B OOK
S HOP
®
D
LEVEL D
By Janet L. Goss and Jerome C. Harste/Illustrated by Steve Romney
S h a r e d
R e a d i n g
It Didn’t Frighten Me
L e v e l
Summary
978-1-60201-614-9 3/10
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Nothing frightens the boy narrator in this rhymed fantasy story—not a pink dinosaur or a
purple witch or a green goblin—until he sees an ordinary brown owl.
Bookshop Materials
n
It Didn’t Frighten Me big book
Chart paper
n Pocket chart
n Pointer (optional)
n Cards or sticky notes
It Didn’t Frighten Me
n
S e ss i o n 1
INTRODUCING T H E T E X T
blackline masters on pages 7–8
represents possible student responses
T e a c h i n g Focus
To help students identify
basic character traits or
mo­tives when reading fiction
n Introduce the book by reading the title and talking
about the cover illustration. Then discuss the picture and text on the back cover.
Let’s look at the picture on the cover. Who can share what they see? (H a window,
and through the window a boy going to bed.) Let’s read the title together: It Didn’t
Frighten Me. Let’s share what we think the title tells us the book will be about.
(H something tries to scare the boy when he’s in bed, but he isn’t scared.) (Display
the title page.) Let’s look at this picture. How does the boy look here? (H he’s in bed;
he’s awake, but he’s not scared.) Now let’s look at the picture on the back cover. How
is this picture different from the one we just looked at? (H the boy looks scared.)
I’ll read the text. This gives us a clue to what happens. Who would like to share an
idea? (H something finally scares the boy, but we don’t know what it is.)
n Encourage students to think about things that are frightening in the dark and
what might frighten the boy.
Let’s talk about what could be frightening in the dark. Any thoughts? (H scary
noises; a shadow on the window; a monster in the closet.) Let’s think about the
boy in this book. How would you describe him and how he feels about things in
the dark? (H he must be brave because night after night he sees things that don’t
frighten him.) And then one night? (H he sees something that does frighten him,
so it must be really scary.) Let’s read to find out what finally frightens this boy.
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Reading th e t e xt
n Invite students to join the reading when they feel comfortable. Encourage
them to think about the main character’s traits and motives as they read.
As we read, use the illustrations to help with the color words and the
animal names. Use the rhyming lines in the poem to help you read other
words. Think about why the boy is not frightened by the unusual creatures
he sees. Ask yourself what kind of boy this is. After we read, we’ll talk
about the boy. Let’s read.
print c o n c e pts
Help students identify
the first and last words
on a page.
ElL S U P P OR T
Actively involve ELL
students in shared
reading. They feel
more comfortable
when reading along
with others.
s h a r e
Comparing story char­
acters with yourself
and people you know
can help you predict
what the characters
will do. Understanding
why characters do
things will help you
understand what
happens in the story.
2
Stop at the end of page 9 and ask students to share their
understanding of the passage to that point. Extend or clarify
their understandings of the message and how it is supported by the word
pitch.
Let’s share what the boy sees when he looks out the window so far. (H he
sees an orange alligator in the tree; then he sees a purple witch; then a silver
tiger; then a pink dinosaur.) When does the boy see these things? (H when
it’s time for bed, when it’s dark outside.) What do you think it means when
the night is described as “pitch black” and “very dark”? (H I know when
it’s night, it’s very dark and hard to see; I think pitch means it’s really, really
dark.) The word pitch is used here to describe things that are very dark,
and it’s used in this story to give you an idea of how dark the night is.
Vo c a b u l a r y
n Pause after page 10 to discuss the first and last words on the page.
Who would like to tell us the first word on the page? (H it’s the word One.)
That’s right. We read from the top of the page to the bottom and from the
left to the right. Knowing the order makes reading easier. Now who can
tell us the last word on the page? (H the last word is tree.) You get the
idea. We read across the last line and see the word tree at the end.
n Encourage students to discuss the things that do not frighten the boy as
you read the rest of the book together.
Who would like to share thoughts about what the boy is feeling when he
sees the white unicorn? (H he’s smiling; he doesn’t look frightened.) How
does he seem to feel when he sees the blue bear and the red rhinoceros?
