Helping+Out

=//Helping Out// by George Ancona (author, photographer)=

**__[[image:boy_with_camera.jpg align="left"]]Literacy Center/Reading Group Ideas:__**
===1. (//Writing//): “How to do a Chore”: Write directions to tell a friend how to do a chore. You can think of the chore yourself, or you can use one of these (write on card): plant a seed, wash a car, clean your room, make sandwiches for lunch. Tell the directions in order. Make them clear. Use time-order words, such as first, next, then, last. Make a drawing to help tell how to do the chore.===

2. (//Phonics//): Place cards around the room with pictures or words with the “ear” /ur/ sound (earth, search, earn, heard, pearl, etc.). Students must find the words and bring them back to group.
===3. (//Phonics//): “Pearl Search”: Write the following words on a construction paper “pearl”: learn, heard, Earth, earn, Earl, pearl, search. Place each “pearl” inside a small box with a top. Tell students to imagine that they will help their friend Earl search for pearls. Have students imagine that each box is an oyster with a word pearl inside. Students open and read the oysters to collect pearls for Earl.===

4. (//Word Building/Blending//): Provide magnetic letters and cards with “ear” for students to build new words. Provide an “Earth” or “pearl” template for students to write their new words.
===5. (//Responding to the Story/Comprehension//): Provide students with speech balloons (like a cartoon). Students go back through the story and choose a photograph. They then write what they imagine each person in the photograph is saying. Students share with a partner. (Extension: photocopy the pages and place in page protectors. Students tape their speech balloons to the picture they chose and share with the class. Using the page protectors and tape lets you use the photographs for the following year).=== ===6. (//Syllables//): Give students several words and have them do a syllable sort with the headers “Two-Syllable Words” and “One-Syllable Words.” Use the following words: Earl, pearl, relearn, searcher, learning, search, Earth, earner, heard. If students have difficulty, have them clap out the syllables for each word.===

7. (//Writing//): Students create their own photo essay. Provide magazines for students to cut out pictures/photographs. Students then glue these on pages and create captions for each picture.
===8. (//Phonics Review//): Provide students with a file folder. On one side, create a pocket that words can be placed in. On the other side, draw a railroad track. Provide word cards, where students will sort the words as either /ack/ like track or /ock/ like pocket. Use the following words: sack, sock, rack, rock, lack, lock.===

**__[[image:recycle.jpg align="left"]]After Read Aloud Activity:__**
===1. Make a class list of how we can help out (if time, students can use the strategy “Carousel Brainstorming,” where they go to different posters and add what they would do to help out. Give it topics such as “Helping at Home”, “Helping at School”, “Helping the Earth”, and “Helping our Community.”)===

**__Grammar Activities:__**
===1. Identify different sounds in plural noun endings: Challenge students to see if they can hear the difference in the endings –s and –es. Say plural nouns such as boxes and chairs. If the plural noun ends in –s, students raise one hand. If it ends in –es, have students raise two hands. Do this several times until students can identify the sound differences.=== ===2. Go on a noun hunt with the story. Students write a list of nouns on one side of their paper. (Add to chart paper for whole group lesson). On the other side, students write the plural form of the noun.===