Guiding Comprehension

Vocabulary

• Unfamiliar Words

Look at p. 72. What does the word downtown mean?

A place in the center of a city where many businesses are located.

then… use the vocabulary strategy instruction on
p. 73.

If… students have difficulty defining the word downtown,

Unfamiliar Words

Generalize • Critical

Text to World Think about how Anthony and Nicky treat Alexander. How does this remind you of how the youngest member of a family is often treated?

Students should note the fact that the older brothers tease their younger brother. Then students should explain that this is common among siblings.

Students may use Internet or electronic dictionaries to look up unfamiliar words.

VOCABULARY STRATEGY

Unfamiliar Words

TEACH

Model how you would use a dictionary to determine the meaning of the word downtown.

MODEL How should I find the definition for the word downtown? I could try to use context clues. Downtown is clearly a place where stores are located. But I am not sure this definition is complete. Maybe I should try to define the word by looking at its structure. Downtown seems to be a compound word that is made of the smaller words down and town. This isn't really helpful. I still do not know the meaning of the word. I guess I'll look in a dictionary. Here's a definition: "downtown is a place in the center of a city where many businesses are found."

PRACTICE AND ASSESS

Have each student use a dictionary to determine the meaning of any unfamiliar words (for example, walkie-talkie) on pp. 72–73. You may also wish to have students scan the entire story to find other unfamiliar words. Have them use a dictionary to define the words they identify.

"Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday"
by Judith Viorst

Student Edition
Unit 1, pp. 68–81

Realistic fiction is a made-up story that could really happen. Do you know anyone like Alexander?

I'm Alexander and for some reason, I just can't hold on to money. The only things in my pockets are a few bus tokens. My brothers, Anthony and Nick, are the opposite. They always seem to have more money than they need. It is totally unfair that they can hold on to their money as my money disappears without a trace.

On Sunday, Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. They gave each of us a dollar. Well, I was rich, not rich enough to pay for college, of course. But I did have one whole dollar, and I had a plan. I planned on saving it because I wanted to buy a walkie-talkie.

As you know, plans do not always work out. Dad and I went downtown and I bought some bubble gum. That cost me fifteen cents, or three nickels. The clerk gave me three quarters and a dime in change.

Later I bet my brothers that I could do some amazing tricks like jumping from the top of the stairs without falling. Wrong! I even bet my Mom that she couldn't guess which hand held a marble. She guessed right, and now I was out another fifteen cents. I was down to 70 cents. That's just seven dimes.

Well, my brothers thought this was a good time to tease me. I had a few choice words to say to them, but I should not have said them. Dad fined me for those words, and I was out another ten cents. That was just my first fine of the day.

All day long, money slipped through my fingers. It cost me more than ten cents to borrow a snake from my friend Eddie. Then I went to a garage sale. Who could resist a one-eyed stuffed animal or a deck of cards with only two cards missing?

That's when I knew I had to put the rest of that dollar away or I would have nothing left to save. Oops! It was too late. My dollar had vanished. I looked everywhere for more money but found none. I guess it is just how my life is supposed to be. I will be spending it with nothing but bus tokens in my pockets though once I was rich.

From Alexander, Who Use to Be Rich Last Sunday. Text copyright © 1978 by Judith Viorst. Reprinted with permission of Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division. All rights reserved.



	Close
	Extend Language Direct students' attention to the word college on p. 72. Have a volunteer provide a definition. Then provide students with webs (Graphic Organizer 14). Have them write the word schools in the center circle. Then ask students to brainstorm together in order to generate a list of related words (college, university, nursery school, elementary school, and high school) that they can add to the lines that radiate from the center circle. Economics: Needs vs. Wants You can divide the types of things you buy into two categories: things you need and things you want. This story is about a boy who buys things he wants but doesn't really need. When you make decisions about how to spend your money, you need to think about whether you are buying something you need or just something you want. Sometimes it might be fun to buy things you don't really need, such as chewing gum or toys. But people should make sure they have enough money left over to buy the things they need.

"Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday" by Judith Viorst

"Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday"
by Judith Viorst