Learning Objectives
Students will listen to a story and recall/comprehend key details and the story’s message.
Grade Levels
K-2
Common Core Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
Materials Needed
Chart Paper or Whiteboard
Dogs by Seymour Simon
KWL Charts
Pencils
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Lesson
Introduction
- Begin the lesson by discussing stories that feature dogs. Potential questions include: Have you ever heard of a story that had a dog in it? Describe some dog characters you know.
- Explain to your class that they will be listening to Dogs by Seymour Simon. Remind them that while you are reading, they should be focusing on key details in the story.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling
- On chart paper or a whiteboard, show students a KWL chart.
- Review the parts of the KWL chart: K stands for what they know, W stands for what they want to know, and L stands for what they learned.
- Model for students how to use a KWL chart by having them help you complete one about dogs.
- Ask your students to contribute one thing they know about dogs. Write it in the K column on the board.
- Have your students contribute questions about dogs. Write these in the W column.
- Show your students the L column, explaining that they will complete this column after a story or research is finished.
Guided Practice/Interactive Modeling
- Display a sample KWL chart on the board.
- Read Dogs by Seymour Simon to the class.
- When the book is complete, have your students contribute answers so that you may finish the L column. What are some facts we learned about dogs? What questions from our “W” column were answered?
Independent Working Time
- Distribute KWL charts and pencils to all your students.
- Ask your students to write what they know about the book Henry and Mudge. Show them the book. Some students might not be familiar with this book. Encourage them to look at the cover of the book so that they may fill out some information in the “know” column of their KWL chart.
- Direct your students to write what they want to know about the story in the W column.
- Read Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant.
- When the story is complete, ask your students to fill out the L columns on their papers.
Review and Closing
- Guide a discussion about the story. Possible questions include: What was this story about? Who were the main characters? How would you describe Henry? How would you describe Mudge? What did you learn from this story?
- Ask your students to contribute questions they had about the story from the W chart.
- Using the information that they learned and talked about aloud, have your students share the answers to those questions.
- Ask students to consider what all three stories have in common. All three stories are about dogs? What did the dogs in each story have in common? What made them different?
References
Simon, S. (2009). Dogs. New York, NY: Collins.