Pourquoi Tale Checklist As Monitor Student Progress

Y04779_TG.qxd:RulesatSchool 2/24/11 2:17 PM Page 1

TEACHER ’S GUIDE : P OURQUOI TALES ™ Reading Objectives • Comprehension: Analyze character; How Rabbit Lost His Tail Identify cause and effect • Tier Two Vocabulary: See book’s Glossary • Word study: Antonyms How Chipmunk Got Its Stripes • Analyze the genre • Respond to and interpret texts • Make text-to-text connections Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar • Fluency: Read with anticipation and mood Writing Objectives • Writer’s tools: Metaphor • Write a pourquoi tale using writing-process steps Related Resources • Comprehension Question Cards • Comprehension Power Tool Flip Chart • Using Genre Models to Teach Writing • Why the Sky Is Far Away; Why Thunder Level N/30 Level K/20 Chases Lightning; Why Sun and Moon Live in the Sky (Levels O/34 and J/18)

Genre Workshop titles are designed to accommodate a combination of whole- and small-group instruction. Use the suggested timetable below to help you manage your 90-minute literacy block. You may also conduct the entire lesson within small-group reading time by adjusting the length of time needed per group. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Days 6 –15

Whole Group Prepare Before Reading Before Reading Before Reading Before Reading Write a (25 minutes) to Read pourquoi tale. Small Group #1* Read “How Rabbit Read “How Read “Why Reread “Why (15 minutes) Lost His Tail” Chipmunk Got Hummingbirds Hummingbirds Use the Its Stripes” Drink Nectar” Drink Nectar” timetable and daily Small Group #2* Read “How Rabbit Read “How Read “Why Reread “Why suggestions (15 minutes) Lost His Tail” Chipmunk Got Hummingbirds Hummingbirds provided. Its Stripes” Drink Nectar” Drink Nectar”

Small Group #3* Read “How Rabbit Read “How Read “Why Reread “Why (15 minutes) Lost His Tail” Chipmunk Got Hummingbirds Hummingbirds Its Stripes” Drink Nectar” Drink Nectar”

Whole Group After Reading After Reading After Reading After Reading (20 minutes)

*Select the appropriate text to meet the range of needs and reading levels of your students. While you are meeting with small groups, other students can do the following: • Reread the text with a partner to practice fluency, or read independently from your classroom library • Reflect on their learning in reading response journals • Engage in literacy workstations or meet with literature circles/discussion groups

B ENCHMARK E DUCATION C OMPANY Y04779_TG.qxd:RulesatSchool 2/24/11 2:17 PM Page 2

Day 1 Prepare to Read • Post this chart in your classroom during your pourquoi tales unit. Say: As we read pourquoi tales Build Genre Background this week, we will come back to this anchor chart. • Write the word genre on chart paper. Say: Who can We will look for how these features appear in each tell me what the word genre means? (Allow time for pourquoi tale we read. responses.) The word genre means “a kind of • Ask students to turn to pages 4–5. Say: The pourquoi something. ” How many of you like to listen to tales in this book were told by Native American country music? How many of you prefer rock-and-roll storytellers. Let’s read about these people . music? Country music and rock-and-roll music are • Have a student read aloud the background genres, or kinds, of music. All country songs share information while others follow along. certain characteristics. All rock-and-roll songs have • Say: Native America ns told these tales hundreds of some features in common , too. As readers and years ago to help explain their world and to teach writers, we focus on genres of literature. As readers, lessons . The tales still entertain and teach us today. we identify the genre of what we read to help us What can you infer, or tell, from this? Allow time for comprehend. Recognizing the genre helps us predict responses. Prompt students to understand that the what might happen or what we will learn as we explanations given in the tales may no longer be read. As writers, we use our understanding of genre believed today in light of scientific evidence, but their to help us develop and organize our ideas. value as entertainment and tools for teaching good • Ask: Who can name some literary genres? Let’s make moral character remain strong. a list. Allow time for responses. Post the list on the Introduce the Tools Writers Use: Metaphor classroom wall as an anchor chart . • Read aloud “Tools Writers Use” on page 5. • Draw a concept web on chart paper or the board. • Say: Writers use metaphors to help readers Write Pourquoi Tale in the center circle of the web. understand what a subject is like. Metaphors • Say: Pourquoi tales are one example of a literary make fresh, vivid pictures in the reader’s mind. genre. Think of any pourquoi tales you know. How These pourquoi tales contain many metaphors. would you define what a pourquoi tale is? You may Let’s practice identifying metaphors so we can want to tell students that pourquoi is a French word notice them in the pourquoi tales we read. meaning “why.” • Distribute BLM 1 ( Metaphor). Read aloud sentence 1 • Turn and Talk: Ask students to turn and talk to a with students. classmate and to jot down any features of a pourquoi • Model Identifying Metaphor : Is hunger really tale they can think of. Then bring students together an angry wolf in a cage? No, it is not, but hunger and ask them to share their ideas. Record them on causes discomfort. Hunger makes the stomach growl the group web. Reinforce the concept that all just as an angry wolf might growl. Hunger can make pourquoi tales have certain common features. a person feel worry and even fear. Hunger drives a Introduce the Book person to look for food just as a wolf in a cage looks • Distribute the appropriate-level book (N/30 or K /20 ) for a way out of the cage. The author has created a to each student. Read the title aloud. Ask students to picture in your mind to suggest how hunger makes tell what they see on the cover and table of contents. someone feel . • Ask students to turn to pages 2–3. Say: This week we • Ask students to work with a partner or in small are going to read pourquoi tales that will help us groups to identify the examples of metaphor in the learn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on remaining sentences and to write one or more this genre as readers. Then we’re going to study sentences of their own showing metaphor . pourquoi tales from a writer’s perspective. Our goal • Bring the groups together to share their findings. this week is to really understand this genre. Point out that writers use metaphor to describe • Ask a student to read aloud the text on pages 2 –3 something vividly or to show how a character or while others follow along. Invite a different student object is like something else . to read the web on page 3. • Ask each group to read one or more sentences they • Point to your pourquoi tales web on chart paper. wrote. Use the examples to build their understanding Say : Let’s compare our initial ideas about pourquoi of how and why writers use metaphor . Remind tales with what we just read. What new features of students that how an author uses metaphor can help this genre did you learn? Allow time for responses. the reader understand, visualize, and make inferences Add new information to the class web. about the characters, setting, and explanation given by a pourquoi tale.

