92 minute read
Module 4
by General
LAND OF WONDER
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 1: Australia, Book 1 Informational Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 90% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
Land of Wonder Land of Wonder
by Michelle Palmieri
Book Summary
Australia is a continent with diverse lands. It has sandy beaches, rocky coasts, and blue water as well as hot, dry deserts with large rock formations. The land in Australia also has lush, green rainforests and high, snowcapped mountains.
Teacher Note
Note that the texts in this module are Duet Books, designed to be read by a child and an adult reader. Show students the two different icons on the page opposite the first page. Explain the visual cues that signal whose turn it is to read: the child-read text is paired with a triangle icon (), while the adult-read part is marked with a circle (). Note that the text colors match the icon colors. As needed, encourage students to point to the parts they will read throughout the book.
In addition, note that the decodability score listed above indicates the percentage of words in the childread text that feature concepts taught up to a given unit in Fundations®. This percentage includes both Fundations® Decodable Words and Fundations® Trick Words. At least 90 percent of the words in the childread text are either Fundations® Decodable Words or Fundations® Trick Words.
Consider modeling how to read Australia. Students may benefit from practice with this name.
Australia is sometimes considered part of Oceania rather than a continent of its own. In this set of books, Australia refers to both the country and the continent. Additionally, note that the provided definition of continent is general. It may be helpful to add to the meaning of “a very large area of land” by explaining that a continent is bigger than a city and often includes many countries, and that the earth has seven continents. The image on the oral recurring content flashcard only points to the African continent, so consider using a globe or a map to show students the remaining continents.
Also, consider noting the figurative language throughout the text. Students may benefit from a discussion of the meaning of phrases such as “rush of waves” (p. 6) and “cap of white” (p. 10).
World Connection
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
big
cap on
red rock
rush
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a and of sun
thick
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
blue green waves white
Notes:
up
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is continent. This word is continent. Say it with me: continent. The word continent can mean “a very large area of land that often includes many countries.” This book is about the continent of Australia. Continent. Say it with me: continent. Other Recurring Content Words: create, habitat, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What is a continent?
A continent is a very large area of land.
Which continent is shown in this book?
The continent in this book is Australia. Point to the continent of Australia on the map in this book.
Here is the continent of Australia (title page, p. 14).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is thick. In this book, the word thick means “fat and wide.” The plants in Australia are thick and green (p. 8). Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is wonder. In this book, the word wonder means “a feeling of curiosity or amazement.” Australia is a land full of wonder (p. 13).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: cap, rush Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: coast, jut, lush, path
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined.
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
What is this book about?
This book is about Australia.
What key details tell you more about this topic? Australia has hot, dry, red land and a rush of waves by the coasts. Australia also has lush, green forests and cold, snowy mountains.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
1 That rock looks like a mountain. Uluru Rock is not a mountain but rather one big rock, or monolith. It is the biggest monolith in the world. It is considered a sacred place to the native Aboriginal people, who have painted and carved artwork into the walls of the caves at the rock’s base.
4 The sand looks red. Desert sand in Australia can be red for several reasons. One reason is that many of the rocks contain lots of iron. When the iron in the rock is exposed to air, it rusts, breaks down, and turns a reddish color.
6–7 Tall rocks are standing in the water.
8–9 Those trees look like umbrellas. These rock stacks were formed by erosion. Over time, the ocean washed away bits of the limestone cliff, creating caves, then arches, then finally rock towers.
These trees are grand licuala palm trees, also called ruffled fan palms. They grow in the rainforests of northeastern Australia.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Features | Identifying Maps Maps are pictures or diagrams of specific places, usually drawn or printed on a flat surface. Maps can be used as text features to show the location of a place named in a book. This book has two large maps showing the continent of Australia.
On the title page, a large map of Australia is above the title. The map below the title is a world map. The continent of Australia is a lighter green to show its location in the world.
Ask: “Can you point to the continent of Australia on the world map?”
Then ask: “Can you find, or identify, another map of Australia in this book?”
Encourage students to find the map of Australia on page 14. Note that the page number icon, or folio, is also the outline of Australia.
Vocabulary | Identifying Real-Life Connections When we identify real-life connections, we describe how words are related to places, events, or items that are real. For example, in this book the author describes how places in Australia look and feel in real life.
Ask: “What places in Australia does the author describe?”
Then ask: “What words does she use to describe each place?”
Examples include dry, green, hot, lush, red, thick, and white.
If students need extra support, consider turning to the pages that highlight the different landscapes and then asking students to describe the photographs. Alternatively, read words from the text, such as thick and green, and then ask students to match the adjectives with the photographs they describe.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Tell about something new you learned from this book. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
JACK, JILL, AND JOEY
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 1: Australia, Book 2 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 95% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
Jack, by Catherine Schmidt Jill, and Joey
Book Summary
A young kangaroo, also called a joey, tells about the members of his family and their daily life. Adult male kangaroos are called jacks and can be as big as men. Adult female kangaroos are called jills. A joey can get into a jill’s sack until it is too big to fit. Kangaroos have strong back legs that they use to kick when they box and to hop great distances. They gather in groups, or mobs, to rest in the shade, drink water, and eat plants and grass.
Teacher Note
Students may benefit from a discussion of kangaroo-related vocabulary: jack, jill, joey, and mob. Additional vocabulary practice supports students’ language development, fluency, and comprehension.
With assistance, more advanced students might also read the adult-read text. This book provides an opportunity for students to step into the adult-read parts, either as partners for classmates reading the childread parts or as independent readers.
Also, consider reading the captions in this book as students follow along to provide more context about kangaroos.
World Connection
The kangaroo is one of the national symbols of Australia. The other symbols include an emu, a large flightless bird native to the continent, and the golden wattle, a small tree with yellow blooms that grows along Australia’s southeast coast. All three symbols appear on Australia’s coat of arms.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
at
back
big bit
box
Dad
dash fit
hop hot
in
it
jab jack kick
mob
mom
nap pick quick sack sip
sun
then
this
tuck
up
us when
with
zzzzzz
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and
are as
has
I is
my of the
they to
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
grass hops man pals
Notes:
we
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is habitat. This word is habitat. Say it with me: habitat. The word habitat can mean “a place where an animal lives.” Many red kangaroos live in a desert habitat. Habitat. Say it with me: habitat. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What is a habitat?
A habitat is a place where an animal lives.
What do you notice about the habitat in this book?
The habitat in this book has grass. The habitat in this book has reddish dirt or sand. Point to a picture of a habitat in this book. Here is a habitat where kangaroos live (pp. 1, 2, 7, 8, 10–11, 12–13).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is pals. In this book, the word pals means “friends.” The pals play together (p. 6).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: box, dash, jab, mob, sack, tuck
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is pouch. In this book, the word pouch means “a pocket-like body part used for carrying.” The joey sits in his mom’s pouch (p. 5). Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: path, shade
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
What is this book about?
This book is about a family of kangaroos.
What is the setting? The setting is a field. The setting is Australia.
What actions happen in this text? The joey and his mom hop on the path. The joey’s pals box. The mob of kangaroos drinks from a pond and eats grass together.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
2 Kangaroos are in the middle of a field. Australia is the only place on Earth where kangaroos live in the wild. In fact, there are more kangaroos in Australia than there are humans.
4 The baby kangaroo is growing in the mom’s pouch.
7 The kangaroos look like they are fighting.
12–13 A group of kangaroos is sipping water. When it is born, a baby kangaroo is about the size of a peanut. Blind and hairless, a newborn joey crawls into its mother’s pouch where it continues to grow for several months.
Young male kangaroos play fight for fun, while adult males may fight to impress a female or become the leader of the group.
A group of kangaroos is called a mob. Some mobs have just a few kangaroos, and some have more than 100.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Structure | Identifying the Narrator A narrator tells a story. Sometimes the narrator is a character in the story but not always.
Ask: “Who is telling the story in Jack, Jill, and Joey?”
Encourage students to return to the book to support their thinking with details.
Style and Conventions | Identifying Verbs Verbs are action words. Many different verbs are used to describe the kangaroos’ movements in this book. One example is the word hop.
Ask: “What other verbs, or action words, are used in this book to describe the kangaroos’ movements?”
