GUIDED READING
THE FOUR BLOCKS WAY
PIGS
I do this unit in the spring of second grade. I do not have the Houghton
Mifflin Invitations to Literacy. I developed this unit for my students
over the course of the last ten years. I wish I had the book available
to me! I so have 10-15 copies of each story. I have included the isbn
numbers for you to get find the books used in this basal.
Invitations to Literacy
Houghton Mifflin
Oink, Oink, Oink --- Grade Three Unit
Three Little Wolves
and the Big, Bad Pig
by Eugene Trivizas
illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
ISBN 068981528X
What's Up, Pup?
By Lyle Prescott
A Ranger Rick article featuring a frisky wolf pup at play
This Little Piggy!
By Linda Granfield
Why pigs love mud, and other fun facts from Owl magazine
The Three Little
Javelinas
by Susan Lowell
illustrated by Jim Harris
ISBN 0873585429
(there is a soft cover but I couldn't find the ISBN)
My Hairy Neighbors
by Susan Lowell
Meet some real javelinas in an article from Ranger Rick
The Three Little
Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark
by Donivee Martin Laird
illustrated by Don Stuart
0940350254
ISBN 0940350254
Pigs
by Charles Ghigna
poem about pigs
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
books not in the basal but I used in the following unit:
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs ISBN 0140544518
a nonfiction book about wolves and a nonfiction book about pigs
Guided Reading Day 1
I select a typical "three little pigs" story (remember that those of
you with the basal need to get this from another source) to read to
the class. Then we begin the Graphic Organizer. I set the following
headings going across the top of a paper in landscape.
Name of the Pig
Book
Pig 1
Pig 2
Pig 3
Bad Guy
Did bad guy eat/kill pigs?
House 1 (who sold the goods; what kind of house was built?)
House 2
House 3
Guided Reading Day
2-3
Read Three Little Wolves and the Big, Bad Pig. Set the purpose for reading
as looking for the answers to the graphic chart started yesterday with
the typical three little pigs stories. Depending on your class and the
kind of readers they are, you might finish this in two readings or one.
Guided Reading Day
4
Read the nonfiction story My Hairy Neighbors. Use The Teacher's Guide
to Four Blocks, page 61 as a written reading response.
I learned a lot
about Javelinas. I learned that __________________. I also learned that
_________________. The most interesting thing I learned was ____________________________.
Guided Reading Day
5-6
Read The Three Little Javelinas. Set the purpose for reading as looking
for answers to the graphic organizer from day one. I often will give
the students sticky notes so they can mark the pages where they find
the answers. You can have your students read in partners or in three
ring circus, depending on how you readers are reading.
Guided Reading Day
7
You will begin a comparison chart. The two headings are make-believe
and real. Have the children look at the stories from days 5, 6, and
7.
Guided Reading Day
8
Do a KWL about pigs. Then if you are using the basal the children can
read "This Little Piggy!" If you aren't using the basal, you need a
nonfiction book about pigs. There are many available. In The Teacher's
Guide to Four Blocks, on page 68-69, there is a detailed explanation
of KWL. I have my students write two facts they know on their own paper
under "K". Then I have them write two questions for "W". Then after
reading and learning about pigs they write at least two things they
learned. I give them 2 sticky notes to put on the page where they find
the answer to their two questions. Kids LOVE sticky notes!
Guided Reading Day
9
Add to comparison chart that you started with the javelinas. Now add
the true and make believe elements about pigs.
Guided Reading Day
10
Read What's Up Pup? of another nonfiction article or book about wolves.
There are many books available. If you don't have multiple copies, read
one aloud. I have the magazine, Ranger Rick, where this was originally
published. I read it to the students. I wish I had this basal!!! Set
the purpose: Learning information about wolves. You can do a KWL about
wolves, do the same writing activity you did for javelinas, make a list
of wolf facts. Use your own idea and try to vary what activities you
do.
Guided Reading Day
11
Read Aloud The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Now add the true
and make believe elements about wolves. This story is NOT in the basal.
Guided Reading Day
12
Read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs again and add to the graphic
organizer chart comparing all the versions of the three little pigs.
Guided Reading Day
13
Before you read The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark,
you must do vocabulary for this story. There are vocab words highlighted
in the basal.
Guided Reading Day
14
Read The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark
Guided Reading Day
15
After reading The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark each
student should complete his/her own comparison chart about THIS one
story. Then the class should add to the class comparison chart.
Guided Reading Day
16
Read the poem, Pigs, by Charles Ghigna.
Pigs are playful
Pigs are pink
Pigs are smarter
than you think
Pigs are slippery
Pigs are stout
Pigs have noses
Called a snout
Pigs are pudgy
Pigs are plump
Pigs can run.
But never jump.
Pigs are loyal
Pigs are true
Pigs don't care for
Barbecue
Talk about the structure
of the poem. There are basically 12 facts in this poem. The students
can write their own poem about pigs, wolves, or javelinas using the
chart that the class has been making throughout this unit.
********** teacher
should type all the poems AND make copies for all the kids *********
Guided Reading Day
17
Read each of the other students poems. Might continue reading poems
into the next day. A variation is to have groups of students write a
poem for each animal: pig, javelina, and wolf.
Guided Reading Day
18
If you have the basal, on page 118-118 there is a play. Read it like
Reader's Theatre.