©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN: 978-1-60859-848-9

2 THREE NATIVE AMERICAN POURQUOI TALES Y04779_TG.qxd:RulesatSchool 2/24/11 2:17 PM Page 3

Day 2 • Ask groups to hand in their sentences. Transfer Before Reading student-written sentences to chart paper, title the page “Metaphor,” and post as an anchor chart in Introduce “How Rabbit Lost His Tail” your classroom. • Reread your pourquoi tales anchor chart or the web on page 3 to review the features of a pourquoi tale . • Ask students to turn to page 6. Ask: Based on the title and illustrations, what do you predict this pourquoi tale might be about? Allow time for responses. • Invite students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words ( humble , puny , weary , generous ). Say: As you read, pay attention to these words. If you don’t know what they mean, look for words in the surrounding text to help you define them. We’ll come back to these words after we read. Set a Purpose for Reading • Ask students to read the pourquoi tale and to focus on the genre elements noted on their anchor chart. They should also look for examples of metaphor and think about how the author’s use of metaphor helps them picture the characters and the setting . Read “How Rabbit Lost His Tail” • Place students in groups of three or four based Reflect and Review on their reading levels. Ask students to read the pourquoi tale silently or to whisper -read. Students • Turn and Talk: Write one or more of the following who need more support may read with a partner . questions on chart paper. • Observe students as they stop and think about the What is a literary genre, and how can understanding pourquoi tale. Talk briefly with individual students genres help readers and writers? to check their comprehension of the text and ability What did you learn today about the pourquoi tale to use fix-up strategies. genre? How can readers recognize the technique of Management Tip metaphor ? Ask students to place self-stick notes in the Ask partners or small groups to discuss their ideas margins where they notice examples of metaphor and report them back to the whole group as a way or of features that are characteristic of pourquoi to summarize the day’s learning . tales when they are reading.

After Reading Build Comprehension: Analyze Character Management Tips • Lead a student discussion using the “Analyze the • Throughout the week, you may wish to use some Characters, Setting, and Plot” questions on page 11, of the reflect and review questions as prompts or use the following steps to provide explicit for reader response journal entries in addition to modeling of how to analyze characters in a turn and talk activities. pourquoi tale . • Explain : We learned yesterday that pourquoi tales • Have students create genre study folders. Keep explain why and how things happen in nature. The blackline masters, notes, small-group writing, writer uses the characters to tell of this explanation and checklists in the folders. and to point out shortcomings, or flaws, in character. When you read a pourquoi tale , think about the • Create anchor charts by writing whole-group characters and what they do. The writer uses discussion notes and mini-lessons on chart paper. character flaws and actions to present a problem and Hang charts in the room where the students can a solution. The actions of characters cause a change in see them. nature. Understanding what causes the change in a pourquoi tale helps you figure out how a character’s flaw relates to the way something is in nature. ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC THREE NATIVE AMERICAN POURQUOI TALES 3 Y04779_TG.qxd:RulesatSchool 2/24/11 2:17 PM Page 4

Day 2 (cont.)

