I chose this book because it has GREAT illustrations and lots of opportunities for inferencing. There are 2 main characters, so the kids can really focus on their distinct point of view. It is at the top end of 2nd grade reading level (RL.2.10), but the illustrations add a huge amount of information.
Underlined words below are lesson vocabulary words that are emphasized and written on sentence strips for my Reading & Writing word wall. I pull off the words off the wall for each lesson, helping students understand this key 'reading and writing' vocabulary can be generalized across texts and topics. The focus on acquiring and using these words is part of a shift in the Common Core Standards towards building students’ academic vocabulary. My words are color coded ‘pink’ for literature/’blue’ for reading strategies/’orange’ for informational text/'yellow' for writing/’green’ for all other words.
Common starting point
Using these pictures REALLY helped my kid see how point of view can differ between characters. Acknowledging the different points of view, including speaking in different voices when reading aloud, helps kids see that perspectives change with the plot. (RL.2.6) Before we jumped into the story about lizard characters, I decided to use the powerpoint to start with the known - kids' and adults' point of view. When we analyze stories, it helps to start with the known and familiar and then bridge to the unknown. I was especially pleased to see this generalization in this student's comments.
Give the purpose of the lesson
Introduce strategy - teacher models
Practice strategy - guided practice
Review and Sum up
As students ask and answer questions using evidence from the text and illustrations, they are demonstrating skills that represent a shift towards using text evidence to make inferences (RL.2.1). They are reading 'closely'' to determine what the text says explicitly and make logical inferences based on that evidence.
Assign Task
Continue reading and give kids time to fill out the worksheet
Balance this activity with the reading and comprehension of the book. You want to read this book fluently and pausing too long or too often will make the kids lose interest and lose the pace of this book. Look for comprehension - are the kids able to pick up on character changes and plot. I was pleased when one of my kids noticed that the characters motivation switched. This kind of formative assessment gives you feedback on how the lesson is going and if the students need more practice.
Extend what you've learned
Scaffolding and Special Education: This lesson could be easily scaffolded up or down, depending on student ability.
Students with language challenges may need some help with this activity. You could prompt them by pointing to the text for examples of the voice bubbles and perhaps put words on the whiteboard for inferencing.
Those with more language should be challenged to use higher level vocabulary and language in their examples. The voice bubbles may just be what is in the text or illustrations, but inferences should give them a chance to use their higher language, such as 'the dinosaur picture is incomplete' or 'I have to recreate the dinosaur'.