Town Mouse and Country Mouse Belling the Cat the Dog and the Wolf

TEACHER ’S GUIDE : FABLES ™ Reading Objectives • Comprehension: Analyze story elements; Make judgments • Tier Two Vocabulary: See book’s Glossary Town Mouse and Country Mouse • Word study: Description • Analyze the genre • Respond to and interpret texts Belling the Cat • Make text-to-text connections • Fluency: Read with dramatic expression Writing Objectives The Dog and the Wolf • Writer’s tools : Idiom • Write a fable using writing-process steps Related Resources • Comprehension Question Cards • Comprehension Power Tool Flip Chart • Using Genre Models to Teach Writing • The Tortoise and the Hare; The Lion and the Mouse; The Ant and the Grasshopper (Levels N /30 and J/18 ) Level P/38 Level K/20

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 fable. (25 minutes) to Read Use the Small Group #1* Read “Town Mouse Read “Belling the Read “The Dog and Reread “The Dog timetable (15 minutes) and Country Cat” the Wolf” and the Wolf” and daily Mouse” suggestions provided. Small Group #2* Read “Town Mouse Read “Belling the Read “The Dog and Reread “The Dog (15 minutes) and Country Cat” the Wolf” and the Wolf” Mouse”

Small Group #3* Read “Town Mouse Read “Belling the Read “The Dog and Reread “The Dog (15 minutes) and Country Cat” the Wolf” and the Wolf” Mouse” 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 Day 1 Day 2

