SUNSHINE PLUS – GOLD The Pied Piper Grandma's … •ave students reread the story and as ... • This is a narrative about two elephants called Raja and Rani. Shanti, her grandma

SUNSHINE PLUS – GOLD The Pied Piper Grandma's Elephants Blackbirds The Man Who Enjoyed Grumbling Knights in Armour Hot and Cold Weather Moving Things Flowers Feathers and Flight Animals and their Teeth A Lion Song The Garden Party Dragon Fire The Wonderhair Hair Restorer The Little Old Lady Who Danced on the Moon Cobwebs, Elephants and Stars How Bread is Made What is Rock? How Do Fish Live? Baby Birds

© Wendy Pye Publishing

The Pied PiperGOALSComprehensionPredict outcomes and interpret the textMake inferences from illustrationsInfer the deeper meaning implied in the text

VocabularySound out when writing

FluencyModel fluency adjusting pace, volume Use expression and character voices when reading dialogue

WritingCharacter profile Expressing personal thoughts

Word Study

– Sound out when writing: Write words on the board from the text and when you are writingthem, show how you write the sounds, letter patterns and blends you hear. Remind them to lookto see if the word looks right. beautiful, problem, people, demanded

Before Reading

• Ask students what they know about this classic tale of the Pied Piper. In this retelling, thetownspeople teach the mayor a lesson. Ask: What do you think it could be?

• On page 2, the story is set in the beautiful town of Hamelin. Everyone is happy but they have ahuge problem. Rats!

• On page 5, have students listen while you read. They follow along and listen to how you read/sound when you come to the dash. They repeat the reading, echoing your fluency and pausingat the dash.

• Look at the illustration on pages 8-9. Ask: Who has entered the town? All the townspeople,including the mayor, are worried about rats but wonder who this strange man is. Ask: Howcan you tell they are worried and curious by looking at the illustration? (facial expressions)

• The money in Hamelin is called guilders. Ask: What two letters would you expect to find at thestart of the word guilders? Have students find the word on page 10. They run a finger under itand say it silently. The Piper wants a thousand guilders to get rid of the rats.

• Look at the illustration on pages 12–13. The Pied Piper has successfully rid the town of rats.• On page 16, the mayor only pays the Pied Piper 50 guilders for his trouble. “A deal is a deal”

said the Piper.• On page 18, the Piper plays a happy tune from his pipe and the children of Hamelin come

running and one by one they disappear into the cave.• On page 22, the townspeople offer to pay the Pied Piper. He agrees and frees the children. Ask:

What do you think could have been the lesson the townspeople taught the mayor? (A deal is adeal and to pay your debts as you agreed.)

In this retelling of thePied Piper story, thetownspeople teach themayor a lesson.


Reading the Text

• Have students reread the story and as they read, they think about the words a deal is a dealand what they mean in this classic tale.

Fluency

• Turn back to the beginning. Model reading the story with fluency and expression, especiallywhen reading in a character voice.

• Invite students to read the text silently while you listen to students one by one, encouragingexpression and fluency.

After Reading

Talk about the story of the Pied Piper. Prompt if needed.• What lesson do you believe the townspeople taught the mayor? What did the townspeople do

to prove they live by these words?• Talk about the illustrations and how well they supported the text. Encourage students to show

evidence.

Writing

– Practice sounding out while writing. Give students these words verbally and ask them to writethem out, using the strategies just demonstrated. faint, kitchen, Hamelin, mountain, promises– Talk to students about how important it was for the mayor to keep the deal with the PiedPiper and what happened when he didn’t keep it. Talk about the consequences if you don’t keepyour end of a deal. There might have been a time in their lives when this has happened to themon a lesser scale. Ask them to write about when they didn’t keep their end of the deal and whathappened. Then write about how they fixed the situation and then what happened.– Create a character profile of the Pied Piper.Name: Age: Height: Appearance: Talents: Likes: Dislikes:Students illustrate their profiles.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write your own ending about what happened to the Pied Piper or the mayor of

Hamelin.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Grandma’s ElephantsGOALSComprehensionPredict outcomes and interpret the textMake inferences from illustrationsAnalyse characters

VocabularyUnderstand ar vowel sound (r controlled vowel sound)Hyphenated words

FluencyModel fluency adjusting pace, volume Use expression and character voices when reading dialogue

WritingCharacter analysis Research and present findings in a poster

Word Study

– /ar/ vowel sound: Write these /ar/ vowel sound words on the whiteboard. Hari, saris, carpet,market, backyard, hard– As you are writing them, say the words and ask students what they have in common. Discusswhat students notice about the words. Underline the letters that make the ar sound in each word.Put them into sentences to make sure students understand the meaning of each word.

Before Reading

• Look at the cover of Grandma’s Elephants. Ask: Do you think this book is a narrative orinstructional text? What makes you say that?

• This is a narrative about two elephants called Raja and Rani. Shanti, her grandma and anelephant keeper called Hari look after them. Shanti is Rani’s best friend.

• On page 2, it is Onam festival time in India, where people eat special food, make pictures withflowers in the road and watch colourful parades through the streets.

• Look for the word hired on page 5. Ask: What two letters would you expect to find at thebeginning of hired? Write the sounds students hear in the word hired on the whiteboard.Remind them that listening to the sounds in words helps us to write and spell them. Theelephants are hired to work in the jungle and as a special attraction in parades.

• Go to page 10. Hari and Shanti have dressed Rani and Raja in their blankets and goldheadpieces to carry some very important people in the Onam festival parade.

• Look at the illustration on page 12. Shanti’s family has gone to the parade in an auto-rickshaw.This is a hyphenated word. Find it on page 13. Discuss with students how hyphenated wordsare compound nouns – a combination of two or more words that function as a single unit ofmeaning.

• On page 16, ask: Considering Shanti is best friends with Rani, what do you think Rani mightdo when she sees Shanti in the parade? What do you think will happen at the end of the story?

Shanti is proud and excited that her grandma’s elephants are in the Onam festival parade. Everyone is happy and excited to see them until one of the elephants ignores its handler and heads for the crowd.


Reading the Text

• Have students go back to the beginning of the text and as they read, think about howimportant Raja and Rani are to Shanti.

Fluency

• Students listen to you read page 18 and note that this is how you would like them to soundwhen they read the book to you. They notice how you read with character voices andexpression throughout the text.

• Invite students to read the text silently while you listen to individuals, encouraging expressionand fluency.

After Reading

Have students share their thoughts about Grandma’s Elephants. Prompt if needed.• Was your prediction correct? What was different?• Discuss and show evidence from the text of the love Rani and Shanti shared throughout the

book.• Everyone was frightened when Rani looked for Shanti. Discuss.• Everyone was happy at the end of the story. How did this happen?

Writing

–Students research the Onam Festival and make a poster encouraging people to attend. Theythink about persuasive language when they choose words to write on the poster, e.g. best,amazing, truly, superb, tremendous, interesting, worthwhile, superior, colourful– Students write a paragraph about the special relationship Rani and Raja have with Shanti.They think about how they cared for each other and how this love was demonstrated in theparade for the town to see. They provide evidence from the book in their writing, including thepage number as a reference.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write step-by-step instructions about how to get an elephant ready for an Onam

parade.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


BlackbirdsGOALSComprehensionUse the text to predict the outcome of the narrativeIdentify the author’s purposeCompare and contrast information

VocabularyExplore the long /e/ vowel sound

FluencyRead orally with phrasingSelf-correct while reading and help students sound out unknown words

WritingRecall factsCompare roles of parentsVenn diagram

Word Study

– The long /e/ vowel sound: Give students two examples of the long /e/ vowel sounds from thetext. Write them on the board and say them slowly so students can hear the vowel sound. Askthem what they notice about the /e/ in each of the words as you say and write them.ee ea feed weaves tree teachThere are six different ways of writing long /e/ vowel sounds. Explore them with students and compile a list of words they may know.1) Double ee represents the long /e/ sound2) /ea/ in words like clean, squeak3) The long /e/ occurs in words where ei follows the letter c (ceiling, receive)4) ie in words like believe, chief5) ey in words like key, valley6) Long /e/ sound in me

Before Reading

• Blackbirds is a realistic fiction story in a believable setting that could actually occur.• Go to page 2 where Father Blackbird is looking for a place to build a nest. He marks his

territory by singing loudly.• Look at the illustration on page 5. Ask: What do you think Mother Blackbird is doing?

