Guided Reading Handbook Copper to Topaz

True Life Survival Book band: Copper A non-fiction recount of three true-life stories of survival: on a sailing trip, a flight, and in a tsunami.

Skills focus • 2d Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text • 2e Predict what might happen from details stated and implied

• 2g Identify/explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases • Reading aloud with fluency and expression

Guided reading session Skills focus

You will need

• 2d Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text

• Multiple copies of Collins Big Cat True Life Survival • Dictionaries

Tune in Ask children to read the title of the book.

Ask: • What does the title tell you about the book? (The words ‘True Life’ mean it is real life/non-fiction.)

• What does ‘survival’ mean? (staying alive in difficult circumstances) • What do you think is happening in the pictures on the front and back covers? (The pilot is ejecting from the aeroplane and parachuting to Earth.)

• Which do you think took place first? (The pilot ejected before parachuting.)

Ask children to read the contents page with their Reading Partner and predict which chapter will be about the pilot from the front cover. Take feedback from the discussions, asking children to support their predictions with evidence and reasoning.

Turn to the contents page and think aloud about what you infer from each of the chapter titles. Turn to page 14, ‘The man who rode thunder’, to test everyone’s inferences and predictions.

Heads together Read pages 2 and 3 to children, modelling fluency and expression.

• What do you think would have happened if William had stayed in the aeroplane? (William would have been unable to control the aeroplane because the engine had stopped working.)

• Why do you think the author wrote four questions on page 18? (Because it helps us to understand what William was thinking and how anxious/ confused he was feeling.)

Fast finishers Ask children to find the word ‘hurled’ on page 18.

Encourage them to read the sentence in which it appears and try to explain the meaning of the word from its context. Encourage them to check the definition by looking in a dictionary. Provide them with the following words, asking them to decide which is not a synonym of ‘hurled’: ‘thrown’, ‘tossed’, ‘winched’.

Wrap up Ask children to turn to page 16. Read aloud from the heading ‘Under pressure’ to the end of the page.

Ask: What does the heading ‘Under pressure’ suggest? (The pilot was suffering the effects of different air pressure, and was under pressure to make a decision and save his life.)

Ask children to read ‘The man who rode thunder’ (pages 14 to 18) quietly to themselves. As they read, move around the group, asking them to ‘turn up the volume’ as you listen to each of them read.

Reread the sentence ‘William cartwheeled down and down.’

Ask the following questions, encouraging children to justify their responses: • What was William’s job? (testing fighter planes)

Draw children’s attention to the way the author has used similes when describing what was happening to William in the first paragraph. (His eyes felt as though they were being ripped out…William’s face and

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Ask: What does this sentence tell us about the way William was falling?

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Big Cat Guided Reading Handbook: Copper to Topaz stomach swelled like balloons.) Explain that this helps to make the descriptions more vivid so that we can relate to what was happening to William.

Turn to page 18, asking children to read the first paragraph. Ask what they notice about how the author describes what the wind does to William.

Ask: Do you think that this is exactly what happened?

Ask them to explain what it means in their own words. (William’s breath was taken away by the strength of the wind.)

Explain to children that sometimes authors use language in this way to make non-human things, like the wind, sound human. If appropriate, explain that we call this technique ‘personification’ and the effect is that the description is much clearer.

Ask: Why do you think the author chose to use descriptions in the way we have seen today? (because we haven’t experienced what William went through, so it helps us to understand what happened and how he felt)

Independent reading sessions Skills focus

You will need

• 2d Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text • Reading aloud with fluency and expression

• Multiple copies of Collins Big Cat True Life Survival • Reading Journals

You are reading True Life Survival.

Tell your Reading Partner about what has happened so far in “The man who rode thunder”. Read to the end of the chapter together.

Discuss these questions: ●

How many challenges did William overcome?

●

Which challenge do you think tested him the most? Explain why.

●

Do you think William flew an aeroplane again? Explain why you think this.

Write your answers in your Reading Journal.

You are reading True Life Survival.

In your group, read “Sailing solo”, taking turns to read a page. Use the punctuation to help you read with expression. Check the meaning of the bold words by using the glossary.

Discuss these questions: ●

What did Steven have with him in the raft?

●

What do you think Steven did with the rainwater he collected?

Draw a timeline to show what happened to Steven and when.

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Big Cat Guided Reading Handbook: Copper to Topaz

You are reading True Life Survival.

In your group, read “Tsunami!”, taking turns to read a page.

Discuss these questions: ●

Why do you think the people didn’t take any notice of Tilly to start with?

●

What did you learn about tsunamis from the recount?

Write your answers in your Reading Journal.

You are reading True Life Survival.

Talk to your Reading Partner about the whole book.

Which story did you like most and why?