• Distribute copies of BLM 2 (Analyze Characters) • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Find and/or draw a chart like the one below. It! questions. The answer to a Find It! question is • Model: When I analyze a character, I use all the clues right in the book. You can find the answer in one and evidence the writer provides. I think about the place in the text. character’s description, and I pay close attention to • Model: Read the Find It! question on the what the character thinks, feels, and says. I’m going Comprehension Question Card. Say: When I read to think about Rabbit. I know he is an animal. He is the question, I look for important words that tell the handsomest animal . He is proud and enjoys me what to look for in the book. What words in making other animals jealous. He seems puffed up this question do you think will help me? (Allow with pride that makes him selfish, and he shows off student responses.) Yes, I’m looking for the words all the time. I know I don’t like selfish show-offs. I Squirrel and ask . On page 7, I read, “‘Could I have think these traits are flaws, or imperfections, in just one strand of hair from your tail?’ Squirrel asked Rabbit’s character. When Squirrel asks for a single Rabbit.” [Bridges: “one piece of hair ”] This sentence strand of hair, Rabbit gleefully refuses. Rabbit’s has the words I’m looking for. This sentence answers proud, selfish actions turn the others against him. the question. I wanted him to regret his hurtful actions to others. • Use the Comprehension Power Tool Flip Chart to • Guide Practice: Work with students to analyze the develop other Find It! questions to use with students . character of Squirrel, Deer, and Owl. Help them Focus on Vocabulary: Antonyms understand how these characters feel about Rabbit. • Explain/Model: Antonyms are words that mean the Ask students to think about how those feelings, opposite. For example, I can say , “ The food was hot along with the setting and events, lead to Rabbit’s at first, but now it is cold.” The words hot and cold big loss. are antonyms. Sometimes readers can figure out an • Have students keep BLM 2 in their genre study unfamiliar word by looking for antonyms in a text. folders. • Practice: Ask students to think of antonyms they Story Rabbit Squirrel/Deer/Owl already know. List the antonyms on a two-column Element chart. (for example: sa d/ happy , ne w/ old , tal l/ short ) Description, Description: animal; Description: animals; need • Say: Let’s find the boldfaced words in this pourquoi Feelings, handsome help tale. What can you do if you don’t know what these Traits Feelings: puffed up with Feelings: jealous of Rabbit’s pride tail words mean? (Allow time for responses.) One thing Traits: proud; selfish; a Traits: not willing to help you can do is look in the glossary or a dictionary. If show-off Rabbit in an emergency there is no glossary or dictionary available , you need Flaw/Assets enjoys making others able to climb; leap; fly well to look for clues in the text to help you define the jealous unfamiliar word. One strategy you can use is to look for antonyms in the text. Examples • refuses to give Squirrel • Squirrel gives Rabbit’s even one strand of hair excuse • Ask students to work with a partner to complete from his tail • Deer says it is too late to the “Focus on Words” activity on page 11 using BLM • shows off tail for hours teach Rabbit 3 ( Focus on Antonyms). Explain that they should read • not helpful to other • Owl says Rabbit wouldn’t the sentences around the boldfaced word to find an animals take time to learn from antonym that helps to define the word. They should others earlier be able to explain how they know the word is an antonym. Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Transfer Through Oral Language: Ask groups of • Remind students that when they answer questions students to share their findings. Challenge individual on standardized assessments, they must be able to students to use each word in a new sentence, then support their answers with facts or with clues and ask each student to repeat the sentence, substituting evidence directly from the text. the antonym. Ask other students to listen carefully • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question and tell how the change in words changed the Card (N/30 or K/20) with small groups of students to meaning of the sentence. Encourage all students to practice answering text-dependent comprehension make an effort to use the words. questions. • Ask students to save their work in their genre study folders to continue on Days 3 and 4.

