Kayla Rye-Szabo
Lesson Focus: Recognizing when the text signals you to stop and think
“Huh?”
Grade Level/Number of Students: Third Grade
Time Duration: 45 minutes
Prior Assessment: Students have demonstrated an understanding of knowing
when the text signals them to visualize the text like a
movie.
Standards: CCSS: RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate
understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
ELD: B. Interpretive
6. Reading closely literary and informational texts and
viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is
conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language.
Objective: Students will be able to recognize when the text signals
them to stop think “Huh?”.
Purpose: To teach students how to recognize when the text is
signaling them to ask questions .
Materials and Resources: ● Stone Fox class copy
● Individual student’s just right book
● Student’s Reader’s Workshop Notebook
Instructional Sequence:
Introduction (5 min): Teacher will say, “Do you remember when we talked about how texts
can signal us to picture a movie in our head?” Students will respond yes or no. Teacher will
give an example from the mentor text Stone Fox. Teacher will say, “Remember at the
beginning of the story when Little Willy was playing the harmonica and Searchlight grabbed it
out of Little Willy’s mouth. Raise a hand if you envisioned this like a movie.” Students will
raise their hand if they can picture this in their mind. Then teacher will call on students to give
examples from stories they are reading.
Body of Lesson (15 min) Teacher will gather students on the carpet. Teacher will read the
objective from the board. Teacher will say, “Now we are going learn how texts signal us to ask
questions. I’m going to reread a passage from Stone Fox. Let’s see if you find yourself asking
questions.” Teacher will read aloud passage: The next day, Little Willy talked to everybody
he could think of. He talked with his teacher, Miss Williams. He talked with Lester at the
general store. He even talked with Hank, who swept up over at the post office. They all
agreed … sell the farm. That was the only answer. There was only one person left to talk
to, if only he could. “Should we sell?” Little Willy asked. Palm up meant “yes,” Palm
down meant “no.” Grandfather’s fingers twitched. But that was all. Things looked
hopeless. “Should we sell?” Little Willy asked. Palm up meant “yes.” Palm down meant
“no.” Grandfather’s hand lay motionless on the bed. Searchlight barked. Grandfather’s
fingers twitched. But that was all. Things looked hopeless.” Teacher says, “Raise your
hand, did this text signal you to think “Huh?” Students will raise their hand and teacher will
call on one student. “Can you tell us what part of the text made you think “Huh?” Student will
share response. If needed teacher will scaffold by asking the students why they thought
Grandfather did not respond to Little Willy and how this part of the text was signaling them to
stop and question why Grandfather did not respond. Teacher will ask if any other student had a
different part in the text that made them question it. Then teacher will explain the guided
practice. Teacher will say, “ When you go back to your desk you will start reading your
chapter book. While you are reading when the text signals you to stop and think ‘Huh?’ write
your question in your Readers’ Workshop Notebook. Please include the page number so you
can refer back to it later.”
Check for Understanding (throughout lesson): While at the carpet teacher will ask for students
to share if the read aloud passage they were signaled to stop and think “Huh?” Teacher will ask
the students to share what part of the text signaled them to do this.
Assessment (5 min): While students are working independently reading their chapter book and
working in the Reader’s Workshop notebook, teacher will confer with students. Teacher will
check in for about 5 minutes per student. Teacher will ask how their book is going, who are
their characters, what has happened, and where the text signaled to think “Huh?”.
Closure (2 min):
Teacher gathers the students on the carpet. Teacher ask for students to share with their partner
where in their chapter book the text signaled them to ask questions. Then teacher will ask for
students to share whole group. Teacher will remind students as they continue to read their
chapter book to look for the text signal to them to ask questions.
Next Steps: Students will continue to practice recognizing when the text signals them to stop
and ask questions. Tomorrow the students will learn that readers often ask a very specific
question “Why did the author include that?” They will learn that authors do this on purpose
and that it signals them to gather information from the text to answer the question.
Accommodations: Teacher will know which students are not reading at a chapter book level.
These students will work with the mentor text to write down when the text signals them to asks
questions. Teacher will pull small groups of struggling readers to discuss when the mentor text
signaled them to ask questions. Students will verbalize their answer and teacher will help
dictate.
