Lesson: Main Idea (fiction), Lesson 11

Edward W. Brooke Charter School

Problems in Fiction Unit

Mini-Lesson: Readers notice when problems get better.

Materials:

• Book Baggies with leveled fiction books
• Familiar Chapter Book Read Aloud
• Familiar Read Aloud (suggested: Thank You Mr. Falker)

Connection:  Scholars, yesterday I taught you to notice when the big problem in your book gets worse.  Today I am going to teach you to notice when the big problem gets better.

Teach: We talked yesterday about the big problem in the book often gets worse before it gets better and we noticed how that happened in the book (chapter book read aloud) and the book Big Al (or other familiar picture book).  Eventually though, the probably usually gets better.  Sometimes that doesn’t happen until the end of the story, but something things get better in the middle of the story…then they get worse again…then the get a little better…then worse…It all depends on the book you are reading, but no matter when it happens – or how often it happens –good readers notice when the problem in their books gets better.

We have been doing this all along with our chapter book read aloud _____________.  We noticed that (share whatever you have documented about the problem).

Active Engagement:  Scholars, we have read the book Thank You Mr. Falker and we know that the big problem is the book is something the main character Trisha has to deal with.  The big problem is that Trisha can’t read.  I’m going to reread this book to you right now, and I want you to notice when the problem is getting better (or just summarize it if you think that’s good enough).

-The problem gets a little better when Trisha moves to her new school, but then it gets worse again.

-The problem gets better when Mr. Falker tells Trisha she sees letter and numbers differently from other people and he promises to teach her to read.

-The problem is solved in the end with Trisha learns to read.

Link:  Scholars, today I taught you that readers notice when the problem in their book gets better.  Today and everyday as you read I want you to be noticing when the problem in your book gets better.

Share: Scholars, today I taught you that readers notice when the problem in their books gets better.  Who noticed when the problem got better today and would like to share?