For the next installment in our series on Sensational Summer Read Alouds, here’s another title that has a high student-interest level, can be used to hit multiple Common Core learning standards, and is super rich in terms of content.
Today’s Pick: A Full Moon is Rising
Written and Illustrated by: Marilyn Singer
Genre: poetry & informational text
Hook: Your homework: stay up late and look up at the night sky.
COMPREHENSION CONNECTION
It’s almost as if Marilyn Singer anticipated the Common Core when she wrote this collection, which is probably why Book Links named it one of their 2011 Lasting Connections titles. The poetry can definitely be used to teach some key literature standards, but the content is so clearly science and social studies related! She also includes amazing maps and an incredibly informative “About the Poems” section that gives further information about the content covered in each poem.
A few ways to focus a Read Aloud:
- Determining importance: How did Marilyn Singer choose to present the information? How did each poem relate to the next poem and the poem before it? What is the MOST important information presented in each poem? Was there any unimportant “nice to know but not CRUCIAL” information presented? How did you determine which information was MOST important and which information was nice to know? (Grade 2-4, Informational Text, Key Ideas and Details, 1 & 3)
- Main Idea and Supporting (or “Key”) Details: What is the main idea of each poem? What key details support the main idea? What is the main idea of the entire poetry collection? Which key details support the main idea? (Grades 1-5, Informational Text, Key Ideas and Details, 2)
- Reading like a Writer/Focus on Author’s Craft: Marilyn Singer uses some strong words in her poems that help the reader visualize what’s happening where and to whom. In each poem, identify the strong, descriptive or active words and phrases that Marilyn Singer uses. How do they help you understand and visualize the poem? (Grades 2-4, Literature, Craft and Structure, 4)
CONTENT CONNECTION
Science:
- July 3rd was a full moon, and July 19th will be a new moon. Ask students to create a moon journal, where they draw and write about what the moon looks like each night.
- BONUS: The Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower will peak on July 28th-29th!
Social Studies:
- Work with students to find the locations mentioned in each poem on a map. Ask students to work in pairs or alone to research each locale and present their findings to the class.
Writing Prompts:
- How can you tell that Marilyn Singer is passionate about science and social studies? What clues does she give you in her writing?
- Compile a list of sentences from the text and classify them as either facts or opinions. Explain how you knew whether each sentence was a fact or an opinion.
Stay tuned for more Sensational Summer School Read Alouds! For a complete list, or for information about building classroom libraries that meet the needs of your students, drop me an email at curriculum@leeandlow.com!