Talk about the part nature played in each of the stories.

Imagine being Steven, William or Tilly and explain how you would have felt at different points in their story.

Write your ideas in your Reading Journal.

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Big Cat Guided Reading Handbook: Copper to Topaz

Vocabulary boost session Skills focus

You will need

• 2g Identify/explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases

• Multiple copies of Collins Big Cat True Life Survival • Reading Journals • Resource sheet: Guess my word cards for True Life Survival

Vocabulary table Focus word Brief explanation

Example sentence

Definition

precious

something valuable

The photograph of my granny is precious When something is precious, it to me. is valuable.

raw

very sore skin

My hands were raw because I’d not worn If your hands are raw, they are gloves when I played in the snow. red and sore.

swelled

became larger

I twisted my ankle and it swelled up.

scrambled

moved quickly

Children scrambled up the climbing frame If you scramble, you move in a to avoid being caught. hurried or awkward manner.

weak

not strong

The boy was too weak to carry his bag up You are weak when your the hill. muscles aren’t strong enough to move you or carry things.

When part of your body becomes larger than normal.

Tune in

Heads together

Discuss children’s responses to the stories in True Life Survival, asking them to refer to their Reading Journals to support the discussion. Encourage children to support their reasoning with relevant information from the book.

Ask children to work with their Reading Partners.

Give each pair a set of Guess my word cards from Resource sheet: Guess my word cards for True Life Survival. Explain that they should take turns to choose a card and keep it secret. They should describe the word at the top of the card to their partner without using any of the words at the bottom of the card. Once their partner has guessed the word, it is their turn to take a card and repeat the game.

Tell children they will now look at some of the words the author used in ‘Sailing solo’. Ask children to turn to page 4 and to follow as you read.

Read the chapter aloud to children, modelling reading with fluency and expression. Pause on the emboldened words, asking children to locate their definitions in the glossary. Briefly explain the meaning of each of the focus words as you read them. Write up the focus words and go through the Vocabulary boost process, using the information in the table above to help you, elaborating on their meanings by using the words in a sentence. Then give children a definition for each of the words. Challenge children, working with their Reading Partner, to use each of the focus words in a sentence, and then record the focus words, definitions and sentences in their Reading Journals.

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Wrap up Discuss the game, asking children to share some of the clues they gave and how these helped their partner to solve the word. Monitor children’s understanding of the focus words. Ask the group to choose one of the words and use it as often as they can, both at school and at home.

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Beauty and the Beast Book band: Topaz A retelling of the traditional tale by Michael Morpurgo, following the story of Belle and her befriending of a beast who has threatened her father.

Skills focus • 2a Give/explain the meaning of words in context • 2d Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text

• 2h Make comparisons within the text • Monitoring understanding

Guided reading session Skills focus

You will need

• 2d Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text • 2h Make comparisons within the text

• Multiple copies of Collins Big Cat Beauty and the Beast • Reading Journals • Generic resource sheet: Features of traditional tales

Tune in Tell children they are going to read a traditional tale called Beauty and the Beast. Show them the front cover of the book.

Ask: • Does anyone know the story?

• Can you see how the artist has used colour to link character and title?

• Can you tell me the names of any other traditional tales that you know?

Prompt as appropriate, and list on a whiteboard or flipchart.

Explain that traditional tales are often based on stories that parents used to tell their children, and that they have been passed down from one generation to another. The stories may change in the telling (note title page: ‘Retold by…’), but certain things always remain the same.

Ask: Can you think of some things that are typical of the traditional tales you know? Prompt as appropriate, and list on the whiteboard or flipchart.

Introduce Resource sheet: Features of traditional tales.

Ask children to look at the list of features, and see if there are any they have already identified. See if the list prompts any further ideas. Ask children to look out for these features while they read Beauty and the Beast, and compare what happens in the story to the list.

Heads together Read pages 3 to 5 to the group, using your best storytelling voice. When you finish, invite children to discuss what has happened.

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Ask: • What has happened to change the lives of Marco and his family? (death of wife, loss of ship) • How are the three sisters different from each other? (older sisters spoilt, and cruel to youngest, Belle; Belle kindhearted, and thinks of father, not presents) Direct them to the illustrations, and ask: • How has the artist shown the differences between the sisters? (Belle’s present unopened on page 2; contrasting position, faces on page 5) • Have you spotted any of the traditional tale features yet? (for example, change of fortune, rich/ poor, good/bad, kindness/cruelty) • Do you think the sisters are good or bad characters?

• What makes you think so?

Model looking back at the chapter to check details.

Once children have discussed the features, ask them to write the book’s title on the resource sheet. Help them decide what else to record on their copy of the resource sheet.

