Make a reaction chart by making a line down the center of a page in your notebook. Label the left column “Event or Quote from the Story.” Label the right column “My Reaction.” Use this chart to track your responses to the narrator’s experiences as you read.
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first five paragraphs of the story aloud. Write an incident, image, or other detail that seems significant to you in the left column of your chart. Write your response to this incident, image, or detail in the right column. Add other references to the text and your response for this section.
2. Continue reading the selection on your own. Keep making references to the text and adding your reactions to them. You may wish to add a page number to the story references to help you refer back to the story later.
Review the Words for Everyday Use in this selection. Read each word, definition, and contextual sentence carefully. Copy each word into your notebook and write your own contextual sentence for the word. As you read, jot other unfamiliar words in your notebook. Use context clues or word parts to determine the meaning of the word. If you cannot determine the meaning using one of these methods, consult a dictionary.
Swap notes with a partner. Comment on each other’s choice of notable events from the story and on each other’s responses. For example, do you agree or disagree with what your partner wrote? Can you answer a question your partner had or share a related experience?