LESSON 1 TEACHER’S GUIDE The Mystery on Maple...

Number of Words: 1,153

L E S S O N 1 T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

The Mystery on Maple Street by Joanne Mattern

Fountas-Pinnell Level QRealistic FictionSelection SummaryAs part of a school community service project, best friends Maria and Carla are paired to help a local neighbor, Mrs. Quevedo, tend her yard. Carla worries about Mrs. Quevedo’s secrecy. The girls’ day at Mrs. Quevedo’s house does uncover a secret—but not what Carla had feared.

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Characteristics of the Text Genre • Realistic fi ction

Text Structure • Single third-person chronological narrative without chapter breaksContent • Community service

• Interests and hobbies, such as cameras and photography; raking leaves and yardworkThemes and Ideas • It is a mistake to jump to conclusions.

• Unexpected encounters can lead to new friendships.• Misunderstandings can turn into learning experiences.

Language and Literary Features

• Narrative told mostly through dialogue.• Direct language, requires little inference• Main characters exaggerate circumstances: “Haven’t you heard the stories?” “Basements

scare me anyway”• Figurative language used sparingly: like a beautiful rug of green

Sentence Complexity • Many multisyllable words: community, scientifi c, continued, elderly• Mostly simple sentences• Many examples of contractions and informal conversation

Vocabulary • Words associated with photography: fi lm lab, darkroom, dimWords • Many two- and three-syllable words

• Many high-frequency words; more advanced words can be defi ned using context or by looking at illustrations

Illustrations • Illustrations on most pages to support narrativeBook and Print Features • Twelve pages of text, with illustrations on most pages

• Generous white space on text-only pages© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

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Target Vocabulary

advanced – very good at something, p. 10

comfort – to help a person feel better, p. 4

consisted – made up of, p. 12

intends – plans, p. 6mention – speak about

something, p. 10mood – the way a person is

feeling, p. 6

peculiar – something odd or unusual, p. 4

positive – completely sure, p. 4properly – the right way, p. 14talent – a special skill, p. 11

The Mystery on Maple Street by Joanne Mattern

Build BackgroundHelp students use their knowledge about community service projects to visualize the story. Build interest by asking questions such as the following: Have you ever done community service? How can working in the community be a learning experience? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Explain that the story is realistic fi ction, so it could take place in real life.

Introduce the TextGuide students through the text, noting important ideas and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions:

Page 4: Explain that this story is about two best friends, Maria and Carla, who are assigned to complete a community service project together—doing work for a local elder, Mrs. Quevedo. Suggested language: On page 4, Carla says that Mrs. Quevedo is peculiar, “like a mad scientist or something.” Ask: What is another word for peculiar? Maria says she’s positive Mrs. Quevedo is not a mad scientist. What does Maria mean by saying positive?

Page 8: The text says when the girls started raking leaves, Carla worked only half-heartedly. What does the author mean? Have students look at the illustration on page 8 of Maria pointing to the basement window. Ask: What do you think the problem of this story will be?

Now go back to the beginning and read to see what happens when Carla and Maria complete their community service project.

2 Lesson 1: The Mystery on Maple Street Grade 4© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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ReadHave students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed.

Remind students to use the Summarize Strategy and to put what they learn about Mrs. Quevedo in their own words.

Discuss and Revisit the TextPersonal ResponseInvite students to share their personal responses to the text. Suggested language: Do you think that Carla was afraid of Mrs. Quevedo, or just shy? Why?

Ways of ThinkingAs you discuss the text, help students understand these points:

Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text

• Maria and Carla are assigned to help a neighbor, Mrs. Quevedo, for a community service project.

• Carla is worried because she has heard some rumors about the strange equipment in Mrs. Quevedo’s basement.

• The girls learn that Mrs. Quevedo is a photographer and keeps her equipment in the basement.

• People need to understand a situation fully or else they might jump to conclusions.

• Community service projects can benefi t both the volunteers and the recipients.

• Carla’s suspicion of Mrs. Quevedo and the story’s title create some suspense.

• The conversation between characters is realistic, the way ten-year-olds talk.

• The illustrations show expression on the characters’ faces and support the text.

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for Further Support• Fluency Invite students to work with partners to choose a passage from the text

and demonstrate phrased fl uent reading. Remind them to use the verbs provided in speaker tags (Carla whispered; Carla mumbled; she called) to vary the stress in their reading.

• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas.

• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Have students identify the four-syllable word on page 5 (seriously). Ask a volunteer to identify the infl ectional ending used in this word (-ly) and what part of speech it denotes (adverb). Other examples of adverbs from the story include slowly, brightly, elderly, and furiously.



Writing about ReadingCritical ThinkingHave students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 1.8.