Examples include box, dash, jab, kick, nap, pick, sip, stand, and tuck. Encourage students to act out select verbs to demonstrate the meanings.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Tell about something new you learned from this book. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
THE GREAT REEF
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 1: Australia, Book 3 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 97% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
by Cate Oliver illustrations by Jordi Solano
Book Summary
A scuba diver explores the Great Barrier Reef and sees many different fish. As she mixes with the fish, she notices how some fish swim together and how others chew on the coral. She observes how some sharks move and what others look like. The diver achieves her wish to swim with a colorful collection of fish.
Teacher Note
Consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before beginning the book to provide more context about the Great Barrier Reef. It may also be helpful to explain that the woman featured in the book is a scuba diver.
Also, note that this book provides an opportunity for more advanced students to read the adult-read parts with assistance.
In addition, after reading the book, students may benefit from discussing how the fish form “a rainbow web” (p. 13) and sharing their responses to the question on page 14.
World Connection
The Great Barrier Reef is so large that astronauts can see it from outer space. It is also considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
deck
fish
gal gash got hop hug kick
mash
mix peck pick rush
that
thick thin
this
up whop wish with
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and do
has the
to you
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
her spit
Notes:
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is habitat. This word is habitat. Say it with me: habitat. The word habitat can mean “a place where an animal lives.” The Great Barrier Reef is a habitat for many sea animals. Habitat. Say it with me: habitat. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What is a habitat?
A habitat is a place where an animal lives.
What do you notice about the habitat in this book?
The habitat in this book is the ocean. The habitat is a big reef. Point to an illustration of a habitat in this book.
Here is an illustration showing the habitat of the great reef (pp. 1–5, 8–13).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is mix. In this book, the word mix means “to join together in a friendly way.” The scuba diver wishes to mix with fish (p. 2).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: gal, gash, mash, peck, rush, spit, whop
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is reef. In this book, the word reef means “a line of rocks and coral found in warm, shallow water.” The scuba diver sees fish near a big reef (p. 3).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: bits, cod, grit, mob, nip, pop, zip
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
What is this book about?
This book is about a diver. This book is about sea animals who live in the reef.
What is the setting? The setting is the ocean. The setting is underwater in a big reef. The setting is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
What actions happen in this text? The diver sees different fish. She sees sharks. She sees an old ship.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
title page
4 An arrow is pointing to a top part of the map.
It looks like that fish is eating the rock.
7 The shark’s head is T-shaped.
11 The small fish is swimming into the large fish's mouth. The arrow is pointing to the Great Barrier Reef. It is a coral reef off the coast of Australia that it is more than 1,000 miles long.
This is a parrotfish. They eat algae, simple marine plants that grow on rocks and coral. They bite off bits of coral and grind it up in their stomach. It comes out the other end as fine white sand, or grit.
This is a hammerhead shark. Wide-set eyes help these sharks see better, making them good hunters.
These fish have a kind of symbiotic relationship in which they help each other. The smaller cleaning fish called a wrasse sets up a “cleaning station” where large fish like this potato cod come to get their mouths cleaned. The wrasse helps to clean the cod’s mouth.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Style and Conventions | Identifying Verbs Verbs are action words. Many different verbs are used to describe how the fish move in this book. One example is kick.
Ask: “What other verbs are used in this book to describe how the fish move and eat?”
Examples include hop, hug, peck, pick, rush, whop, zag, zig, and zip. Encourage students to act out select verbs to demonstrate the meanings.
Author’s Craft | Understanding Figurative Language Authors choose words to add description or detail to a book. Sometimes these descriptive words mean something different from their usual meaning.
Often, the word hug means “to put one’s arms around another person to show love or friendship.” On page 10, the author writes, “Fish that hug the deck.” Fish do not have arms, so the phrase “hug the deck” means something different.
Ask: “What does the phrase ‘hug the deck’ mean in this sentence?”
Encourage students to use the illustrations on pages 10–11 to determine the meaning of the phrase “hug the deck.”
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Choose an illustration from this book that taught you something new. Tell about what you learned. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
HOP AROUND SYDNEY
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 1: Australia, Book 4 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 96% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
HOP AROUND SYDNEY
words by Chrystal D. Giles illustrations by Lesley Vamos
Book Summary
The narrator and her mom spend a day touring Sydney. First, they go to El Alamein Memorial Fountain and cool off from the heat. Then, their bus drives by the Sydney Harbor, and the characters notice the different ships. Next, they visit the Sydney Opera House. Finally, they explore the Royal Botanic Garden. The characters finish their day at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and look forward to coming back.
Teacher Note
Consider modeling how to read Sydney and pointing out the city’s location marked with a dot on the top map on the title page.
Also, consider noting the figurative language in this book. Students may benefit from discussing the meaning of phrases such as “a flower of water” (p. 5) and “the top of it is like a sail” (p. 9).
World Connection
Sydney is Australia’s largest city and is the capital of New South Wales, a state on the east coast of the country.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
bus
check
fun
hop hot map
mom
neck
off
on path pick quick
run
ship sit
sun
that
top
up
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and
by I
is
my the
to
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
see wave zips
Notes:
zag zig
was
we
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is travel. This word is travel. Say it with me: travel. The word travel can mean “to go from one place to another, sometimes close by and other times far away.” The girl and her mom travel around Sydney on a bus. Travel. Say it with me: travel. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, habitat, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to travel?
To travel means to go from one place to another.
In this book, where do the characters travel? The characters travel around Sydney. Point to an example of the characters traveling around Sydney in this book. Here are the characters traveling around Sydney (pp. 1, 6). This map shows where the mom and her daughter travel around Sydney (pp. 2–3).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is path. In this book, the word path means “a trail made for walking.” The girl and her mom choose a path to explore the park (p. 12).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: check, map, zig-zag, zips
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is mist. In this book, the word mist means “a spray made of very small drops of water.” The girl plays in the mist made by the fountain (p. 5).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: hall, lush, sail
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the characters in this book?
The characters in this book are a girl and her mom.
What is the setting? The setting is a city. The setting is Sydney, Australia.
What are the major events? A girl and her mom go on a bus tour of Sydney. They go to a fountain, see a ship, and run to a music hall. They also see a bridge and visit a park.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
2–3 Dotted lines are on the map.
5 The fountain looks like a dandelion. The dotted lines show the bus path. Each number shows a location where the bus will stop on the tour of Sydney.
This fountain was built to remember Australian soldiers. As the wind blows, the sprayed water changes shape, giving it a different look throughout the day.
10–11 That is a big bridge. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the largest steel-arch bridge in the world. It is known to locals as the “Coat Hanger” because of its arched shape.
14 That building looks like a castle. This is the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, one of the oldest and most famous music schools in Australia. The building was originally designed to be used as horse stables but was converted into a school more than 100 years ago.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Vocabulary | Clarifying Multiple-Meaning Words Some words can be used in different ways. The word wave can have different meanings. It can be a noun that means “a moving edge of water on the surface of a pond, lake, or ocean.” The word wave can also be a verb that means “to move one’s arm or hand, or an item in a-back-and-forth motion.”
Ask: “On page 14, what does the word wave mean in the sentence ‘We wave to the bus’?”
Encourage students to use the other words on the page and the illustration to determine the meaning of wave.
Text Features | Using Maps Maps are pictures or diagrams of specific places, usually drawn or printed on a flat surface. Maps use symbols and words to show where things are located.
On pages 2 and 3, a map shows the path the tour bus takes through Sydney. A number marks each spot, and a label in the key names the landmark.
Read aloud the numbers as students move their fingers along the bus path. After reading each number, pause to read aloud the name of the landmark from the key on the left-hand side. Then, encourage students to find the landmarks throughout the book by looking for the red numbers in the illustrations.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Tell about something new you learned in this book. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
IS THAT A CAT?
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 2: Africa, Book 1 Informational Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 95% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
IS THAT A CAT?
words by Rachel Hylton
Book Summary
Cheetahs and leopards are large cats that live in Africa. They may look similar, but by paying close attention, people can see their differences. Both animals have spotted fur, but the cheetahs’ dots are black spots while leopards have brown spots surrounded by black dots. In addition, cheetahs have distinct black lines running from their eyes to their chins. Cheetahs and leopards have other differences, too. For example, cheetahs are known for their speed, and leopards are strong climbers.