Prepare to Read • Ask students to turn to pages 4–5. Say: The fables in Before Reading Build Genre Background this book are based on stories by Aesop. Let’s read Introduce “Town Mouse and Country Mouse ” about Aesop. • Write the word genre on chart paper. Say: Who • Have a student read aloud the biographical Management Tips • Reread the fables anchor chart or the web on page 5 can explain what the word genre means? (Allow information while others follow along. • Throughout the week, you may wish to use some to review the features of a fable. time for responses.) The word genre means “a kind • Say: Aesop first told these fables more than 2 ,000 of the reflect and review questions as prompts • Ask students to turn to page 6. Ask: Based on the of something. ” How many of you like to watch years ago. People are still reading them today. What for reader response journal entries in addition to title and illustrations, what do you predict this fable science fiction movies? How many of you prefer can you infer, or tell, from this? Allow time for turn and talk activities. might be about? Allow time for responses. adventure ? Science fiction and adventure movies responses. Prompt students to understand that the • Invite students to scan the text and look for the are genres, or kinds, of movies. All science fiction lessons, or morals, in Aesop’s fables are still relevant • Have students create genre study folders. Keep boldfaced words ( superior , determined, movies share certain characteristics. All adventure to people today. blackline masters, notes, small-group writing, and delectable, squeamish ). Say: As you read, pay movies have some features in common , too. As Introduce the Tools Writers Use: Idiom checklists in the folders. attention to these words. If you don’t know what readers and writers, we focus on genres of literature. they mean, try to use clues in the surrounding text • Read aloud “Tools Writers Use” on page 5. • Create anchor charts by writing whole-group As readers, we pay attention to the genre to help us discussion notes and mini-lessons on chart paper. to help you define them. We’ll come back to these comprehend. Recognizing the genre helps us • Say: People use idioms in conversation. Writers use words after we read. idioms, too, to add color and humor to their writing. Hang charts in the room where students can see anticipate what will happen or what we will learn. them. Set a Purpose for Reading As writers, we use our knowledge of genre to help Let’s practice identifying idioms so we can notice us develop and organize our ideas. them in the fables we read. • Ask students to read the fable, and to focus on the • Ask: Who can name some literary genres? Let’s make • Distribute BLM 1 (Idiom). Read aloud sentence 1 with genre elements they noted on their anchor chart. a list. Allow time for responses. Post the list on the students. They should also look for examples of idioms and classroom wall as an anchor chart . • Model Identifying Idioms: Can Mom really be think about how the author’s use of idioms helps • Draw a concept web on chart paper or the board. “all ears”? Of course not. A person has two ears— them understand the characters. and many, many other body parts. “All ears” is an Write Fable in the center circle of the web. Read “Town Mouse and Country • Say: Fables are one example of a literary genre. idiom that means “ready and willing to listen.” Think of any fables you know. How would you define The author has used this idiom to show that Mom is Mouse ” being gentle and a little lighthearted to Katie, who what a fable is? • Place students in groups of three or four based on is evidently upset. • Turn and Talk: Ask students to turn and talk to a their reading levels. Ask students to read the fable • Ask students to work with a partner or in small classmate and jot down any features of a fable they silently or whisper -read. If students need more groups to identify the examples of idioms in the can think of. Then bring students together and ask support, you may have them read with a partner . remaining sentences and to write one or more them to share their ideas. Record them on the group • Observe students as they stop and think about the sentences of their own using familiar idioms . web. Reinforce the concept that all fables have fable. Confer briefly with individual students to • Bring the groups together to share their findings. certain common features. monitor their use of fix-up strategies and their Point out that writers mostly use idioms in dialogue Introduce the Book understanding of the text. and description to add flair to their writing . • Distribute the appropriate-level book (P/38 or K /20 ) • Ask each group to read one or more sentences they Management Tip to each student. Read the title aloud. Ask students to wrote. Use the examples to build their understanding tell what they see on the cover and table of contents. of how and why writers use idioms . Remind students Ask students to place self-stick notes in the margins • Ask students to turn to pages 2–3. Say: This week we that using idioms can help the reader understand, where they notice examples of idiom or features are going to read fables that will help us learn about make connections, visualize, and make inferences of the genre when they are reading. this genre. First we’re going to focus on this genre as about the characters, plot, and moral of a fable. readers. Then we’re going to study fables from a • Ask groups to hand in their sentences. Transfer After Reading writer’s perspective. Our goal this week is to really student-written sentences to chart paper, title the Build Comprehension: Analyze Story Elements understand this genre. page “Idioms,” and post it as an anchor chart in • Ask a student to read aloud the text on page 2 while your classroom. • Lead a student discussion using the “Analyze the others follow along. Invite a different student to read Reflect and Review Characters” questions on page 11 , or use the the web on page 3. following steps to provide explicit modeling of how • Point to your fables web. Say: Let’s compare our • Turn and Talk: Write one or more of the following to analyze story elements in a fable. initial ideas about fables with what we just read. questions on chart paper: • Explain: We learned yesterday that fables contain a What new features of this genre did you learn? What is a literary genre, and how can understanding moral, or lesson. The writer uses the characters, Allow time for responses. Add new information to genres help readers and writers? setting, and plot to tell the story that leads up to the class web. What did you learn today about the fable genre? a moral. When you read a fable, you need to pay • Post this chart in your classroom during your fables How can readers recognize the technique of idioms ? close attention to the characters and their actions. unit. Say: As we read fables this week, we will come Ask partners or small groups to discuss their ideas and One of these characters has a problem, which usually back to this anchor chart. We will look for how these report them back to the whole group as a way to puts the plot in motion. One or more of the other features appear in each fable we read. summarize the day’s learning . characters helps the main character recognize the problem, which leads to the end of the story and

©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 the lesson. 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: 978-1-60859-845-8

