Reading Level
X

Pages:
24

Text Summary
The Eruption of Mount Shasta is a fictional story about a boy named Kyle, his dog, Oz, and his pet crow, who, strangely enough, is named Raven. The three live with Kyle's family in Shasta City, California, which is close to an active volcano. One day, the volcano erupts. Everyone must leave quickly, but Kyle refuses to leave without first finding Oz, who has disappeared. The story is filled with suspense and includes some humor as well.

Vocabulary
Avalanche
Composed
Descending
Disorienting
Fend
Generated
Heroism
Imploring
Intermingling
Irony
Oblivious
Obnoxious
Spewing
Therapy
Unconvincingly

Reproducibles
Worksheets
worksheet 1: Problem and solution
worksheet 2: Parts of speech - adjectives, verbs, and adverbs

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: Recognize and discuss problem/solutions relationships in text

Word Work
Parts of speech -   
Adjectives, verbs, and adverbs
Identify and use adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.

Before Reading

Elicit Prior Knowledge and Build Background
Write the words earthquake and volcano on a large sheet of paper.
Ask students to suggest things they know about both of these.
Ask: What do you know about earthquakes and volcanoes? Write all students' responses on the board.
Introduce the idea of problems and solutions. Choose one of the students' responses - something like lots of dust or lava. Say: This is a problem. A solution to this could be to stay indoors, or get in the car and drive away from it. These are problem/solution relationships.

Introduce worksheet 1
Say: This worksheet looks at problem/solution relationships within the story we are going to read. You may want to fill in some parts as you read.  

Introducing the Book
Before handing out the book, introduce it by showing the front cover.
Ask: What does this tell you about the book?
Turn the book over to the back cover.
Ask: What other information does this give you about the book?

Skim and Scan
Hand out the book, asking students to skim through the chapter headings and illustrations.
Ask: What other information does this give you about the book?
Have students find the word generated on page 16. Have them read the sentence that it is in.
Ask: Does anyone know what this word is? What do you think this word means?
Do the same with the other words in the Vocabulary section.

During Reading

Student Reading
Hand out the books and have students read quietly at their own pace.
Say: You may wish to fill in the worksheet as you read.

After Reading

Building Comprehension
Ask students to share what they found out in their own words.
Discuss the problems they have identified and what the solutions were.
Ask: Who would like to share some of the problems they identified? What was the solution to the problem? Be sure that students understand the idea of problem and solution. 

Word Work
Adjectives
Explain to students that an adjective helps describe the noun. Use the phrase large, black bird on page 5 to introduce the topic of adjectives to the class.
Ask: Can you find any other adjectives in the story?
Point out the fact that there is a comma between large and black. Ask students why they think the comma is there. Explain that when there are two similar adjectives describing one noun, there has to be a comma between them. Similar adjectives are adjectives that describe similar aspects of the noun. Large and black both describe the bird' s appearance. But, if you used the words three big birds, there would not be a comma between the adjectives.

Verbs
Have students define the word verb. Have them find the word says on page 8.
Ask: Can you find any other verbs in the story?

Adverbs
Explain that adverbs help describe the verb. Have students find the word unconvincingly on page 8.
Ask: What words could the author have used to help describe says?

Introduce the second worksheet.
Explain to students that it is related to the work just covered on adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.  

Writing Link
Have students write a description of how they would feel if they were caught in an area where a volcano was erupting.
Remember to include:

• Feelings that may come about because of worry.
• Feelings that may come about due to trying to get away safely.
• Nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.  

Assessment
Monitor students' responses in the Comprehending the Text section to assess how well they understand the text.
Monitor reading to see if they are using the effective reading strategies.
Assess students' knowledge of parts of speech: adjectives, verbs, and adverbs