LEVEL 5 — LESSON 25
AchieveReading
(Drawing Conclusions) Say: “Which invention do you think was most valuable to the growth of our country? Explain your answer.” (Answers will vary.)
Comprehension Skill/Vocabulary Skill Focus Skill: Character Analysis
Introduce and define the comprehension/vocabulary skill Say: “Today we are going to learn how to describe and analyze a character in a story. Most stories are about people, so writers like to describe the character so that the reader can ‘see’ the person. Sometimes authors use words like ‘kind’ or ‘scared’ to describe people in a story, and sometimes a reader must figure out what people are like from how they act or how others respond to them. In the sentence I’m going to read, the writer gives the reader clues. Listen for what the father looks like, his appearance. What words tell us how the father looks?” Teacher: Read aloud the following sentence: When he hugged my mother and me together, he could grasp his hands on his elbows, his arms were that big.
Say: “What did the father look like?” (big, huge, like a bear, etc.)
Say: “What does his action say to you about him?” (Perhaps he’s affectionate and playful, since he’s hugging both mom and child together.)
Say: “Writers develop their characters through talk or dialogue, actions, and insights into their thoughts and feelings, as well as through physical description. Looking for clues in the story will help you to better understand the character.” Comprehension/Vocabulary skill lesson Say: “We are now going to look for clues the writer has given us to help us better understand the three inventors we have just read about.” Teacher: Write the following names on the board and have students do the same in their composition books. Eli Whitney Cyrus Hall McCormick Robert Fulton
Say: “With a partner, find clues in the story that describe each person. Write down words the author used to describe each man and what they did.” (Example: Eli Whitney: great skill, first to make mass production work) Teacher: When students are done, review answers.
AchieveReading
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