2 THREE FABLES FROM AESOP ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC THREE FABLES FROM AESOP 3 Day 2 (cont.) Day 3 • Distribute copies of BLM 2 (Analyze Story Elements) • Model: Read the Find It! question on the Page Word Description Meaning Before Reading and/or draw a chart like the one below. Comprehension Question Card. Say: When I read the Introduce “Belling the Cat ” statement, I look for important words that tell me 7 superior “I’ll prove how much better it of higher rank, Setting Character Description Plot is.” quality, or • Ask students to turn to page 1 2. Say: You are going what to look for in the book. What words in this [Bridges: “I’ll show you that it is importance a farm and barn Country hard worker; 1. Town Mouse visits sentence do you think will help me? (Allow student better.”] to read another fable today. Turn to a partner to discuss how you will use your genre knowledge as a in the country; Mouse proud; Country Mouse and is responses.) Yes, I’m looking for the words gathered 7 determined He would do anything to prove not giving up; a garbage can impressed impressed by all the food corn and wheat . [Bridges: putting corn ] On page 7, that the town was the perfect driven to succeed reader to help you understand the fable. in the basement by the food his cousin has gathered. I read, “It was harvest time and he was gathering all place. • Ask the partners who listened to summarize what of a house in the city; 2. Country Mouse visits [Bridges: He would show that they heard. in the city, a few cautious the corn and wheat into his barn before winter.” Town Mouse and admits [Bridges: “He was putting corn into the barn. He the town was the best place.] • Say: Let’s look at the title and illustrations of this weeks later that the food they get was putting wheat into the barn.” ] This sentence 8 delectable There was food fit for a king. It delightful; pleasing fable. What do you predict it might be about? Give Town Mouse snobbish; from the garbage is was . . . delicious. to the taste reckless tastier than the food has the words I’m looking for. This sentence fills in students time to share their predictions. [Bridges: The food was fit for a • Ask students to scan the text and look for the in the country. the answer. king. It was tasty.] 3. A cat chases the mice • Use the Comprehension Power Tool Flip Chart to boldfaced words ( dreadful , sly , foe, courageous ). from the garbage. develop other Find It! questions to use with students . 9 squeamish Country Mouse was scared . . . easily disgusted Ask: What do you notice about these words? Why 4. Country Mouse Focus on Vocabulary: Description shaking with fear or repulsed do you think they appear in boldfaced type? Allow realizes he’d be safer at time for responses. You may want to point out that home in the country. • Explain/Model: Descriptions in a text can help Reflect and Review three of these words are adjectives and one, foe , is readers figure out unfamiliar words. For example, a noun. on page 7, the author says that Town Mouse and • Turn and Talk: Ask partners or small groups • Model: When I analyze story elements, I use all the • Say: As you read, try to figure out the meaning Country Mouse had “very different opinions.” In the to reread the features of a fable on page 5 and clues and evidence the writer provides. I think about of these words. Look for descriptions in the text. next sentences, she explains and describes opinions decide if all of these features were present in where and when the story takes place, the characters’ After we read, we will talk about how you used as different thoughts and ideas. Sometimes readers “Town Mouse and Country Mouse.” Ask groups description and dialogue, and what happens in the these descriptions and other context clues provided can figure out an unfamiliar word by looking at to share and support their findings . story. I’m going to think about Country Mouse. I by the author. descriptions in a text. know he is a hard worker and proud of all the food Fluency: Read with Dramatic Expression Set a Purpose for Reading • Practice: Ask students to think of descriptive words he was able to gather. But after Town Mouse visits, • You may wish to have students reread the fable with and actions that go with the following words: giddy , • Ask students to read the fable, and to focus on how and Country Mouse goes to the city, he is not sure if a partner during independent reading time. Have miniscule , mellow . Challenge pairs of students to the characters and plot illustrate the moral. his country life really is better than the easy life in them focus on reading with appropriate expression. make up sentences using the descriptive words as Encourage them to notice the author’s use of idioms. the city. But then the cat chases the mice from the Ask students to use what they know about the traits, clues for the adjectives. garbage can and Country Mouse realizes he is better flaws, and assets of Town Mouse and Country Mouse • Say: Let’s find the boldfaced words in this fable. Read “Belling the Cat ” off back home. We learn about the characters to convey emotions in their reading. (Both are proud What can you do if you don’t know what these • Place students in groups of three or four based on through their thoughts and actions, and how they of where they are from; Country Mouse is more words mean? (Allow time for responses.) One thing their reading levels. Ask students to read the fable react to the other characters. cautious; City Mouse is a bit snobby.) you can do is look in the glossary or a dictionary, but silently or to whisper -read. If students need more • Guide Practice: Work with students to analyze City sometimes there is no glossary or dictionary available. support, you may have them read with a partner. Mouse’s character. Help them understand that City In those cases, you need to look for clues in the text • Observe students as they stop and think about the Mouse has a different attitude than Country Mouse . to help you define the unfamiliar word. One strategy fable. Confer briefly with individual students to Is he really brave? Or is he lazy and reckless? Ask you can use is to look for descriptions in the text. monitor their use of fix-up strategies and their students to think about how this character’s dialogue • Ask students to work with a partner to complete the understanding of the text. and actions help move the plot along. Then have “Focus on Words” activity on page 11 using BLM 3 students write the sequence of events in the plot on (Focus on Descriptions). Explain that they should After Reading the right-hand column of BLM 2. Note Regarding This Teacher’s Guide read the sentences around the boldfaced word • Have students keep BLM 2 in their genre studies Build Comprehension: Analyze Story Elements to find a description that helps define the word. folders. The genre models in the Bridges books are They should be able to explain how they know • Say: Yesterday we analyzed the story elements— adapted for a lower reading level. To facilitate Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment the word’s meaning . characters, setting, and plot—in another fable . For whole-group instruction, citations from the Bridges • Transfer Through Oral Language: Ask groups of example, by seeing what the character Country • Remind students that when they answer questions version of this book are shown in square brackets. on standardized assessments, they must be able to students to share their findings. Then challenge Mouse does, we concluded that he is a hard worker, support their answers with facts or with clues and individual students to use the words in completely but he is cautious. In this fable, what can we evidence directly from the text. new contexts. Ask other students to listen carefully conclude about the character of the young mouse • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question and give a thumbs -up if they think the word was from what he says and does? Allow time for Card (P /38 or K /20 ) with small groups of students to used correctly. Encourage all students to make an responses. As students share their analyses, practice answering text-dependent comprehension effort to use the words. synthesize their responses into a whole-group chart questions. • Ask students to save their work in their genre studies like the one on page 6 . • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Find folders to continue on Days 3 and 4. • Discuss Story Elements Across Texts: Lead a It! questions. The answer to a Find It! question is discussion using the following questions: right in the book. You can find the answer in one How are the characters of the two fables alike? How place in the text. are they different?

