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Pushing Up the Sky
Below-Level Reader
The Elk Hunters
The Elk Hunters
Unit 3 Week 2
Target Skill AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
Target Skill SUMMARIZE
LESSON VOCABULARY antlers, imagined,
language, narrator, overhead, poke
SUMMARY This nonfiction book introduces students to the Snohomish people
and tells how they created their own myth for why the Big Dipper is in the
sky.
INTRODUCE THE BOOK
BUILD BACKGROUND Discuss with students what they know about the
constellations and if they have ever stargazed.
PREVIEW/USE ILLUSTRATIONS Invite students to take a picture walk and
discuss how the illustrations give clues to what the story is about.
TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY To reinforce the contextual meaning of the
word overhead on page 4, discuss how the phrase in the night sky helps
students guess the word’s meaning. Do this with all vocabulary words.
TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
Target Skill AUTHOR’S PURPOSE Remind students that author’s purpose is the
reason why a story was written, such as to entertain, to inform, to persuade,
and to express feelings. Discuss with students why they imagine an author
might write a story called The Elk Hunters.
Target Skill SUMMARIZE Remind students that summarizing is retelling the main
points of a story. Point out that summaries should be in their own words and
only a few sentences in length. Ask students to summarize a familiar story,
like The Three Little Pigs.
ELLAsk students to summarize what they did yesterday.
READ THE BOOK
Use the following questions to support comprehension.
PAGE 3 Summarize why the elk are important to the Snohomish. (They give
meat for food; their skin is used for clothing and tools; weapons and art are
made from their antlers.)
PAGE 9 What was the author’s purpose in writing about why the elk were
important? (to inform readers why the Snohomish would name a constellation
after them)
PAGE 11 How does this story prove that it’s important to work together?
(That’s how the Snohomish were able to lift the sky.)
TALK ABOUT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
  1. Possible response: The author wanted to explain how the Snohomish
    people thought the Big Dipper was placed in the sky.
  2. Responses will vary.
  3. Possible responses: I could look at other words around it. I could look it
    up in a dictionary.
  4. Possible response: Instead of the hunters chasing elk, they would
    probably be chasing another animal.
RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING Suggest that students write their own stories
about why the Little Dipper is in the sky.
TIME FOR Science
CONTENT CONNECTIONS
SCIENCE Suggest students research a constellation. Have them share their findings with the class.
 
   
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Author's Purpose
Author's Purpose
Vocabulary
Vocabulary