Day 3 Page Word Antonym How Do You Know? Before Reading 6 humble proud Book says Rabbit is not humble and he Introduce “How Chipmunk Got Its Stripes” is proud. The words are opposites. 7 puny big, strong Squirrel’s tail is puny and not like • Ask students to turn to page 1 2. Say: You are going Rabbit’s, which is big and strong. to read another pourquoi tale today. Turn to a partner to discuss how you will use your genre 7–8 weary wide awake After he sleeps, Rabbit is no longer knowledge as a reader to help you understand the weary but wide awake instead. pourquoi tale. 10 generous selfish Generous is the opposite of selfish. • Ask the partners who listened to summarize what Reflect and Review they heard. • Say: Let’s look at the title and illustrations of this • Turn and Talk: Ask partners or small groups to pourquoi tale. What do you predict it might be reread the “Features of a Pourquoi Tale” web on about? Give students time to share their predictions. page 3 and decide if all of these features were • Ask students to scan the text and look for the present in “How Rabbit Lost His Tail.” Ask groups boldfaced words ( chuckle , furious , unreasonable ). to share and support their findings . Ask: What do you notice about these words? Why Fluency: Read with Anticipation and Mood do you think they appear in boldfaced type? Allow time for responses. Encourage students to notice • You may wish to have students revisit the pourquoi that all of these words describe character feelings tale with a partner during independent reading time. or reactions. After partners decide the mood of the tale from clues • Say: As you read, try to figure out the meaning of in the title, illustrations, and character feelings, have these words. Look for antonyms in the text. After we them reread it together, using a tone appropriate to read, we will talk about how you used antonyms and express the mood. Model a boastful tone of voice as other context clues provided by the author. you read the words of Rabbit. Do this by speaking in Set a Purpose for Reading an emphatic voice stressing specific words such as never and ever in the sentence “Never could I ever • Ask students to read the pourquoi tale and to focus spare a hair!” [Bridges: “I could not give up one on how the characters’ actions cause something to hair!” ] happen in nature. Encourage them to notice the author’s use of metaphor. Read “How Chipmunk Got Its Stripes” • Place students in groups of three or four based on Note Regarding This Teacher’s Guide their reading levels. Ask students to read the pourquoi tale silently or to whisper -read. Students The genre models in the Bridges books are who need more support may read with a partner . adapted for a lower reading level. To facilitate • Observe students as they stop and think about the whole-group instruction, citations from the Bridges pourquoi tale. Talk briefly with individual students to version of this book are shown in square brackets. monitor their comprehension of the text and ability to use fix-up strategies. After Reading Build Comprehension: Analyze Character • Say: Yesterday we analyzed Rabbit, Squirrel, Deer, and Owl. One of those characters—Rabbit—had a flaw that caused something in nature to change. What characters in this tale have flaws, and how do you know? What happens to the characters because of these flaws ? Allow time for responses. As students share their analyses, synthesize their responses into a whole-group chart like the one on page 6 .

Day 3 (cont.)

• Discuss Characters Across Texts: Lead a discussion Although Bear said he could stop it, the sun rose. using the following questions: Therefore, Bear lost the challenge. This is the cause- How is Rabbit’s flaw similar to and/or different from and-effect relationship . Bear could not stop the Chipmunk’s ? sunrise. As a result, Chipmunk won the bet. I have How did each character’s flaw cause a problem with found the answer in the book. I looked in several other characters? sentences to find the answer. What events in each pourquoi tale result in a change • Guide Practice: Use the Comprehension Power Tool for Rabbit and Chipmunk ? Flip Chart to help you develop other Look Closer ! Where in the pourquoi tales has the author used questions to use with students . metaphor? Focus on Vocabulary: Antonyms How do these examples of metaphor help you picture the characters and understand their feelings? • Ask students to work with a partner to complete the “Focus on Words” activity on page 15 using BLM 3 Story Chipmunk Bear which they started on Day 2. Have groups of students Element share their findings. • Transfer Through Oral Language: Invite pairs Description, Description: animal; tiny; Description: animal; huge; of students to role-play conversations between Feelings, amused; unafraid of Bear powerful; bad-tempered Chipmunk and Bear using the words they defined Traits Feelings: lighthearted; Feelings: furious with pleased with himself Chipmunk with antonyms. Encourage them to use each word Traits: clever; reckless Traits: quick to anger; fair multiple times. Flaw/Assets clever but fails to heed fair but fails to understand Page Word Antonym How Do You Know? Bear’s power and anger Chipmunk’s cleverness 12 chuckle frown Bear is angry at being laughed at. Examples • is not afraid of Bear • lifts paw so Chipmunk can • tricks Bear into lifting breathe, letting him escape 13 furious happy The sentence before says, “Bear paw slightly was not at all happy.” • is scarred because he 14 unreasonable fair Bear is “not unreasonable,” made Bear angry which is the same as fair. Then unreasonable is the opposite of fair. Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment Reflect and Review • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question Card (N /30 or K/20) with small groups of students to • Turn and Talk : Ask partners or small groups to practice answering text-dependent questions . discuss the following questions and report their ideas • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Look to the whole group. Closer! questions. The answer to a Look Closer! What do you think of the lesson this tale teaches? question is in the book. You have to look in more Do you agree with the advice it gives? than one place, though. You find the different parts Do you know someone or have you seen or read of the answer. Then you put the parts together to about a character who is clever but takes dangerous answer the question. chances? • Model: Read the Look Closer! question on the If so, tell what advice you would give this character Comprehension Question Card. Say: I will show you based on what you learned from this tale. how I answer a Look Closer! question. The question Fluency: Read with Anticipation and Mood says , “ Identify cause and effect: Since the sun popped • You may wish to have students revisit the pourquoi up its head and shone brightly, Chipmunk . . .” This tale with a partner during independent reading time question asks me to identify a cause-and-effect to decide the mood of the tale as suggested through relationship. I know because the question has the title, illustrations, and character feelings, and then clue word since . The word since lets me know that reread it together, using a tone appropriate to the cause is given. Now I need to look for other express the mood. Model how to use a pleading, yet important information in the question. This word contrite tone for Chipmunk in the last paragraph on tells me what to look for in the book. What page 13. Do this by drawing out words such as information do you think will help me? (Allow Please and speaking slowly and softly. Then have student responses.) Yes, I’m looking for what students use an angry voice to read about Bear in the happened because the sun rose. Now I will look back second-to-last paragraph on page 13. in the book. On page 13 I read that Chipmunk challenged Bear to stop the sun from shining.