(H he’s still smiling.) When do the boy’s feelings seem to change? (H when
he sees the brown owl.) What do you think he’s feeling when he sees the
owl? (H he looks surprised and scared.)
DISCUSSING T H E T E X T
n Talk with students about the boy in the story, his traits, and motivations.
Who can share with us their thoughts about the creatures the boy sees, and
if they are really in the tree outside his window? (H creatures like the
witch and unicorn aren’t real; bears and gorillas are real, but they wouldn’t
be in the boy’s tree.) Good thinking! So where do you think they come from?
(H maybe the branches of the trees look like creatures; maybe the boy
imagines seeing them.) Then why would he be afraid of the owl? (H the
owl is real.) The owl makes a real noise. The real owl is scarier than the
imaginary creatures. Let’s think about the boy in this story. What is
he like? Who would like to share an idea? (H he is a lot like me; I like to
imagine things; sometimes I look out the window at night.) Remember, by
thinking about characters, what they are like, and how and why they act
as they do, we understand stories better.
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S e ss i o n 2
T e a c h i n g Focus
Reflecting o n t H E T E X T
n Ask students to reflect on the text read previously and think about the
imaginary creatures discussed in the last session. Then state the focus.
Encourage responses and questions as students apply this focus.
Let’s discuss the strange creatures we read about in the last session. Who
would like to share one of their favorites? (H the witch) Who remembers
another favorite creature? (H I liked the green goblin; my favorite was
the golden gorilla; the best was the blue bear.) Were these creatures real or
make-believe? (H make-believe) Today, when we read the book again,
think about how you can tell these creatures were imaginary and how
you know the owl was real.
F l u e nc y
Reading th e t e xt
n Invite students to read along with you as they feel able. Also remind students
to be aware of any time they feel that what they’re reading does not make
sense. Encourage students to bring this to your attention.
We’re going to read this book again. Please join in wherever you feel
comfortable. As we read, raise your hand if we get to a part that doesn’t
make sense. We’ll try and work it out together. Let’s read.
Pause before reading page 4. As this focus deals
with phonemic awareness, it is critical that
students tune in to the sounds of language and not focus on the print for
this activity. Instruct students to listen for the sounds in a word and say
what they think the word is.
I will say the sounds in a word. Then you will figure out the word.
Listen “/p/ /itch/” (Pause.) What word? (H pitch) Here’s another word for
you to figure out: “/w›/ /itch/” (Pause.) What word? (H witch) Listen: “/d/
/itch/” (Pause.) What word? (H ditch) Putting sounds together to make
words will help you read and write.
P h o n e m i c awa r e n e ss
To help students develop
an awareness of different
text types by noticing their
different features (e.g.,
fantasy or realistic fiction)
DISCUSSING T H E T E X T
n Invite students to talk about the parts of the story that are fantasy and the
part that is real.
Let’s talk about what we just read. Think about what was imaginary and
what was real. Who would like to share? (H the purple witch was imaginary;
all the strange creatures were imaginary.) Now what in the story was
real? (H the boy in bed; the brown owl.) The story is mostly fantasy, but
even fantasy can have parts that are like real life.
During the small-group
teaching section of the
reading block, provide
a group of students
with the recording It
Didn’t Frighten Me and
copies of the student
edition. Set up the
recording and have
students 1) listen to a
reading while fol­lowing
along in their books,
and 2) recall the
names of the animals
in the book and supply
the correct word at
the appropriate time.
Re­mind students that
the instructions are on
the CD so they can use
the CD and book by
themselves whenever
time permits.
Return to pages 12 and 13. Reread the text, focusing on the
word unicorn.
Sometimes when we sound out a word, it sounds like it could be a word,
but we’re still not sure what it means. Some of you look puzzled by the
word unicorn in our reading today. Who would like to share what they
think this word means? (H I never heard this word before; it’s the creature
in the tree.) Please share what made you think that. (H every time there’s
Vo c a b u l a r y
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a creature in the tree, we read what it is; unicorn names the creature.) Good
thinking! A unicorn is an imaginary creature that looks a bit like a horse.
