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ES Literacy Shared Text Grade 3: Falling In Love with Reading

Week 1

Day 1 Focus: Read and Understand the Text

  • Title:Since Hanna Moved Away” (Poem)
  • Main Idea Jot:
    • Friend moving casts a cloud over everyday life
    • Speaker misses her so much that things that were exciting/fun are no longer so
  • Craft and Structure Focus: Repetition
    • Highlight the poet’s repetition of the phrase “Since Hanna moved away” at the end of each stanza.
    • Discuss how the author uses repetition to show that the things that used to be fun are no longer fun since Hanna moved away.

Day 2 Focus: Responding to Literature in Writing

  • Title:Since Hanna Moved Away” (Poem)
  • Question 1: How does the speaker feel since Hanna moved away?
    • Sample answer: The speaker feels upset/lonely/sad or misses Hanna.
      • “The sky is grouchy gray” (line 2)
      • “Chocolate ice cream tastes like prunes” (line 5)
      • “Nothing’s fun to laugh about” (line 13)
  • Question 2: How does the poet convey the speaker’s feelings about Hanna leaving?
    • Sample answer: The poet conveys the speaker’s feelings by describing how everything in life is now gloomy or depressing.
      • “They’ve taken back the Mays and Junes” (line 7)
      • “Flowers smell like halibut” (line 9)
      • “Every handsome dog’s a mutt” (line 11)

Day 3 Focus: Read and Understand the Text

  • Title:Running Song” (Poem)
  • Main Idea Jot:
    • Narrator finds running to be exhilarating/exciting
    • Wishes he could go on running for forever
  • Craft and Structure Focus: Word Choice
    • Discuss word choice and how the author’s choices create a sense of rhythm and movement that is exhilarating.
    • Discuss why the author titles this poem “Running Song”. No one is actually singing so why call this poem “Running Song”?

Day 4 Focus: Responding to Literature in Writing

  • Title:Running Song” (Poem)
  • Question 1: How does the speaker react to people staring at him?
    • Sample answer: The speaker doesn’t care that people are looking at him and just keeps running.
      • “I’m not looking” (line 13)
      • “I’m not caring” (line 14)
      • “I’m just running hard and long” (lines 15-16)
  • Question 2: How does the speaker feel about running?
    • Sample answer: The speaker loves running and finds it exciting.
      • “I am running just for fun” (lines 3-4)
      • “I’m not looking, I’m not caring, I’m just running hard and long” (lines 13-16)
      • “Rushing rivers/ run forever/ Maybe I can/ if I try” (lines 27-29)

Week 2

Day 1 Focus: Read and Understand the Text

  • Title:Jamaica Louise James” (Fiction)
  • Main Idea Jot:
    • Jamaica changes the subway by bringing joy to grandma and others.
    • Individuals have the power to affect positive change.
  • Craft and Structure Focus: Descriptive Language
    • Discuss how Jamaica describes the subway station in the beginning and end to highlight her change in perspective.
    • Also discuss how the passengers’ attitudes change from downtrodden/annoyed to upbeat/joyful because of Jamaica’s artwork.

Day 2 Focus: Responding to Literature in Writing

  • Title:Jamaica Louise James” (Fiction)
  • Question 1: How does Jamaica feel at the end of the story?
    • Sample answer: Jamaica feels proud at the end of the story.
      • “Everyone is sure in love with my subway.” (paragraph 10)
      • “Then Grammy tells everyone about Jamaica Louise, age 8.” (paragraph 10)
  • Question 2: Describe Jamaica’s character traits.
    • Sample answer: Jamaica is kind/caring/creative.
      • “Everyday I add a picture to my collection and everyday I think about my cool idea.” (paragraph 7)
      • “What we do is hang a painting on the old tile wall…Before you know it the station is filled up with color.” (paragraph 8)

Day 3 Focus: Read and Understand the Text

  • Title:Emma’s Echo” (Fiction)
  • Main Idea Jot:
    • Emma is annoyed with her echo (sister) because she is always tagging along.
    • When her sister gets sick, Emma realizes that she misses her.
    • Sometimes you don’t realize how important someone is until they are absent.
  • Craft and Structure Focus: Descriptive Language
    • Discuss how the author describes Emma’s echo (e.g. through her actions).
    • Discuss how the author shows us that Emma’s echo is actually her sister.

Day 4 Focus: Responding to Literature in Writing

  • Title:Emma’s Echo” (Fiction)
  • Question 1: Why does Emma change her attitude towards her echo?
    ○Sample answer: Emma changes her attitude because she feels lonely when her echo is not around.

    • “It was so quiet. Emma felt alone.” (paragraph 12)
    • “‘I missed you,’ said Emma.” (paragraph 14)
  • Question 2: How does the author show us that Emma’s opinion of her “echo” has changed?
    • Sample answer: The author shows us that Emma’s opinion has changed by describing her reaction to her echo at the beginning of the story and then at the end of the story.
      • “Sometimes Emma got tired of her echo.” (paragraph 2)
      • “She tried to leave her echo in the house…” (paragraph 2)
      • “It was so quiet. Emma felt alone.” (paragraph 12)

What Else Do I Need?

  • Shared Text Selections:
    • Poem: “Since Hanna Moved Away” by Judith Viorst from If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries
    • Poem: “Running Song” by Marci Ridlon from The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury
    • Fiction: “Jamaica Louise James” from Jamaica Louise James by Amy Hest
    • Fiction: “Emma’s Echo” from Highlights by Haley Kelly

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