TEACHER’S GUIDE A Thousand Words

Number of Words: 689

L E S S O N 1 2 T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

A Thousand Wordsby Vidas Barzdukas

Fountas-Pinnell Level ORealistic FictionSelection SummaryMatilda loves to write poetry, but she is afraid to share her poems. One day she drops a poem and a friend, Liz, picks it up. Matilda snatches the poem back, but Liz and other friends tell Matilda they like to write poetry, too. Together they write and illustrate a book of poetry called A Thousand Words.

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Characteristics of the Text Genre • Realistic fi ction

Text Structure • Organized chronologically• Third-person narrative• Problem introduced on second and third page

Content • Friends at school• Writing poetry• Creating a magazine

Themes and Ideas • The joy of writing poetry is a central theme in the story.• Some secrets should be shared.• Collaborating on a magazine is an intense and rewarding experience.

Language and Literary Features

• Characters revealed by what they do and say• Split dialogue, all assigned

Sentence Complexity • Many longer complex sentences: Across the fi eld, one of her classmates huffed and puffed as he ran to second base during a game of kickball.

• Interrupted sentences (ending in a dash): “But I thought it was – ” began Liz.Vocabulary • Words related to writing and publishing: scribbled, poetry, magazine, glossy, copy

Words • Many multisyllable words: actually, cafeteria, approaching, solution• Some words with complex spelling patterns: negotiate, actually

Illustrations • Illustrations support emotional content of text.Book and Print Features • Nine pages of text; some full pages of text, some full page illustrations

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

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Expand Your Vocabulary

approaching – to come near or nearer, p. 8

huffed – puffed, p. 2

negotiate – to have a discussion with another so as to arrive at an agreement, p. 13

solution – an answer to a problem, p. 13

stunned – to overcome with astonishment or disbelief, p. 9

A Thousand Words by Vidas Barzdukas

Build BackgroundHelp children use their experience as writers to visualize this story. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What do you like to write? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Point out that the story is realistic fi ction, so the characters will probably act like real people.

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

: Explain that this is a story about Matilda, who loves to write poetry. Suggested language: Turn to page 4. Let’s read the fi rst sentence of the last paragraph: However, Matilda never shared her poems with anyone. Why might Matilda keep her poetry a secret?

Page 6: Draw attention to the illustration. Matilda has dropped a poem and her friend Liz has picked it up and read it. What does this picture tell you about how Matilda feels about Liz reading her poetry? How can you tell?

Page 8: Draw attention to the highlighted word, approaching: Matilda was eating by herself when she saw Liz and some other friends approaching her. Why do you think Matilda was eating alone?

Page 9: Matilda’s friends tell her they think she’s a good writer. Matilda is stunned! Why do you think she is so surprised?

Page 13: Draw attention to the highlighted words: negotiate and solution. When you negotiate for a solution to a problem, you need to discuss how to reach an agreement.

Now turn back to the beginning of the story and read to fi nd out about what happens to Matilda and her poetry. .

2 Lesson 12: A Thousand WordsGrade 2© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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ReadHave children read A Thousand Words silently while you listen to individual children read. Support their problem solving and fl uency as needed.

Remind children to use the Question Strategy , and to think of questions about what they are reading.

Discuss and Revisit the TextPersonal ResponseInvite children to share their personal responses to the story.Suggested language: Do you think Matilda will share her poems from now on? Why or why not?

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

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

• Matilda loves to write poetry, but she is afraid to share it.

• She is upset when friends see her poetry, until they tell her how much they like it.

• Matilda and her friends write and illustrate a book of poems together.

• Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary activity.

• Fear of being laughed at can inhibit friendship and communication.

• Working together brings satisfaction.

• Poetry is a form of communication.

• The language sounds realistic, the way real people talk.

• The author uses sensory details to show what Matilda notices as a poet.

• The author creates a full picture of Matilda through her actions and her written and spoken words.

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

Choices for Further Support• Fluency Invite children to choose a passage from the text to read aloud. Remind them

to use expression to show the meaning of the text, especially Matilda’s feelings.

• Comprehension Based on your observations of the children’s reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind children 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 children take apart and read words using open (ending in a vowel, as in se-cret and po-ems, page 4) and closed (ending in a consonant, as in pic-ture, page 10) syllables.