It has a horn in the middle of its head. When figuring out what a new
word might mean, try using the pattern of the text and the illustration.
n Discuss with students how they can tell when they are reading a work of
fantasy.
As we read today, the things we knew about trees and creatures helped us
know this was a fantasy. Who would like to share their ideas about fantasy?
(H it’s about things that aren’t real; it’s about imaginary animals; the story
couldn’t really happen.) Those are all great answers. Knowing whether a
story is fantasy or real helps you make sense of what you are reading.
S e ss i o n 3
T e a c h i n g Focus
To help students recognize
and use rhyme, rhythm,
and pattern to predict
language structures in
more complex texts
re-entering T H E T E X T
n Introduce the focus of this session. Ask students to think about how rhyme,
rhythm, and pattern help them predict words in a text.
When we reread this book about what happened on some very dark nights,
I want us to listen for the rhyme and rhythm. Before we read the book
again, how were you able to predict what would happen next the last
time we read? (H many words were the same.) Now let’s read the book
again and use rhythm, rhyme, and pattern to help us read. Let’s read.
analyzing T H E T E X T
n Help students understand how the pattern repeats, with only the names of
the creatures changing each time. Write the names of the creatures on cards
or on large sticky notes. Place the cards or notes in a pocket chart or on
the chalkboard.
How does knowing that most of the words are repeated, or said over and
over, help you read? (H it helps me learn them; I know what’s coming
next; I can use the color and animal in the picture to guess the new words.)
I’m going to turn to a page. Try to find the card with the creature color
and name and match it to the picture in the book. You can find the card
by reading the words on your own or by matching the words on the card
with the words on the page. When we’ve found the card, we’ll read the
rhyme on the page before the picture and then the line under the picture.
A B P h o n ic s F o c u s
Pronounce short vowel
words in which each
letter represents its
most common sound,
including CVC patterns.
4
*
Turn to page 8 and reread the main text with students. Focus
on the short vowel (CVC) word Dad as students apply their
phonics knowledge.
Reread the main text on this page with me: “One pitch black, very dark. . .
.” Now let’s look at the word Dad together. Listen to me sound and say the
word. (Say the word as you move your finger or pointer from letter to letter.)
Now let’s do it together. Say the sound when I touch the letter. Remember
to say each sound as long as I touch it. Sound the word.
(H/d/ /ă→/ /d/) Now say the word. (H Dad)
Ph o n i c s
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S e ss i o n 4
T e a c h i n g Focus
re-entering T H E T E X T
n Introduce the focus of this session. Ask students to think about the cause
and effect of events in the book.
In the last session, we talked about how we could use the rhyme, rhythm,
and pattern in the text to predict as we were reading. We can also look
at what the boy sees in the tree and make a guess about why he sees the
creatures. Who would like to tell us about what might be the reason?
(H he’s dreaming; he sees shadows in the tree and imagines animals.) Now
let’s reread the last two pages: “One pitch black, very dark . . . .” What
happened? (H the boy saw a brown owl in the tree.) Who has an idea what
caused him to be frightened? (H the owl was a real animal that made a
sound.) Excellent!
analyzing T H E T E X T
n Discuss with students why looking for cause and effect helps them
understand a story.
We’ve been reading about a boy who wasn’t frightened by all kinds of
strange creatures. Who will share a reason he may not have been afraid?
(H the creatures are not really there; they are not real.) Who would like to
guess why the owl frightened the boy? (H maybe he was surprised to see
a real animal; the owl’s sound scared him.)
To help students identify
cause-and-effect relation­
ships implied in text
T e a c h e r
TIP
Inferring cause-andeffect relationships in
a text helps students
make predictions and
deepens their under­
standing. Prior knowl­
edge and the practice
of active reading can
help them identify
these relationships.
Use the blackline master on page 7 during this or an optional subsequent
session, or as a follow-up independent activity, to help students develop
new understanding of cause-and-effect relationships implied in text.
Write the words frighten and purple on chart paper and underline
the featured letters to help students isolate the most common
sounds for each letter. Turn back to the front cover and reread the title
with students. Then reread page 4.