Teacher Note
Consider sharing that this book is about animals that live on the continent of Africa and pointing out the continent’s location on the title page map. Showing students the map will help them identify which continent is the setting for this set of books.
Also, consider noting that this book contains ellipses. An ellipsis is a punctuation mark of three dots that indicates a pause. Students may need additional support to recognize that an ellipsis is different from a period.
In addition, students may benefit from reviewing the chart on page 14 to learn more about the differences between cheetahs and leopards.
World Connection
The continent of Africa is home to many wild cats, such as leopards and cheetahs. Other wild cats are lions, tigers, and jaguars. All of these animals are members of the feline family, which also includes the common house cat. All cats are predators, or animals that hunt other animals for food.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
back
big but
cat check
dash
dot
gap hop in
neck
on
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and have
his is
we quick that
this
top
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
can grin
Notes:
up which
whip zip
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is continent. This word is continent. Say it with me: continent. The word continent can mean “a very large area of land that often includes many countries.” The setting for this book is the continent of Africa. Continent. Say it with me: continent. Other Recurring Content Words: create, habitat, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What is a continent?
A continent is a very large area of land.
Which continent is shown in this book?
The continent in this book is Africa. Point to the continent of Africa on the map in this book.
Here is the continent of Africa (title page).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is gap. In this book, the word gap means “an opening between items.” The leopard hides in the gap (pp. 6–7). Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is whiz. In this book, the word whiz means “one who knows a lot about a topic.” Are you a leopard or cheetah whiz? (p. 13)
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: check, dash, grin, neck, whip, zip
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: bit, dish, grabs, quiz, swift, tan, thin, trip
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
What is this book about?
This book is about cheetahs and leopards. This book tells about the differences between cheetahs and leopards.
What key details tell you more about this topic? One key detail is that cheetahs and leopards both have spots on their fur, but the spots look different. Cheetahs are quick runners, and leopards are good climbers.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
2
5
8 It looks like the cat is running fast.
The cheetah has black lines on its face.
The cat is climbing a tree. The cheetah is the fastest land mammal on Earth. It can run as fast as a typical car drives on a highway, but it gets tired quickly and can sprint for only about 20 seconds at a time.
The black stripes on a cheetah’s face are sometimes called “tear lines.” Similar to why football players dab black paint under their eyes, scientists think that these lines help cheetahs see and hunt better in the bright sun.
The leopard is a very good climber. When the leopard wants to eat, it drags its food up into the tree branches to keep it safe from other animals.
11 The leopard has a different pattern on its fur. The spots on the leopard’s fur are called rosettes because of their rose shape. Spotted patterns help to hide, or camouflage, large cats as they move through tall grasses.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Structure | Pausing for Questions There are many different types of questions in the books we read. Sometimes a character asks another character a question, and sometimes the author asks the reader a question.
In this book, the author asks the reader many questions. When you read a question like the one on page 1, it is fine to stop and think about your answer before continuing to read.
Encourage students to reread the book and pause to think about how they would answer the questions on pages 1, 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Vocabulary | Clarifying Multiple-Meaning Words Some words can be used in different ways. For example, the word drop can be a noun that means “a small, round bit of liquid.” It can also be a verb that means “to fall.” For example, on page 9, the author writes, “He will not drop” to explain that the leopard will not fall from the tree while climbing.
The word dish can also have different meanings. It can be a noun that means “a container for holding food, such as a plate or bowl.” It can also be a noun that means “food.”
Ask: “On page 3, what does the word dish mean in the sentence ‘He grabs his dish in one swift trip’?”
If students need extra support, encourage them to use the other words and the illustrations on pages 2 and 3 to help them determine the meaning of the word dish.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Choose an illustration or photograph that taught you something new. Tell about what you learned. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
LADI’S POTS
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 2: Africa, Book 2 Informational Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 92% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
words by Emily Climer illustrations by Eva Sánchez Gómez
Book Summary
Ladi Kwali was a potter from Nigeria, a country in Africa. She made clay pots, jugs, and other vessels. To do this, Ladi first made a base for each pot with wet mud she dug from the ground. Then, she rolled long, fat coils of clay and stacked them on top of each other. She pinched the coils together to form a pot shape, including a neck and a rim. As she worked, Ladi wet the mud and smoothed it with a rib. Ladi finished the pot by using a sharp tool to draw animals and designs on it.
Teacher Note
Consider modeling how to read the name Ladi. Also, consider highlighting the additional knowledge in the captions on pages 2, 9, and 13 as you read them aloud to students.
It may also be helpful to note that this book uses complex descriptive language that may be unfamiliar to students. Students may benefit from a discussion of the meaning of phrases such as “rich, wet mud” (p. 2) and “as she went” (p. 8). For example, in the first phrase, the word rich is not tied to money but rather describes the mud as being of good quality for making pottery.
World Connection
Women in African countries have been making pottery for thousands of years. The clay pots are recognized as beautiful art but are also often used for storage, cooking, and other practical purposes.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
at
big but
dig dish dug had
jug mud
neck not
on
pat
pen pot rich
set
them
top
up
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and as
by for
of one
she
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
drew made pinch went
Notes:
wet
with
the
to
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is create. This word is create. Say it with me: create. The word create can mean “to make something new.” Ladi Kwali used to create pots with clay. Create. Say it with me: create. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, habitat, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to create?
To create means to make something new.
In this book, what did Ladi create? Ladi created pots in this book. Point to an example of Ladi creating a pot in this book.
Here is a picture of Ladi creating a pot (front cover, pp. 2–6, 8–9, 12).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is set. In this book, the word set means “to put in place.” Ladi set the coils on top of one another (p. 4).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: dish, jug, neck, one, pinch, wet
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is smooth. In this book, the word smooth means “to make flat and even.” Ladi used a rib to smooth the sides of each pot (p. 9).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: base, chip, clay, coils, dry, lines, pinched, rib, rim, sag, shape, tip-top, walls
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who is this book about?
This book is about a woman and how she made pots. This book is about a potter named Ladi.
What key details tell you more about this person? Ladi made pots and jugs with wet, rich mud. Ladi decorated the sides of her pots by using a stick to draw pictures of animals.
What actions happen in this text? Ladi dug for wet mud. Ladi made a base and added coils to create a pot. Ladi drew designs on the pot.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
title page
2
3
7 The arrow is pointing to a darker section on the map. The big map at the top shows the continent of Africa. Africa has more than 50 countries. The arrow is pointing to the country of Nigeria.
Ladi is digging in the mud.
Ladi is rolling clay between her hands. The mud Ladi Kwali used is called clay. Clay is made up of tiny pieces of rock. When it is first dug up, the mud may be in solid chunks. These chunks can be pounded with a tool, such as a hammer, and then mixed with water to soften into moldable clay.
Potters set these long coils around the edge of a rounded piece of clay, or base, building it up with more coils. Later, Kwali would use a spoon or other tool to beat the inside of the pot smooth, removing any cracks so it would not leak.
The pot looks dry. After shaping the wet clay, a potter must heat it, or fire it, to dry it out and make it stronger. Kwali fired some pots on an open bonfire and others in a special oven called a kiln.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Features | Using Labels Labels are words or phrases on a drawing or photograph that name, or identify, the parts of something.
On page 11, the labels identify some parts of the pot.
Read aloud each label on page 11. After reading each label, ask students to point to the corresponding parts of the pot.
Ask: “What is at the tip-top of the pot?”
Style and Conventions | Identifying Verbs Verbs are action words. Many different verbs are used to describe how Ladi made pots in this book. One example is dug.
Ask: “What other verbs are used in this book to describe how Ladi made pots?”
Examples include drew, made, pat, pinch(ed), set, shape, smooth, and wet. Encourage students to act out select verbs in order to demonstrate the meanings.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Tell about something new you learned from this book. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
MADE OF MUD
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 2: Africa, Book 3 Literary Nonfiction Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 96% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
words by Linda M. Washington illustrations by Chuck Gonzales
Book Summary
Each spring, the people of Mali come together to re-cover the Great Mosque in mud. Working in teams, neighborhoods compete to see who can work the fastest. Boys race to mud pits to gather mud while girls collect water to mix with the mud. Men climb the mosque, dabbing the wet mud on the walls. Each team hopes to win, but everyone has fun fixing up the mosque they love.