Wrap up Ask: What other features listed on the sheet do you expect to see later in the story? Explain the point about storytelling language, including the ‘power of three’.

Ask: Are there any examples here yet? (three daughters; silks, tapestries and spices; healthy, wealthy and happy) Ask children to read on in their independent time and to add to their record on the sheet as they read.

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Big Cat Guided Reading Handbook: Copper to Topaz

Independent reading sessions Skills focus

You will need

• 2d Make inferences from the text/ explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text • 2h Make comparisons within the text

• Multiple copies of Collins Big Cat Beauty and the Beast • Reading Journals • Partially completed copies of Generic resource sheet: Features of traditional tales

You are reading Beauty and the Beast.

Read pages 7 to 15 with your Reading Partner, taking turns to read aloud and helping each other with any unfamiliar words.

When you reach the end of page 15, stop and discuss these questions together: ● What information does Marco receive, which makes him rush off to the coast? ● What disappointment is waiting for him, when he arrives? ● What does Marco help himself to at the castle? ● What explanation does he give to the Beast? ● What promise does Marco make, in return for being allowed to leave?

Write your answers in your Reading Journal, and then share them with others in the group.

As a group, check Resource sheet: Features of traditional tales. Are there new things to add? If so, add new notes in the boxes.

You are reading Beauty and the Beast.

Read pages 16 to 22 with your Reading Partner, taking turns to read aloud and helping each other with any unfamiliar words.

When you reach the end of page 22, stop and discuss these questions together: ● Were you surprised that it was Belle who offered to go and live with the Beast? Explain your reasons. ● What promise does Belle make to the Beast? ● What magic gifts does the Beast give her, and how should she use them?

Write your answers in your Reading Journal, and then share them with others in the group. Do you agree with each other?

As a group, check Resource sheet: Features of traditional tales. Are there new things to add? If so, add new notes in the boxes. © HarperCollinsPublishers 2017

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You are reading Beauty and the Beast.

Before reading the final part of the story, discuss as a group what you think will happen when Belle returns home. ●

Will her father let her return to the Beast?

●

How will her sisters behave?

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Will Belle return to the Beast?

●

How will it all end?

Record your ideas in your Reading Journal, and then read pages 23 to 28 together. Take turns to read a paragraph and help each other with any unfamiliar words.

You are reading Beauty and the Beast.

When you have reached the end of the story, discuss these questions in your group: ●

Were you right about how Marco and the sisters treated Belle when she returned home?

●

What story does the Beast tell to Belle, to explain what happens to him?

●

How have the sisters changed by the end of the story?

Look at Resource sheet: Features of traditional tales together, and decide what final notes you need to add to complete the table.

What features do you think are missing from this telling of the traditional tale? Put a cross against these in the table.

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Big Cat Guided Reading Handbook: Copper to Topaz

Vocabulary boost session Skills focus

You will need

• 2a Give/explain the meaning of words in context

• Multiple copies of Collins Big Cat Beauty and the Beast • Resource sheet: Word choices for Beauty and the Beast • Reading Journals

Tune in Ask children to turn to the opening page of the story.

Read the first paragraph aloud to them, stressing the key vocabulary underlined below: ‘For Marco and his wife and three daughters, life was good. He was a respected merchant of fine silks, tapestries and spices from the East. They lived in a grand house in the city and were healthy, wealthy and happy.’

Ask: What picture of Marco and his family does the author give us at the start of the story, before their sudden change of fortune? (They have a good life, and they are happy.)

Say the following statements about Marco, asking children to identify from the passage the words the author uses: • He has a good job as a businessman. (merchant) • People look up to him. (respected) • He sells expensive things. (fine silks, tapestries, spices) • He lives in a big, impressive house. (grand) • He has plenty of money. (wealthy)

Heads together Display Resource sheet: Word choices for Beauty and the Beast, asking children to read the focus words aloud together.

Read the example sentences to them, with the brief explanations below inserted.

Vocabulary table Focus word Brief explanation

Example sentence

respected

admired, looked up to

The team looked up to (respected) their captain for what she had achieved.

merchant

businessman

The businessman (merchant) headed to the marketplace to sell his goods.

tapestries

heavy cloths with designs embroidered onto them.

Many richly-coloured embroidered cloths (tapestries) hung on the wall.

grand

magnificent, impressive

The prince lived in a big (grand) palace.

wealthy

rich

The rich (wealthy) man could afford to give away money to the poor.

Ask them, in each case, to identify the focus word they could use instead, and to draw lines on the resource sheet to match the correct focus word to the example sentences. Invite children to read out their revised versions.

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Wrap up Ask children to work in pairs to invent their own sentences containing the focus words. Ask them to write these in the space at the bottom of the resource sheet. Invite children to read their sentences aloud to the group.

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