RespondingHave students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.

Target Comprehension SkillStory Structure

Target Comprehension Skill Remind students that they can identify the plot, settings,

and characters in a story to help them understand story structure. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:

Think Aloud

At the beginning of the story, Carla and Maria are talking on Maria’s front steps. Later in the story, Mrs. Quevedo shows the girls her basement darkroom. These are two settings used in the story.

Practice the SkillHave students share examples of other settings in the story.

Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the TextHave students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings.

Assessment Prompts• Why do you think the author begins the story with a conversation between Carla and

Maria?

• What is the meaning of consisted on page 12?

• What can the reader conclude about Carla based on the end of the story?



Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text Why do the girls need to help Mrs.

Quevedo?

2. Think within the text What does Mrs. Quevedo do in her

basement?

3. Think beyond the text What characteristics of Maria and

Carla does the author focus on in this story?

4. Think about the text The story is called The Mystery on

Maple Street, but it is not a mystery story. What is the mystery

that the title refers to?

Making Connections Mrs. Quevedo is not as scary as Carla thought. Describe a time when you realized a situation was not what it seemed.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

10Critical Thinking© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Lesson 1B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 . 8

Grade 4, Unit 1: Reaching Out

Name Date

The Mystery on Maple Street

Critical Thinking

They need to do a community service project.

Mrs. Quevedo develops fi lm in her basement darkroom.

Maria is brave and tends to think the best of people. Carla is scared and worries

more than Maria.

The mystery in the title is what Mrs. Quevedo really does in her basement.

Possible responses shown.

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English Language DevelopmentReading Support Pair advanced and intermediate readers to read the story softly, or have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Remind them that it turns out the reason Mrs. Queveda’s basement windows are covered is because she has a darkroom for her photography.

Cultural Support The story includes some references that might be unfamiliar to English learners. Point out the word recycling on page 9. Explain that in many communities, there are special waste disposal services for yard waste such as leaves and grass. The girls are separating this from more common garbage so it can be disposed of properly.

Oral Language DevelopmentCheck student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’ English profi ciency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.

Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced

Speaker 1: Who are the two main characters?

Speaker 2: Carla and Maria

Speaker 1: Who do they help in the story?

Speaker 2: Mrs. Quevedo

Speaker 1: How do they help Mrs. Quevedo?

Speaker 2: They rake leaves.

Speaker 1: Why do Carla and Maria help Mrs. Quevedo?

Speaker 2: They help as part of a school community service project.

Speaker 1: What does Maria learn about Mrs. Quevedo?

Speaker 2: Mrs. Quevedo is a photographer.

Speaker 1: Why is Carla afraid of Mrs. Quevedo?

Speaker 2: She has heard that Mrs. Quevedo has equipment in her basement, like a mad scientist. She does not want to go to the house.

Speaker 1: How does Carla show she isn’t afraid of Mrs. Quevedo anymore?

Speaker 2: She poses for a picture with Maria.



Name Date

The Mystery on Maple Street Thinking Beyond the Text

Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in two paragraphs.

Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal knowledge to reach new understandings.

Maria and Carla help Mrs. Quevedo as part of a community service project. What do you think are the benefits of community service projects? How does this story show those benefits?



Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text Why do the girls need to help Mrs.

Quevedo?

2. Think within the text What does Mrs. Quevedo do in her

basement?

3. Think beyond the text What characteristics of Maria and

Carla does the author focus on in this story?

4. Think about the text The story is called The Mystery on

Maple Street, but it is not a mystery story. What is the mystery

that the title refers to?

Making Connections Mrs. Quevedo is not as scary as Carla thought. Describe a time when you realized a situation was not what it seemed.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Lesson 1B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 . 8

Name Date


Critical Thinking



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055

Student Date Lesson 1

B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 . 1 2


Running Record Form

The Mystery on Maple Street LEVEL Q

Behavior Code Error

Read word correctly ✓cat 0

Repeated word, sentence, or phrase

®cat

0

Omission —cat 1

Behavior Code Error

Substitution cutcat 1

Self-corrects cut sccat 0

Insertion the

ˆcat 1

Word told Tcat 1

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

9 Together the girls filled a large recycling bag with leaves. Then,

Carla helped Maria fill another bag, and another. The pile of

bags kept growing and growing. Within an hour, the yard was

raked clean. It looked like a beautiful rug of green with not a

leaf in sight. The girls stood back to admire their work.

“Hey, look at that!” Maria said suddenly. She pointed to one of

the basement windows. “Why is it all covered up?”

“I knew it!” Carla said. “She covered the window so no one

could see her experiments!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Carla,” Maria said.

Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read correctly/100 ×

100)

%

Total Self- Corrections



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