RA Planning for Purposeful Talk and the Construction of Meaning

Title: A Porcupine Named Fluffy Author: Helen Lester Molly Davies

Cooperating Teacher/Grade: Irvin, 1 Date: February 25, 2019

Remember to do these things with the read aloud:

 Read your book several times and practice! Read with expression and fluency. (Be sure you know how to pronounce all the
words)!
 Set an intent for your readers as a way of guiding their thinking.
 Think aloud and/or reread when there are confusing parts of the text or when there are misunderstandings
 Allow space for students to bring up their own questions and comments, but be sure the conversation is about the text. (See
Nichols)
 Give the students time to look at the illustrations
 Build in some questions and attention to multiple perspectives and critical thinking
 Be flexible.
Deeper meaning in text: Big ideas, or critical understandings What will you do or say before you read the story?
you think children should construct (either in this read, or over  Read the Title and Author
several reads):  Preteach vocabulary or concepts (up to 3 words):

When you are born, your parents named you a name that
meant something to them! Your name could be a name they Characteristics of a porcupine:
liked or you could be named after someone. No matter  Prickels
what, names are important! Let’s see how Fluffy the  Spike
Porcupine’s name impacts him.  Quillian

Set an intention:

Meet two unlikely, but likeable friends! A porcupine named Fluffy

and a rhinoceros named Hippo!
Standard(s):
Key ideas and details.
 Logical inferences
 Draw conclusions
 Determine central ideas
 Summary
Stopping Place (choose places that support
students in thinking about the big ideas,
themes, or critical understandings)
Include page # or phrase, and prompt (turn
and talk, share out, act it out, think aloud,
stop and jot, draw it out)
“He first became suspicious when he
backed into a door and stuck fast.”
Differentiation Instructional Support (including language
support, content support, extensions): (What are you going to
DO for the kiddos in your class?)
Reason for stopping If talk doesn’t get beyond the surface, what
What are the kinds of things you hope scaffold will you use to get them talking
students will be saying (if they are
beginning to understand the big ideas)?
What does this say about Fluffy? Is he
really fluffy? Synthesizing information
 What does Fluffy do to try to become Comprehension
“…But the truth remained. Fluffy wasn’t.” fluffier? What do none of these work? Prior Knowledge

How does Fluffy feel when he meets a Predictions

“It’s H…H…H…H…H…HIPPO.” rhinocerous named Hippo? Comprehension

…From that time on they were the best of I wonder what made Hippo and Fluffy Synthesizing information
friends.” become best friends? What does this show
about a name?