Teacher Note
Consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before beginning this book to provide more context about the Great Mosque in Djenné.
Also, consider sharing the map on the title page. It may be beneficial to point out that this book is set in Mali, a country on the continent of Africa.
World Connection
About two billion people in the world practice the religion of Islam. People who practice Islam are called Muslims.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
at
back
dab
dash
fun get job mash
men
mud not
on
pit
run
rush
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
for have
is the
to set
sun
this
thud
top
we
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
just walls
Notes:
up whop
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is create. This word is create. Say it with me: create. The word create can mean “to make something new.” The men create a new layer of mud on the mosque’s walls. Create. Say it with me: create. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, habitat, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to create?
To create means to make something new.
In this book, what do the men create? The men create a new layer of mud on the mosque’s walls. Point to an example of men creating a new layer of mud on the mosque’s walls. Here is a picture of the men creating a new layer of mud on the mosque’s walls (pp. 6–9).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is dab. In this book, the word dab means “to press gently.” Men dab mud on the walls of the mosque (p. 6).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: mash, mud, pit, rush, set, thud, whop
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is mosque. In this book, the word mosque means “a building where Muslims gather to pray.” The people of Mali fix up the mosque they love (p. 14). Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: fight, fix, front, need, pack, spring, team
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the people in this book? The people in this book are the boys, girls, women, and men from Mali. The people in this book are people in Mali who fix the mosque.
What is the setting? The setting is Mali. The story in this book takes place at a mosque.
What are the major events? The boys race to get mud, and the girls collect water to mix the mud. The men climb the mosque and dab mud on the walls. The boys have a mud fight.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
2–3 Boys are running to and from a mud pit with baskets on their heads.
6–7 Wood is sticking out of the side of the building.
8–9 There are a lot of men on ladders. In the weeks before the event, people bring mud from the river to the mosque using trucks and carts. Then they mix the mud with water and rice husks in several large pits. Boys bring the mud to the mosque in baskets during the ceremony.
The walls of the mosque are built out of mud bricks. The roof is held up by wooden planks. Planks also stick out of the sides of the building so that workers can use them as they fix the walls.
Men who plan the job are called masons. The boys and young men they teach are apprentices. It can take up to 10 years for apprentices to become full masons.
12–13 Boys are in the mud pit. Boys must mix the mud in the pits to keep the mud from drying up. They also have fun playing in the pit and painting themselves with mud.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Features | Identifying Captions Captions are sentences that tell more about a photograph or illustration. On page 3, the caption tells more about the race to fix up the mosque.
Read the caption on page 9 and ask: “What do the men from the neighborhood teams compete to do?”
Vocabulary | Identifying Opposites Opposites are two words that are as different as can be from one another. For example, in this book, the author writes, “Mud on the front, mud on the back.” In this sentence, front and back are opposites because they have completely different meanings.
Read aloud page 11 and ask: “What is the opposite of tall?”
If students need extra support, consider providing examples of tall and short items.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main setting of this book. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
ANANSI AND HIS LEGS
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 2: Africa, Book 4 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 93% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
Book Summary
Anansi, a mischievous spider of West African folktales, is hungry but does not want to fix his lunch. Instead, he visits his friends. First, he asks the hare for a bit of his lunch, but the food is not yet ready. Instead of helping, Anansi uses a string from his web to connect his leg to the pot and asks the hare to tug when it is time to eat. Next, Anansi sees the hog and repeats his request to be alerted when the food is ready. He continues visiting other animals and asking for food until each of his eight legs is attached to a different friend’s pot. When all the meals are ready at the same time, the animals tug on Anansi’s pieces of web, pulling his eight legs in different directions. In the end, Anansi does not get his wish for lunch, but he does get eight long, thin legs.
Teacher Note
Consider noting that this book is a retelling of an African folktale, a story that people tell to entertain and to teach lessons.
Also, consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before beginning this book to provide additional context about how real spiders spin webs.
Note that Anansi also appears as the main character in Anansi and the Pot of Beans, a book in Geodes Level 1, Module 1.
World Connection
Anansi is a trickster in many folktales told by the Asante people of Ghana, a country in West Africa.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
ack
big bit
but
chop did get had
hot
job lick
luck mix
not
off
on
pal pot
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and
do for
from
he I
is
me sit
such
that
thick
this
tug
my the
to
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
can help legs lunch
Notes:
web
when
wish
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is habitat. This word is habitat. Say it with me: habitat. The word habitat can mean “a place where an animal lives.” Anansi visits some animals whose habitat is a grassland, or savanna. Habitat. Say it with me: habitat. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What is a habitat?
A habitat is a place where an animal lives.
What do you notice about the habitat in this book?
The habitat has tall grass. The habitat has trees. Point to a picture of a habitat in this book. Here is a habitat with tall grass (pp. 2–3, 6–7).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is lick. In this book, the word lick means “a taste using the tongue.” Anansi asked his pal if he could have a lick of her lunch (p. 2).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: chop, help, job, luck, lunch, pal, tug
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is tug. In this book, the word tug means “to pull with strength.” The animals tug on Anansi’s web at the same time (pp. 10–11). Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: fix, long, lunch, now, splash, story, yam
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the characters in this book?
The characters in this book are Anansi and his animal pals. The characters in this book are a spider, a hare, and a hog.
What is the setting? The setting is a grassland near a waterfall. The setting is Africa.
What is the problem? The problem is that Anansi wants to eat a big lunch, but he doesn’t want to make it. The problem is that Anansi tries to take a bit of lunch from all his pals.
What is the resolution?
The resolution is that Anasi’s legs get stretched and become long and thin.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
title page An arrow is pointing to a country in Africa. Folktales about Anansi originally came from Ghana and other countries in West Africa, but today they are told all around the world.
opposite page 1
4
8 A woman is telling a story to children.
Anansi has lots of dots on his head.
The web is tied to Anansi’s leg and the pot. This book begins and ends with a Ghanaian storyteller telling a folktale to a group of children. The middle pages show what happens in the folktale.
The dots are eyes. Most spiders have four pairs of eyes, for a total of eight eyes. Each pair does a different job to help spiders catch prey and protect themselves from danger.
Spiders produce a silk thread from a part on the back of their body called a spinneret. In this story, however, Anansi spins separate threads and attaches them to his legs and to the pots of the different animals.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Structure | Noticing Repeated Language Noticing words, phrases, or sentences that are repeated can help you understand the big idea or main topic in books. On pages 4 and 8, Anansi says, “That is not a job for me!”
Ask: “What does this sentence tell us about Anansi?”
Then ask: “What lesson does this story teach us about being greedy and lazy?”
If students need extra support, consider pointing out the illustrations and words from the text on pages 12–14 to highlight the moral of this folktale.
Fluency | Noticing Punctuation Some punctuation marks, such as periods and exclamation points, mark the end of a sentence. Authors can use an exclamation point to show excitement.
Ask: “Can you find a sentence that ends in an exclamation point?”
Encourage students to practice reading the sentence fluently and with excitement to a partner. Exclamatory child-read sentences appear on pages 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main character, Anansi. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
ONE-DOT
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 3: Asia, Book 1 Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 93% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5 One-Dot
written by Sophie Hudson
illustrations by Nicolás Aznárez
Book Summary
A narrator introduces one of her family’s animals named One-Dot. He is a Tibetan ox, or yak. One-Dot’s features make him fit for life in Tibet. He is very big, so he can carry items and people up the mountains. Also, One-Dot has horns to help him dig for food in the Tibetan snow. His fat, skin, and thick hair keep him warm. His hair can also be used to make hats, sacks, and rugs. Last, the animal has two toes on his hooves so he can grip rocks and follow paths up the mountains.
Teacher Note
Consider modeling how to read the words One-Dot and Tibet. Students may benefit from the additional practice with these names.
Also, consider sharing the map on the title page. It may be beneficial to point out that this book is set in Tibet, a region on the continent of Asia. Showing students the map will help them identify which continent is the setting for this set of books.
