My perfect place
My Faraway Home – plus, minus, and interesting
If you lived in a remote place, a long, long way from towns or cities, where would it be? Draw your ideal remote home. Write how you would do your schooling and get medical treatment, mail, and supplies. Be creative!
Think about where each child lives. What would be good about their home? What wouldn’t you like? What would you find interesting? Write your thoughts on the chart below. Plus
Minus
Lesson Plans
Activity card
Blackline master
Fluent reading stage Level L (24)
Interesting
Gus
Carla
School
My Faraway Home is about four children who live in isolated places. It explores how they access school and medical treatment and get supplies.
A new electric light tower is built on Jenny’s island. But, when a storm hits, the old lighthouse is needed one last time.
Running words: 941 Text type: Report – personal opinion
Running words: 880 Text type: Narrative
Content vocabulary
automatic cattle station coast delivered electric light tower email ferry island lamp room lens lighthouse lighthouse keeper mail mainland medical emergency mule train park ranger postmark rescue supplies village
Phonics
• Identifying the long /a/ sound represented in a variety of ways • Identifying the long /i/ sound represented in a variety of ways
Text features
• • • •
Ari Medical treatment
My Faraway Home The Last Lighthouse Keeper
Reading strategies
Amy
Contents page Chapters with headings; summary page Contents page; chapters with headings Appendix with supporting information
• Comparing and contrasting • Visualizing the setting
Supplies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans My Faraway Home / The Last Lighthouse Keeper © 2016–2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Assessment Can the student use information they have learned to formulate opinions? Can the student record their feelings and opinions clearly?
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans My Faraway Home / The Last Lighthouse Keeper © 2016–2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing
© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice. All other rights reserved.
okapi educational publishing
Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd., Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com
Phonics 2(2) (B) (i) Decoding words with short, long, or variant vowels, trigraphs, and blends. 2(2) (B) (vii) Identifying and reading high-frequency words from a research-based list. Reading 2(6) (D) Create mental images to deepen understanding. 2(6) (H) Synthesize information to create new understanding. 2(7) (D) Retell and paraphrase texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order.
Writing 2(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including procedural texts and reports. Speaking and Listening 2(1) (D) Work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules for discussion.
Lesson 1 My Faraway Home
Lesson 2 The Last Lighthouse Keeper
Key concepts
• Living in isolated places makes it difficult •
to access schooling and medical treatment, and to get supplies. Technology affects the lifestyle of people who live in isolated places.
Before reading
After reading
Getting ready to read Encourage students to activate their prior knowledge. Ask: How long does it take you to get to school? Draw out that most children live close enough to their school to get there easily each day. Say: Imagine that it takes two days to drive to your closest school. Would you go to school? Discuss. Explain that some people live a long way from schools, stores, and hospitals. Ask: How might they get the things they need? Discuss.
Vocabulary building Draw a three-column chart with the headings School, Medical treatment, and Supplies. Say: Imagine you live a long, long way from any towns or cities. What would you do about these things? Use students’ ideas to fill in the chart. Discuss vocabulary as it arises.
Introducing the book Give each student a copy of the book and have them read the title and the contents page. Say: This book reports on four children who live in isolated places. What will each section tell us about? Have students prepare for reading by thinking and talking about the book with your support. Ask: What things would be good about living in an isolated place? What things would be difficult?
During reading Ask each student to read the text independently. Monitor students as they read and support them where appropriate. If necessary, ask them to stop reading and remind them to use the reading strategies you are focused on. Ask questions to check that students understand and can compare and contrast the information they are reading. Ask: How are Gus’s and Ari’s homes the same? How are they different?
Returning to the book
Key concept
Provide multiple opportunities for students to read and interact with the book again – with teacher support, with a partner, and independently. Choose activities that are appropriate for your students.
• Technology affects the lifestyle of people who live in isolated places.
Developing fluency
Have students read the book in small groups, with each student in a group reading one of the children’s parts (Gus, Carla, Ari, Amy). Say: When you are reading your part, try to make your voice sound smooth, as if you are the child speaking.
Have students read the book aloud in groups of four, reading a part each (Jenny, Mom, Dad, and the narrator). Remind students to read fluently and with expression.
Word work
After reading
Talking about the book
Phonics
Getting ready to read
Talking about the book
Ask students to talk about the book. Encourage discussion by choosing questions that are appropriate for your students. Ask them to support their answers by referring to the photographs and the text. How are supplies delivered to Carla’s village? (Literal) What do the four children have in common? How are they different? (Inferential) Would you like to live where these children live? If so, which place would you choose? (Synthesizing) How could the author have found out about these places? (Critical)
Write the words place and mainland on the board. Ask students to underline the letters that make the long /a/ sound in each word. Have pairs of students find and list other examples of the long /a/ sound in the book. Have them share and discuss.
