sam the rat
DESCRIPTION
StoryTRANSCRIPT
3
Table of Contents
Introduction
4
Skill Focus
5
6
Sight word page
Story: Sam the Rat
7
Comprehension Questions
22
Suggested phonics activities
23
Suggested pre-reading activities
28
Suggested questions to ask while reading
34
4
Introduction
It is my belief that teaching reading at the primary level should go beyond learning alphabet letter names and sounds,
decoding letter/sound combinations, adding and moving those sounds around, and blending those sounds together to learn new
words. Of course, increasing phonetic knowledge and learning sight words improves reading fluency. However, this method
does not enhance reading comprehension. Since the focus is typically on phonological awareness, comprehension instruction is
often left out. Thus, the student learns passive reading techniques, instead of active reading techniques. Consequently, the child
may develop fluent reading skills, but poor comprehension skills. To think that comprehension “just happens,” or ought to, just
because one can decode words on the page is naïve.
As a reading teacher, it is not uncommon for me to hear parents say that their child reads fluently, but struggles with
comprehension. This is because the student does not know how to use reading as a tool for thinking and learning, which is a
result of passive reading. In fact, research suggests that both learning and reading are active processes. In other words, effective
readers are strategic and active. Hence, a complete reading instruction must go beyond phonological awareness and address
comprehension skills as well, particularly at the primary level. Not only must we teach the child to read well, but also to
comprehend well by teaching them active reading strategies to help comprehension. After all, comprehension is the main
purpose of reading.
It is often said that students become good readers only by reading a lot. However, many difficulties students have with
school reading assignments are caused by a variety of skill-related issues. Many students have trouble understanding what they
have read, or the author’s point because they have not learned how to organize what they have read in their mind. This is often
referred to as comprehension breakdown. Perhaps they don’t have much experience with the topic, thereby not able to make
meaningful and personal connections to new ideas that they have read. When this comprehension breakdown occurs, students
will often label their reading assignments as “boring” or “too hard” because they lack the reading and self regulations skills
needed to succeed.
Students who struggle with reading comprehension often give up on reading and lose confidence in themselves as
students. They develop low self-esteem and often blame the text, themselves, and even the teacher when they are not successful
at comprehending. These students are unaware that comprehension requires more than just decoding because they have not been
taught the active role to play while reading. Effective readers interact with the text while they read, use prior knowledge to
make sense of the text, use context clues to decode meaning out of words, and apply strategies to stay on task. Thus, the goal of
this book is to not only focus on specified phonetic reading practice, but to also address comprehension reading strategies that
will teach students to become active readers.
5
Skill Focus
Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) words
Short vowel sounds (Short a, e, i, o, u)
Sight words
Reading Fluency
Reading Comprehension
Note:
To aid comprehension and to prepare the student for reading, the pre-reading
activities on page 28 is highly suggested.
Definition: CVC words are words that follow the pattern consonant-vowel-consonant. These are considered
the simplest words and the starting point of many phonics programs. These words highlight the
short vowels such as the a in cat, the e in bed, the I in hit, the o in top, and the u in sub.
Sight words are common words that a reader should recognize on “sight.” These important words are also
referred to as “high-frequency words.” Sight words are words that readers must know on sight, instantly, and
automatically in order to develop into an efficient and fluent reader. Many sight words are “service
words” (pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and verbs), which cannot be learned through
the use of pictures and often cannot be sounded out. Some examples of sight words are: a, is, the, of, and, with,
that, I, and you.
6
Sight Word Page
the had on it was with a to
up saw put his one ran in but
you asked am just said not know if
Special Words: home told
Note: Student may need help reading special words.
Suggested Activities:
Write each sight word on an index card. Have student read each sight word on a daily basis until mastered.
Point at each word on the box above and have student read each sight word. This can be done as a speed
drill.
Play Happy Face: This is a kindlier and gentler version of hangman. Instead of drawing a man hanging, draw
a happy face. Draw the happy face features as goofy as you want them to be. This simple word game is a good
way to build student vocabulary and sight word knowledge. It only requires a pencil and paper and can easily
be played while waiting in waiting rooms.
12
Sam the Rat got up and saw a bat. He put on his cap, the one
with the big dot on top. Sam the Rat ran to the bat.
14
“Are you sad?” Sid the Bug asked.
“I am just a rat,” Sam the Rat said. “I do not know
if I can hit that ball with a bat.”
16
“But I am just a rat,” Sam the Rat said, “a rat with a red cap
with a big dot on top. I do not know if I can hit that ball with a
bat.”
17
“A rat with a red cap
can hit a ball with a
bat,” Sid the Bug said.
“So can a bug, a ram, a
pig, a fox, a cat, a dog,
and even a pup. Just
say it and you can do
it!”
21
“I told you that you can
do it,” Sid the Bug said
with a nod.
He gave Sam the Rat a
pat on his back.
“Yes, you did,” Sam the
Rat said with a red cap
with a big dot on top. “I
can do it!”