(starting to build a nest) Look at the blossoms on the tree. What season do blackbirds begin tobuild a nest?

• On page 10, Mother Blackbird lays four or five beautiful green and brown speckled eggs.• On page 12, ask: What two letters will incubate begin with? Find the word incubate, clap

The blackbirds look fora safe place to build anest. Once the nest isfinished, the eggs arelaid and they hatchafter 14 days. Theparent blackbirds feedthem and care for themuntil one day, the chicks leave the nest.


the syllables, run your finger under it and say incubate. (A bird sits on the eggs to keep them warm so they hatch.)

• Look at the illustration on page 13. Ask: What is Father Blackbird doing when he sees a cat?(Making an alarm call)

• On page 18, point to the word fledglings. Clap the syllables and run your finger under it whenyou say it. Read the sentence to find the meaning of the word. (Young birds with feathers)

• On pages 22–23, have students look at the illustration and explain what they think ishappening. (Young birds making their way in the world alone.)

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud. Invite them to thinkabout how dependent the chicks are on their mother and father for survival.

Fluency

• Read page 16 and explain to students that this is how you would like them to sound when theyread. When you listen to them, prompt them and encourage phrasing and fluency in theirreading.

• While listening to students read one on one, prompt them and help them break up and solveunknown words, self correct and focus on fluency.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss realistic fiction and what they learnt about blackbirds. Prompt if needed. • The blackbirds are very dependent on their parents. Discuss and show evidence.• How do you feel about the young birds flying off by themselves?• Why do you think the author chose to write a realistic fiction book about blackbirds and not

an information text?

Writing

– Students create a fact file about blackbirds for others to learn and read. Have them includebetween five and ten facts. e.g. Father looks for a safe place to make nests. Mother Blackbirdbuilds a nest.– Compare the role of the father and mother in a venn diagram. Discuss with students the role ofeach parent. Complete as a small group on the whiteboard or individually in workbooks. Studentsuse the text to help them.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Imagine you are a mother blackbird. Write a list of instructions on how to build a

nest.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


The Man Who Enjoyed GrumblingGOALSComprehensionPredict outcomes and interpret the textMake inferences from illustrationsInfer the deeper meaning implied in the text

VocabularyUnderstand the use of to and too

FluencyUse expression and character voices when reading dialogue

WritingLetter writingNarrative analysis

Word Study

– The use of to and too: Write these sentences on the whiteboard from the text (page 14).“It’s too quiet,” said Mother Goat. “There is no one to tease,” said the little Goats sadly.Explain that if we use the wrong to or too, it can completely change the meaning of a sentence, soit is important to choose the correct one when writing. Ask students to say a sentence using bothwords.– The rules are to use to as a preposition to express direction, place or position; use too (adverb)as a synonym for also, or to indicate an excessive amount.

Before Reading

• Together look at the cover of The Man Who Enjoyed Grumbling. Ask: What are your thoughtsabout this story?

• On page 2, scratchy Mr Ratchett enjoys a good grumble. He lives next door to the Goat familyand he always has something to grumble about.

• Look at the illustration on pages 6-7. Ask: What do you think is happening? (Goats are movingout. They need more space to jump around.)

• On page 8, have students find the word neighbour. They look at it and clap it into syllables.The Goat family wants to get away from their scratchy neighbour.

• Look at the illustration on page 13. Ask: Does scratchy Mr Ratchett look happy the Goats havemoved away?

• On pages 14–15, ask: Do the Goats look happy? Why not? What are your thoughts?• Students listen to you read page 16. Have them notice how you change your voice for Mr

Ratchett to create a visual image and listener interest. Explain that this is how you want themto read dialogue.

• Students predict what they think will happen at the end of this story.

Mr Ratchett liked togrumble about things,especially about hisneighbours, the Goatfamily. When theymoved away, he hadpeace and quiet at last.But he grumbled aboutthat, too!


Reading the Text

• Turn back to the beginning of the book and as they read, have students think about what itwas the Goat family really wanted.

Fluency

• Invite students to read the text silently while you listen to individuals, encouraging expressionand character voices when reading dialogue.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss the text. Prompt if needed.• Did your prediction about the ending match? What was different or the same?• Why did you choose your ending?• Do you think the title was perfect for the story?• What title would you have written to keep the audience guessing?• Show evidence that scratchy Mr Ratchett and the Goat family loved a grumble.

Writing

– Students choose either the Goat family or Mr Ratchett and write a letter to the other person/animal when they move away. Talk about how they are feeling about the move and being apart.Write about what they missed about each other, remembering that you really don’t want to admitthat you actually miss each other.Narrative Analysis– Students write a few sentences under each of the headings, breaking up the narrative intoa clear beginning, middle and end. Sometimes there may be one or more problems in thebeginning or the middle of the text and solutions at the end.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Imagine Mr Ratchett was your uncle and he went missing. Write a paragraph for the

police to describe what he looks like.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Knights in ArmourGOALSComprehensionAnalyse charactersIdentify the main ideaIdentify the author’s main purpose

VocabularyIdentify and use the -ight word pattern

FluencyRead with appropriate intonationUse expression and character voices when reading dialogue

WritingResearch factsComplete a fact fileWrite a short narrative, beginning, middle and end

Word Study

– The -ight word pattern: Describe to students how patterns help us to read and write words.Once you learn a pattern it helps you solve unknown words with the same spelling pattern. Writeknight and fight on the board. Then have students suggest other -ight words they know. Say themin a sentence as you write and read them.

Before Reading

• In Knights in Armour we will meet two main characters called John and James. They are veryinterested in exploring castles and imagining what life was like many years ago.

• On page 4 there is a detailed diagram of the inside of a castle to help students understandwhat life was like.

• Ask: What two letters would you expect the word armour to start with? Find the word armouron page 8. Run your finger under it and say it as you read it. The boys are asking, “I wonderwhat you had to do to be a knight?” Do you know? (Discuss prior knowledge.)

• On page 10, a voice says “I can tell you all about knights.”• On page 14, James and John are given weapons, armour and a wooden shield and they are

taught to fight like a knight.• Look at the fact box on page 16. This shows what chain mail looks like close-up – little steel

wire rings all linked together. (Discuss how difficult it would be to make in those days.)• On pages 18-19, illustrations show the six steps to dressing as a knight for battle. The boys are

now ready for a tournament.• On pages 24–25, John and James are facing each other as knights ready to battle. Have

students predict what might happen.

While exploring acastle, John andJames are taken backto the middle ages toexperience what lifewas like for true knights in armour.


Reading the Text

• Students go back to the beginning of the text and find out what happens to James and John.While they are reading, ask them to think about how hard and brutal the life of a knight wouldhave been.

Fluency

• While they are reading the story silently, listen to individual students read to help meet theirneeds. When reading remind them that the author used descriptive language to show howa character spoke. (explains, laughs, says) Encourage students that when reading aloud orsilently, they use appropriate character voices to match the language. Model this by readingpage 27. Discuss the sound words in capital letters and how you read these for emphasis.

After Reading

Encourage students to discuss what they read. Did their prediction match what happened? Prompt if needed.• Do you think the boys imagined their day as a knight or did it happen? (Explain your

thoughts.)• Do you think they will have a day as a jester?• Could this story really happen?• Did the author teach you about the life or a knight through a narrative? What other styles of

writing might the author have chosen to write this book in? Why do you think she chose anarrative?

