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The Gardener
Advanced-Level Reader
Nicky’s Meadow
Nicky's Meadow
Unit 3 Week 1
Target Skill CAUSE AND EFFECT
Target Skill TEXT STRUCTURE
LESSON VOCABULARY abandoned,
artificial, astonished, convinced, glum, sprouting, statue, waddling
SUMMARY This story is about a boy who misses his garden when he moves
to the city gives students facts about growing plants in an urban environment.
INTRODUCE THE BOOK
BUILD BACKGROUND Ask students if they have ever grown anything and
what it was like.
PREVIEW/USE ILLUSTRATIONS Invite students to look at the illustrations of the story and ask them what they imagine the story is about.
TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY Review vocabulary words with students.
Then scramble the letters of each word and have students unscramble them. Prompt students to use the words in sentences.
ELLReview vocabulary words with students. Have them write the
definitions for each word on one side of a flash card and the word on the other side. They can quiz themselves using the cards.
TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
Target Skill CAUSE AND EFFECT Remind students that a cause tells why something happened, and an effect tells what happened. Point out clue words such as because, so, and since. Remind students that a cause can have more than one effect and one effect may be produced by several causes.
Target Skill TEXT STRUCTURE Remind students that text structure is the way a story is organized. Give students a graphic organizer with four sentences out of order and ask them to order the events.
READ THE BOOK
Use the following questions to support comprehension.
PAGES 3–5 What caused Nicky’s unhappiness about moving? (He didn’t want
to leave his house, his garden, or the neighborhood.)
PAGE 7 Why do you think the author chose this illustration for the cover?
(Possible response: It made you wonder why Nicky was sad.)
PAGES 16–17 What have you noticed about the text structure here? (People
showed Nicky different gardens, and he became happier.)
TALK ABOUT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
  1. He hopes it will remind Nicky of the meadow.
  2. Possible responses: Nicky’s meadow, Central Park, roof garden,
    community garden, railroad meadow
  3. Possible response: an unfavorable comparison of “artificial” and “natural”
  4. Responses will vary.
RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING Ask students to imagine they are Nicky and have them write a letter
to their friends in Ohio explaining how they feel about city living.
CONTENT CONNECTIONS
TIME FOR Science
SCIENCE Invite students to research other kinds of gardens, such as bonsai or waterless plants, and have them write and illustrate a report.
 
   
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Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect
Vocabulary
Vocabulary