World Connection
Domesticated yaks can be found in Asia wherever people live at higher elevations, mainly in Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Nepal, and Tibet. Many families in these areas keep domesticated yaks as working animals.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
back
big dot
fat fit
lot
on
ox path sit
thick
this
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and
has he
his
I is
my of top
up
zag zig
one
the
to
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
hair horns skin
Notes:
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is continent. This word is continent. Say it with me: continent. The word continent can mean “a very large area of land that often includes many countries.” The family lives on the continent of Asia. Continent. Say it with me: continent. Other Recurring Content Words: create, habitat, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What is a continent?
A continent is a very large area of land.
Which continent is the setting for this book? The setting for this book is the continent of Asia. Point to the continent of Asia on the map in this book.
Here is the continent of Asia (title page).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is fit. In this book, the word fit means “right for certain work or activities.” One-Dot is fit for life in Tibet (pp. 2–3).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: hair, horns, ox, path, skin, zag, zig
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is lug. In this book, the word lug means “to carry or pull heavy items or people.” The ox’s job is to lug the pack up the mountain (p. 5). Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: fat, grip, job, life, pack, sack, skin, warm
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the characters in this book?
The characters in this book are a girl and One-Dot.
What is the setting? The setting is cold, snowy mountains. The setting is Tibet, a place in Asia.
What actions happen in this text? One-Dot lugs the girl up the mountain. One-Dot digs for grass. He zigs and zags up the path.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
title page Asia looks big. Asia is the largest continent on Earth. It is also home to the most people. More than half the people on Earth live in Asia.
opposite page 1 One-Dot has a spot on his face. Tibetan families often have large herds of Tibetan oxen, or yaks. To keep track of them, families name their yaks based on what the animals look like. The names vary, but some may be based on the yak’s spots, tail length, or hoof color.
6–7 One-Dot has long horns. Yak horns can be from about one to three feet long. The horns help yaks dig through deep snow so they can eat the grass and plants buried below.
11 She is standing on a rug made from One-Dot’s hair. Yaks have several layers of hair to keep them warm. People collect the hair yaks shed and use it to make different items. They use the strong outer layer of hair to make ropes and rugs.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Vocabulary | Expanding Vocabulary When we expand our vocabulary, we learn new words. This book describes how One-Dot is “fit for life in Tibet.” The word fit means “made for specific work.” One-Dot’s body is right for working and living in cold, snowy mountains.
Point out the illustration and reread pages 4 and 5. Ask: “How does One-Dot’s size make him a good fit for Tibet?”
Then ask: “What other body parts did you learn about? How do these body parts make One-Dot a good fit for Tibet?”
Encourage students to use the illustrations and text on pages 6–9 and 12–13 to support their thinking.
Vocabulary | Identifying Opposites Opposites are two words that are as different as can be from one another. For example, in this book, the author writes, “His job is to lug the pack up, up, up.” In this sentence, One-Dot is going up. Up and down are opposites because the words have completely different meanings.
Read aloud page 7 and ask: “What is the opposite of strong?”
Then read aloud page 10 and ask: “What is the opposite of thick?”
If students need extra support, consider providing examples of items that are strong and weak, and thick and thin.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main character, One-Dot. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
BRUSH & INK
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 3: Asia, Book 2 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 94% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5 Brush & Ink
written by Melissa Thomson illustrations by Eric Puybaret
Book Summary
A narrator practices Chinese calligraphy, a special type of writing. Getting the strokes right is difficult, and he makes mistakes. His grandmother teaches him the steps and encourages him to work carefully and slowly. She also gives him a set of calligraphy tools that has been in their family for generations. To thank her, the narrator uses his new set to create a 10-stroke character that means “family.”
Teacher Note
Consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before beginning the book to provide more context about calligraphy. In Chinese calligraphy, many characters stand for whole words. For example, on page 5, a picture of a sun is placed underneath the calligraphy character for sun to support students in making this connection.
It may also be helpful to model how to read grandma and family. Students may benefit from practice with these words.
Also, note that this book uses onomatopoeia to represent the calligraphy brush strokes in an accessible way for students. In addition, in this book, the words wish and whish are homophones, words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings.
World Connection
In ancient China, young men were expected to learn the four arts: music (qin), chess (qi), calligraphy (shu), and painting (hua).
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
box
dab
dip dot gob had
it
not quick rub
rush
thick
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and as
do for
I this
us
whip whish
is
me
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
am gift her
Notes:
wish
yuck
one
you
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is create. This word is create. Say it with me: create. The word create can mean “to make something new.” The boy works hard to create a gift for his grandma. Create. Say it with me: create. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, habitat, travel, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to create?
In this book, to create means to make something new.
In this book, what does the boy create? In this book, the boy creates a gift for his grandma. Point to an example of the boy creating calligraphy in this book. Here is a picture of the boy creating a gift (pp. 10–13).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is dip. In this book, the word dip means “to lower down and bring back up quickly.” The boy needs to dip the brush on the paper (p. 4).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: dab, gob, rush, yuck
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is jab. In this book, the word jab means “to push or poke quickly.” At first, he starts to jab his brush (p. 1).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: art, dash, job, nod, plan, set
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the characters in this book?
The characters in this book are a boy and his grandmother.
What is the setting? The setting is a house. The setting is China.
What is the problem? The problem is that the boy is learning calligraphy and it is hard. The problem is that the boy is rushing and making mistakes.
What is the resolution?
The resolution is that the boy works carefully to improve his calligraphy.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
opposite page 1
3
7 Brushes and paint are on the table.
The boy and his grandma are holding the brush together.
No ink bottle is in the gift box. Each item has a label to tell us what it is. An ink stone is a small stone bowl. Traditionally, calligraphers made their own ink by mixing dried ink and water on the ink stone. Today, some calligraphers pour small amounts of bottled ink onto the ink stone.
The grandmother is helping the boy hold the brush in the correct position. It is important to hold the brush upright, or vertically, when writing Chinese calligraphy.
The grandmother gives the boy a very old box of calligraphy tools. Instead of ink in a bottle, traditional calligraphers used a solid ink stick. They would rub this stick on the rough part of the ink stone and combine it with water to make ink.
14 The word family has only one letter. In English, most words have more than one letter, and the letters stand for different sounds. In Chinese, a single character can stand for a whole word. This character means both “family” and “home.”
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Fluency | Noticing Quotation Marks Quotation marks are punctuation marks that authors use to show that a character is speaking. In this book, the characters are a boy and his grandma. When you see the first quotation mark, you know that a character is beginning to speak. When you see the second quotation mark, you know the character is finished talking.
Reread page 3 and point out the quotation marks. Ask: “Who is speaking on this page?”
Then ask: “Can you find other examples of quotation marks in this book?”
Examples of quotations marks can be found on pages 5, 7, and 14.
Text Features | Using Diagrams Diagrams use pictures to show a process or the parts of something.
On pages 10–13, the diagram shows the steps for making a calligraphy character. The numbers tell the order, or sequence, of each mark being made.
Ask: “Can you point to the first mark the boy makes?”
Then ask: “How many steps does the boy take to create this calligraphy character?”
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main character, the boy. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
FLOATING MARKET
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 3: Asia, Book 3 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 93% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
Floating Market
written by Emily Goodson illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight
Book Summary
The narrator and his mom shop at a floating market in Thailand. As they walk around the market, they see vendors in their boats, bobbing in the water and selling their goods. The characters first buy fish and lemongrass. Then, the narrator chooses a bun while his mom selects a crab. They also buy a bag of shrimp. Next, they pick out fresh fruit and eat some hot soup. Finally, the characters walk home with all their goods.
Teacher Note
Students may benefit from discussion of text-based vocabulary: crab, lemongrass, shrimp, and tom yum soup. Additional vocabulary practice supports students’ language development, fluency, and comprehension.
Note that this book provides an opportunity for more advanced students to read the adult-read parts with assistance.
Also, consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before reading this book to provide more context about the floating markets of Bangkok, Thailand.