Writing

– Students research knights and share their story/daily life or ten facts about them. They rewriteand present their findings in an interesting way. Then print to share with others.Plan for James and John’s Day as a Jester– Students write a plan or story – write a few sentences in each section – about James and John’sday as a jester. They may need to research the life of a jester to help them. Remind them to have aclear, beginning, middle and end.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write instructions to tell knights how to get ready for a tournament.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Hot and Cold WeatherGOALSComprehensionUnderstand how a nonfiction text is organised around one conceptUse graphic elements to find and clarify meaningFind meaning from content

VocabularyUnderstand use of there and their

FluencyRead in a loud clear voice with appropriate pauses to suit the information

WritingSummarise informationCreate a mind map from a single concept

Discover what affectsweather. Is it going to be hot or cold where you are right now? What causes a change in the temperature? Why does it go up or down?

*A globe of the world would be useful in this reading session.

Word Study

– Understand their and there: Write this sentence from the text on the whiteboard to helpstudents’ understanding.The sun always shines during their summers and there is no night. (page 9)Talk about the sentence and why it is written like this. Ask students to write other sentences orsay other sentences using there and their. Have them note that there means in, at or to that placeor position and their shows that something is belonging to or associated with the people or thingspreviously mentioned.

Before Reading*

• Hot and Cold Weather is an informational book. Ask: What do you already know about hotand cold weather?

• On pages 4-5, most countries have four seasons – summer, winter, autumn and spring. Theillustration supports the text about how Earth moves around the sun and how the sun and thetilt of Earth affect what season we are in at any time.

• On page 6, look for the word equator. Ask: What letter do you expect equator to begin with?Clap the syllables. Explain where the equator is. Use a globe to show students. Read the factbox about the equator and have students note your fluency. Tell them that this is how youwould like them to sound when they read to you later. Notice how reading facts fluently differsfrom reading fiction fluently. Appropriate pauses help understand the information

• Look at the illustrations on pages 10–11. They show how the angle of the sun’s rays hittingEarth affect the daily temperature. Clap the syllables of the word temperature.

• On page 12, clap the syllables of the word atmosphere. This is the layer of air around Earththat also affects the temperature. This air is called the atmosphere.

• Students scan and read the chapter headings quietly to themselves, looking at the illustrationsand photographs so they can see what they will be reading.


• On page 18, there is an illustration of a mountain. Ask: What information is it giving to you?(Temperatures drop the higher you get.)

• On page 22, look for the word moisture. Ask: What three letters will you find at the beginningof moisture? What do you think happens to moisture when the temperature drops?

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to thinkabout the role the sun plays in Earth’s daily temperature.

Fluency

• Remind student to focus on their fluency and read with a loud clear voice with appropriate useof pauses. Remind them to listen to themselves read and self correct.

After Reading

Once students have read the text independently, ask them to discuss their thoughts about Hot and Cold Weather. To encourage thinking and talking, you may choose to ask the following questions or prompts.• How does the sun and Earth’s tilt affect the seasons and daily temperature? (Provide evidence

from the text or use the globe provided to help you explain.)• Does everyone have winter or summer?• How does the atmosphere protect Earth? (Provide evidence from the text.)

Writing

– Students create a mind map about the information they read in the text. They use a mind mapcreator app or draw a mind map in their workbooks. They see how many branches they cancreate by using the text to help develop the mind map.– Have students write two paragraphs summarising the information they read in Hot and ColdWeather. They provide evidence from the text and always write it in their own words. They readtheir paragraphs to a partner.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Imagine you are in Antarctica during summer. Write about some of the good and bad

effects 24 hours of daylight might have on your life.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Moving ThingsGOALSComprehensionIdentify the main ideaUnderstand the topicUse graphic elements to find and clarify informationFind meaning from content

VocabularyUnderstand morphemes

FluencyRecognise and read keywords with confidenceListen to themselves read and self correct

WritingSummarise informationComplete a mind map

Levers, rollers, ramps,wheels, wedges andscrews have beenaround for thousands of years and yet they are just as important for moving things today. Find out how and why these simple tools are still so important.

Word Study

– Morphemes: Write the words invention and inventor on the board. Then write them dividedinto three parts to demonstrate how words are put together.Prefix Root word Suffixin vent tionin vent or– Discuss that morphology is the study of how words are put together by using morphemes,which include prefixes, root words and suffixes.

Before Reading

• Look at the cover of Moving Things. Ask: What do you think you will be reading about today?Read the blurb. Ask: Was it what you thought? Have a quick look at the contents page.

• Look for the word discovered on page 4. Ask: What three letters would you expect discoveredto begin with? Clap the syllables. Look at the illustration on page 4. Cave dwellers discovered away to move heavy rocks with the lever.

• On page 8, look for the word transported and clap the syllables. Large items could be easilytransported on rollers from place to place.

• Ramps are called inclined planes. Look at the illustrations on pages 10 and 11 showing howramps were used in the past and in present daily life. Ask: How have ramps made our liveseasier?

• Look for the name Archimedes on page 12. Ask: What two letters do you expect Archimedes tobegin with? He was a famous Greek inventor who changed our world with his inventions andthoughts.

• Turn to pages 14 and 15 and look at the illustrations of how wedges have been used in the pastand in the present day.


• On page 16, the wheel is one of the most important machines people ever invented. Look forthe word axle. It begins with ax. People joined two wheels together with an axle to make a newmachine.

• Look at the illustration on page 19. Ask: What information can you learn from thisillustration? Talk about pulley systems.

• Read page 20, demonstrating fluency by reading key words with confidence.

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to thinkabout how important moving things are in our everyday life.

Fluency

• Encourage students to listen to themselves read and self correct if what they are readingdoesn’t make sense. Encourage them to read key words with confidence.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their understanding of the text Moving Things. Prompt if needed.• Did you realise that simple machines play a role in your daily life? Discuss and show evidence

from the text.• How do simple machines improve our everyday life?• Every day people invent more complex machines but these simple machine will always be

involved. Why do you think this is?• What did you think of the way the author presented his findings in this text?• Did you understand the main idea of this book?

Writing

– Students create a mind map of all the moving things in the book. They can start with thesimple machines as the main concept and branch off from there. They use the contents page tohelp and the illustrations and facts in each section. Demonstrate a mind map on the board ifneeded. There may be a mind map app you can use.– Have students choose two machines of interest from the text and write a paragraph about eachon how they have changed over time. They look at how the machines have developed and howthey have also stayed the same. They include an illustration to help support their information.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Choose one of the machines from the book and write a paragraph about how it is

used today in your school or at home.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


FlowersGOALSComprehensionUnderstand the topicClassify and categorise informationIdentify the author’s main idea

VocabularyUnderstand plural nouns adding -ies

FluencyRecognise and read keywords with confidence

WritingExpress and argue a point of viewExplore and summarise points of view

Flowers add beauty and colour to the world. Without them most plants would not exist, and neither would the animals that depend on them. Find out what flowers are, how they work and why they are so important.

Word Study

– Plural nouns: To form a plural from a noun that ends in y, we change the y ending to ie andthen add s. Write these words from the text like a sum on the whiteboard. Say the words insentences to help students understand these plural nouns.butterfly + ies = butterfliesdaisy + ies = daisiesbody + bodies = bodies

Before Reading

• Read the blurb for the informational text Flowers to students. Ask: Why do you think flowersare so important? A flower is a part of many plants. Flowers help plants to make seeds so thatnew plants can grow. Flowers help plants to reproduce themselves.

• Look at the diagram of the parts of a flower on page 5. Most flowers have four parts – thecarpel, the stamen, the petals and the sepals as shown in the illustration. There will be moredetail about each of these parts throughout the book.

• On page 10, look for the word pollinated. Ask: What two letters do you expect pollinated tobegin with? Find pollinated and run your finger under it as you say it. Read the text on page 11and have students note your fluency. Tell them that this is how you would like them to soundwhen they read to you later. Ask: Do you understand what pollination is?

• Have students scan and read the chapter headings to page 20 so they can see what they areabout to read about flowers.

• In the chapter “Fascinating Flowers”, remind students to read the fact boxes next to thephotographs. These provide important information about the topic. Notice how these pagesare pleasing to the eye and interesting to read by the layout and use of colour.


Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud following your earliermodel of fluency. Ask them to think about why flowers are important.

Fluency

• When other students are reading silently to themselves, listen one on one to a studentprompting them to recognise and read keywords with confidence. Remind them to listen tothemselves read and to self correct if it doesn’t make sense.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their understanding of flowers and why they are important to our world. Prompt if needed.• What was the main idea of this text?• What is a flower?• Why are flowers important?• Explain the parts of a flower. Provide supporting evidence from the text.• Explain the difference between a male and female flower?• What did you find most interesting about flowers while you were reading?• What is the author’s purpose in writing this text?

Writing

– Students imagine they are having a debate with someone who thought that flowers were notimportant and that the world could live without them. They prepare an argument to share as towhy plants are important. They provide evidence from the text in their argument.– Discuss with students how perhaps if we didn’t have bees and they didn’t pollinate flowersthen food would be scarce. Help them to research this idea and present their findings in a fewparagraphs. They make sure they note the website and/or articles that they used.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Describe a well-known flower in 30 words without naming it. Read what you wrote to

someone and see if they can guess what flower it is.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Feathers and FlightGOALSComprehensionUnderstand the topicIdentify cause and effect in the textUse graphic elements to find and clarify meaning

VocabularyUnderstand adverbs

FluencyRecognise and read keywords with confidenceAdjust pace and volume to suit the reading situation

WritingMake a list of important information from the textResearch and report information from the internetSummarise information

Did you know that birds are the only animals that have feathers? Their feathers keep them warm and dry and are important in helping them to fly.

Word Study

– Adverbs: These are words that describes a verb, adjective, or other adverbs. It tells when, whereand to what extent. Write these examples on the board. Ask students to point out the adverb. Talkabout why it is the adverb in the sentence.Down feathers are very soft and fluffy. (page 5)The wing feathers help the owl fly very quietly. (page 10)Many birds moult once a year. (page 12)The flippers help them swim well. (page 22)

Before Reading

• Look at the cover of Feathers and Flight and have students tell what they already know aboutthe subject.

• See how the author has organised the contents on page 1. Students scan the chapter headings.Tell them that the contents helps a reader to shortcut to information in a text.

• On page 4, look for the word keratin. Ask: What three letters would you expect keratin tobegin with? Find keratin and clap the syllables. Feathers are made from keratin as are ourhair and fingernails. Feathers that cover a bird’s body are called plumage.

• On page 6, look for the word ptarmigan (tar-me-gin). It starts with pt. It has a silent /p/.Notice the pronunciation guide next to the word. This helps the reader to know how to sayptarmigan. The ptarmigan is a type of bird.

• On page 12, the water-turkey in the photo is preening its feathers. Ask: Do you know whatpreening means? Look at the title of this chapter. This should give you an idea.

• On page 16, read the title of this chapter “How do birds fly?” This is about the three differentways a bird can fly.

• On pages 18–19, look at how the author supports the text with illustrations and photographsto help deepen understanding of the text.


• On page 22, there are some birds that cannot fly. Read about why this is so.• Read page 23 as a model of fluency, adjusting pace and volume to convey the meaning.

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to thinkabout how different birds are from other animals.

Fluency

• While students are reading silently to themselves, listen one on one to a student, prompting achange in pace and volume to suit the reading of information.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their understanding of birds, feathers and flight. Prompt if needed.• Were there any words or chapters that you need further explanation?• Explain the three different ways a bird can fly. Refer to the text if needed. (page 16)• What are some of the different uses for feathers other than flying?• How are feathers related to the bird’s ability to fly?• Do you agree with the way the author chose to set out this informational text? Can you think

of any information that should have been added?

Writing

– Students choose a bird they are interested in and find more information to produce a detailedfact file on their feathers and flight. They choose photographs and draw illustrations, makingsure they label and give detailed facts. They can scan the book again to help with layout ideas.– Have students list ten facts from Feathers and Flight that interested them and theythink would interest other people. They make sure they cover enough information to give acomprehensive look at how feathers and flight are related to birds and what their functions are.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write an explanation about how feathers are used and how birds look after them.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Animals and Their TeethGOALSComprehensionUse graphic elements to clarify meaningFind meaning from contentIdentify the main idea

VocabularyExplore root words

FluencyRead, using pauses where appropriate to convey meaning

WritingDictation, listening to sounds and breaking up unknown words into syllablesUse illustrations to support text

Whether animals areplant eaters, meateaters or they eat bothplants and meat, theirteeth are adapted to suit the diet. Did you know that some animals have no teeth at all?

Word Study

– Root words: Carnivore, herbivore and omnivore are words in the text. The root word voremeans one that eats. Carne is latin for flesh. Herb means any plant with seeds. Omni is latin forall or everything. So exploring the root words in these three words explains their meaning.carne + vore = carnivore ( meat eating)herb + vore = herbivore (plant eating)omni + vore = omnivore (eats all both plants and meat)

Before Reading

• Animals and Their Teeth is an informational text. Have students look at the cover. Ask: Whatdo you already know about animals and their teeth?

• Look at how the contents page is organised. Ask: What do you notice? Different animals havedifferent kinds of teeth depending on what they eat.

• Look for the word carnivore on page 4. Ask: What three letters do you expect carnivore tobegin with? Clap the syllables. Look at the title of this chapter. Ask: What do you think acarnivore is? (meat eater) What kind of teeth do you think a meat eater has? (Sharp front teethfor tearing meat and jagged back teeth for crushing the bones.)

• On page 8, look for the word herbivores. Ask: What small word can you hear at the beginningof herbivores? (herb) Small words inside big words help us to solve unknown words. Look atthe pictures of the skulls on pages 8 and 9. Ask: What kind of teeth does a herbivore have?(Large incisors to tear the plants and strong back teeth to grind them.)

• On page 11, find the word ruminants. It starts with ru. Read the fact box “Chewing the Cud”and have students note your use of pauses to convey meaning. Tell them that this is howyou would like them to sound when they read to you later. The fact box gives a definition ofruminants. Often the text gives a definition of an unknown word, if not, students should use adictionary to find the meaning before reading on.


• On page 12, find the word omnivores. Ask: What two letters does omnivores begin with?Omnivores eat both plants and meat. Look at the photo of the chimpanzee’s teeth and havestudents tell what they notice about them? (Strong incisors and jagged molars to grind)

• Look at the illustrations on page 14. They support the text, explaining how carnivores,herbivores and omnivores chew their food in different ways.

• On page 20, this chapter tells about the different and complex ways animals with no teethswallow their food.

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to thinkabout how different teeth serve a different purpose in the survival of these animals.

Fluency

• Check for fluency and understanding as students read aloud to you individually, while othersread at their own pace. Remind students to pause where appropriate (at punctuation) toconvey meaning.

Discussing the Text

Invite students to discuss what they have learnt about animals and their teeth. What were the key understandings of the book?• What did you read about the teeth of carnivores, herbivores and omnivores?• How did they differ and why?• Explain the different ways carnivores, herbivores and omnivores chew?• How are tusks used?• Which animal with no teeth interested you the most and why?• How did the author support the text throughout the book?

Writing

– Dictate the following sentences:Different animals have different kinds of teeth. The kind of teeth they have depends on whatthey eat. Carnivores, herbivores and omnivores have different teeth according to what they eatand how they eat.Make sure you read slowly and reread so students can check for mistakes. Encourage them toclap out and listen to the sounds of unfamiliar words.– Students research their favourite animal and write a few sentences about what food they eatand how their teeth help them chew their food. They draw a picture of the skull and teeth like theillustrator did in the text. They label the illustration.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Imagine a shark and a beaver are having a chat. Write a short play about what they

might say to each other.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


A Lion SongGOALSComprehensionAnalyse charactersUse illustrations to gain a deeper understandingIdentify the main ideaPredict outcomes

VocabularyUnderstand usage of you’re and your

FluencyUse expression and character voices when reading dialogue

WritingExplore song writingComplete a book review

The little boy wanted to give his mother a song, a very special song. Because he was a child, he did not have to make one up, he could go to the mountains and catch one.