Day 4 Before Reading • Then pose questions to each team, making sure a different member of each team answers. Use these Introduce “Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar” sample questions and create more of your own. • Ask students to turn to page 16. Say: Today we are What adjectives best describe you? What does the going to read “Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar.” other character think about you, and why? What This pourquoi tale is written in a different format metaphor did the author use to tell about you? What from the other tales. Notice how in the margins there do you think about one creature being entitled to all are notes to you, the reader. The first time we read waters on Earth? How do you respond to the other the text, we will read to understand the story, character’s belief? What is your opinion of the focusing on the characters, explanation, and lesson. outcome of this tale? Tomorrow, we will reread this pourquoi tale like a Story Hummingbird Heron writer and think about the notes in the margin as a Element model for how we can write our own pourquoi tales . • Point out the boldfaced words ( entitled , wager , Description, Description: tiny and fast; Description: big and slow; soared , exhausted , flabbergasted ). Say: When Feelings, eats few fish slow but tireless flyer; eats you see these words in the pourquoi tale, look for Traits Feelings: feels entitled tons of fish antonyms to help you know what they mean. because of speed, Feelings: believes Earth is to cleverness be shared Set a Purpose for Reading Traits: proud; Traits: wise; unhurried; • Ask students to read the pourquoi tale and to focus overconfident; unreliable reliable on how the characters and plot explain something Flaw/Assets schemes but doesn’t plan; proceeds steadily and in nature. They should also look for examples of is distractible; doesn’t tirelessly toward goal; metaphor and think about how the author’s use realize unreliable actions never distracted have a price of metaphor helps them visualize characters and understand the tale’s events. Examples • makes bet she believes • takes off later than Heron can’t win Hummingbird Read “Why Hummingbirds Drink • doesn’t pace herself; • flaps slowly but without stops often for nectar stopping day and night Nectar” and to rest • Place students in groups of three or four based on • is surprised at being reading levels. Have them read silently or whisper - beaten read. Students who need more support may read with a partner . Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Observe students as they stop and think about the • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question pourquoi tale. Talk briefly with individual students Card (N/30 or K/20) with small groups of students to to monitor their comprehension of the text and their practice answering text-dependent questions . ability to use fix-up strategies. • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Prove After Reading It! questions. The answer to a Prove It! question is not stated in the book. You have to look for clues Build Comprehension: Analyze Character and evidence to prove the answer. • Model: Read the first Prove It! question on the • Lead a whole-class discussion about the strategy of Comprehension Question Card. Say: I will show you analyzing character. Ask: When you analyze the how I answer a Prove It! question. The question says , characters in a pourquoi tale, what are you looking “What clues on pages 18 and 19 tell you that Heron for? (Allow time for responses.) Make sure students is probably going to win the race?” This question have internalized the understanding that readers asks me to find evidence that lets me draw a learn about characters by paying attention to their conclusion. I know because the question says “what actions, thoughts, feelings, and dialogue. They also clues tell you.” Now I need to look for other learn about the characters through the author’s important information in the question. What descriptions. In a pourquoi tale, one of the characters information do you think will help me? (Allow has a flaw. The story events explain how something student responses.) Yes, I need to find clues that in nature came to be . The character’s flaw has show that Heron’s actions will help him win. I need something to do with the change in nature. to look on pages 18 and 19. The text says that • Divide the class into two teams. One team is “Hummingbird was exhausted and decided to rest” Hummingbird and the other team is Heron. [Bridges: “needed to rest ”] and that Heron did not • Give each team time to analyze their character’s traits feel tired and “he flew steadily.” I have found the with supporting examples using BLM 2. evidence to support the prediction that Heron is going to win the race.

