Scott Foresman Reading Street

A Day's Work
Group Time

for Fluency

Use Decodable Reader 7.

Word Study/Phonics

LESSON VOCABULARY Use p. 176b to review the meanings of excitement, gardener, motioned, sadness, shivered, shocked, and slammed. Students can blend all of the words. Have individuals practice reading the words from word cards.

DECODING MULTISYLLABIC WORDS Write replanted and model how to decode a word with meaningful word parts—in this case, a base word with both a prefix and an ending. First I look for meaningful parts. I see the prefix re-. I cover that up and see the word planted. Now I see the ending -ed. So I look for the base word: plant. I say the parts of the word: re plant ed. Then I say the whole word: replanted. The prefix re- means “again,” so I can tell that replanted means “planted again."

Use the Multisyllabic Word routine on p. DI•1 to help students read these other words from A Day's Work: cruised, shuffled, swallowed, urgently, politely, freeway, rooftops, overgrown, spiky, chickweed, appreciate, and wrappings. Be sure students understand the meanings of words such as urgently, overgrown, and chickweed.

A Day's Work, pp. 178–185

BEFORE READING Yesterday we read about a girl who learned a lesson about doing the right thing. Today we will read about a boy who learns the value of doing the right thing. Using the Picture Walk routine on p. DI•1, guide students through the text, asking questions such as those listed below. Then read the question on p. 179. Together, set a purpose for reading.

pp. 180–181 What do you see in this picture? (a group of men and a boy watching other men climb into a pickup) The boy is with his abuelo, or grandfather, and they are all looking for jobs. People who need work come to this lot and wait for people to hire them.

p. 185 What kind of work are the boy and his grandfather doing?

DURING READING Follow the Guiding Comprehension routine on
pp. 180–185. Have students read along with you while tracking print or do a choral reading of the selection. Stop every two pages to ask what has happened so far. Prompt as necessary.

Where and when did this story begin?
What did Francisco do to get Ben to hire them?

AFTER READING What has happened in the story so far? What do you think will happen next? Reread passages as needed.

Extend Vocabulary

CONTEXT CLUES Choose and read a sentence or passage containing a difficult word, such as these sentences from the Read Aloud “The Honest-to-Goodness Truth”: “Her eyes commenced to fill with water, and her bottom lip quivered. Then, taking a deep breath and gulping hard, she owned up to her lie.” What does the word commenced mean? (began, started) How did you figure out the word’s meaning? (I looked at the rest of the sentence and the sentence after it. I could tell she was sad and scared about admitting her lie, so it makes sense that she started to cry.) Discuss how surrounding details can provide a context that gives clues to a word’s meaning. Remind students to use context clues to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words as they read A Day’s Work.

A Day’s Work, pp. 178–185

BEFORE READING In The Song Makers Go to Salem, you read about
the importance of doing the right thing—even in a difficult situation.
Today you will read a story about a boy who discovers that doing the wrong thing—even for the “right” reason—can have consequences. As you read, think about how the choices a person makes to do the right thing or the wrong thing tell you about his or her character.

Have students write questions about the selection in their Strategy Response Logs (p. 178). Remind them to think about the answers to their questions and any other questions that arise as they read.

CRITICAL THINKING/PROBLEM SOLVING Have students read
pp. 178–185 independently. Encourage them to think critically and in terms of problems and solutions. For example, ask:

Do you think it was okay for Francisco to lie in this situation? Why or why not?
How else might Francisco have gotten work for his grandfather without lying?
What do you think of Francisco? Would you want him for a friend?

AFTER READING Meet with students to discuss the selection. Have them share their Strategy Response Log questions and answers. Then ask students to write a short skit in which Francisco does not lie about his grandfather’s gardening skills. Have students write lines for Francisco, his grandfather, and Ben. Invite them to share their skit with the class.