Lesson: Main Idea (Fiction), Lesson 14

Edward W. Brooke Charter School

Problems in Fiction Unit

Mini-Lesson: Readers notice when the problem is all the way solved.  That is usually the end of the book.

Materials:

• Book Baggies with leveled fiction books
• Owen (or another familiar Read Aloud)
• Post-Its

Connection: Yesterday you learned that readers reread to make sure they know the problem in each story. Today, you will learn how to notice when a problem gets solved.

Teaching Point:  The problem in any fiction book usually happens in the beginning of the story.  Every important event that happens in a book has to do with how the problem gets solved.  If you’re reading a chapter book there might be more than one problem that you have to think about but there is always one problem that is the more important than the others.  Some of the things that happen in stories make that problem better and some make it worse but the big problem is usually solved at the end of the book.  Readers need to pay attention to how the problem gets solved.  Watch as I find the solution to the problem in (read aloud book of choice).  When I notice the one thing that solves the problem I’m going to use a post-it note to write about how the problem gets solved. 

Owen (Kevin Henkes) – Owens mother cuts Fuzzy into handkerchief pieces so that Owen can always carry a piece of his blanket with him. 

Did you notice how I thought about which event solved the problem?

Did you notice how I wrote a simple sentence that explained how the problem got solved? Did you notice that I put the post-it note on the page where the most important event happened?

Active Engagement:  Present another familiar read aloud.  Give a brief summary of the book and have students turn and talk about the solution to the problem.  Then discuss the event that solved the problem.

Link: Today, you are going to use the post-it note on your desk to write down and locate the solution in your book.  When we come back to the rug, everyone is going to share the solution in their book and show how they located it with a post-it note.

Share: Who found the solution in their book? Have students tell their solutions and show how they located it with a post-it note.