Day 4 (cont.) Day 5 • Guide Practice: Use the Flip Chart to help you Before Reading develop other Prove It ! questions and to support students’ text-dependent comprehension strategies. Summarize and Make Connections Across Texts Focus on Vocabulary: Antonyms • Engage students in a discussion about the three • Ask students to work with a partner to complete the pourquoi tales in this book. Invite a different student “Focus on Words” activity on page 21 using BLM 3. to summarize each pourquoi tale. Encourage other Have groups of students share their findings. students to add their ideas and details. • Transfer Through Oral Language: Divide the class • Ask students to turn to the inside back cover of the into two teams, each with a balance of on-, above-, book. Say: Good readers think about how literary and below-grade-level readers. Write the target works are related. We know, for example, that all of words on chart paper or the board. Assign a word these pourquoi tales share certain features. They all to each team. Have each team generate several explain something in nature. They all have animal sentences that use the target word and an antonym characters. What else do they have in common? in the sentence frame “_____ but _____.” Count all (Allow time for responses.) Today we will think about sentences that establish opposite meanings correctly. the characters in all three pourquoi tales. We’ll think Repeat for all target words. about how the characters are alike and different and Reflect and Review what we can learn from them. • Ask students to work individually or in small groups • Ask and discuss the following questions: to complete BLM 4 ( Make Connections Across Texts). What new words have you added to your Then bring students together to share and synthesize vocabulary this week? their ideas . Which is your favorite? Which of the pourquoi tale characters you’ve met do you identify with the most and why? How can you use antonyms or metaphor as a writer?

Page Word Antonym How Do You Know? 17 entitled do not deserve Author contrasts Hummingbird’s belief in her superiority. 17 wager not bet Hummingbird wagers she can win a race. Author says, “Heron did not like to bet.” 18 soared on the ground Author describes Hummingbird flying in the sky, then contrasts: Heron was still on the ground. 18 –19 exhausted well rested Author contrasts: Hummingbird is so tired she must rest, but Heron does not feel tired. 19 –20 flabbergasted not surprised Author contrasts: Hummingbird is very surprised but Heron is “not surprised.” Set a Purpose for Rereading • Have students turn to page 16. Say: Until now, we Fluency: Read with Anticipation and Mood have been thinking about pourquoi tales from the • You may wish to have students revisit the pourquoi perspective of the reader. Learning the features of tale with a partner during independent reading time. pourquoi tales has helped us be critical readers. Now Have partners decide the mood of the tale from clues we’re going to put on a different hat. We’re going to in the title, illustrations, and characters’ feelings. reread “Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar” like a Model how to adjust pacing, pitch, and tone of voice writer. We’ll pay attention to the annotations in the to help establish mood. For example, for the last margins. These annotations will help us understand paragraph on page 19, use a high pitch and what the author did and why she did it. disbelieving tone to read aloud Hummingbird’s words. Then have partners reread the story together, Reread “Why Hummingbirds adapting their tone to express the mood. Drink Nectar” • Place students in groups of three or four based on their reading levels. Ask students to reread the pourquoi tale silently or to whisper-read, and to pay attention to the annotations.