World Connection
Markets are common throughout the continent of Asia. There are street markets and floating markets. Some markets are open during the day, and others are only open at night. The market featured in this book is modeled after the Amphawa Floating Market near Bangkok, Thailand.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
at
back
big bob
bun
check chop cut
dish
dock
fish
get hot
in
it
men
Mom
pick pop pot shop
sun
them
then up
zag zig
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and
are for
from
I is
of
one the
they
we
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
crab grab picks yells
Notes:
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is travel. This word is travel. Say it with me: travel. The word travel can mean “to go from one place to another, sometimes close by and other times far away.” The boy and his mom travel back home after they finish shopping. Travel. Say it with me: travel. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, habitat, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to travel?
To travel means to go from one place to another.
In this book, where do the boy and his mom travel?
The boy and his mom travel around the market. They travel back home after they finish shopping. Point to an example of the characters traveling in this book.
Here, the boy and his mom are traveling by walking across a bridge (front cover, p. 14).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is dock. In this book, the word dock means “a place in the water where boats can be tied up.” The boy and his mom shop at the dock (p. 1). Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: bun, check, dish, pop, shop, zig-zag
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is bob. In this book, the word bob means “to make an up and down movement.” The boats bob in the water (p. 2).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: boats, bunch, cash, dab, dash, deck, dock, fresh, pop, sack, shrimp
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the characters in this book?
The characters in this book are a boy and his mom. The characters in this book are the people in boats selling food.
What is the setting? The setting is a dock. The setting is a floating market. The setting is Asia.
What are the major events? The boy and his mom go to the dock to shop at the floating market. They buy fish, lemongrass, a bun, a crab, a bag of shrimp, and fresh fruit. The boy and his mom eat tom yum soup and walk home with their food.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
5 That must be lemongrass. Lemongrass is tall, thick grass. The thick bottom part is used in many Thai foods. It is an ingredient in tom yum soup and is used to flavor tea and other dishes.
6
8 The boy is holding a bun. Many desserts are sold at the floating market, such as buns filled with sweet bean paste, grilled bananas, and sticky rice with mango.
That fruit is a reddishorange color. Gấc fruit grows in southeastern Asia. It has a very mild flavor similar to a squash. The intense red inside of the fruit can be used to flavor and add color to a sweet coconut rice dish.
10 The pot looks steaming hot. Many vendors prepare and cook their food in hot pots or on grills right on their boats.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Vocabulary | Categorizing Words When we sort, or categorize, words or phrases, we group similar words. Many words in this book have to do with boats. One example is dock.
Ask: “What other words in this book have to do with boats?”
Examples include bob, deck, and wet.
Style and Conventions | Identifying Adjectives Adjectives are words that describe people, places, or things.
On page 6, the adjective big is used to describe a crab.
Reread page 9 and ask: “What adjectives are used to describe the fruit?” Examples include fresh and red.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the setting of this book. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
NIGHT CLIMB
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 3: Asia, Book 4 Literary Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 100% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
Night Climb
written by Lior Klirs illustrations by John Joven
Book Summary
The narrator and her father set out to climb Mount Fuji in Japan. They pick up their packs and hike up the path, sometimes stopping to rest. When the sun sets, they stop at a hut to nap, and the narrator dreams of reaching the top of Mount Fuji. It is still dark when the father and daughter wake up to finish their journey. Zig-zagging up the mountain through thick fog, they make it to the top just in time to see the sunrise.
Teacher Note
Consider modeling how to read the title Night Climb and explaining that another word for climbing is hiking. Also, consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before beginning this book to provide more context about Mount Fuji.
Note that this book provides an opportunity for more advanced students to read the adult-read parts with assistance.
It may also be helpful to note that this book uses descriptive language that may be unfamiliar to students. Students may benefit from a discussion of the meaning of phrases such as “the air is thin” and “a thick fog begins to lift” on page 11.
World Connection
While Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan, the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, is also on the continent of Asia.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
bag bit
Dad
dash
did get hush
hut
in
it lug
nap pack path quick rock
set
sun
tap then top
up
zag zig
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and for
from has
I my the
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5 not applicable in this text
Notes:
to
we
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is travel. This word is travel. Say it with me: travel. The word travel can mean “to go from one place to another, sometimes close by and other times far away.” The girl and her father travel up Mount Fuji. Travel. Say it with me: travel. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, habitat, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to travel?
To travel means to go from one place to another.
In this book, where do the girl and her father travel?
The girl and her father travel to the top of
Mount Fuji by hiking. Point to an example of the characters traveling in this book.
Here, the characters are hiking (pp. 2, 4). This picture shows all the hikers traveling to the top of the mountain (pp. 10–11).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is hut. In this book, the word hut means “a building used for shelter or storage.” The girl and her father dash to the hut to sleep when the sun sets (p. 5).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: bit, dash, hush, lug, zag, zig
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is dim. In this book, the word dim means “having very little light.” The sky is dim at the top of the mountain before the sun rises (pp. 10–11).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: air, ash, begins, cot, dream, fog, lift, melted, pack, yuck
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who are the characters in this book?
The characters in this book are a girl and her father. The characters in this book are people climbing a mountain.
What is the setting? The setting is a mountain. The setting is Mount Fuji. The setting is Asia.
What is the problem? The problem is the girl and her father have to climb a big mountain.
What is the resolution?
The resolution is they make it to the top of the mountain. After taking a few breaks, they keep climbing and make it to the top of Mount Fuji.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
title page
3 The red part of the map is separate from the blue part.
A building is on the mountain.
10–11 It is dark out.
12–13 They are looking out at the sun and clouds. The reddish area on the map is the country of Japan. It is made of four large islands and many small islands. An island is an area of land surrounded by water.
These buildings provide snacks, shelter, and places to sleep for people who are hiking up Mount Fuji. Climbing Mount Fuji can take five to seven hours, depending on where you begin.
To see the sunrise from the summit, hikers must wake up in the middle of the night. They try to get to the top by about 4 a.m. The Japanese have a special name for the sunrise as seen from the top of a mountain such as Mount Fuji: goraiko.
Because Mount Fuji is so tall, hikers can often look down on clouds below when they arrive at the top.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Fluency | Noticing Punctuation Exclamation points are punctuation marks that appear at the end of sentences or phrases. Authors can use exclamation points to show excitement.
Ask: “Can you find a sentence or phrase that ends in an exclamation point?”
Encourage students to practice reading the phrases or sentences fluently and with excitement to a partner. Exclamatory child-read phrases or sentences appear on pages 1–2, 4, 10, and 14.
Vocabulary | Categorizing Words When we sort, or categorize, words or phrases, we group similar words. Many words in this book have to do with hiking or climbing mountains. One example is the word path.
Ask: “What other words in this book have to do with climbing mountains?”
Examples include bag, cot, hat, hut, and pack. It may be helpful to note that bag in this book refers to a sleeping bag.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main character, the girl. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
MAP TO THE PAST
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 4: Exploring, Book 1 Informational Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 92% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
MAP TO THE PAST
BY CARA SENNOTT
ILLUSTRATED BY ALEX PATERSON
Book Summary
Maps show us how the world looks. People have made maps of the whole world and maps of continents and countries. A map of North America includes the United States. State maps have dots that represent cities. A map of the state of Minnesota shows the location of specific places, like the city of Minneapolis. Lines on a Minneapolis map show roads through the city. University maps show roads, too, and also how to find important buildings, including libraries. Inside libraries, there are even more maps. Some, like the Carta Marina, are from long ago and can teach us about the past.
Teacher Note
Consider modeling how to read city, state, and U.S. Also note that in this book, U.S. stands for United States.
For more information on the map from the past featured on pages 12–14, consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover). In addition, students may benefit from pausing to think about how they would respond to the question on page 14 after reading this book.
World Connection
Cartography is the science of making maps. Mapmakers are known as cartographers. One of the oldest world maps still in existence is the Imago Mundi. It was carved on clay tablets by ancient Babylonians and shows their understanding of the world at the time it was created, about 2,600 years ago.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
it
lot map
on path pick
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and do
has is
of this
U.S.
one
the
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
city paths see state
Notes:
which
with
you
what
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is world. This word is world. Say it with me: world. The word world can mean “the earth and all it contains.” The world is round, but maps are flat. World. Say it with me: world. Other Recurring Content Words: create, continent, habitat, travel
Word Discussion Questions What is the world?