Encourage students to activate their prior knowledge. Have pairs of students turn and talk about lighthouses, exploring what lighthouses are, why we need them, and who looks after them. Have pairs share their ideas and write these onto a chart. Ask: What sort of things would a lighthouse keeper do? Discuss.
Ask students to talk about the book. Encourage discussion by choosing questions that are appropriate for your students. Ask them to support their answers by referring to the illustrations and the text. Why was Jenny stuck in the old lighthouse? (Literal) How was Jenny feeling about the old lighthouse not being used anymore? (Inferential) What did you learn about lighthouses by reading this story? (Synthesizing) Would the book have been different if the main character was a boy? Why do you think this? (Critical)
Encourage students to identify what they did to help themselves as readers. Say: You were able to compare and contrast facts about the children in the book. You really understood what you read. Well done!
ELL support • Maps support the written text. • The note from the author links to personal •
experience. Headings and sub-headings signal content.
Provide multiple opportunities for students to read and interact with the book again – with teacher support, with a partner, and independently. Choose activities that are appropriate for your students.
Developing fluency
Before reading
Reviewing reading strategies
Returning to the book
Exploring words Refer students to page 4. Ask: What words in this paragraph are plurals – mean more than one thing? List these (e.g. people, towns, cities, stores, schools, hospitals). Discuss the singular for each word. Ask: What do you notice about person and people? Have students suggest other irregular plurals (e.g. child/ children, foot/feet, tooth/teeth, mouse/mice).
Writing Draw up a three-column PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting) chart. In each column, model writing sentences about where you live. Think aloud as you write, to demonstrate the decisions you make as a writer. Say: I want to explain that I like living near the beach because I like exploring tide pools. How can I write that as a sentence? Have students complete the Blackline master based on My Faraway Home. Have students choose one child from the book and write an opinion piece about whether or not they would like to live where that child lives. Have them state their opinion, supply reasons, and finish with a closing statement.
Sharing and presenting Have students read aloud and share their opinion pieces with the group.
Support students by reading the appendix on page 24. Answer any questions students may have about the role of a lighthouse keeper.
Vocabulary building Ask students to suggest words that might be in a story about a lighthouse keeper (e.g. lighthouse, island, coast, rescue). Make a list and discuss the meanings of the words suggested.
Introducing the book Give each student a copy of the book and have them read the title and the contents page. Have students read the chapter headings. Ask: What might happen in this story? What problem might arise? Have students prepare for reading by thinking and talking about the book with your support. Have students browse through the book. Ask: Where is the story set? What characters are in the story?
Reviewing reading strategies Encourage students to identify what they did to help themselves as readers. Say: You were able to imagine the place where the story was set. Well done! Good readers can “see” the story in their mind.
ELL support • An appendix provides background information. • Illustrations support and extend the story.
Phonics Write the words lighthouse, inside, and island on the board Ask: In what different ways is the long /i/ sound represented? Draw out that “igh,” “i_e” and “i” can represent the long /i/ sound. Have pairs of students find words in the book with the long /i/ sound (e.g. night, lightning, excited, inside, eyes, climbed). Share and discuss.
Exploring words Refer students to pages 4 and 5. Ask them to identify the two words that have apostrophes (Jenny’s, can’t). Highlight and discuss the difference between apostrophes for possession and for contraction. Have pairs of students list the contractions in the book and write the extended version of each one (e.g. didn’t – did not). Share and discuss.
Writing Discuss other adventures that Jenny and her family might have living in an isolated place. Ask: What other problems might happen to Jenny and her family living on an island? What story ideas do you have about Jenny and the lighthouse on Rocky Island? Make a list of ideas. Model how to plan a narrative by using the headings Setting, Characters, Problem, and Resolution. Write students’ ideas under each heading. Have students choose an idea from the list to write a story about Jenny and her family on Rocky Island.
Sharing and presenting Have students read their stories to a small group.
During reading Ask each student to read the text independently. Monitor students as they read and support them where appropriate. If necessary, ask them to stop reading and remind them to use the reading strategies you are focused on. Stop the student and check to see that they can visualize the setting of the story. Ask: Can you imagine what it might be like at Jenny’s lighthouse? Tell me about it.