Word Study

– You’re and your: Write these two words on the whiteboard. Ask students to discuss when youuse them. You’re is a contraction of you are.– Write these sentences from the text on the whiteboard to help students’ understanding.How could I forget your birthday?You’re the best mother in the whole wide world.

Before Reading

• Have students tell what they see from the cover. Ask: What is going on? What does the titlesuggest you will be reading about?

• On page 2, the boy tells his mother that he is going to the mountains to catch a lion song. Themother tells him there are no lions in the mountains but he says there are. Have studentsdiscuss if it is possible to catch a song.

• Look at the illustration on page 4. Ask: Does the boy look like he is ready to catch a song? Findthe word binoculars. Run your finger under it and say binoculars. The boy has a pair aroundhis neck.

• Go to the illustration on page 7. The boy’s mother is very worried as he had been gone all day.Ask: Does it look like the boy has caught a lion song? He is sharing it with his mother. How dothey both look, listening to the song?

• On page 8, he goes to bed telling his mother that tomorrow he would catch a tiger’s song.• Look for the word rafters on page 10. Ask: What three letters do you expect rafters to begin

with? Do you know what a rafter is? If you don’t know, how can you find out the meaningof rafters? (Read the sentence it is in, read on or look it up in a dictionary.) Students mustremember not to read on if they don’t understand the meaning of a word – always find out.

• Read page 12 to students as a model for reading dialogue with expression and character voices.• The boy has changed his mind and is desperate to find his mother a bird for her birthday as he

remembered she loved the song of a bird the most.


• On page 16, the boy goes to look in the mountains and sees the woman sitting on the benchagain. She says that beyond the mountains there is a man with a golden songbird but the boymust walk fast to get back before dark. What do you think is going to happen in the story?

Reading the Text

• Invite students to read the text silently while you listen to individuals to help meet theirindividual needs. Invite them to think about how determined the boy was to make hismother happy.

Fluency

• Remind students to make sure when they are reading aloud and in their head that they useappropriate character voices to match the language.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their thoughts about A Lion Song. Prompt if needed.• Was your prediction correct? What was the same/different?• Do you think the boy caught the song or had a wonderful imagination?• How would you describe the character of the boy? What kind of person was he?• What was the main message of this story?• Do you think the heading suited this book? What title would you have chosen if you disagree

and why?

Writing

– Students reread the song the boy caught from the lion on page 6. They write a song that thebeautiful golden songbird would have sung for the boy’s mother. They use the gentle nature of thebird and its beauty in the song.– Students review A Lion Song to encourage or discourage others from reading it. What are youthoughts? What would you give it out of 5 stars and why?

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Catch a fierce tiger song and write it down before it disappears into the mountains.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


The Garden PartyGOALSComprehensionPredict outcomes and interpret the textMake inferences from illustrationsAnalyse characters

VocabularyUnderstand compound words

FluencyVary pace of reading and use expression to suit the reading situation

WritingWrite a reflectionCreative writing relating to the textResearch and present findings

Mrs Trotter was going to the garden party but she wouldn’t let Rosalind go. The hats at the garden party were particularly wonderful. The breeze wanted to help Rosalind and turned into a wind so that she got to a garden party after all.

Word Study

– Compound words: Write these compound words from the text on the whiteboard.straw + berry = strawberry water + lilies = waterlilies butter + flies = butterflieswind + mill = windmill– Talk about the spelling of the base word within the compound word and discuss what role theyplay in the meaning of the compound word.

Before Reading

• Together look at the cover. Ask: What do you notice about this garden party?• On page 2, Mrs Trotter is making a hat to wear to the garden party. Have students tell what

they see through the window. (It’s the breeze and it is listening to Mrs Trotter speak to herdaughter Rosalind.)

• Look for the word elegant on page 6. Ask: What two letters do you expect elegant to beginwith? Find elegant and clap the syllables. Mrs Trotter is telling Rosalind that the party is anelegant party for adults only.

• On page 8, ask students how Rosalind looks. (unhappy) Do they notice that the breeze iffollowing Mrs Trotter?

• Look at the illustration on pages 10 and 11. Ask: What can you see? (party, hats, breeze) Whatis the breeze doing?

• On pages 12–15, have students comment on the fancy hats. They are very fancy. One has amerry-go-round and another is covered in tame butterflies.

• Look at the illustration on pages 16–17. Ask: What do you notice about the breeze now?(stretching itself into wind) What will happen if the breeze blows hard at the garden party?

• Model varying pace and expression by reading page 18 to students. Remind them that this ishow you want them to read when they read individually to you.


Reading the Text

• Turn back to the beginning of the book. Have students think about how Rosalind feels about the garden party.

Fluency

• Invite students to read the text silently while you listen to them individually, encouraging a variety of expression and varied pace.

After Reading

Ask students to share their thoughts. Prompt if needed.• Was your prediction about what would happen when the wind blew correct? What was

different?• What lesson do you think the breeze was teaching Mrs Trotter?• How did Rosalind feel at the beginning, middle and end of the story. Show evidence when you

talk about each stage.• Was the breeze a good friend to Rosalind?• Do you think the illustrations supported the text and helped you with your understanding of

this tale? (show supporting evidence)

Writing

– Students imagine they have been invited to the garden party. They design and label their own fancy hat. They provide details about why they chose certain design aspects to the hat. They make hats as imaginative as the others hats at the garden party. – The story has a clear narrative structure. Have students break up the narrative and write a few sentences/paragraph about each step of the narrative.Beginning, middle, problem, ending, solution

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: You are invited to a garden party. Write a description of the hat you will wear.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Dragon FireGOALSComprehensionPredict outcomes and interpret the textMake inferencesSummarise informationDraw conclusions

VocabularyWords within words

FluencyModel fluency, use your voice to build suspense and create atmosphere Use expression and character voices when reading dialogue

WritingCharacter analysis Reflective emotional writingSummarising

Jess’s heart sank when Mr Hopkins started talking about fire safety at Brownies. She would rather be doing activities. She listened anyway, and within a few hours she would be very glad that she did.

Word Study

– Words within words: Write these words from the text on a whiteboard. Ask students to identifythe words within the words that help to read them.eggshell, downcast, activities, dragon, matches, unwrappedExplain that when they come to an unknown word when reading, they should look for a smallerword within it to help them decode the word.

Before Reading

• Look at the cover of Dragon Fire and ask students what they think the story will be about. Thegirl on the cover is the main character, Jess Carter. She loves to draw dragons.

• On page two, look for the word flickered. Ask: What consonant blend does flickered beginwith? Clap the syllables.

• Look at the illustration on page 4. Ask: What has happened to Jess’s painting of the dragon?(Water had spilled on it.) Jess screams and her mother comes in and sees two little feetsticking out from under Jess’s bed. It is her little brother. He has knocked water over her newlypainted dragon. It’s ruined. Ask: How do you think Jess feels?

• In Chapter Two Jess goes to her first Brownie’s meeting. She is very excited and nervous. Lookat the illustration on page 8. A firefighter called Mr Hopkins has come to talk to the girls aboutfire safety and what to do if there is a fire.

• Look for the word grumbled on page 12. It starts with the consonant blend gr-. Find it and clapthe syllables. Ask: Do you think Jess is still mad at Simon?

• On page 14, look for the hyphenated word blood-curdling. Find it and run your finger under it.Jess’s brother Simon has suddenly caught on fire and he is letting off a blood-curdling scream.Ask: What do you think Jess is trying to do in the illustration?


• On page 16, find the word ambulance. Ask: What two letters would you expect to find at thebeginning of ambulance. Find it and clap the syllables.

• Read the text on page 16 stages and have students note your fluency. They note how you useyour voice to build suspense and create an atmosphere. Tell them that this is how you wouldlike them to sound when they read to you later. Ask: What do you think will happen at the endof the story? Will Jess’s brother be alright? Do you think a dragon caused him to be on fire?

Fluency

• When you listen to students read, prompt them for phrasing and fluency. Remind them to setthe scene with their character voices creating suspense and excitement.