What problems do Country Mouse and the young • Transfer Through Oral Language: Invite pairs Before Reading the part of BLM 2 that applies to their topic. Remind them that they need examples from the text to mouse face, and how do they solve them? of students to act out the words using only facial Introduce “The Dog and the Wolf” Where has the author used idioms in the two fables? expressions, gestures, and other body language. support their ideas. How do these idioms help you better understand the The rest of the class tries to guess the word. Once • Ask students to turn to page 16. Say: Today we are • When the groups have finished their research and characters or visualize the action? the word is named, the pair offers a sentence that going to read “The Dog and the Wolf.” This fable is analysis, have each group report on its topic to written in a different format from the other fables the whole class. Draw the chart from the BLM on Setting Character Description Plot describes what they were doing and uses the word. • Ask students to save their work in their genre studies we have read. Notice how in the margins there are chart paper or the board. One member from each a house, young mouse eager; thinks 1. A cat is now in the house, folders to continue on Day 4. notes to you, the reader. The first time we read the group can write the group’s findings in the a nice day he’s clever; warns the mouse king. text, we will read to understand the fable, focusing appropriate part of the BLM. After all the groups cowardly 2. The mice discuss ways to Page Word Description Meaning on the characters, plot, and moral. Tomorrow, we will have reported, reread the BLM to review the story elements in “The Dog and the Wolf.” befriend the cat, then realize 12 dreadful “His heart was filled with terrible; very bad reread this fable like a writer and think about the mouse king concerned; wise; they must protect one notes in the margin as a model for how we can write patient doom and gloom . . .” another. [Bridges: “His heart filled with our own fables. Setting Character Description Plot 3. A young mouse comes up doom and gloom.”] • Point out the boldfaced words ( hibernating , A forest Wolf playful; 1. Wolf enjoys early with a cat-warning system—a darted , game , accustomed ). Say: When you see bell for the cat’s neck. 13 sly Young mouse is described as displaying and a enterprising; winter, but he soon these words in the fable, look for descriptions to help farm in hungry; sad; grows very hungry 4. But no mouse is brave clever and sneaky and “He cleverness wanted to be the next king.” you know what they mean. Remember that finding winter values freedom because he can’t find or enough to put the bell on catch any food. the cat’s neck. descriptions in the text is a strategy to help you 13 foe “We will always hear our an enemy define unfamiliar words. 2. Wolf hears Dog and Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment enemy coming.” Set a Purpose for Reading meets with him. [Bridges: “We will always hear Dog helpful; 3. Dog offers Wolf a job • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question our enemy the cat coming.” • Ask students to read the fable and to focus on how accepting; well he’d enjoy. Card (P/38 or K /20) with small groups of students to the characters and plot illustrate the moral. They fed 14 courageous “But you seem brave.” brave 4. Wolf declines the job practice answering text-dependent questions . should also look for examples of idioms and think when he learns he has to • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Look about how the author’s use of idioms helps them wear a collar and be Closer! questions. The answer to a Look Closer! Reflect and Review understand the fable. chained at night. question is in the book. You have to look in more • Turn and Talk : Ask partners or small groups to Read “The Dog and the Wolf” than one place, though. You find the different parts discuss the following questions and report their Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment of the answer. Then you put the parts together to ideas to the whole group: • Place students in groups of three or four based on answer the question. Do you agree with this fable’s moral? Why or why their reading levels. Ask students to read the fable • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question • Model: Read the Look Closer! question on the not? silently or whisper-read. If students need more Card (P/38 or K/20) with small groups of students to Comprehension Question Card. Say: I will show you Think of a time in your life when you had the support, you may have them read with a partner. practice answering text-dependent questions . how I answer a Look Closer! question. The question opportunity to do something brave. What • Observe students as they stop and think about the • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Prove says , “ What will happen after a mouse places a bell happened? fable. Confer briefly with individual students to It! questions. The answer to a Prove It! question is around the neck of the cat?” This question asks me Fluency: Read with Dramatic Expression monitor the use of fix-up strategies and their not stated in the book. You have to look for clues to identify a sequence or series of events that will understanding of the text. and evidence to prove the answer. follow an action. I know because the question has • You may wish to have students reread the fable • Model: Read the second Prove It! question on the the clue word after . Now I need to look for other with a partner during independent reading time. After Reading Comprehension Question Card. Say: I will show you Have them focus on reading with appropriate how I answer a Prove It! question. The question is important information in the question. These words Build Comprehension: Analyze Story Elements tell me what to look for in the book. What expression. Ask students to use what they really a statement that says , “ You can tell from the information do you think will help me? (Allow know about the young mouse and king mouse’s • Lead a whole-class discussion about analyzing information in the second paragraph on page 16 that student responses.) Yes, I’m looking for what will personalities to convey emotions in their reading. the story elements of characters, setting, and plot. early in the winter, Wolf . . .” This statement asks me happen after a bell is placed around the cat’s neck. (Young mouse is a bit of a braggart and probably Ask: When you analyze the characters in a fable, to draw a conclusion. I know because the statement Now I will look in the book. On page 13, I read that cowardly; king mouse is patient and wise.) what do you look for? (Allow time for responses.) is unfinished. What other information in the question the mice will hear the cat coming and they will run Make sure students understand that readers learn do you think will help me? (Allow student responses.) away. This is the order of events. I have found the about characters through what the author tells them Yes, I need to go to the second paragraph on page answer in the book. I looked in several sentences to about the characters and what the characters say, 16 to find clues that tell about Wolf. The text says find the answer. think, feel, and do in the story. Then review how to Wolf enjoyed his long walks. He liked to run fast • Guide Practice: Use the Comprehension Power Tool analyze a fable’s setting (use clues to identify the through the trees, jump in the snow, and do as he Flip Chart to help you develop other Look Closer ! time and place of the story) and plot (sequence the pleased. I have found evidence to draw a conclusion. questions to use with students . main events in the order that they occur and identify I can conclude that Wolf was having fun and was Focus on Vocabulary: Description the problem and the solution). happy early in the winter . • Divide the class into four groups . Assign each group • Guide Practice: Use the Comprehension Power Tool • Ask students to work with a partner to complete the one of these topics: (1) the setting, (2) the character Flip Chart to help you develop other Prove It ! “Focus on Words” activity on page 15 using BLM 3 Wolf, (3) the character Dog, (4) the plot (story events). questions and support students’ text-dependent which they started on Day 2. Have groups of students • Give each group time to analyze its part of the story comprehension strategies. share their findings. carefully and in detail. Suggest that the groups fill in

