Shared Reading
Day
The Horse Jar
9
Key Idea Annie dreams of owning a horse. She scours the classified ads looking for a
horse she can afford. Her best friend Chelsi is supportive.
LEARNING FOCUS
RL.4.1*
Students will ask and answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of the text using
character quotes and/or a series of actions and events as a basis for their answers.
Previewing the Text (pages 5–11)
3 minutes
Today we’re going to start reading a new book. Let’s read the title together. . . .
What do you think the “horse jar” is?
You could be right. On the cover we see a girl placing money in a jar. What can
you tell about the girl from the picture on the cover?
Good. As we read this story, you will continue to ask questions and find answers
by paying attention to events in the story and what the characters say and do.
Doing this will help you better understand the story.
When I read “Goodbye, Mal” to you, we asked questions about the characters
and their actions, and we answered them. We’re going to do that with
The Horse Jar, too. As you read this chapter, ask yourself questions about it.
Pay careful attention to events in the story and what the characters say and do
to help you answer your questions.
Close Reading of the Text
7 minutes
Our work as readers today is to ask and answer questions about this chapter.
If you pay attention to your thoughts as you read a fiction story, you’ll probably
notice you have a lot of questions buzzing around in your head, such as, “Why
is this character doing that?” or “What’s happening in this scene?” Focusing on
such questions can turn confusion into understanding.
Let’s jump right in by having someone ask a question about an event on pages 5–6.
Who’d like to start?
That’s something we need to understand. We can look at a character’s words
and actions to find the answer. We can also look at the character’s thoughts.
Who can find an answer based on Annie’s words, actions, or thoughts?
Mondo Bookshop Grade 4 • Theme 6 1
Look at the word vigorous on page 7. This word has two parts: a root and a
suffix. What is the root of the word?
Who can tell me the suffix?
The suffix –ous means “full of.” And vigor means “strength.” Knowing the
meanings of the root and suffix can help us figure out the meaning of the word.
What do you think vigorous means?
As you read, see if you can find any other words that have this suffix and recall
the meaning of the suffix –ous to help you figure out the words.
We’ll finish reading the chapter now. Let’s keep our learning focus in mind.
You can ask about anything at all as long as it’s about the text. Look for possible
answers in the words the characters say and think as well as in the things they do.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
Now you’ll have a chance to discuss this chapter by asking and answering
questions in groups. First I’d like us to agree on a brief set of rules that can help
the discussion run smoothly. Who has some suggestions?
As you discuss, notice how well you’re sticking to our rules. If you find that
you’re not, remind yourself to do better. If you think someone else needs
to remember the rules, find a polite way to say so. Who’d like to start a
conversation by sharing a question that will help us understand the first two
chapters?
Who’d like to answer? Please use a quote from a character in the story to back
up your idea.
Asking and answering questions about the text is a really good strategy to
use. I’m sure that when you read stories, including this one, questions naturally
pop into your head. I‘m also sure that when you find an answer, you feel that
you understand the story better. In addition, when we ask questions about
characters and events, we’re asking about the most important aspects of most
stories.
Notice the word bay in capital letters in the ad on page 6. A bay is usually a
body of water—but not here. In this book, it has a special meaning relating to
horses. How does page 6 give you a clue about what bay means?
Now find the word bay near the bottom of page 9. Who sees its meaning here?
Sometimes you get lucky and the text gives you the exact definition! At other
times we can use context clues and word parts to try to guess the meaning and
check the dictionary to be sure.
2 UNSELFISH ACTS
Shared Reading
Day
The Horse Jar
10
LEARNING FOCUSES
RL.4.1*, RL.4.5*, RL.4.9*
Students will compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes, topics, characters, or
plots of two stories. They will continue to identify how the author describes characters, sets
up major events across the story, and uses events to establish the overall plot. They will also
continue to ask and answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of the text using
character quotes and/or a series of actions and events as a basis for their answers.
Returning to the Text (pages 5–11)
3 minutes
Today we’re going to reread the first two chapters. Who can tell us what these
chapters are about?
As you remember, when we first read these chapters, we asked and answered
questions about the characters and events. We’re going to keep doing that
today. In addition, we’re going to look closely at how the author uses events to
set up the overall plot. We’ll also compare and contrast different ways authors
can treat similar aspects of a story.