• Students read the text silently while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to thinkabout how lucky it was that Jess joined Brownies that week.

After Reading

Invite the students to discuss Dragon Fire. Prompt if needed.• Were your thoughts about the ending correct? What was different?• What did you think of the ending?• What was the lesson you learnt from the story?• Do you think Jess was brave?• How did the author let you know Jess was upset about her brother’s burns? (Provide evidence

from the text.)• When Jess got an award from the firefighter, how do you think she felt?• How do you think Jess and Simon felt about each other at the end of the story?

Writing

– Students write a get-well card for Jess’s brother Simon. Inside the card they are to write exactlyhow Jess feels about her brother, describe her worries about the situation and the hope that hewill get well soon.– Have students do a character web about one of the characters from the story. Write thecharacter’s name in the middle circle and construct a web describing his or her character andtraits. In each circle include evidence from the story supporting the description of Jess, Simon,Mrs Carter, Beccy, Brown Owl or Mr Hopkins.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write a list of the fire safety hints from the story.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


The Wonderhair Hair RestorerGOALSComprehensionAnalyse charactersFind meaning from contentMake inferencesPredict outcomes

VocabularyUnderstand adding s to a word

FluencyUse a sense of characterisation when reading dialogue

WritingCharacter analysis Creative writing

Dad is worried because he is losing his hair and even his Wonderhair Hair Restorer can’t restore it. His daughter comes up with a solution, but is it the right one?

Word Study

– Add s to words: We add s to words for two reasons – to make plural nouns (dog, dogs) and toform the third person singular of the present simple tense (I sing, you sing, she sings).Write these words from the text on the whiteboard.sign + s = signsscissor + s = scissorsclipper + s = clippers– There are exceptions. We add es if the word ends in ch, s, sh, x or z. We take away f or fe andadd ves (calf, calves). We take away y and add ies (baby, babies).

Before Reading

• Read the blurb to students and have them look at the cover. Ask: What might the solution be?• On page 4, Charlie’s dad is very upset because he is bald and has tried a Wonderhair Hair

Restorer but it isn’t working.• Look at the illustration on page 7. Ask: What is Charlie up to? Discuss that Charlie is mixing

her own wonderful brew of garden fertilisers to help her Dad’s hair grow.• On page 9, look at the illustration. Ask: Does Charlie’s dad look happy about his new brew?

(Stinky wave of air above his head like a compost heap)• On pages 10-11, ask: What is happening in the illustrations now? (Flowers and grass are

growing out of his head.) How does he feel? How can you tell? What is the reaction of thepeople at work? What about Charlie? How does she feel? (Guilty and worried)

• On page 16, look for the word triffid. Run your fingers under it and say triffid. Ask: Do youknow the meaning? How can you try to work out the meaning? Read the sentence, read on andif not, use a dictionary. (A triffid is a fictitious plant species.)


• Have students listen to you read page 18, noting your change of voice for the differentcharacters when reading dialogue. Tell them that this is how you would like them to soundwhen you listen to them read later.

• Ask: What do you think is going to happen in the rest of the story?

Reading the Text

• Ask students while they are reading to think about if Charlie helped her dad or not.• Students read the text silently, while you listen to individuals read aloud.

Fluency

• While listening to the students read one on one, prompt them to use a variety of charactervoices when reading dialogue.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss the narrative The Wonderhair Hair Restorer. Prompt if needed.• Did your prediction of the ending happen? What was the same/different?• What was the main message in the story?• Do you think Charlie taught her dad to be happy with who he was? (Show evidence)• Do you think Charlie would have learnt a lesson throughout the story?• Do you think the illustrations supported the text well? (Show supporting evidence)

Writing

– Students write a few sentences for each response in a character analysis of Charlie.1. Character description2. Major challenges3. Responses to challenges4. How did the other characters feels about her?For each response provide evidence from the book and the page number.– Students write a few paragraphs about what Charlie does with her discovery of a WonderhairHair Restorer brew. What do you think she could do with this amazing brew to change people’sworld for the better?

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Imagine that people might want to have flowers growing on their heads. Think of a

good name for a brew and write some words to go on the bottle to persuade people to buy it.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


The Little Old Lady Who Danced on the MoonGOALSComprehensionAnalyse charactersFind meaning from contentMake inferencesPredict outcomes

VocabularyUnderstand the gh letter pattern

FluencyAdjust the pace, volume and expression to suit the reading situation

WritingCharacter analysis Explore the main message of the story

No one in the village believed the little old lady when she said she danced on the moon. Until one night, when the moon was full, the villagers went to find her and they saw that it was true.

Word Study

– gh letter pattern at the end of the word: Write the word laugh on the board. Talk about whenthe letters gh are written together at the end of a word they make a /f/ sound. Ask students to sayany gh words they know that make the /f/ sound. Write them down and use them in a sentence,e.g. enough, tough, rough

Before Reading

• Look at the title and ask: Is it possible to dance on the moon?• On page 2, have students look at the illustration showing the old lady living on the edge of the

village, feeding the birds and have them discuss what kind of person she is. Look for the wordvillage. Ask: What two letters does village start with? Find it and clap the syllables.

• On page 4, look at the villagers in the illustration. Ask: How are they treating the little oldlady? They believe she is strange because she keeps telling them she danced on the moon. Shegets very lonely. Read the two sentences with the bold words. Students listen to how you sayhave and really. The author wants you to emphasis them when you read them.

• On page 10, the children are flying their kites. The little old lady says that she has never flowna kite but has danced on the moon. Look for the word impossible. Ask: What two letters doyou expect impossible to begin with. Students find it and run a finger under it as they say it.The small boy in the illustration believes that maybe she did dance on the moon.

• On page 14, look for the word exclaimed. Tell students that this is another word to use insteadof said. It starts with ex. They find exclaimed and clap the syllables. The milkmaid has lost hercow. The little old lady says how wonderful it would be to have rich cream for her cereal.

• Look for the word muttering. Tell students that it begins with mu. Ask: What three letters doyou expect muttering to end with? Run your finger under the word as you read it.

• On page 18, it is the night of the winter festival and the villagers are celebrating. The little boyis worried something has happened to the old lady. He runs out of the door to look for her.


• Look at the illustration on page 20. Ask: How do the people of the town look like? Do they look worried? What do you think has happened to the Little Old Lady? Where could she be?

Reading the Text

• Turn back to the beginning of the book. Ask students to think about how you would feel if people wouldn’t listen to you when you believed what you said to be true.

• Invite students to read the text silently while you listen to individuals to help meet their individual needs.

Fluency

• While listening to the students read one on one, prompt them to adjust pace, volume and expression to suit the text.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss the narrative The Little Old Lady Who Danced on the Moon. Prompt if needed.• Did your prediction of the ending happen? What was the same/different?• Did you believe the Little Old Lady had danced on the moon? Why? Why do you think the

villagers didn’t believe her?• The Little Old lady was always happy in her knowledge she had danced on the moon. What

does this teach you?• What was the main message in the story?• This book encourages us to look at the world differently. How?

Writing

– Have students discuss the lessons learnt from the old lady. She never felt sad when people didn’t believe her. She was gentle and confident in herself that what she was saying was the truth. Explain how she changed your thoughts about possibilities of achieving what others think is impossible.– Character Analysis: Students write a few sentences for each response.1. Character description2. Major challenges3. Responses to challenges4. How did the other characters feels about her?For each response provide evidence from the book and the page number it is on.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Look at the picture on pages 6–7. Describe the clues the illustrator gives the reader

that it is a windy day.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Cobwebs, Elephants and StarsGOALSComprehensionMake inferences from the illustrationsPredict the main events throughout the storyUnderstand how the title relates to the events throughout the narrative

VocabularyStart a sentence with the conjunction and

FluencyRead by varying the pace of reading and build suspense

WritingIdentify the problems and solutions in the storyComplete a story mapExplore main idea

Barbara’s mum is going back to work so Mrs Caliban will be caring for Barbara after school. Barbara is worried. Is Mrs Caliban a wicked fairy and did she really turn Tim Burrows into a lizard just for putting a fried egg in her letterbox?

