For this unit, we decided to use a chapter book as our mentor text for this week. We chose a chapter book to prepare our students for third grade as well as challenge the thinking levels and use of comprehension strategies. At this point in the year, we felt our students were ready for it and it would be a great way to work on this standard. We chose The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin. We thought reading a mystery would help our students dig deeper into the text so they could solve the mystery! Also, the chapters in this book are shorter allowing ample practice and reading time. The vocabulary is very appropriate for second graders, but there are few more difficult words, which challenge students to use monitoring comprehension skills and resources such as a dictionary or thesaurus to further understand the meaning of the book.
A crucial step in this comprehension-focused lesson was providing students with a catchy, easy-to-follow strategy to use as they are reading. Modeling the use of this strategy was another essential component. Inviting students to practice the use of prediction and monitoring strategies before moving onto collaborative groups, allowed the students to truly connect and explore how it all works. When gradually put together, these components allow our students to read this book without a glitch. Their minds came alive! Their questions evolved from chapter to chapter and their clues matched their predictions. The light bulbs were lit all over the place. What a sight to see!
If you would like the unit and activities we used, the pack is available in our TPT Store.
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