Close Reading of the Text
7 minutes
To read this text closely, let’s find the overall plot structure in this chapter. The
plot consists of the actions and events, so will someone recount the actions and
events in this chapter?
Now, remember that this is just a first chapter of a book. It’s not going to
contain most of the plot, just the very beginning. So who thinks they can explain
how this chapter contributes to the plot of the book?
Who can ask a question about the plot?
Who can find an answer to that question in the text?
In Chapter 2, the plot starts building and we learn more about the characters.
Who would like to ask a question that relates to a character?
Who can answer this question using evidence from the text?
Does anyone have another question to share?
Who sees a possible answer in the text?
Mondo Bookshop Grade 4 • Theme 6 1
Authors have different strategies for building a plot or developing a character or
theme. I have a question for you to answer: How are the friends in The Horse Jar
similar to and different from the friends in “The Winner?” Think about whether
the friends have conflicts or not and how they help each other.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
What has the author told us about the characters so far?
Based on what you’ve read so far, do you think it will be easy for Annie to buy a
horse? What information in the text leads you to this conclusion?
2 UNSELFISH ACTS
Shared Reading
Day
The Horse Jar
11
LEARNING FOCUS
RL.4.1*
Students will ask and answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of the text using
character quotes and/or a series of actions and events as a basis for their answers.
Returning to the Text (pages 12–22)
3 minutes
Let’s briefly review what we learned from reading Chapters 1 and 2. Who would
like to share?
Now we’ll read the next two chapters and see what we learn from them. As
we read, we will continue to use our reading strategy of asking questions
and looking at event descriptions and what the characters say and do to find
answers to our questions. Doing this will help us better understand the text.
Close Reading of the Text
7 minutes
First we’ll read pages 13–14 together. Who has a question about a character
that can be answered by a quote on these pages?
Who can answer that question using a quote from the text?
As we get further into this reading, take note of the questions that come to
your mind. You might want to jot them down. Then pay close attention to what
characters say and do to try to find possible answers.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
Who would like to share a question they had while reading?
Does anyone have a possible answer to that?
Where in the text did you find evidence that Chelsi’s family could have money
problems?
You asked questions while reading and paid attention to what the characters
said to help you answer your questions. You can do this whenever you read
stories.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 4 • Theme 6 1
Our theme is Unselfish Acts. However, in the sections we read, the characters
did not perform any unselfish acts. Maybe that will happen later in the book.
Who can share ideas about what might happen related to the theme?
That’s a good idea. It would be very unselfish of Annie to give Chelsi the money
she has been saving for so long to buy something she really wants. That’s a good
friend. Please read to the end of the book on your own. As you read, think about
our theme. Also continue to ask questions. Look for answers to your questions
in descriptions of events and in what characters say and do. We will discuss your
ideas when we meet tomorrow.
2 UNSELFISH ACTS
Shared Reading
Day
The Horse Jar
12
LEARNING FOCUSES
RL.4.1*, RL.4.5*, RL.4.9*
Students will compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes, topics, characters, or plots
of two stories. They continue to identify how the author describes characters, sets up major
events across the story, and uses events to establish the overall plot. They also continue to
ask and answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of the text using character quotes
and/or a series of actions and events as a basis for their answers.
3 minutes
Returning to the Text (pages 5–79)
Today we’ll keep asking and answering questions, and we’ll look closely at
how the author sets up major events in the text. We will also compare stories
we’ve read.
7 minutes
Close Reading of the Text
Now that we’ve read the entire book, who has a question about the plot
structure?
That’s a great question. Can someone answer that question using evidence from
the story?
To understand characters better, we look at what they say and do. Who can
share some dialogue from the story that helped them better understand a
character?
In this theme, you read different stories about Unselfish Acts. Who would like to
compare how the authors of these stories wrote about this theme?
Why did these characters perform these acts? What do you think?
10 minutes
Discussing the Text
Who has a question they’d like to share about events in the plot?
Does someone have an answer?
Let’s compare this idea with what we’ve read in other selections. Which other
characters have trouble getting enough money, and which don’t?
Can anyone connect those facts to the theme?
Mondo Bookshop Grade 4 • Theme 6 1