Word Study

– Start a sentence with and: Write this sentence from the text on the whiteboard (page 22).“I will be able to study a star map as I do my exercises,” said Mrs Caliban. “And look! There area few coins left over.”– Often the conjunctions and, but and so are used to coordinate a group of words that standalone as sentences. Discuss the sentence from the text.

Before Reading

• Students look at the cover of Cobwebs, Elephants and Stars. Ask: What do you think you willbe reading about today? Read the blurb to them. That’s Mrs Caliban on the cover. Ask: Doesshe look like a wicked fairy?

• On page 6, Mrs Caliban is picking Barbara up from school for the first time. She asks Barbarawhat she did at school. Barbara says she has made a star map but the piece of paper is toosmall. She needs a piece of paper as big as a whole room.

• Look at the illustration on pages 8 and 9. Ask: What is the pelican doing? Mrs Caliban has abig problem. Where is she going to store her gold pieces that are in the pelican’s bill becausenow it wants to go back to California.

• On page 12, find the word ceiling. Mrs Caliban also has another problem with herceiling. When she does her exercises, rain falls on her. She doesn’t want to fix it and disturbthe spiders.

• On page 14, Barbara tells Mrs Caliban to fix it with her magic wand. She tells Barbara it onlychanges people into lizards. She still has her problem of needing a new money box and aceiling that doesn’t rain on her when she exercises. Ask: How do you think Mrs Caliban cansolve the problems she has? How do the elephants from the title fit into the story? What willhappen in the rest of the story?


Reading the Text

• Ask students to turn back to the beginning and tell them as they are read, they think about how the title relates to the events throughout the story.

• Students read the text silently, while you listen to individuals read aloud and attend to their individual needs.

Fluency

• As students are reading, remind them to focus on varying the pace of reading and building suspense. You can read a page to them as you would like it to sound. Model it for them.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss the book Cobwebs, Elephants and Stars. Prompt if needed.• Did you predict how Mrs Caliban was going to solve her two problems?• Did you think that was how the elephants would be a part of the story?• Describe the two main characters.• What do you think was the main message in the story?• Do you think the title suited the story?

Writing

– Students note that this story has a clear beginning, middle and end. They complete a story map, breaking up the important events of the story.Title: Setting: Characters: Beginning: Middle (problem): End (solution):– Students complete some independent writing. They divide the page into two columns with a heading Problem on one and Solution on the other. What were the problems in the story and what were the solutions to each problem? They write the three main problems and solutions under each column.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write instructions on how to stick gold pieces to a ceiling the way Barbara and Mrs

Caliban did.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


How Bread is MadeGOALSComprehensionUnderstand the topicRead and interpret facts presented in different waysIdentify the main idea

VocabularyUnderstand verb tense

FluencyUse punctuation and phrasing to suit text features and graphic elementsSelf correct and listen to themselves read

WritingSummarise information from textDesign new concepts

Making bread is a good way of seeing how some things can be changed. Find out about the different sorts of bread and how a basic loaf is made from a few simple ingredients.

Word Study

– Verb tenses: Look at verbs from the text and write them into three columns:Verb Past tense Present tense Future tensemix mixed mixes will mixbakesliceeatTalk about the changes to verbs and what students noticed.

Before Reading

• How Bread is Made is an informational text. Ask: What is an informational text?• Look at the Contents page to see how the author has chosen to organise this book. You can see

they have chosen to break it up into the different types of bread, the main ingredient flour andhow you make the two types of bread.

• On page 3, there are two main types of bread – leavened and unleavened. Read page 3 tostudents and have them listen to your use of punctuation and pauses. Tell them that this ishow you want them to sound when they read to you later.

• Look for the word husk on page 4. It starts with h. Ask: What sound does the vowel u make init? (short) Every part of the wheat flour is used except for the hard outer husk.

• On page 6, look at how the authors chose to support the text. Ask: What do you notice?(photographs of the ingredients) How does this help the reader?

• On page 7, yeast is a simple kind of living fungus that is added to the dough to make it rise.Yeast does this by giving off a gas called carbon dioxide. Find the word dioxide. Ask: What twoletters would you expect dioxide to begin with? Find it and clap the syllables.

• On page 10, have students find the word kneading. It has a silent k at the beginning. Theprocess of kneading changes the mixture into dough. This can be done by machine or hand.


• On page 11, find the word proving in the chapter heading. Ask: Do you know what proving is? If not, in this section we will read about this process.

• On page 14, the photograph shows a moulder. It is a machine that shapes the loaves ready to be baked. Before baking the dough, seeds can be added for more flavour and goodness.

• On pages 16 and 17, the loaf is now ready to be baked and ready to be sold in the shops.• Look for the word roti on page 20. Ask: What two letters do you expect roti to begin with?

Find roti and clap the syllables. Students notice the small word rot in it that helps to read and spell the word. Roti is a form of unleavened bread.

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently, while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask students to think about how complex bread is to make.

Fluency

• When the students are reading silently to themselves, listen one on one to a student prompting the use of punctuation when needed. Remind them to listen to themselves read and if what they are reading doesn’t make sense, to go back and self correct.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their thoughts on the text. Prompt if needed.• What did you learn/read about making bread? • What are the steps to making bread? (Provide evidence from the text.)• Explain the process of proving.• What is the difference between leavened and unleavened bread?• Considering the lengthy process that goes into making bread to be sold at the shops for you to

eat daily, are you surprised a loaf only costs a few dollars?

Writing

– In bullet point form, write out the steps required to make a loaf of bread. e.g. 1. Harvest and grind grains of wheat to powder.2. Mix the five main ingredients – flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water – to make the mixture.– Students imagine they are a baker who owns a bread shop and people are asking for a new savoury and a new sweet bread flavour. They think about what two breads they would bake to sell in the shop. List the ingredients to add to the basic dough and what would they name the new savoury and sweet bread. Decide on the cost of the loaves. They draw a picture of what the bread would look like and label it appropriately.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Damper is a kind of bread that can be made in a camp fire. Research damper and

write simple instructions on how to make it.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


What is Rock?GOALSComprehensionUnderstand the topicUse graphic elements to find and clarify informationFind meaning from content

VocabularyUnderstand syllables

FluencyListen to themselves read and self correctAdjust the pace and volume to suit the reader’s situation

WritingDictation and listen to syllables in a word to help with spellingInternet researchPrepare a short talk to share

We live on rock, our land is made of it, our oceans lie on top of it, many of our roads and buildings are made from it, but what exactly is rock?

Word Study

– Understand syllables: All syllables must contain at least one vowel (or y at the end of the word),e.g. very. Write these words on the board. Say them and clap them together to find out how manysyllables they contain. Then check for the vowel sounds in each syllable.sed/i/ment/ar/y (5)met/a/mor/phic (4)ob/sid/i/an (4)ig/ne/ous (3)ma/ter/i/al (4)

Before Reading

• What is Rock? is an informational text. Ask: What do you already know about the rocks?• Look at the contents page and read the chapter headings. Ask: Do you know anything about

what you are about to read?• On page 3, you will read about what scientists believe rock is. Look for the word conglomerate.

It starts with con. Clap the syllables and run your finger under it as you say conglomerate.This is rock that has naturally cemented itself together.

• On page 4, this chapter is about igneous rock. Look at the photograph. Ask: What do you thinkigneous rock is made from? (magma from the volcano)

• On page 8, sedimentary rock is broken off rock that is buried and squashed together over time.The individual layers can be seen in the photo.

• Look at the illustrations on page 11. Ask: What information will you learn from thisillustration? (how coal is formed) Read the three stages and have students note your fluency.Tell them that this is how you would like them to sound when they read to you later.

• On page 12, heat and pressure can change rock. This is known as metamorphosis. Look for the


word pressure on page 13. Ask: What three letters do you expect pressure to begin with? Run your finger under it and say pressure.