After Reading • Read step 2 with students. Say: In the three pourquoi tales we read, one character had a flaw. Analyze the Mentor Text Another character helped show that flaw. For • Read and discuss the mentor annotations with the example, the rabbit was selfish and boastful . whole group. When he needed help, the other animals could Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment not or would not help him. Who could our characters be? Let’s make a list of characters who • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question could help us explain why something occurs a Card (N/30 or K/20) with small groups of students to certain way in nature . Remember that often the practice answering text-dependent questions . characters in a pourquoi tale are animals. Allow • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Take time for responses. Write ideas on chart paper. It Apart! questions. The answer to a Take It Apart! • Read step 3 with students. Say: Before you’re question is not stated in the book. You must think ready to write a pourquoi tale, you need a setting like the author to figure out the answer. and plot . “ Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar” took • Model: Read the Take It Apart! question on the place beside a river. This was a perfect setting for Comprehension Question Card. Say: This question the plot. Hummingbird and Heron both ate fish says “Why does the author use the words ‘a from the river. When you write your pourquoi humming sound could be heard throughout the tale, think about what setting is right for your forest’ on page 18?” [Bridges: “ in the forest ”] This characters. What plot, or actions, will help you question asks me to think about the author’s show how your question about nature is purpose. I know because the question says “Why did answered ? Choose one of the questions about the author . . . ” Now I need to look for other nature and some of the characters the class has important information in the question. What brainstormed, and work as a group to construct a information do you think will help me? (Allow possible setting and plot. student responses.) Yes, I need to reread the last Build Comprehension: Identify Cause and Effect paragraph and look for information about a humming sound in the forest. The author says • Explain: When authors write, they show how one “Her wings flapped so quickly and hard that a event is caused by another. In these pourquoi humming sound could be heard throughout the tales , the storytellers showed how a character’s forest.” [Bridges: “Her wings flapped quickly. attitudes caused a problem and how the A humming sound could be heard in the forest.”] character’s actions resulted in a change in nature. I think the author wanted to tell readers what Readers know this because each tale ended by Hummingbird’s wings sounded like . This detail makes stating why something in nature came to be. As the story vivid for readers and makes Hummingbird’s readers, we pay attention to causes and effects speed stand out. because they make the plot clear . In a pourquoi • Guide Practice: Use the Comprehension Flip Chart tale, causes and effects also lead to a lesson to help you develop other Take It Apart! questions. learned by the flawed character. Analyze the Writer’s Craft • Model: In “Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar ” Hummingbird’s cleverness caused her to try to • Ask students to turn to page 22. Explain: In the next outsmart Heron with a tricky bet. Hummingbird’s few days, you will have the opportunity to write your overconfidence and lack of planning caused her to own pourquoi tale. First, let’s think about how the lose the race and the bet. As a result, she lost the author wrote “Why Hummingbirds Drink Nectar.” right to fish in rivers and lakes to Heron. According When she developed this pourquoi tale , she followed to the storyteller, this chain of causes and effects certain steps. You can follow these same steps to explains why, to this day, hummingbirds drink write your own pourquoi tale . nectar. Hummingbird’s foolish behavior caused a • Read step 1 with students. Say: When you write your big loss, teaching the lesson that faster and pourquoi tale, the first thing you’ll do is decide on a smarter is not always better. By showing how one question about nature that you want to answer. Let’s event led to and caused another, the storyteller turn back to pages 9, 14 , and 20 and reread the gives readers a way to understand the plot. explanations they give for something in nature . Write • Guide Practice: Invite students to work in small explanations on chart paper. What question about groups to identify the causes and effects in one of nature would you like to answer in a tale? For the other pourquoi tales in the book. Then have example, I might write a pourquoi tale to explain them change one event in the story and decide why some birds fly south in winter while others do how the results would have differed. Ask students not. What other things in nature could we explain ? to explain why the effects would differ, and to Allow time for responses. Write students’ ideas on support their ideas with details about characters chart paper . from the tale.

