Push-In and Connect Key Events START: Read 1 Guide for Repeated Interactive Read-Alouds A Letter to Amy By: Ezra Jack Keats Push-In Story Problem Target Vocabulary Read 1: STATE STATE: Show cover illustration and identify title and author. The title of the book is A Letter to Amy and the author, or the person who wrote the story, is Ezra Jack Keats. STATE: Purpose of Read 1 This is Peter (cover). He has a letter to send to his special friend, Amy. Oh no, look there s a storm (point to lightning) and it looks like the wind blew the letter out of his hand. I wonder if Amy will ever get the letter. Let s read to see what happens. Read 1: TEACH TEACH: Push-in story problem that s connected to the story purpose by using the think-aloud strategy (I wonder, I noticed, I was thinking.). While rushing to mail a letter to his special friend, Amy, Peter accidently knocked her down. He is concerned that now she won t come to the party. TEACH: Push-in and connect key events that relate to the story problem. Page # Events Page # Previous Event/Explanation 2 Peter s mom suggests that Peter just asks Amy to the party. 3 Peter wrote, It is this Saturday at 2 on the back of the envelope. 2 Peter told his mom that he was writing a letter to invite Amy to her party. 3 His mom asked Peter what he wrote in the letter. He wrote, Will you please come to my birthday party. Peter. This does not tell Amy when to come to the party. Page 1
8 The letter flew out of Peter s hand. 8 There was a flash of lightning, a roar of thunder, and then a strong wind blew. 12 Peter chased the letter this way and that way, but he could not catch it. 9-11 Peter tried to stop the letter with his foot, but that did not stop it. Then it flew high in the air and he could not catch it. The letter skipped across a hopscotch game and he still could not catch it. 16 Peter hurried to get the letter and bumped into Amy, 13-15 Big raindrops started falling. Then Peter saw Amy. He did who fell on the ground. 21 Peter told his mom yes in a sad voice when she asked if he mailed the letter to Amy. 24 After the boys chanted to bring the cake out, Peter agreed, but he said it slowly. not want to spoil the surprise. 17-20 Peter saw Amy run off crying after quickly putting the letter in the mailbox. He thought she would not come to his party now. 23 Everybody but Amy had arrived. TEACH: Push-in target vocabulary using PAT. Page # Point Act Tell 1-2 letter inviting asking someone to go somewhere 3-4 envelope, stamp, raincoat mail-send it to her 5-6 Willie, parrot 7-8 flash of lightning 9-10 stretching/reaching 11 hopscotch skipping 12 reaching/stretching 14 waved spoil to mess up, ruin The party will no longer be a surprise if Amy sees that the letter is for her. The surprise will be ruined. 17-18 crying stuff to put into, to fill Page 2
19-20 reflection seeing yourself 26 repeat do it again Target Tier 2 vocabulary related to story: Request Fasten Special Invitation ASK: Why did Peter want to mail Amy s invitation? Read 1: ASK Possible Answers: Amy is a special friend. Read 1: RESPOND RESPOND: Restate what child said in a more complex sentence. Use correct syntax. Model rich vocabulary. Build on children s statements by adding more information. TIE: Read 1: TIE Summarize main idea: Friendship is very important. It s okay to have a special friend who is different from you. Transition to next activity and push-in how it relates to the story. Page 3
Push-In and Connect Characters Feelings with Key Events START: Read 2 Guide for Repeated Interactive Read-Alouds A Letter to Amy By: Ezra Jack Keats Push-In Story Problem Target Vocabulary Read 2: STATE STATE: Show cover illustration and identify title and author. The title of the book is A Letter to Amy and the author, or the person who wrote the story, is Ezra Jack Keats. STATE: Story Problem Remember how hard Peter worked to invite Amy to his party? He took time to write her a special letter, he went out in the rainstorm to mail it, and he had to chase the letter in the wind. And then, he was so eager to get it in the mailbox before Amy saw it that he knocked her down. I wonder how he felt when all that happened. Let s read and find out. STATE: Purpose of Read 2 I wonder how he Peter felt when he thought Amy wouldn t come to his party. Let s read and find out. Read 2: TEACH TEACH: Push-in characters thoughts and feelings (as they connect to key events) that relate to the story problem. Page # Events Characters Thoughts and Feelings 5/6 13/14 15/16 21/22 Peter is sneaking past Amy s house. Amy and Peter are both chasing the letter. Peter knocks Amy down. Peter is standing at the window. Peter: I don t want Amy to see me with this letter. Peter: Oh no, I am going to lose the letter; I just have to get it into the mailbox. Amy: There is my friend, Peter, he s chasing something. I will try to help him. Amy: I was trying to help you and you knocked me down; you did not say you were sorry. Peter: I have to get the letter. Amy cannot see that it is for her. Peter: I just wanted Amy to come to my party. I just know that she will not come to my party Page 4
