Reading Comprehension 6A: Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Let's prepare to read the passage "Drum Lesson." First, we'll skim the passage. Remember, skimming a text can help successful readers answer questions they have before they read. Quickly skim the passage to find out whether it is narrative or expository.

On your reading passage make a mark after the second, fourth, and seventh paragraphs.

Summarize the Text

Reread the passage "Drum Lesson" silently. At each mark that you made, pause to make a connection between the text and yourself, another story, or something in the world. On a sheet of paper, make brief notes about your connections.

To begin developing a summary, start by asking a question about the passage, such as Who is this story about? Then write the answer.

Reading Comprehension 6A: Lesson 1

Use your notes to then write a summary on this worksheet. Remember that a summary of a story is a shortened version that covers only the main events.

Is this a narrative or expository passage? How do you know? Who appears to be the main characters of this passage?

Answer the following questions about the text

1. Who is this story about?

2. What is the problem of the story?

3. When does this story take place?

4. Where does this story take place?

5. Why do the characters feel the way they do?

6. How do the characters resolve their problem?

You will read a short story called "Drum Lesson" in the next lesson. Today, you will create your own short stories to predict waht the story is about.

Every time you read, the words should create pictures in your mind, like a movie taking place inside your head. These mental images that you get from visualizing or picturing the words allow you to better understand the text you are reading.

Now that we have created a story together, everyone should have a better understanding of how short stories are written.

On the back of your story elements page, write a short story using all of the words on the word list.

Lesson 4

Lesson 5

Now, using our word list and story elements, we can begin working together to compose our short story.

Let's look at the story elements at the bottom of the page. These elements will help us write our group story. If we include these things in our story, we can be sure we have included the important parts of a story: character, setting, problem, obstacle, and solution or ending.

Look at the Story elements section and follow along as I read it.

This particular graphic organizer helps with identifying cause and effect

Let's start with character and setting. Are there any names in our word list?

Now we need to decide on a setting where Gabe and carter might be. Look at the remaining words. What can we predict about the time and place of the story?

What sentences could we write using the information we have for our first element?

This word list contains words and short phrases from the story "Drum Lesson". You will include these words in your stories. Read the list with me:

Gabe

Carter

frustrated

drummer

stumble

practice

band director

disaster

football game

drum captain

marching

Reread the passage "Drum Lesson" and answer the questions. Provide evidence from the text after each question. you may copy phrases or sentences from the passage where you found the information that best supports your answer.

Effect

Character and Setting

cause

We are going to use this graphic organizer to brainstorm various events that may happen on a school day. Name some things that may happen on a school day.

The cause and the effect have a relationship. One thing happens as a result of the other. The arrow shows this relationship.

Remember that an event that makes something else happen is called the cause. It is the thing that happens first. This is why on this graphic organiz, we write the cause in the first box

The thing that happens as a result of the cause is called the effect. It happens after the cause. This is why on this graphic organizer, we write the effect of the cause in the second box.

Tell who the main character is and where and when he story takes place.

Now, under "CAUSE," for each effect, we are going to identify a possible cause. To more easily determine a cause in a situation, it helps to ask yourself the question "why did the effect happen?" Look at the first effect that we have. Why did this effect happen?

Cause-and-effect relationships can often be identified by certain signal words and phrases. Some commonly used cause-and-effect signal words and phrases are:

because

since

so

as a result

for this reason

therefore

consequently

due to

The use of one of these words and phrases usually shows a relationship in which something happened because of something else.

Problem

Solution or Ending

Describe a problem the main character has and how it makes him or her feel.

Good Story

Tell how the problem is finally solved or how the story ends.

Now, for our second element, we need to describe a problem that our main characters are experiencing. We need to find words from our list that could be used to describe the problem.

1. I lost my money because I had a hole in my pocket

obstacle

2. My hair grew long, so I got a haircut.

3. Since i studied every night for my test, I got a good grade.

Describe how the character tries to solve the problem.

4. I picked up the phone and said hello because the phone rang.

Using the graphic organizer, identify the cause and the effect in each sentence. Remember that the causes are written on the left, under "CAUSE." The causes are what happened first. The effects are written on the right. The effects are what happened as a result of the causes.

Look at the first sentence. It says, "I lost my money because I had a hole in my pocket." Do you see a signal word or phrase that identifies a cause-and-effect relationship?

What is the cause in this sentence? What made something else happen?

What is the effect in this sentence? What happens because of the cause?

Independent Practice

Complete the worksheet on your own