content Words:
agile
allegiance
flail
lawful
underling
vowed
walloping
youth 

Worksheets
Narrative structure chart
Irregular verbs 

Lesson Objectives

Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as students work to understand the text. The targeted comprehension strategy for this lesson is: understand the structure of a narrative. 

Word Work
Suffix -ly
Understand that adjectives can be changed to adverbs by adding the suffix -ly

Past Tense Verbs
Understand how past tense verbs, including irregular verbs, are formed

Before Reading

Introduce the Book
Introduce the book by showing students the front cover.
Ask: What do you think is happening in the cover illustration? What do you know about Robin Hood and Little John? 

Build Background
Some students may not have heard of Robin Hood. Help them understand the time period in which the events in the story take place. Explain the character of Robin Hood and why he lived as an outlaw. Discuss what they know of Little John. Do not give away too much information about Little John, since you want them to discover this for themselves as they read the book. 

Skim and Scan
Give students a copy of the book and have them look at the table of contents. Read the chapter titles, and have students consider what might happen in each chapter. Ask them on what page they can find the glossary, and have them turn to that page. Talk about the purpose of the glossary and encourage them to use it as they read. Point out the word vowed on page 5, and have students find it in the glossary. Have students look through the illustrations, but tell them to stop at page 12. Don’t show them the last three illustrations in the book so that you don’t give away the ending of the story. Ask them what they think is happening in the story. Ask them to predict who will win the archery contest. 

During Reading

Set the Purpose
Give students worksheet one. Explain the features listed on the worksheet and what the students are to do with the worksheet.
Say: All stories have certain features such as characters, setting, and a series of events called a plot. They also have a problem, or conflict. The problem is the crux of the story, and solving the problem is the action the story centers on. The resolution, or solution, is how the problem gets solved. As you read the story, I want you to think about what the problem is in this story. When you have finished reading, fill in the parts of the narrative on the worksheet. Then we will discuss them.  

After Reading

Comprehension
Have students confirm their predictions.
Ask: Who won the archery contest? Did the contest go as you thought it would? 

Refer to the narrative worksheet. Have students take time to jot down details about each part of the narrative. Then discuss each one.
Ask: Who are the characters in the story? How is Robin Hood central to the story? How is Little John central to the story? How would you describe Little John? How would you describe Robin Hood? Which of the two characters do you like the best? Why?
Ask: Where does this story take place? Would the story be different if the setting changed?
Ask: What was the problem in the story? (the confrontation between Robin Hood and Little John) How was the problem resolved? (Robin impresses Little John and wins his allegiance)
Ask: What are the main events of the plot? 

Word Work

Suffix -ly
Have students turn to page 10 and find the word cleverly. Have them read the sentence in which it is found and tell you which word in the sentence it describes (the verb dressed). Ask students what the root word of cleverly is. Have students use clever in an oral sentence and tell what word it describes. Explain that clever is an adjective that describes a noun. When we add the suffix -ly to an adjective, we change it into an adverb that describes a verb. Use other examples from the text: angrily, nearly, lightly, obviously, carefully, powerfully, swiftly, immediately, finally, and fully. 

Past Tense Verbs
Have students find the verbs taxed and ruled on page 4. Explain that these are past tense verbs, because the story takes place in the past. Ask students how the verbs are formed (by adding -ed). Then ask students to find the verbs stole and gave on the same page. Explain that these are irregular verbs. They are not formed by adding -ed. Their past tense and past participle are variations on the spelling of the present infinitive tense. Have students identify the present tense verbs and reread the sentence, substituting the present tense verbs: “They steal their land and give it to their corrupt friends in the church.” Have students find the verbs carried on page 9 and cried on page 7. Point out that when a verb such as carry or cry ends in y, change the y to i before adding -ed. 

Give students Worksheet 2. They are to write the present infinitive and the past participle of the verbs in the spaces provided.

Writing Connection
Have students select either Robin Hood or Little John, and write a descriptive paragraph about one of them. They should consider what they look like, how they are dressed, how they act, and any special characteristics, such as Robin Hood’s prowess with a bow and arrow. Before they begin writing, have them jot down descriptive words and phrases they want to use in their paragraph. 

Assessment

• Review students’ narrative structure charts to determine how well they can identify elements of a story. Note whether they list the main characters. Note whether they can identify the problem and solution in the story. Note whether the events are listed in sequential order.
• Review students’ completed Worksheet 2 to assess how well they can recognize past and present irregular verbs.
• Review students’ written descriptive paragraphs to assess their understanding of the characters in the story. Note whether their descriptions are logical based on the information about the characters in the book. Note whether they can infer descriptive details based on the events in the story.