Word work
Synthesizing: Talk about the pair Ask: What do we know about living in isolated places? Have students in small groups write three points for living in a remote place and three points against. Share and
discuss. Have students work further with the books by completing the Activity card provided.
My perfect place
My Faraway Home – plus, minus, and interesting
If you lived in a remote place, a long, long way from towns or cities, where would it be? Draw your ideal remote home. Write how you would do your schooling and get medical treatment, mail, and supplies. Be creative!
Think about where each child lives. What would be good about their home? What wouldn’t you like? What would you find interesting? Write your thoughts on the chart below. Plus
Minus
Lesson Plans
Activity card
Blackline master
Fluent reading stage Level L (24)
Interesting
Gus
Carla
School
My Faraway Home is about four children who live in isolated places. It explores how they access school and medical treatment and get supplies.
A new electric light tower is built on Jenny’s island. But, when a storm hits, the old lighthouse is needed one last time.
Running words: 941 Text type: Report – personal opinion
Running words: 880 Text type: Narrative
Content vocabulary
automatic cattle station coast delivered electric light tower email ferry island lamp room lens lighthouse lighthouse keeper mail mainland medical emergency mule train park ranger postmark rescue supplies village
Phonics
• Identifying the long /a/ sound represented in a variety of ways • Identifying the long /i/ sound represented in a variety of ways
Text features
• • • •
Ari Medical treatment
My Faraway Home The Last Lighthouse Keeper
Reading strategies
Amy
Contents page Chapters with headings; summary page Contents page; chapters with headings Appendix with supporting information
• Comparing and contrasting • Visualizing the setting
Supplies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans My Faraway Home / The Last Lighthouse Keeper © 2016–2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Assessment Can the student use information they have learned to formulate opinions? Can the student record their feelings and opinions clearly?
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans My Faraway Home / The Last Lighthouse Keeper © 2016–2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing
© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice. All other rights reserved.
okapi educational publishing
Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd., Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com
Phonics 2(2) (B) (i) Decoding words with short, long, or variant vowels, trigraphs, and blends. 2(2) (B) (vii) Identifying and reading high-frequency words from a research-based list. Reading 2(6) (D) Create mental images to deepen understanding. 2(6) (H) Synthesize information to create new understanding. 2(7) (D) Retell and paraphrase texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order.
Writing 2(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including procedural texts and reports. Speaking and Listening 2(1) (D) Work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules for discussion.
My perfect place
My Faraway Home – plus, minus, and interesting
If you lived in a remote place, a long, long way from towns or cities, where would it be? Draw your ideal remote home. Write how you would do your schooling and get medical treatment, mail, and supplies. Be creative!
Think about where each child lives. What would be good about their home? What wouldn’t you like? What would you find interesting? Write your thoughts on the chart below. Plus
Minus
Lesson Plans
Activity card
Blackline master
Fluent reading stage Level L (24)
Interesting
Gus
Carla
School
My Faraway Home is about four children who live in isolated places. It explores how they access school and medical treatment and get supplies.
A new electric light tower is built on Jenny’s island. But, when a storm hits, the old lighthouse is needed one last time.
Running words: 941 Text type: Report – personal opinion
Running words: 880 Text type: Narrative
Content vocabulary
automatic cattle station coast delivered electric light tower email ferry island lamp room lens lighthouse lighthouse keeper mail mainland medical emergency mule train park ranger postmark rescue supplies village
Phonics
• Identifying the long /a/ sound represented in a variety of ways • Identifying the long /i/ sound represented in a variety of ways
Text features
• • • •
Ari Medical treatment
My Faraway Home The Last Lighthouse Keeper
Reading strategies
Amy
Contents page Chapters with headings; summary page Contents page; chapters with headings Appendix with supporting information
• Comparing and contrasting • Visualizing the setting
Supplies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans My Faraway Home / The Last Lighthouse Keeper © 2016–2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Assessment Can the student use information they have learned to formulate opinions? Can the student record their feelings and opinions clearly?
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans My Faraway Home / The Last Lighthouse Keeper © 2016–2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing
© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice. All other rights reserved.
okapi educational publishing
Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd., Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com
Phonics 2(2) (B) (i) Decoding words with short, long, or variant vowels, trigraphs, and blends. 2(2) (B) (vii) Identifying and reading high-frequency words from a research-based list. Reading 2(6) (D) Create mental images to deepen understanding. 2(6) (H) Synthesize information to create new understanding. 2(7) (D) Retell and paraphrase texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order.
Writing 2(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including procedural texts and reports. Speaking and Listening 2(1) (D) Work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules for discussion.