Scott Foresman Reading Street

Reader Response

Open for Discussion Personal Response

MODEL There are many amazing sights in Yosemite. I love waterfalls, so I would put visiting the falls near the top of my list.

Comprehension Check Critical Response

Possible response: Using letters and photographs makes the selection more interesting because it feels like you're really there. Author's Purpose
The main idea is stated in the first sentence. Details include the rock formations and their colors at sunrise and sunset. Main Idea
Main idea: People visit Yosemite to see the scenery and wildlife. Details: Unusual rock formations. Plants and wildlife: giant sequoias, mule deer, brown bears.
Graphic Organizers
Responses should include Words to Know to describe wonders such as mountains with glaciers or wildlife.
Vocabulary

Look Back and Write For test practice, assign a 10–15 minute time limit. For assessment, see the rubric on TR25.

Summarize

Have students summarize the selection using their completed KWL charts.

Retell

Have students retell Letters Home from Yosemite.

then… use the Scoring Rubric for Retelling below to help move them toward fluent retelling.

If… students have difficulty retelling the selection,

Check Retelling

Summarize Suppose that a friend was planning a visit to Yosemite. Summarize what you learned from the selection to help your friend decide what to see there.

Check Retelling Have students use the subheads to guide their retellings. Let students listen to other retellings before attempting their own. For more ideas on assessing students' retellings, see the ELL and Transition Handbook.

Students can search a library online catalog for more books by Lisa Halvorsen. Have them report on what kinds of books Halvorsen writes.

Online Student Edition Snapshot Response with answer key (pdf)

Look Back and Write At Yosemite, someone says, "It all started with Abraham Lincoln." What does this person mean? Reread page 118 and then explain the statement.

Why do you think the author chose to use letters and photographs to tell about Yosemite?

Reread the letter from Glacier Point on page 124. What sentence states the main idea of the passage? What supporting details can you find?

Create a main idea chart for the selection. Draw a box on top of your paper and record the selection's main idea in it. Next, connect boxes to it and fill them in with details that support the main idea.

The author uses the word impressive to describe many wonders in Yosemite. Tell about some of these wonders. Use words from the Words to Know list.

Open for Discussion Make a list of the things you'll do on a future trip to Yosemite. Put the best thing at the top.

Reader Response

Read more
books
by Lisa
Halvorsen.

     Lisa Halvorsen has traveled all over the
world in her work as a travel writer. She
has visited more than 40 countries on six
continents. Her favorite trips have been to
the Galapagos Islands, Turkey, Ecuador,
Kenya, and New Zealand.

     Ms. Halvorsen started traveling at an early
age. She moved seven times before she started
Kindergarten! Today, when she’s not on the road,
she lives in northern Vermont with her two cats,
Dusty Miller and Gina. Her pastimes include hiking,
canoeing, sailing, and gardening.

     “Writing opens up a lot of doors,” says
Ms. Halvorsen. “It gives me a chance to travel,
learn about places, and meet people I might not
meet if I weren’t a writer. It gives me a chance to
satisfy my curiosity and my sense of adventure.”

Letters Home from
the Grand Canyon

Letters Home
from Yellowstone

What is her advice to young writers? "Be curious, be adventurous, and read as much as you can. Write about what you love. Don't be afraid to ask questions and look for answers to what interests you."