Reading Level:
W

Word Count:
1,638

Pages:
16 

Text Summary
King Richard disguises himself as an abbot and goes to Sherwood Forest to see Robin Hood for himself. Robin Hood and his men engage in an archery contest, which Robin loses. The King delivers Robin’s punishment. When Robin discovers who the abbot really is, he falls to his knees in front of him. King Richard asks him to come and serve at his court.

Vocabulary
Content Words:
abbot
friar
garland
laden
lodged
lured
pounds
scant
sprawling
venison 

Worksheets
Venn Diagram
Cloze  

Lesson Objectives

Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as students work to understand the text, for example, identifying character traits. The targeted comprehension strategy for this lesson is: compare and contrast characters. 

Word Work
Compound words
Identify compound words and the words that form them 

Synonyms/parts of speech
Understand that synonyms can substitute for words in the story 

Before Reading

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

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 who the character is and why he became a folk hero. Explain that the French Normans ruled England while King Richard was away at the Crusades. 

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 abbot on page 6, and have students find it in the glossary. Have students look at the illustrations to get a sense of time and place. 

During Reading

Set the Purpose
Give students the Venn diagram and explain what they are to do.
Say: This worksheet asks you to compare Robin Hood and King Richard. There are ways in which they are alike and ways in which they are different. I don’t want you to fill in the diagram until you have finished reading the story. But as you read, take note of features you might want to put in the diagram. You can note words and page numbers in the diagram to help you remember when you fill it in after finishing. 

After Reading

Comprehension
Give students time to fill in the Venn diagram. Have students refer to their worksheets to answer the questions.
Ask: What can you tell me about Robin Hood? About King Richard? In what ways are these two men alike? What are some differences between them? What are your feelings about King Richard?  

Have students retell the main events of the story in order.
Ask: What are the main events in the beginning of the story? What happened next? How did the story end? 

Word Work
Compound words
Have students turn to page 9 to find the word outlaw. Ask them what two smaller words make up the bigger word. Explain that they can use the meanings of the smaller words to help them determine the meaning of the bigger word.
Say: Think about what the word out means and what the word law means. When I put them together, I have a word that means someone who does things outside of the law, or in other words, a type of criminal.
Have students find these compound words, identify the smaller words in each word, and tell how knowing the meaning of the smaller words helps them understand the compound word: nobleman, themselves, churchmen, within, outside, and somewhat. 

Worksheet: Cloze
Explain to students that when they come to a word they have difficulty pronouncing, they can sometimes substitute a word they know that makes sense in the context of the sentence. 

Give students Worksheet 2. Explain that they are to read the sentences and fill in the blanks with a word that makes sense in the sentence. When they have finished, they will compare their words with those of the other students in the group, and then with the words in the book. Make sure that students understand that different words can still be correct, as long as they are the same part of speech as the word in the text and as long as they don’t change the meaning of the sentence. 

Writing Connection
Have students write a letter from Robin Hood to King Richard describing his loyalty to the King and his feelings at being asked to serve in the King’s court. To get students started, use the following steps:

• Discuss the format of a letter: date, address, greeting, body, and closing. Provide a format for them to follow if you feel students need the support.
• Brainstorm words to describe how Robin Hood may have felt about the King and about his appointment to the court.
• Have students share their letters with the group. 

Assessment

• Review students’ Venn diagrams. Note whether they can list important characteristics of both characters. Note whether they can find points of comparison and contrast between the two men.
• Review students’ completed cloze worksheets. Note whether the words they supply make sense and are structurally correct. Use the worksheet to determine students’ understanding of verb usage.
• Review students’ letters. Note whether they can follow the format of a letter. Note whether their letter is logical based on what they know about Robin Hood and the events with the King in Sherwood Forest.