Let’s reread the title together . . . . Now let’s look at the word frighten that
I’ve written on our chart paper. (Point to the underlined letter f.) Listen
as I say the sound for this letter: /f›/. What sound? (H/f›/) (Turn to page
4.) Reread this page with me. Now let’s look at the word purple that I’ve
written on our chart paper. (Point to the underlined letter p.) Listen as I
say the sound for this letter: /p/. What sound? (H/p/)
Ph o n i c s
Write the words I and my on your chart and review
them with students.
Let’s practice some Look and Say words. Look at these words when I point
to them. Say the word when I tap it. (Point to I.) What word? (Tap I.)
(H I) (Point to my.) What word? (Tap my.) (H my)
Wo r d r e c o g n i t i o n
A B P h o n ic s F o c u s
Say the most common
sound for featured
letters f and p.
Word recognition
Focus
Pronounce featured
sight words I and my.
n Turn to page 2 and repeat this procedure with I and my. Then read the
entire page.
Now we’ll find these words in sentences. (Point to I on page 2.) What
word? (Tap I.) (H I) Let’s try the other one. (Point to my.) What word?
(Tap my.) (H my) Now let’s read the entire page. . . . Well done.
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S e ss i o n 5
Rereading t H E T E X T f o r fl u e n c y
n Help students understand that repeated rereading helps them read fluently,
especially with text rich in rhythm, rhyme, and language patterns.
We have talked about how this book’s rhythm and rhyme help us read it.
Who can think of something else that helps us read this book smoothly
and easily? (H we turn a page and see words we just read; it’s easy to
read words we know.) When the author keeps repeating the pattern of
words, we read the same text over and over. This helps us know the
words, and we learn to read them more smoothly. That’s why rereading
helps us become fluent readers. Let’s practice rereading. We’ll start on
page 14. Remember to pause each time you see a comma (point to a
comma) and show your surprise when you see an exclamation point.
(Point to an exclamation point.) Here we go.
Grammar
n Capitalize the Pronoun I: Help students understand that the word I is
always written with a capital letter. Encourage them to find the word I
throughout the book.
In this story, the word I stands for the boy. The word I is called a pronoun
because it stands for the person speaking or writing. The pronoun I is
always written with a capital letter. Let’s page through the book and look
for the word I. Raise your hand when you have found it. (H it’s on page 2,
when the boy sees the orange alligator.) That’s right. The word I is always
written with a capital letter, even when it is not at the beginning of the
sentence. Let’s find more examples of I. There are lots of them in this
book.
Communicate Ideas and Information: Invite each student to draw
his or her own colorful creature and then write its color and name in the
sentence, using the blackline master on page 8.
On this blackline master, you see a window like the one in the story. Draw
your own colorful creature in that window. First choose a color. Let’s
read the words for colors in the box: red, blue, yellow, purple, orange,
green. Circle the color word for your creature. Then choose a creature
from the words in the box. Let’s read those words: dragon, lion, monster,
shark, octopus, lizard. Who would like to share what they will draw?
(H a yellow dragon; a green monster; an orange lizard.) Those are all great
ideas. There are many other colorful creatures some of you may choose.
After you draw your creature in the window, write its color and name in
the sentence.
6
It Didn’t Frighten Me
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Copyright ©2007 Mondo Publishing
Writing c o n n e c t i o n
Name:
Date:
What caused the boy to be afraid?
Write the word on the line.
Draw a picture to show the animal.
up in my tree!
Copyright ©2007 Mondo Publishing
One pitch black, very dark night,
Right after Dad turned off the light,
I looked out my window only to see,
A big brown
And did it ever frighten me!
Mondo Bookshop Grade k
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Name:
Date:
First circle a color word.
Then circle a creature word.
Colors
red blue yellow
purple orange green
Creatures
dragon lion monster
shark octopus lizard
Copyright ©2007 Mondo Publishing
Draw your creature in the window.
Write the color and name of your creature in the sentence below.
I looked out my window only to see,
A
8
up in my tree!
Mondo Bookshop Grade k
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