6 THREE FABLES FROM AESOP ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC THREE FABLES FROM AESOP 7 Day 5 Focus on Vocabulary: Description Before Reading Reread “The Dog and the Wolf” • Read step 2 with students. Say: In the three fables we read, one character had a flaw. The other • Ask students to work with a partner to complete the • Place students in groups of three or four based on Summarize and Make Connections Across Texts character helped show that flaw. For example, the “Focus on Words” activity on page 21 using BLM 3. their reading levels. Ask students to reread the fable young mouse talked about being brave and doing Have groups of students share their findings. • Engage students in a discussion about the three silently or to whisper-read, and to pay attention to a heroic deed. The king mouse explained that • Transfer Through Oral Language: Invite pairs of fables in this book. Invite a different student to the annotations. students to act out the scene in which each target summarize each fable. Encourage other students taking action and doing something is often much word is used. They should make up their own to add their ideas and details. After Reading harder than talking about it. Who could our • Ask students to turn to the inside back cover of the characters be? Let’s make a list of characters who dialogue using the word, and use gestures and facial Analyze the Mentor Text expressions to portray the feelings and behavior of book. Say: Good readers think about how literary could help us communicate our moral. Remember the characters. works are related. We know, for example, that all of • Read and discuss the mentor annotations with the that often the characters in a fable are animals. these fables share certain features. They all have a whole group. (Allow time for responses. Write down students’ moral. They all have animal characters. What else do ideas on chart paper.) Page Word Description Meaning Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment they have in common? (Allow time for responses.) • Read step 3 with students. Say: Before you’re 16 hibernating “They were asleep sleeping or resting Today we will think about the characters in all three • Use the appropriate-level Comprehension Question ready to write a fable, you need a setting and for the season in through the winter fables. We’ll think about how the characters are alike Card (P/38 or K /20) with small groups of students to plot. “The Dog and the Wolf” took place in a their burrows or and different and what we can learn from them. practice answering text-dependent questions . forest and river. This was a perfect setting for the caves.” • Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Take [Bridges: “They • Ask students to work individually or in small groups plot. The Wolf was looking for food in different slept in their to complete BLM 4 ( Make Connections Across Texts). It Apart! questions. The answer to a Take It Apart! places. When you write your fable, think about burrows or caves Then bring students together to share and synthesize question is not stated in the book. You must think what setting is right for your characters. What during winter.”] their ideas . like the author to figure out the answer. plot, or actions, will help you act out the moral of • Model: Read the second Take It Apart! question on 17 darted “They went moved suddenly or your fable? Choose one of the morals and some Town Mouse the Comprehension Question Card. Say: This swiftly this way rapidly Belling The Dog and of the characters the class has brainstormed, and and that way.” Fable and Country question says, “The author uses description to tell work as a group to construct a possible setting the Cat the Wolf Mouse about Wolf as winter went on. Find this on page 17.” and plot. 18 game “He helped his animals (such as deer or This question asks me to find words that describe Build Comprehension: Make Judgments master hunt . . . rabbits) that are hunted Character #1 Town Mouse young mouse Dog Wolf later in the winter. I know because the question Wolf could track or taken in hunting says , “ The author uses description to tell about • Explain: When authors write, they usually make any animal in the Character #2 Country Mouse mouse king Wolf judgments about their characters. In these fables, forest.” Wolf.” What information do you think will help me? [Bridges: “Wolf What is Town Mouse: young mouse: Dog: helpful; (Allow student responses.) Yes, I