The world is the earth and all it contains.
Point to the world map in this book. Here is the map of the world (title page, p. 1). What continents do you see on the world map, and what do you know about those places? I see Australia. I know that the Great Barrier Reef is near there. I see Africa. I know that cheetahs and leopards live there. I see Asia. I know that Mount Fuji is there.
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is map. In this book, the word map means “a picture or diagram of a specific place, usually drawn or printed on a flat surface.” The world is round, but the map is flat (p. 1). Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is past. In this book, the word past means “a time before now.” There are maps from back in the past (p. 13).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: city, state Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: back, buildings, cities, flat, library, round, shape, ship
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined.
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
What is this book about?
This book is about maps.
What key details tell you more about this topic? There are maps of all different types of places, like the world or states and cities. The dots on state maps are cities, and the lines on city maps are roads. There are maps from back in the past.
What actions happen in this text? The girl looks at different maps. The girl uses a map to find a library. The girl studies a map from the past.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
2–3 She is pointing to the map.
4–5 The map has a key, like the one on the first page of this book. This is a map showing parts of North America. It shows the United States, Canada, and Mexico. She is pointing to Minnesota because this book features a map of the state and also a map of Minneapolis, a city in the state.
A key is a chart that shows what different symbols stand for. On this map, a dot stands for a city, and a blue line stands for a river. In this book’s key, a triangle stands for child-read text, and a circle stands for adult-read text.
10–11 That building must be the library on the map.
12–13 The map has a lot of details. This is the Andersen Library on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Another library called the Bell Library is on the ground floor of this building. The Bell Library has a special collection of very old books and maps.
This map, called the Carta Marina, was lost for many years—but a copy was found in 1886, and a second copy was found about 75 years later. The copy shown here was made in 1949. It was colored by hand.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Structure | Noticing Repeated Language Noticing words, phrases, or sentences that are repeated can help you understand the big idea or main topic in books.
Reread pages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 13. Ask: “What phrase did you hear repeated?”
Encourage students to discuss how the maps in this book are the same and how they are different.
If students need extra support, consider turning to the pages that highlight the different types of maps and then asking students to describe the illustrations.
Text Features | Using Maps Maps are pictures or diagrams of specific places, usually drawn or printed on a flat surface. Maps use symbols and words to show where things are located.
On pages 2 and 3, there is a map showing the U.S., or the United States. It is a map of a country, and it shows the shape of states.
Reread pages 4 and 5 and point out the illustration of the state map. Ask: “What are the dots on this map?”
Reread pages 6 and 7 and point out the illustration of the city map. Ask: “What are the lines on this map?”
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Choose an illustration that taught you something new. Tell what you learned. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
SIT AND PAINT
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 4: Exploring, Book 2 Literary Nonfiction Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 95% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
Sit and Paint
Featuring the Art of Marianne North
by Tree Liberatore • illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight
Book Summary
A painter, Marianne North, wished to travel the world and paint what she saw. Back then, North had to take slow ships to travel from place to place. Once she arrived, she would set up her supplies and begin to paint. She painted the plants, flowers, and landmarks, adding rich colors to her work. In place after place, North repeated this process to create a collection of paintings from around the world.
Teacher Note
Consider modeling how to read the title, Sit and Paint.
Note that this book provides an opportunity for more advanced students to read the adult-read parts with assistance.
Also, consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before reading this book to provide more context about Marianne North.
World Connection
A botanist is a scientist who studies flowers and plants. Marianne North did not study botany formally, but some of her paintings helped botanists discover new plants.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
back
bug dab
dash
did
dip dot
get hop hot
it
jet map mix
not
on
pad pick pod
pop quick red
rich
shot sit
tap that
this
up
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and
by is
of
she the
to
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
lily paint pink
Notes:
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is world. This word is world. Say it with me: world. The word world can mean “the earth and all it contains.” Marianne North traveled the world to paint. World. Say it with me: world. Other Recurring Content Words: create, continent, habitat, travel
Word Discussion Questions What is the world?
The world is the earth and all it contains.
Which part of the world is the setting for this book?
The setting for this book is all over the world. Point to the world map in this book. Here is the map of the world (title page).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is pad. In this book, the word pad means “the leaf of a water plant.” The bug was near the pad (p. 10).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: dab, dip, jet, lily, paint, pod, pop, shot
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is rich. In this book, the word rich means “having a deep quality.” She painted plants with rich colors (p. 7).
Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: lit, plant, slow, spot, trap
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who is this book about?
This book is about a painter.
What is the setting? The settings are jungles and forests all over the world.
What are the major events? The painter traveled the world on a ship. She went to different spots to paint plants and flowers.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
4 Paint is on the plate. This is a painter’s palette. Artists use palettes to mix and hold their paints.
8–9 Men with red hats are on one side of the painting.
13 That plant looks like it has a mouth.
14 A mountain is in the clouds. The men in red hats are carrying Marianne North in a chair. She was often sick and needed to be carried during her travels.
This plant is called Nementhes northiana, or “Miss North’s pitcher plant.” It survives by capturing insects inside the cup-shaped leaf. It was named after Marianne North because she was the first person to illustrate this plant.
This is a painting of Mount Fuji in Japan. This is the same mountain the girl and her father climb in the book Night Climb.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Text Features | Identifying Labels Labels are words or sentences that name, or identify, something in a photograph or illustration. The labels in this book tell where the painter painted each picture.
Read aloud the label on page 6 as students point to the picture. Ask: “Where did she paint this picture?”
Encourage students to locate other labels in this book. Read aloud each label as it is identified.
Vocabulary | Categorizing Words When we sort, or categorize, words or phrases, we group similar words. Many words in this book have to do with painting. One example is dip.
Ask: “What other words in this book have to do with painting?”
Examples include color, dab, dash, mix, pink, and red.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main person, painter Marianne North. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
TAP-TAP TO TUK-TUK
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 4: Exploring, Book 3 Informational Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 93% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
by Mamie Goodson • illustrations by Sarah Green
Book Summary
People use many different modes of transportation to travel. In Haiti, some people take buses called tap-taps to move about the city. Sometimes dog sleds carry people and goods in Alaska, while people in Costa Rica may use zip lines. In Thailand, cabs called tuk-tuks transport people and their belongings.
Teacher Note
Students may benefit from discussion of text-based vocabulary: cab, bus, dog sled, jet, tap-tap, tuk-tuk, van, and zip line. Note that tuk-tuk is not an English word so the final /k/ sound is made with a k instead of ck.
Also, consider mentioning that this book contains ellipses. An ellipsis is a punctuation mark of three dots that indicates a pause. Students may need additional support to recognize that an ellipsis is different from a period.
In addition, students may benefit from pausing to think about how they would respond to the question on page 13 after reading this book.
World Connection
Transportation is the way people, goods, and other items move from place to place. Unique modes of transportation can be found all over the world. The environment or landscape often influences the type of transportation used. For example, in Venice, Italy, a city filled with canals, some people use water taxis to get around—while in New York City, some people take a ferry to get to and from the city.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
bus
but
cab
check
dog get hat
hop hummm
in
it
job lock
lot lug not
on
pack pick
run
shop tap that
this
tuk
up whish
whiz zag zig zip
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
and from
is or
the they to
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
all can dogs line
Notes:
you
sled
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is travel. This word is travel. Say it with me: travel. The word travel can mean “to go from one place to another, sometimes close by and other times far away.” People around the globe travel in different ways. Travel. Say it with me: travel. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, habitat, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to travel?
To travel means to go from one place to another.
In this book, how do people travel? Some people in Haiti travel on buses called tap-taps. People in Alaska can travel on dog sleds. People in Costa Rica may travel by zip lines. Some people in Thailand travel in tuk-tuks. Point to an example of people traveling in this book.
Here is a person traveling on a dog sled (p. 7). In this illustration, a person is traveling on a zip line (pp. 8–9).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is hop. In this book, the word hop means “to go quickly.” You can hop in a cab, on a bus, in a van, or on a jet to travel to places (p. 1). Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: cab, check, job, lug, pack, sled, zag, zig
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is lush. In this book, the word lush means “thick, full, and healthy.” The zip line goes over the lush forest top (p. 9). Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: bud, fit, lit, rich, sack, sloth, spot, zip
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
What is this book about?