©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC THREE NATIVE AMERICAN POURQUOI TALES 9 Y04779_TG.qxd:RulesatSchool 2/24/11 2:17 PM Page 10 Days Days 6–15 6–15 Write a Pourquoi Tale Days 10–11: Edit and Revise • Use this suggested daily schedule to guide students • Based on your observations of students’ writing, select through the steps of process writing. Allow appropriate mini-lessons from Using Genre Models to approximately 45 to 60 minutes per day. As students Teach Writing . work independently, circulate around the room and • Remind students to use the Pourquoi Tale Checklist as monitor student progress. Conference with individual they edit and revise their stories independently. students to discuss their ideas and help them move • Conference with students, focusing on sentence forward. Use the explicit mini-lessons, conferencing fluency, word choice, and conventions. Did students strategies, and assessment rubrics in Using Genre include both long and short sentences? Do the Models to Teach Writing for additional support. sentences read smoothly? Have students used • Before students begin planning their pourquoi tales, interesting words and phrases? Did they use examples pass out copies of BLM 5, the Pourquoi Tale of personification? Metaphors? Did they use Checklist. Review the characteristics and conventions appropriate spelling, punctuation, and grammar? of writing that will be assessed. Tell students that • You may want students to continue their editing and they will use this checklist when they complete their revision at home. drafts. Days 12–13: Create Final Draft and Illustrations • This daily plan incorporates the generally accepted six traits of writing as they pertain to pourquoi tales. • Ask students to rewrite or type a final draft of their Days 6–7: Plan pourquoi tales . • Invite students to illustrate their final drafts with one • Distribute copies of BLM 6, the Pourquoi Tale or more drawings that depict specific actions in their Planning Guide. Ask students to brainstorm a stories . question about nature, some characters, a setting, • Conference with students regarding their publishing and a plot for their pourquoi tale . plans and deadlines. • Encourage students to refer to the “Features of a Days 14–15: Publish and Share Pourquoi Tale” web on page 3, and to the steps shown in “The Writer’s Craft” on pages 22–23. • Explain: Authors work long and hard to develop their • Confer with individual students and focus on their works. You have worked very hard. And one of the ideas. Did students use a question about nature in great joys of writing is when you can share it with the title of their pourquoi tale? Did students support others. Authors do this in many ways. They publish the change that occurs in nature through the setting, their books so that people can buy them. They make character interactions, and plot? their work available on the Internet. They hold Days 8–9: Draft readings. We can share our writing, too. • Use one or more of the ideas below for sharing • Tell students that they will be using their completed students’ work: Pourquoi Tale Planning Guide to begin drafting their Make a class display of students’ completed pourquoi tales . pourquoi tales. • Say: Remember that when writers draft their stories, Hold a class reading in which students read their they focus on getting their ideas on paper. They pourquoi tales to one another and/or to parents. can cross things out. They can make mistakes in Create a binder of all the pourquoi tales and loan it spelling. What’s important is to focus on developing to the library so that other students can read them. your characters, the setting, and the plot. You will • Create a binder of all the pourquoi tales for your have an opportunity to make corrections and classroom library. improvements later. • Conference with students as they develop their drafts. Use the Pourquoi Tale Checklist to draw students’ attention to any characteristics of the pourquoi tale genre that they may have overlooked. Focus on how students have organized their ideas and on the voice of the writer. Did students introduce characters at the beginning of the story? Did they set up a problem and then show a resolution? Does the pourquoi tale have a strong voice? Will the voice keep readers interested? • Pair students for peer conferencing.

Name ______Date ______Metaphor Directions: Read each sentence. Circle the two things that are compared in each metaphor.

1. The girl’s hunger was an angry wolf in a cage. 2. The prairie was a green-and-gold sea around the travelers. 3. In the breeze, the willow branches were the arms of graceful dancers. 4. Tall oak trees were guards posted along the driveway of the house. 5. The deer’s tail was a flag raised to warn of danger nearby.

Directions: In the space below, draw or write your own sentence using metaphor.

Name ______Date ______Analyze Characters

Directions: Use the chart below to analyze characters.

Character

Description, Feelings, Traits

Flaws/Assets

Examples

Name ______Date ______Focus on Antonyms

Directions: Reread each pourquoi tale. Find antonyms for each word.

Page Word Antonym How Do You Know?

6 humble

7 puny How Rabbit Lost His Tail 7–8 weary

10 generous

12 chuckle

How Chipmunk 13 furious Got Its Stripes

14 unreasonable

17 entitled

17 wager Why Hummingbirds 18 soared Drink Nectar 18 –19 exhausted

19 –20 flabbergasted

Name ______Date ______Make Connections Across Texts

Directions: Fill in the chart.

Why How Rabbit How Chipmunk Pourquoi Tale Hummingbirds Lost His Tail Got Its Stripes Drink Nectar

Flawed Characters

Other Characters

How does author describe the flawed characters?

How does author describe other characters?

How does the pourquoi tale end?

1. Which characters in all three tales are alike? How are these characters alike? ______

2. How are the pourquoi tale endings alike? How are they different? ______

Name ______Date ______

Title ______

Pourquoi Tale Checklist

Features of the Genre Checklist YES NO

1. My pourquoi tale is short. 2. My pourquoi tale has a strong lead. 3. My pourquoi tale has a setting with time and place. 4. My pourquoi tale has animal characters, or something from nature. 5. One of my characters has a flaw. 6. The flawed character causes a change in nature. 7. I tell the problem at the beginning of the pourquoi tale. 8. I have 3 to 5 events in my pourquoi tale. 9. I have a solution to the problem in the pourquoi tale. 10. My pourquoi tale explains why things in nature are a certain way. 11. I used figurative language in my pourquoi tale. Quality Writing Checklist YES NO

I looked for and corrected . . . • run-on sentences • sentence fragments • subject/verb agreement • correct verb tense • punctuation • capitalization • spelling • indented paragraphs

Name ______Date ______Pourquoi Tale Planning Guide

Directions: Use the steps below to plan your pourquoi tale.

1. Decide on a question about nature.

2. Brainstorm characters.

Description, Characters Flaw/Asset Examples Feelings, Traits

Character 1:

Character 2:

3. Brainstorm setting and plot.

Setting

Problem

Events

Solution