need to find clues Aesop not only made judgments about how his could find any Character #1 snobbish; reckless eager; thinks accepting; well fed that tell about Wolf and show what he did later in characters should act , but also how people in like? he’s clever; animal in the the winter. I need to look on page 17. The text says general should and shouldn’t behave. Readers forest.”] cowardly “Wolf was a sorry sight. He was crying, and howling, know this because Aesop ended each fable with a How is Country Mouse: mouse king: Wolf: playful; and almost starving.” [Bridges: “Wolf was a sorry moral, or lesson. As readers, we pay attention to 19 accustomed “I am used to it. adapted to existing Character #2 hard worker; concerned; enterprising; You will grow conditions sight. He cried. He howled. . . . And now he was very the judgments an author makes so that we can different proud; impressed wise; patient hungry; sad; values evaluate whether or not we agree with the accustomed to it, from by the food in the freedom hungry.” ] I have found the evidence to support a too.” Character city; cautious description of Wolf in winter. author’s judgment. Readers can form their own #1? • Guide Practice: Use the Comprehension Power Tool judgments about an author’s judgment. Reflect and Review • Model: The moral of “The Dog and the Wolf” How does Country Mouse The young Wolf turns down Flip Chart to develop other Take It Apart! questions. • Ask and discuss the following questions: the fable runs back to the mouse decides the job to hunt Analyze the Writer’s Craft is that it is better to be free even if there are What new words have you added to your vocabulary end? country because to NOT be the game, preferring problems and difficulties that go with freedom. this week? Which is your favorite? he doesn’t want brave mouse to be free, even if • Ask students to turn to page 22. Explain: In the next Aesop was making a judgment about Wolf and to be chased by a who will put he is hungry. Which of the fable characters you’ve met do you few days, you will have the opportunity to write your Dog’s behavior. Based on the moral, he judged cat every night. the bell on the own fable. First, let’s think about how the author Wolf to be the “better” character because he identify with the most and why? cat. How can you use descriptions or idioms as a writer? wrote “The Dog and the Wolf.” When she developed chose freedom, even though it meant hardship. Fluency: Read with Dramatic Expression this fable, she followed certain steps. You can follow Once I understand the author’s judgment, I can Set a Purpose for Rereading these same steps to write your own fable. decide if I have the same judgment. In this case, I • You may wish to have students reread the fable with • Have students turn to page 16. Say: Until now, we • Read step 1 with students. Say: When you write your do. When I think about how Dog was chained up a partner during independent reading time. Have have been thinking about fables from the fable, the first thing you’ll do is decide on a moral, or every night, I can’t help but think that Wolf was them focus on reading with appropriate expression. perspective of the reader. Learning the features of lesson, that you want to communicate. Let’s turn better off even if he is hungry in the winter . Ask students to use what they know about Dog and fables has helped us be critical readers. Now we are back to pages 10 , 14, and 20, and reread the morals • Guide Practice: Invite students to work in Wolf to convey the personality of each character in going to put on a different hat. We are going to of the stories we read. Write morals on chart paper. small groups to identify the author’s judgments their reading. Encourage them to experiment with reread “The Dog and the Wolf” to think like writers. What lesson would you like to teach someone else? about characters in one of the other fables in the dialogue on pages 19 –20. We’ll pay attention to the annotations in the For example, I might write a fable to teach people the book. Then challenge them to make their margins. These annotations will help us understand that it’s important to be kind. What other lessons own judgments about the characters. Do they what the author did and why she did it. could we teach? (Allow time for responses. Write agree with the author? Do they have a different down students’ ideas on chart paper .) judgment? Ask each group to share and support their ideas with examples from the fable.

