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39 Reading to Understand Fiction

Page
211
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Write on Track

Reading to Understand Fiction Opening Page

Start-Up Activity

Ask students to share the titles and plots of their favorite fiction books. Assure reluctant readers that a book they will love is out there somewhere, waiting for them.

Create a "reading box" for your classroom. Encourage students to write the names of favorite books and submit them. On the board, create a running list of these books. Also, invite students to submit questions related to their reading in any content area. From time to time, review and discuss these questions.

Think About It

“Books have to be heavy because the whole world is inside them.”

—Cornelia Funke

You are viewing: 39 Reading to Understand Fiction

38 Using Technology
40 Reading to Understand Nonfiction

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State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6

Page 212 from Write on Track

Using Reading Strategies: Before Your Reading

Your students will get a chance to practice the reading strategies in this chapter when they read the short story on pages 214–215. (You can also assign a different short story or novel.) Review page 212 with students. Demonstrate how to preview a fiction text by having students study the title and the first two paragraphs.

Then define for students the key parts of fiction stories:

  • Characters
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Theme

Present students with a fiction organizer that they can fill in as they read the story.

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Page 213 from Write on Track

During Your Reading

Lead students through the reading strategies on this page. Then have them read the sample (or a selection from the short story or novel you assigned at the beginning of the chapter). After a period of time, have them pause their reading and complete one or more of the strategies from this page:

  • Stop and ask, "What has happened so far?"
  • Make a prediction.
  • Draw a picture of characters, scenes, or situations from the story.

When students complete their reading, have them use their fiction organizers to record the main character, setting, plot (problem and events), and theme.

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Page 214 from Write on Track

Sample Fiction Story

After students have read the sample fiction story, use the side notes to point out special features. Ask students what predictions they made as they were reading through the story.

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Page 217 from Write on Track

After Your Reading

Review the strategies that students can use after reading. Tell them these strategies will help them better understand fiction.

To help students reflect on the reading, consider assigning the "Fiction Review" activity.

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