Iris and Walter - Squarespace To compare and contrast the settings of the story, as well as those of...

An Educational Standards-Aligned Discussion & Activity

Guide for

Iris and Walter

Grades 1-3 ISBN: 978-0-547-74555-8

Written by Elissa Haden GuestIllustrated by Christine Davenier

Published by Sandpiper - Green Light Readers (An Imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Guide Created by Debbie Gonzaleswww.debbiegonzales.com

Guest, Elissa Haden and Christine Davenier. Iris and Walter. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.ISBN: 978-0-547-74555-8 http://elissahadenguest.com/ www.debbiegonzales.com

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Table of Contents

Pre-Reading Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Post-Reading Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Characterization Crossword Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Characterization Crossword Puzzle Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Draw & Label Retelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Draw & Label Retelling Graphic Organizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Compare and Contrast Details of the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Sounds of Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Transportations of Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Playing at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Smells of Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Educational Standards Alignment (CCSS): English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 English Language Arts Standards » Speaking & Listening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14


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Pre-Reading Discussion Questions

Study the front cover carefully and answer the following questions . • Describe the relationship between the two children on the cover . Tell how they

feel about one another . How do you know? Explain your answer .• Describe the place featured in the illustration . Where are the children? How do

you know? Explain your answer .• Predict what the children are talking about . • Observe the color choices used in creating this illustration . Tell what you see .• List the other objects or animals featured in the illustration . • Describe how this illustration makes you feel .• Predict what this book is going to be about . How do you know? Explain your

answer .

Meet the Author – Elissa Haden Guest!• Tell what you know about being an author .• List the tools authors use to tell stories .• Elissa grew up with three older brothers . Do you think

growing up with so many brothers might have had an influence on the types of stories she tells? How so?

• For more information about Elissa Haden Guest, access her website at www .elissahadenguest .com .

Meet the Illustrator – Christine Davenier • Explain what you know about illustrators .• List the tools illustrators use to create drawings .• Explain how pictures can tell stories . • Describe how use of color and technique help to tell

an illustration’s story . • Tell the story behind the illustration on the front cover

of Iris and Walter .

Author Elissa Haden Guest

Illustrator Christine Davenier


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Post-Reading Discussion Questions

Chapter 1 – Moving• Explain why Iris is sad . • Tell where and what Iris played on rainy days .• List the games she missed playing in the big city .• List the sounds she missed hearing in the big city . • How about you? Have you ever had to move to a new home? If so, describe how you felt

when doing so .

Chapter 2 – Cheer Up• Explain why Iris’s mother did a cartwheel in the grass .• Tell why Iris’s father swung from a limb of a tree .• Explain why Iris seemed glad that Grandpa did not tell her to “cheer up .”• Notice that Grandpa is wearing binoculars . Explain way .

Chapter 3 – A Walk and a Talk• Discuss why Iris was lonely living in the country . • Predict why Grandpa was certain that they will find children somewhere . • Explain why the ladder dropped down the moment after Iris said she wanted to climb the

tree .• Tell why meeting Walter was a “wonderful” thing .

Chapter 4 – A New Life• List the games Iris played with Walter .• List the sounds of the country Iris enjoyed hearing . • Consider ways that playing in the country was similar to playing in the big city .• Tell of ways that playing in the country was very different that playing in the big city . • Explain why remembering her life in the big city did not make Iris feel sad any longer . • Discuss how having a friend changed Iris’s character . • How about you? Does having a friend make things seems better? Explain your answer .


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Characterization Crossword Puzzle

Across: 3. Swung from a tree limb 6. Illustrator’s first name7. Took Iris for a walk10. Author’s first name

Down1. Iris climbed a ladder to discover a _______ in the tree2. Iris’s new friend4. Did a cartwheel in the grass5. Iris was lonely because there were no _________ to play with in the country8. The wild horse9. Walter’s sweet pony11. Moved from the city to the country


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Characterization Crossword Puzzle Answers

Across: 3. Swung from a tree limb (Father)6. Illustrator’s first name (Christine)7. Took Iris for a walk (Grandpa)10. Author’s first name (Elissa)

Down1. Iris climbed a ladder to discover a _______ in the tree (house)2. Iris’s new friend (Walter)4. Did a cartwheel in the grass (Mother)5. Iris was lonely because there were no _________ to play with in the country (children)8. The wild horse (Rain)9. Walter’s sweet pony (Sal)11. Moved from the city to the country (Iris)


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Draw & Label Retelling

Objective: To retell key details of the text by summarizing narrative elements .

Materials:• Iris and Walter• Draw & Label Retelling Graphic Organizer (Guide, pg . 8)• Pencil• Markers or crayons

Procedure:• After reading Iris and Walter discuss the following narrative elements: ~ In Box 1: Characters – List the characters depicted in the story . ~ In Box 2: Setting – Define where the story took place . ~ In Box 3: Conflict – Define Iris’s problem . ~ In Box 4: Resolution – Tell how the story ended .• Using the Draw & Label Retelling Graphic Organizer, instruct student to summarize the

narrative elements in the numbered section at the top of each labeled box . • Illustrate each narrative element in the spaces labeled ‘Draw’ .• Write a short one or two line description of the action depicted in their illustration in the

‘Label” section . • Encourage students to discuss their Draw & Label Retelling Graphic Organizers orally, in a

group setting . • For further clarification, refer to the sample below .

Who?

Draw:

Label:

Tell who the story is about.

Illustrate character(s).

Write a short description of illustration.

1


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Draw & Label Retelling Graphic Organizer

Who?

Draw:

Label:

Where?

Draw:

Label:

What happened?

Draw:

Label:

How did it end?

Draw:

Label:

1 2

3 4


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Compare and Contrast Details of the Story

Objective: To compare and contrast the settings of the story, as well as those of the child’s home .

Materials:• Iris and Walter • Graphic Organizers: ~Sounds of Home (Guide, pg . 10) ~Transportations of Home (Guide, pg . 11) ~Playing at Home (Guide, pg . 12) ~Smells of Home (Guide, pg . 13)• Marker or crayons• Pencil

Procedure:• Read Iris and Walter, paying close attention to the details of setting,

transportation, and recreation in the city and in the country .• Using the various graphic organizers - Sounds of Home, Transportation of Home,

Playing at Home, Smells of Home – instruct students to: ~List or illustrate details of Iris’s home in the city in the first column . ~List or illustrate details of Iris’s home in the country in the second column . ~List or illustrate details of their home in the third column .• Share and discuss lists or illustration with the larger group . Tell of ways that their

lists and illustrations between columns are similar and different .


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Sounds of Home

List or illustrate the sounds of Iris’s home in the city in the

column below .

List or illustrate the sounds of Iris’s home in the country in the

column below .

List or illustrate the sounds of your home in the column

below .


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Transportations of Home

List or illustrate the ways of transportation in Iris’s home in the city in the column below .

List or illustrate the ways of transportation Iris’s home

in the country in the column below .

List or illustrate the ways of transportation on your home in

the column below .


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Playing at Home

List or illustrate the ways kids play in Iris’s home in the city in

the column below .

List or illustrate the ways kids play in Iris’s home in the country in the column below .

List or illustrate the ways kids play in your home in the

column below .


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Smells of Home

List or illustrate the smells of Iris’s home in the city in the

column below .

List or illustrate the smells of Iris’s home in the country in the

column below .

List or illustrate the smells of your home in the column

below .


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Educational Standards Alignment(Common Core State Standards)

English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Literature

English Language Arts Standards » Speaking & Listening

Iris and Walter - Squarespace To compare and contrast the settings of the story, as well as those of...

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