Writing about ReadingCritical ThinkingHave children complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 12.9.

RespondingHave children complete the activities at the back of the book. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.

Target Comprehension SkillStory Structure

Target Comprehension Skill Remind children to think about the setting, characters, and

plot in a story. Model the skill, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:

Think Aloud

I can understand the plot of this story when I think about what the characters do. The main character, Matilda, is afraid to share her poetry. The other characters, Liz, Juan, and Alice, help Matilda by telling her how much they like her poems. Together, they write and illustrate a poetry magazine. By the end of the story, Matilda realizes she likes to share her poetry.

Practice the SkillHave children write three sentences about what the characters do in another book they have read.

Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the TextHave children write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use what they know and their own experience to think about what the characters do and why they act as they do.

Assessment Prompts• What will Matilda probably do the next time she writes a poem?

• What does the word stunned mean in the sentence on page 9?



Read directions to children.

Think About ItRead and answer the questions.

1. Why does Matilda tear the paper from Liz’s hand?

She doesn’t want her to read the poem.

2. Why do you think the magazine is called

A Thousand Words?

Possible response: I think it’s called “A Thousand Words”

because there are so many words in it.

3. Matilda likes to write poetry. What other things

could she write?

Answers will vary.

Making Connections Matilda realizes that it is better to share her talent with her friends. Do you have any talents you would like to share? Who would you share your talents with? Why?

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Name Date

Grade 2, Unit 3: Tell Me About It11

Lesson 12B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 2 . 9

A Thousand WordsThink About It

Think About It© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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First Pass

English Language DevelopmentReading Support Make sure the text matches the child’s reading level. Language and content should be accessible with regular teaching support.

Idioms Help children understand the sentence: Her notebook was like her own private museum of poems that only she could visit.

Oral Language DevelopmentCheck children’s comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches their English profi ciency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the child.

Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced

Speaker 1: What does Matilda love to write?

Speaker 2: poems

Speaker 1: Who picks up one of Matilda’s poems off the fl oor?

Speaker 2: Liz

Speaker 1: What do Matilda and her friends make together?

Speaker 2: a magazine

Speaker 1: How does Matilda feel about sharing her poems in the beginning of the story?

Speaker 2: She is scared.

Speaker 1: How does Matilda feel when she fi nds out her friends like her poems?

Speaker 2: She feels stunned.

Speaker 1: What does Matilda love about writing?

Speaker 2: She loves the way the words fl ow from her mind onto the page.

Speaker 1: Why do Matilda and her friends charge a dollar a copy for their magazine?

Speaker 2: It costs money to print it.



Name Date

A Thousand WordsThinking Beyond the Text

Read the paragraph. Then write your journal entry on the lines below.

Imagine you are Matilda. Write a journal entry. Explain how your feelings have changed about sharing your poetry. Tell why that happened.


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Think About ItRead and answer the questions.

1. Why does Matilda tear the paper from Liz’s hand?

2. Why do you think the magazine is called

A Thousand Words?

3. Matilda likes to write poetry. What other things

could she write?

Making Connections Matilda realizes that it is better to share her talent with her friends. Do you have any talents you would like to share? Who would you share your talents with? Why?

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Name Date Lesson 12

B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 2 . 9

A Thousand WordsThink About It


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Student Date Lesson 12

B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 2 . 1 3

A Thousand WordsRunning Record Form

A Thousand Words • LEVEL O

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

cat 1

Word told Tcat 1

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

8

9

The next day, Matilda sat alone in the cafeteria,

eating her sandwich. Her green notebook was

hidden deep inside her backpack. She had

wrapped a rubber band around it to make sure

nothing would fall out. She looked up and saw Liz

approaching. Her friends Alice and Juan were with

Liz, too. Matilda’s heart sank.

“Hi, Matty,” said Liz. “I told Alice and Juan

about your poem.”

“Oh, really?” said Matilda, trying to sound

calm. “That’s nice.”

“I thought it was cool,” said Liz. “You’re a

really good writer.”

Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read

correctly/89 × 100)

%

Total Self- Corrections



TEACHER’S GUIDE A Thousand Words

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