8 THREE FABLES FROM AESOP ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC THREE FABLES FROM AESOP 9 Days Days 6–15 6–15 Name ______Date ______Write a Fable • Conference with students focusing on sentence • Use this suggested daily schedule to guide students fluency, word choice, and conventions. Did students through the steps of process writing. Allow include both long and short sentences? Do the approximately 45 to 60 minutes per day. As students sentences read smoothly? Have students used Idiom work independently, circulate around the room and interesting words and phrases? Did they use examples monitor student progress. Conference with individual of idiom? Did they use appropriate spelling, students to discuss their ideas and help them move punctuation, and grammar? forward. Use the explicit mini-lessons, conferencing • You may want students to continue their editing and Directions: Read each sentence. Underline the words that strategies, and assessment rubrics in Using Genre revision at home. Days 12–13: Create Final Draft and Illustrations show an idiom. On the blank line, write the Models to Teach Writing for additional support. meaning of each idiom. • Before students begin planning their fable, pass out • Ask students to rewrite or type a final draft of their copies of BLM 5 ( Fable Checklist). Review the fables . characteristics and conventions of writing that will • Invite students to illustrate their final drafts with one be assessed. Tell students that they will use this or more drawings that depict specific actions in their When Mom saw Katie sobbing, she said, “I’m all ears.” checklist when they complete their fable drafts. fables . 1. • This daily plan incorporates the generally accepted • Conference with students regarding their publishing six traits of writing as they pertain to fables. plans and deadlines. Days 6–7: Plan Days 14–15: Publish and Share ______• Ask students to use BLM 6 (Fable Planning Guide) to • Explain: Authors work long and hard to develop their brainstorm the moral, characters, setting, and plot works. You have worked very hard. And one of the 2. Mr. Tompkins would need a month of Sundays to finish for their fable. great joys of writing is when you can share it with • Encourage students to refer to the “Features of a others. Authors do this in many ways. They publish the 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Fable” web on page 3, and to the steps in “The their books so that people can buy them. They make Writer’s Craft” on pages 22 –23 of the book. their work available on the Internet. They hold • Confer with individual students and focus on their readings. We can share our writing, too. ______ideas. Did students begin their fable with a moral in • Use one or more of the ideas below for sharing mind? Did students support the moral through the students’ work: character and plot? Make a class display of students’ completed fables. 3. Those shoes with wheels are all the rage now. Days 8–9: Draft Hold a class reading in which students can read their • Tell students they will be using their completed Fable fables to one another and/or to parents. Planning Guide to begin drafting their fables. Create a binder of all the fables and loan it to the ______• Say: Remember that when writers draft their fables, library so that other students can read them. they focus on getting their ideas on paper. They • Create a binder of all the fables for your classroom The new video game system would cost Joey can cross things out. They can make mistakes in library. 4. spelling. What’s important is to focus on developing a pretty penny. your characters, the setting, and the plot. You will have an opportunity to make corrections and improvements later. • Conference with students as they complete their ______drafts. Use the Fable Checklist to draw students’ attention to characteristics of the fable genre that With a book report due and a math test next week, they may have overlooked. Focus on how students 5. have organized their ideas and the voice of the Jamal had a long row to hoe. writer. Did students introduce characters at the beginning of the fable? Did they set up a problem and then show a resolution? Does the fable have a strong voice? Will the voice keep readers interested? ______• Pair students for peer conferencing. Days 10–11: Edit and Revise • Based on your observations of students’ writing, In the space below, write your own sentence using an idiom. select appropriate mini-lessons from Using Genre Models to Teach Writing . • Remind students to use the Fable Checklist as they edit and revise their fables independently.