now that I knocked her down. TEACH: Push-in target vocabulary using PAT. Page # Point Act Tell 1-2 letter inviting asking someone to go somewhere 3-4 envelope, stamp, raincoat mail-send it to her 5-6 Willie, parrot 7-8 flash of lightning 9-10 stretching/reaching 11 hopscotch skipping 12 reaching/stretching 14 waved spoil to mess up, ruin The party will no longer be a surprise if Amy sees that the letter is for her. The surprise will be ruined. 17-18 crying stuff to put into, to fill 19-20 reflection seeing yourself 26 repeat do it again Target Tier 2 vocabulary related to story: Request Fasten Special Invitation Page 5
ASK: Why was Peter sad after mailing the letter to Amy? Read 2: ASK Possible Answers: He didn t think she would come to his party because he did not say he was sorry when he knocked her down. He paid more attention to the letter than his friend when she fell down. Because he knocked her down. Read 2: RESPOND RESPOND: Restate what child said in a more complex sentence. Use correct syntax. Model rich vocabulary. Build on children s statements by adding more information. TIE: Read 2: TIE Summarize main idea: Friendship is very important. It s okay to have a special friend who is different from you. Transition to next activity and push-in how it relates to the story. Page 6
Pull-Out Characters Feelings Key Events START: Read 3 Guide for Repeated Interactive Read-Alouds A Letter to Amy By: Ezra Jack Keats Pull-Out Story Problem Target Vocabulary Read 3: STATE STATE: Show cover illustration and have the children recall the title and author. Remember, the title of the book is A Letter to Amy and the author, or the person who wrote the story, is Ezra Jack Keats. STATE: Pull-out story problem. Remember how Peter invited his friend, Amy, to come to the party? Peter was worried that she wouldn t come because he knocked her down. STATE: Purpose of Read 3 Now that you know this story so well, I would like for you to help tell the story. I wonder why Amy was so special to Peter. Let s read to find out. Read 3: TEACH TEACH: Pull-out key events and characters thoughts and feelings. Read a few passages that prompt children to respond. Ask questions such as What is happening here? Then, connect character s feelings to that event, How do you think felt when that happened? Page # Possible Descriptions of Events Possible Descriptions of Characters Thoughts and Feelings 5/6 Peter is sneaking past Amy s house. Peter: I don t want Amy to see me with this letter. 13/14 Amy and Peter are both chasing the letter. Peter: Oh no, I am going to lose the letter; I just have to get it into the mailbox. Amy: There is my friend, Peter, he s chasing something. I will try to help him. Page 7
15/16 21/22 Peter knocks Amy down. Peter is standing at the window. Amy: I was trying to help you and you knocked me down; you did not say you were sorry. Peter: I have to get the letter. Amy cannot see that it is for her. Peter: I just wanted Amy to come to my party. I just know that she will not come to my party now that I knocked her down. TEACH: Pull-out target vocabulary. Provide opportunities for children to use target vocabulary. Read 3: ASK ASK: The final why question leads to the main idea. How do we know that Amy was special to Peter? Possible Answers: He mailed her an invitation; he went out in the storm to mail it. He wanted to wait for her to arrive before having cake. He didn t care what the other boys thought about a girl at his party. Read 3: RESPOND RESPOND: Restate what child said in a more complex sentence. Use correct syntax. Model rich vocabulary. Build on child s statements by adding more information. Page 8
TIE: Read 3: TIE Summarize main idea: Friendship is very important. It s okay to have a special friend who is different from you.) Transition to next activity and pull-out how it relates to the story. Page 9