• On page 16, the authors have chosen to present information about rock size in a chart. Ask: Why do you think they decided to use a chart?

• Look for the word minerals on page 20. Ask: What three letters do you expect minerals to begin with? You will read about how minerals determine what colour a rock will be.

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently, while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to think about how fascinating rocks are when they are reading.

Fluency

• Remind students to remember to listen to themselves read and self correct if what they are reading doesn’t make sense. They should try to maintain a suitable pace when they are reading but not to rush.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their understanding of the text What is Rock? Prompt if needed.• What interesting facts did you read/learn about rocks?• Have you ever seen any of the rocks you read about in this text? Explain what you saw.• Explain why rocks are different colours.• How can rocks give us information about the area where they are found?

Writing

– Read these sentences to students and then again slowly so they can listen to the sounds and syllables of each word in their attempt to correctly spell the words.Scientists put rocks into groups based on how they were made. They put rocks into seven groups based on their size. To them, rock can be smaller than a grain of sand up to huge boulders.– Students research a rock on the internet. They see what interesting information they can find to share with a small group. They prepare a one-minute talk when they regroup at the end of the lesson. Encourage them to find a fact that they think no one else would know.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Using some words from the book, make a list of “rocky” names for a rock band – for

example, Stone Skeleton and the Sedimentaries.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


How Do Fish Live?GOALSComprehensionPredict and interpret textUse graphic organisers to clarify meaningSummarising information

VocabularyUnderstand adding -ing

FluencyVary intonation to convey the author’s information

WritingDictation and listening to the sounds they hear in words.Summarise information

Fish are cold-blooded animals. Find out how they breathe, how they swim, how they see and how they hear.

Word Study

– Adding -ing: Write these words from the text in sum format.swim + ing = swimming; surround + ing = surrounding; search + ing = searching;move + ing = moving; fly + ing = flyingAsk students what they notice about adding -ing to a word.1) If a word ends in e, drop the e and add –ing.2) If a word ends in a single consonant with a single vowel before the consonant and theemphasis is on the final syllable, double the final consonant and add -ing.

Before Reading

• How Do Fish Live? is an informational text. Talk about what students already know about howfish live. Read the blurb to students to set the scene on what they will be reading. Look at thetable of contents for how the author has organised the book?

• Fish live in water, some fish live in freshwater and some live in saltwater.• On page 5, look for the word temperature. Ask: What three letters do you expect temperature

to begin with? Run your finger under temperature as you say it, then clap the syllables and sayit again. Fish swim in water that is the right temperature for them.

• Read the fact box on page 7 and have students note your fluency. Tell them that this is how youwould like them to sound when they read to you later.

• Look at the illustration on page 9 on how a fish breathes. Discuss the information shown inthe illustration.

• On page 10, most fish swim by wriggling their bodies and tails from side to side. Look at thesupporting diagrams on pages 10 and 11 and discuss.

• On page 13, look at the illustration of the swim bladder. This shows where it is and how it helpsa fish swim.

• On page 18, look for the word vibrations. Ask: What three letters do you expect vibrations tobegin with? Run your finger under it as you say vibrations.


• Look at the illustration on page 19. It shows information about the lateral line of a fish. Fish pick up vibrations through their lateral line.

• Look for the word developing on page 21. Ask: What two letters do you expect developing to begin with? Run your finger under it as you say the word, then clap the syllables and say the word again.

Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently. Ask them to think about how complex it is for a fish to be able to swim but how easily they make it look. Listen to students read one on one, attending to their individual needs.

Fluency

• Remind students to concentrate on varying intonation to convey the information in an interesting way.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss what they have learnt about how fish swim. What were the key understandings of the book? Prompt if needed.• Explain how fish swim. • Explain how fish breathe.• What did you learn about fish that interested you? • How does the lateral line work?• Go to the fact box on page 22, “Baby Sharks”. What does this information tell you about the

ocean and what it is like to live there as a shark/fish?• How has the author provided the information about how fish swim?

Writing

– Dictate the following sentences for students to write. You could put words students are unfamiliar with on the board and discuss their spelling before the dictation. e.g. bladders and surface. Sharks and rays don’t have swim bladders. If they do not keep swimming all the time, they will sink. The swim bladder helps the fish to dive to the bottom and rise to the surface.– Have students summarise how fish swim in two paragraphs. They use information from the text and write the page number where they got the facts. They can include an illustration to support the text as the author has done throughout this book.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write a paragraph to explain some differences between people and fish.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.


Baby BirdsGOALSComprehensionClassify and categorise informationUnderstand the topicUse graphic elements to find and clarify informationFind meaning from content

VocabularyDevelop proofreading and editing skills

FluencyListen to themselves read and self correctUse appropriate pauses to adjust the pace to suit the reader’s situation

WritingDevelop dictation skillsResearch information and factsSummarise informationPresent information in a well-structured manner

Baby birds begin their life as eggs, usually in a nest. The nest might be in a tree, on the ground or even on top of a chimney. Follow the lives of different chicks as they emerge into the world to the care of their parents.

Word Study

– Proofreading skills: When students complete a written task, they should proofread their workby looking for spelling mistakes and attempting to spell them correctly. They then ask anotherstudent to proofread and edit their work before handing it in.

Before Reading

• Baby Birds is an informational text. Talk about what students already know about babybirds. Read the blurb and to set the scene about what they will be reading and to demonstratepausing at punctuation.

• Briefly look at the contents page to see how the author has chosen to organise the book. Thefirst two chapters are about eggs and nests.

• On page 9, look for the word incubate. Ask: What two letters would you expect incubateto begin with? Find incubate and clap the syllables. The mallee fowl incubates the eggs(producing heat) in a compost heap. Ask students if they know why the eggs need to be keptwarm?

• Look at the photograph on pages 12–13. Ask: What does the photograph show? The author hasplaced captions around the photograph explaining what nests are made of.

• Find the word enemies on page 15. Clap the syllables. Many eggs are coloured or speckled sothat the bird’s enemies find it hard to see them.

• On page 18, there are some photographs showing a duckling hatching. Students should readthe captions below the photographs when they are reading. This is important information tosupport the photographs.

• On page 21, look for the word fledglings. It starts with the letter blend fl-. Run your fingersunder it and say fledglings. Baby birds are often called fledglings.


Reading the Text

• Students read the text silently, while you listen to individuals read aloud. Ask them to thinkabout how much work is put into baby birds being born.

Fluency

• Remind students to remember to listen to themselves read and self correct if what they arereading doesn’t make sense and pause appropriately at punctuation as demonstrated earlier.

After Reading

Invite students to discuss their understanding of the text Baby Birds. Prompt if needed.• Talk about some of the interesting birds you read about. What was so amazing and different

about them?• What interesting fact did you learnt about baby birds?• Did the author make reading about Baby Birds enjoyable?• Does this book remind you of any experiences you have had with baby birds?• How has nature given baby birds the best possible chance of survival? (Provide some

supportive information from the text.)

Writing

– Read these sentences out slowly to students, reread at the end so they can add missed wordsand correct spelling. Remind them to say the words slowly and listen to the sounds and writedown what they hear.All birds lay eggs. The eggs are where baby birds grow until they hatch. Most birds lay theireggs in nests. When they hatch baby birds beg for food from their parents until they can fly .– Have students imagine they are the author of this book and they are going to write anotherchapter. They research a chapter that would be titled “Learning to Fly” or one of their choice.They look at how the author has presented other chapters and follow the pattern. Remind themto include illustrations, photographs and facts.

Home/School Link

Have students access the text at home and re-read it on a device. They can then complete the interactive activities:• Writing: Write a paragraph about a chick in the book that gives clues to what kind of bird you

are. Read your paragraph to a friend and see if they can guess which bird you are.• Thinking: Answer five comprehension questions about the text.• Record: Students read and record part of the story by themselves and save it for you to listen

to later.

Documents

SUNSHINE PLUS – GOLD The Pied Piper Grandma's … •ave students reread the story and as ... • This is a narrative about two elephants called Raja and Rani. Shanti, her grandma