10 THREE FABLES FROM AESOP ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC THREE FABLES FROM AESOP BLM 1 ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC Name ______Date ______Name ______Date ______Analyze Story Elements Focus on Descriptions

Directions: Use the chart below to analyze story elements. Directions: Reread each fable. Use context clues to find descriptions of each word, then write down its meaning.

Setting Character Description Plot Page Word Description Meaning

7 superior

1. Town Mouse 7 determined and Country Mouse 8 delectable 2. 9 squeamish

12 dreadful 3. 13 sly Belling the Cat 13 foe 4. 14 courageous

16 hibernating

17 darted The Dog and the Wolf 18 game

19 accustomed

Title ______Make Connections Across Texts

Directions: Use the chart to answer the questions below. Fable Checklist

Town Mouse and The Dog and Fable Belling the Cat Country Mouse the Wolf Features of the Genre Checklist YES NO

1. My fable is short. Character #1 2. My fable has a strong lead. 3. My fable has a setting with time and place. Character #2 4. The main characters are animals. 5. The main character has a flaw. What is Character #1 6. The other character does not have a flaw. like? 7. I tell the problem at the beginning of the fable. 8. I have 3 to 5 events in my fable. How is 9. I have a solution to the problem in the fable. Character #2 different from 10. The character with a flaw learns a lesson. Character #1? 11. I state the moral at the end of the fable. 12. I used figurative language in my story. How does the Quality Writing Checklist YES NO fable end? I looked for and corrected . . . • run-on sentences 1. Which characters in all three fables are alike? How are • sentence fragments these characters alike? • subject/verb agreement • correct verb tense ______ • punctuation ______• capitalization 2. How are the fable endings alike? How are they different? • spelling ______• indented paragraphs ______

Fable Planning Guide

Directions: Use the steps below to plan your own fable.

1. Decide on a moral.

2. Brainstorm characters.

Description, Characters Flaw/Asset Examples Feelings, Traits

Character #1: ______

Character #2: ______

3. Brainstorm setting and plot.

Setting

Problem

Events

Solution