Boom TownDay 1

Written by Sonia Levitin

Illustrated by John Sandford

Skill: Realism and Fantasy

Genre: Historical Fiction

Question of the Week

• When would hard work be the way to strike it rich?

Read Aloud – “Prairie Town”

• Do you think this story shows something that could have really happened?

• How would you describe this story—as a realistic story or as a fantasy? Why?

Community Concept Web

• The towns prospered amid the bounty of wheat fields, and grain elevators dominated the skyline.

• What is the red word? What do you think it means?

• Bounty is a large supply.

Community Concept Web

• The town and its farm neighbors are economic and social partners.

• Read the red word. What do you think it means?

• Economic- having to do with the business affairs of a country or area

Community Concept Web

• School is back in session, and farm children swell the population during the day.

• Read the red word. What do you think it means?

• Population- the number of people living in a place

Comprehension Skill/Strategy

• I jumped into my time machine and went back to the day Columbus first landed in America.

• Do you think this is realistic or fantasy?

Realism v. Fantasy• A realistic story tells about something that could

happen.• A fantasy is a story about something that could never

happen.• As you read, ask yourself, “Could this happen?”

Strategy: Prior Knowledge• Good readers connect what they are reading with

what they already know. • Using what you know can help you better understand

what you read.• You can also use what you know to help you judge

whether a story is realistic or a fantasy.

• Let’s make a chart like this:

• We’ll fill it out as we read

•boom

•business

•coins

•fetched

•laundry

•mending

•pick

•skillet

•spell

Words to Know

Amazing Words •bustle

•nuggets

•prospector

•boomhaving fast growth

•businesswork done to

earn a living

•coinsround pieces of

metal used as money

•fetchedwent and got something

•laundrya room or building

where clothes are washed and ironed

•mendingsewing that repairs

a hole or tear

•picka tool with a heavy metal bat pointed at one or both ends, having a long, wooden handle

Skillet

a type of frying pan

Spella period of time

My dad owns his owns business.

My dad owns his own business.

Grandma told me to sit and stay a spell with her.

Grandma told me to sit and stay a spell with her.

The miner used his pick while digging for gold.

The miner used his pick

While digging for gold.

Sally’s mother is great at mending torn jeans.

Sally’s mother is great at mending torn jeans.

The town had a huge boom when many businesses moved west.

The town had a huge boom when many businesses moved west.

Ma uses a skillet to fry bacon for breakfast.

Ma uses a skillet to fry

bacon for breakfast.

Dad is teaching me how to use the washer so I can do my own laundry.

Dad is teaching me how to use the washer so I can do my own laundry.

I use coins to buy gum at the store.

I use coins to buy gum at the store.

Small Group

• Leveled Readers

Fluency

Listen as I reread “Prairie Town.”

I will read with accuracy—I will read without omitting or substituting any words, and Iwill identify words correctly as I read the selection.

GrammarDay 1

Objectives:Define and identify sentences. Distinguish between sentences and fragments. Use sentences in writing.

1. The apple pies was for super.

The apple pies were for supper.

2. Can you're sister bake pies.

Can your sister bake pies?

Reading-Grammar Connection

Gooseberries grew on the bushes near town.

This group of words is a sentence.

It tells a complete thought. It begins with a capital letter and ends with

a period.

SpellingDay 1

Objective:Spell VCCV words, which usuallyhave short vowel sounds.

Time for the pre-test!

GREAT JOB!GREAT JOB!