Scott Foresman Reading Street

Me and Uncle Romie
Group Time

Reinforce Comprehension

SKILL AUTHOR’S PURPOSE Have students tell the different purposes authors have for writing. (to persuade, inform, entertain, and express an opinion or mood) If necessary, review the purposes and provide a model. Let’s review the Leveled Reader A Walk Around the City. This book tells about people living in New York. All the details gave information about how they live, work, buy and sell, and have fun. The photographs give examples of this kind of information. So I’d say that the author’s main purpose in writing A Walk Around the City was to inform.

Discuss the author’s purpose of Me and Uncle Romie, as modeled on
p. 251. Then have students choose which of these details gives a clue to the author’s purpose:

The day before James left was a regular North Carolina summer day.
Nanette took James’s hand and guided him through the rushing crowds.
Uncle Romie was a collage artist.

Me and Uncle Romie, pp. 260–269

BEFORE READING Have students retell what happened in the story
so far. Ask: What other stories have you read that were similar to
Me and Uncle Romie? Model using prior knowledge—a text-to-text
connection—to understand the purpose behind a story: I remember
when we read Jalapeño Bagels. It was about a boy and his parents
and their bakery. The family treated each other with love and respect.
I get the same sort of feeling reading this story. I think the authors’
purposes may be similar. They want to express the importance of
warm family relationships. Remind students to think about the
author’s purpose and use prior knowledge as they read the rest
of Me and Uncle Romie.

STRATEGY Prior Knowledge

DURING READING Follow the Guiding Comprehension routine on
pp. 260–269. Have students read along with you while tracking print or do a choral reading. Stop every two pages to ask students what has happened so far. Prompt as necessary.

What happened on James’s birthday?
What was Uncle Romie’s “late” birthday present to James?
What did James do when he got back to North Carolina?

AFTER READING How does this story show that people are pretty much the same, no matter where they live? Reread as needed. Tell them that tomorrow they will read “Country to City,” an online encyclopedia article about Uncle Romie, or Romare Bearden.

Extend Comprehension

SKILL AUTHOR’S PURPOSE Discuss how authors may have more than one purpose for writing a particular selection. Point out that certain parts of a story may have their own purpose. Have students reread the last paragraph on p. 257. Then ask them to explain the author’s purpose in making Uncle Romie a mysterious character.
(I think the author did that to entertain, to make the story more exciting.)

STRATEGY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE Ask students what stories they have read that are similar in topic or feeling to Me and Uncle Romie. Have them compare the authors’ overall purposes.

Me and Uncle Romie, pp. 260–269

BEFORE READING Have students recall what has happened in the story so far. Remind them to look for clues about author’s purpose and use prior knowledge as they read the remainder of the story.

CRITICAL THINKING Have students read pp. 260–269 independently. Encourage them to think critically. For example, ask:

Why do you think the author created a situation that required Aunt Nanette to leave town just before James’s birthday?
How do James’s feelings about Uncle Romie change over the course of the story?

AFTER READING Have students complete the Strategy Response Log activity (p. 268). Meet with them to have them share their entries. Then have students write a paragraph about a person who has inspired them or who has taught them a valuable lesson.