22
Comprehension Questions
1. Did you like the title of the story? If you had to change the title, what would be a
good title for it?
2. Were your predictions correct? Where did you have to fix your prediction as you
read?
3. What color is Sam the rat’s cap?
4. What did Sam the rat see when he got up from his nap?
5. Why was Sam the rat sad?
6. What did Sid the bug say to Sam the rat?
7. What did Sam the rat learn from Sid the bug?
8. What was your favorite part of the story? Why?
9. Can you retell the story in sequential order using words like first, second, then,
next, finally, etc.?
10.Why do you think the author wrote this story?
Name: ______________________
23
Suggested Phonics Activities
I. Short vowel fill-ins
II. Matching words with pictures
III. Selecting word with picture
IV. Short vowel identification
24
Directions: Say each picture word. Write the missing short vowels in the spaces below.
r __ t S __ m f __ x p __ g d __ g m __ n
c __ p l __ g b __ t b __ g p __ p b __ ll
s __ d n __ p d __ t s __ t S __ d h __ t
Name: ______________________
25
Match pictures with words and write it.
rat fox pig cap dot pup
Ball log hat bat bug sad
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
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nap
ran
tap
sat
pat
ran
wig
pat
cat
bug
nut
hug
sat
pup
wag
rat
pig
fox
pup
sat
rat
sat
yell
beg
big
jet
pig
wag
ten
cat
Circle the word that matches the picture.
27
Circle the short vowel words
Sam home hit told run
he Sid gave bug said
red with dot top on
you bat the and cap
Name: ______________________
28
Suggested Pre-Reading Activities
Note: Effective teachers help students prepare for reading by incorporating pre-reading strategies that activate
and assess learners’ prior knowledge. Teachers can activate student prior knowledge through: brainstorming,
asking questions, discussing topic, and providing analogies. Parents/teachers may choose to use one or all the
strategies listed below.
Pre-reading checklists and questions
Concept Definition Map
K-W-L
Problematic Solutions
29
Pre-reading checklists and questions
Directions: Have the student complete the following task. Place a checkmark on the line provided once task is completed.
Tasks:
I. Read the title __________
II. Scan the pages and look at all the pictures __________
III. Predict what will happen __________
IV. Ask and discuss pre-reading questions: __________ (Note: At this age, these questions should take form in a discussion. Writing is not necessary. Engaged conversation is a more important focus.)
1. Looking at the title and all the pictures, what do you think will happen in this book?
2. What makes you think that?
3. What characters do you think might be in the book?
4. Do you think there will be a problem in the story? Why?
5. What are some things you already know about the topic?
6. Can you relate to the topic of the story? How?
7. What do you want to learn or find out?
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Concept Map (Note to Parents/Teachers: This concept definition map is a pre-reading activity that is designed for teaching students the meaning of new concepts. This is a graphic organizer
that will help students understand the essential attributes, qualities, or characteristics of a word’s meaning. Students must describe what the concept is, as well as what it isn’t, and
cite examples of it. At this age, this should be done verbally and adults should write the answers for the students.)
Directions: Complete each section for the vocabulary term or phrase.
What is it? (Definition)
Word/term
Self Confidence
What are some examples?
What does it look like?
What is it like? (Characteristics)
31
Self Confidence
What is it? (Definition)
Draw a picture. (Illustration)
Use it in a sentence? (Write it)
Words that are like it? (Synonyms)
Concept Map II
Directions: Complete each section for the vocabulary term or phrase.
32
K-W-L
Directions: Discuss K-W-L chart with student and fill in the answer for them. This can also be done as a discussion without
writing in the chart.
K
What I know
W
What I want to
find out
L
What I learned
33
Problematic Situation Note to Parents/Teachers: This is a pre-reading activity that is designed to activate the student’s prior knowledge, encourage them to read the text,
and help them focus on the main ideas of the story as they read. Depending on the student’s writing skills, this is an activity that can be done
verbally—as a discussion.
Self Confidence
Problem: You are a football coach and have just been told that you are getting a new player on your team. Even though the new player can run
really fast, he does not really want to be on the team because he doesn’t believe that he can catch a football. Maybe if he learned how to catch the
ball, he would enjoy football more and would want to be a part of the team. But for right now, the only reason why he is out there is because his
parents are forcing him.
Discussion: As the football coach, what advice might you give this new player? How might you encourage this player to not quit and give
football a chance?
Possible Solutions:
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Suggested Questions to Ask While Reading
1. Can you tell me what has happened so far in the story? (Use sequence words like first, second, next, after,
finally, etc.)
2. What do you predict will happen next?
3. How do you think the story will end?
4. Why do you think the character __________________? (Teacher/Parent choice to come up with the rest of
the question.)
5. What kind of advice would you give the character?
6. How would you have felt if you were the character?
7. When you read, what pictures do you see in your head?
8. What are you wondering about as you read?
9. Do you have any questions so far?
10.Think about the predictions you made before reading the story, do you still think the story will go that way?
Why or why not?
11.How do you think the story will go now?