This book is about how people travel in different places. The book is about tap-taps, dog sleds, zip lines, and tuk-tuks.
What key details tell you more about this topic? A tap-tap is a bus and a piece of art. Tuk-tuks are small cabs that can pack a lot.
What actions happen in this text? People in Haiti take a tap-tap to go to their jobs. A dog pack pulls a sled across the snow in Alaska. A woman rides a zip line through the forest in Costa Rica.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page(s) Things to Notice More to Discuss
2–3 This is a map of the whole world. This map is similar to the map on the title page. The lines and labels highlight the locations featured in this book.
5 That bus is very colorful. In Haiti, few people own cars, so many take shared buses like this tap-tap from place to place. Tap-tap translates to “quick-quick.” But because bus drivers wait until the tap-taps are completely full to leave each stop, the buses do not get around town very fast.
6–7 Dogs are pulling a person on a sled. The Arctic is covered with snow for much of the year. Dog sleds have been used to transport people and goods in the Arctic for more than 1,000 years. Today, dog sledding, or “mushing,” is also a popular sport.
8–9 That zip line looks like it would be fun to ride. Scientists sometimes use zip lines to explore the animal and plant life at the top layer, or canopy, of the rain forest.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Vocabulary | Clarifying Multiple-Meaning Words Some words can be used in different ways. The word fit can have different meanings. It can mean “made for specific work,” such as in the book One-Dot or on page 7 in this book. Fit can also mean “to be the correct size or shape for a space,” such as on page 11 in this book.
The word pack can also have different meanings. It can be a noun that means “a group of similar animals, people, or items.” It can also be a verb that means “to fill a space with a lot of people or objects.”
Reread page 7 and ask: “What does the word pack mean in the sentence ‘But the pack is fit and quick’?”
Then reread page 11 and ask: “What does the word pack mean in the sentence ‘This cab is not big, but it can pack a lot’?”
Encourage students to use the other words and the illustrations to determine the meanings of pack.
Text Features | Using Maps Maps are pictures or diagrams of specific places, usually drawn or printed on a flat surface. Maps use symbols and words to show where things are located.
On pages 12 and 13, a map shows the places where each type of transportation is used. Each location is labeled and has a photograph of a type of transportation that is used there.
Read aloud the names of each location as students follow along. After reading each name, encourage students to find the corresponding type of transportation in the book by looking for an illustration that matches each photograph.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Choose an illustration that taught you something new. Tell what you learned. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
SKY LAPS
Wit & Wisdom® Grade K Module 4: The Continents Set 4: Exploring, Book 4 Literary Nonfiction Duet Book
Fundations® Focus Concept: VC and CVC Words with Digraphs 90% Decodable at Fundations® Level K, Unit 5
by Launie Gardner illustrated by Juan M. Moreno
Book Summary
The narrator, astronaut John Glenn, prepares to launch into space in his rocket ship. During his first lap, he sees the sun set and a lightning storm. During his second lap, a problem makes the ship hard to steer. After lap three, the narrator returns home and lands safely in the ocean.
Teacher Note
Students may benefit from discussion of text-based vocabulary: liftoff, pad, and ship. Additional vocabulary practice supports students’ language development, fluency, and comprehension.
Consider sharing the More section (on the inside back cover) before reading this book to provide more context about John Glenn’s voyage on the Friendship 7. Also, consider noting that the word astronaut means “a person who travels into space.” Some content-specific words such as astronaut were not included in the book to keep the text more accessible. In addition, the “snag” mentioned on page 9 was due to a mechanical problem, which resulted in Glenn’s having to use a different steering system.
World Connection
On February 20, 1962, John Glenn, at age 40, became the first American astronaut to orbit Earth. On October 29, 1998, at age 77, he became the oldest human to travel in space.
Fundations® Alignment | Featured in Child-Read Text
ack
back
bit
get in lap lid
lit
on
pad quick set
ship sit
that
Fundations® Trick Words through Level K, Unit 5
a
as for
from I
is
up whip whiz
with
zap
my the
Words Not Yet Decodable in Fundations® through Level K, Unit 5
am go last sky
Notes:
zip
to
was
trip
Oral Recurring Content Words Discussion Guide
Word Routine One of the words important to the ideas in this book is travel. This word is travel. Say it with me: travel. The word travel can mean “to go from one place to another, sometimes close by and other times far away.” John Glenn was the first American astronaut to travel around Earth in space. Travel. Say it with me: travel. Other Recurring Content Words: continent, create, habitat, world
Word Discussion Questions What does it mean to travel?
To travel means to go from one place to another.
In this book, how did John Glenn travel? John Glenn traveled in a rocket ship. Point to an example of a person traveling in this book.
Here Glenn is traveling in outer space (pp. 2, 5, 9, 11).
Vocabulary Practice: Child-Read Words Vocabulary Practice: Adult-Read Words
Using your knowledge of students’ vocabulary, select a limited number of words to introduce within the context of the book. If the word is decodable,* have students first read the word aloud.
Let’s talk about one of the words in this book. This word is ship. In this book, the word ship means “a large craft for carrying people and goods.” The ship lifts off (p. 1).
Additional Child-Read Vocabulary: bit, lap, lid, lit, pad, whiz, zap, zip
*Note that decodable vocabulary words are underlined. Let’s talk about another word in this book. This word is snag. In this book, the word snag means “a sudden problem.” The second lap hit a snag (p. 9). Additional Adult-Read Vocabulary: bob, jet, less, liftoff
Comprehension Discussion Guide
To support students in retelling, consider discussing the following questions:
Who is this book about?
This book is about a person who travels into space on a rocket ship. This book is about an astronaut named John Glenn.
What is the setting? The setting is a rocket ship in outer space.
What are the major events? The astronaut goes to outer space in a rocket ship to fly around Earth. He has a problem during the second lap. He makes it around Earth three times and then goes back home.
Notes:
Image Discussion Guide
Possible Opening Questions What do you notice about the images? What do you wonder? What can you learn from the images? How do the images build your knowledge?
Page Things to Notice More to Discuss
1 The top of the rocket has a blue outline next to it. The blue outline shows the Friendship 7, the capsule in which Glenn orbited Earth. The rocket below helped to launch the capsule into orbit.
3 Three people are looking at a big screen.
11 The brown box has a lot of numbers on it. This is an illustration of NASA’s Mercury Control Center. The front wall had a large map showing all the tracking stations around the world. Special equipment allowed scientists to track the path of the capsule and keep in touch with Glenn while he was in orbit.
This shows the elapsed time, or how long Glenn was in orbit. It took 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds for him to circle Earth three times.
12 The water by the capsule looks green.
When the capsule landed in the ocean, water mixed with dyes inside a bag attached to the capsule. The green dye helped the air searchers spot the capsule while the black dye repelled sharks.
Notes:
Teachable Moments
Vocabulary | Clarifying Multiple-Meaning Words Some words can be used in different ways. The word jet can have different meanings. It can mean “a fast airplane,” such as in the book Tap-Tap to Tuk-Tuk. Jet can also mean “to move very quickly,” such as on page 5 in this book.
The word hit can also have different meanings. It can mean “to smack against something.” It can also mean “to happen suddenly.”
Reread page 9 and ask: “What does the word hit mean in the sentence ‘The lap has hit a snag’?” If needed, remind students that in this sentence the word snag means “a problem.”
Encourage students to use the other words and the illustrations to determine the meaning of hit.
Text Features | Using Diagrams Diagrams use pictures to show a process or the parts of something. On pages 4, 8, and 10, the diagrams show the astronaut’s laps around Earth.
Reread pages 4, 8, and 10 as students move their fingers along the path of the astronaut’s rocket ship.
Ask: “How many laps did the astronaut make?”
Then ask: “What happened on each lap?”
Encourage students to use the illustrations and text on pages 4–5 and 8–11 to support their thinking.
Response Journal Ideas
Depending on students’ readiness, they may draw, dictate, label, or write their responses.
Use details to describe the main character, astronaut John Glenn. Choose a word you learned from this book. Draw a picture to show what it means. Write the word to label your drawing.
