What Jo Did
Written and Illustrated by:
Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Summary
Imagine that you
could
jump as high as
a
basket ball rim. That’s exactly
what Joanna Marie, or Jo, could
do. Jo makes new friends when
she shows off her talent during
a basketball game in which she
is the only girl.
Study Skills
Genre: Fiction
Comprehension Skill:
Cause and Effect
Comprehension Strategy:
Prior Knowledge
Comprehension Review Skill:
Draw Conclusions
Vocabulary: Prefixes and Suffixes
Genre: Fiction
 Fiction often has
characters and events
that seem real. Try to
picture this story taking
place where you live,
with people you know.
Comprehension Skill Tested –
Cause and Effect
Te112
An effect is something that happens.
A cause explains why it happens.
Writing may include clue words such as
because, in order to, so, and as a result to
link causes and effects.
If these words are missing, readers need to
think about cause-and-effect relationships on
their own.
Comprehension Strategy –
Prior Knowledge TE144a
Good readers use what they know to
help them understand what they read.
They try to connect it to what they
already know. They think about
whether they have ever seen or
experienced what they are reading
about. This helps understand the new
information.
Let’s practice what we know about
basketball.
Comprehension Strategy –
Prior Knowledge TE144a
Basketball Basketball
Terms
Equipment
Special
Skills
Important
Rules
Comprehension Skill Review –
Draw Conclusions TE 153
When you draw conclusions,
you use details and what you
already know to form opinions
or make decisions about
characters and events.
Vocabulary Strategy
Suffixes -able and Prefixes -un
Suffixes and prefixes have
their own meanings.
The prefix -un means “the
opposite of ________” or
“not_____”, as in unhappy.
Vocabulary Strategy
Suffixes -able and Prefixes -un
The suffix –able means “able to
be ____ed,” as in enjoyable.
The suffix –less means
“without _____,” as in painless.
You can use suffixes as
prefixes to help you figure out
the meanings of words.
Question of the Week
TE 142 m
How can we learn
to appreciate the
talents of others?
Vocabulary - Say It
fouled marveled
hoop unbelievable
jersey speechless
swatted
rim
unbelievable
 incredible; hard to
think of as true or
real
swatted
hit sharply or
violently
speechless
not able to talk
rim
an edge, border, or
margin on or around
anything
marveled
was filled with wonder;
was astonished
jersey
a shirt that is
pulled over the
head, made of a
soft, knitted cloth
hoop
a ring or round flat
band
fouled
in sports, made an
unfair play
against
He was
unbelievable
under the basket!
He was
unbelievable
under the
basket!
The ball bounced
off the rim.
The ball bounced
off the rim.
Max swatted the ball
away and kept it out
of the basket.
Max swatted the ball
away and kept it out
of the basket.
I have always
marveled at the way
he can play ball.
I have always
marveled at the way
he can play ball.
Her performance
tonight left me
speechless.
Her performance
tonight left me
speechless.
He was fouled by
the other player
and did not make
his basket.
He was fouled by
the other player
and did not
make his
basket.
He was bouncing the
ball down the court
toward the other
team’s hoop.
He was bouncing the
ball down the court
toward the other
team’s hoop.
Lots of boys want to
wear Peyton
Manning’s jersey
number.
Lots of boys want to
wear Peyton
Manning’s jersey
number.
Day 2 - Question of the Day
Do you think Jo would
have had a chance to
show off her talent if
she hadn’t worn her
hat?
What Jo Did
p. 148-149
Why do Joanna’s parents hang the
basketball rim up so high?
Think about when Jo meets the boys.
Does this situation remind you of a time
you tried something new? Would you act
like Jo does?
What Jo Did
p. 150-151
Explain the meanings of the prefix and
suffix for unbelievable on p. 151,
paragraph 3. Then tell the meaning of the
word.
What does Jo think might happen if she
removes her hat?
What happens because Jo blocks some of
the boys’ shots?
Day 3 - Question of the Day –
How does the
what do the
other basketball
players think
about Jo’s
talent?
What Jo Did
p. 152-153
Why do you think the freckle-faced boy
wants to see Jo dunk the ball?
Why do you think the text on p. 153 is
slanted?
What causes the boys’ mouths to hang
open?
What Jo Did
p. 154-155
How do the boys find out Jo is a girl?
Why is “Jumpin’ Jo” a good nickname for
Jo?
Does Jo’s experience with these boys
remind you of girls and boys you know?
Explain why or why not.
Day 4 - Question of the Day Review
How does
the speaker
in “Fast
Break” feel
about
himself?
Review Questions
1. What does Joanna do to
T.J.’s jump shot? Why does
he react the way he does?
2. Why do the boys ask Joanna
to play ball?
3.Why do you think she hid the
fact that she was a girl?
Review Questions
1. What is the theme or “big idea” of
this story?
2. Which boy changes his attitude the
most about Joanna? What are
some ways it changed?
3. Why does T.J. tell her to leave her
hat at home at the end of the
story?
Writing Assignment TE 161g
Think of something you love
doing.
Write a poem using figurative
language, about what it feels
like when you are doing this
activity.
Spelling Words
adding –s and -es
donkeys
batteries
bunches
memories
teammates
counties
scratches
delays
daisies
hobbies
Spelling Words
Adding –s and -es
sandwiches
costumes
companies
months
holidays
taxes
supplies
plays
friends
monkeys
CHALLENGE
eyelashes
ambulances
trophies
secretaries
inventories
Weekly Fluency Check Rhythmic Patterns of Language TE 161a
● Read aloud “The Circuit” on p. 142m.
Have students note your rhythmic
pattern, which stress important and
emotionally-charged words and
makes dialogue sound like everyday
conversation. Explain that you also
change the pace of the words and the
tone of your voice to match the
context.
Research/Study Skill –
Charts and Tables TE 161 L
Charts show
information
visually. Lists,
diagrams, and
tables are all
kinds of charts.
Research/Study Skill –
Charts and Tables TE 161 L
Tables are a special kind of
chart that show information in
rows and columns. Rows list
information horizontally, or
across. Columns list
information vertically, or up
and down.
Research/Study Skill –
Charts and Tables TE 161 L
A single box in a table is
called a cell.
Most charts or tables
have a title that tells
what the chart or table
shows.
We can practice this using
word processing software
like MS Word.