Day
Read Aloud
“Perla’s Family”
1
Key Idea Perla and her family have fun together, even when they’re working
and the grown-ups are teaching the children how to carry on the family business.
Learning Focus
RL.K.2
Students listen closely to retell the important parts of the story.
3 minutes
Previewing the Text
Perla’s Family
Perla and her family live in a little village. The little village is in the hills. ‘The little village is by a
lake. Perla and her family live in a little house. Perla’s family all work together. They make things to
sell at the market. They make things to sell in town. The family has fun making things.
I would like someone to share what you know about the story so far.
Anyone else?
So, we already know whom the story is about and a little bit about what they do. We also know
the setting, or where the story takes place. That’s a good beginning.
Close Listening to the Text
7 minutes
Whenever I read a story, I pay close attention to the important details—things that tell me
about the characters, what happens to them, and how they feel as the story takes place. Before
I read more, I want to share what I’ve noticed so far. I think it’s important that Perla and her
family have fun together even when they’re working. I’m curious about what Perla does as part
of her work, since most children I know don’t work. As I read this next part, think about the
details that tell us more about Perla and her work.
Perla goes to school. At school, Perla learns to read. She learns to write and she learns to
count. She likes school very much. After school, Perla helps her grandmother. Perla’s grandmother
makes bracelets. Perla is learning how to make bracelets.
“Make the bracelets like this, Perla,” says her grandmother.
Perla likes making the bracelets. She likes spending time with her grandmother. They have fun
making bracelets together.
Mondo Bookshop Grade K • Theme 4 1
Based on what I just read, I have a better idea of who Perla is. I know she’s in school, so it’s
really surprising to me that she works, but it sounds like she likes working. Can anyone else talk
about what you noticed about Perla and what she does and who she does it with?
That makes a lot of sense. Can anyone add to that?
Keep thinking about the important details about the characters. We know that Perla is learning
to make bracelets from her grandmother. Perla likes it because she likes to learn and she has
fun with her grandmother. Listen closely to the next section.
Perla’s father makes blankets. He makes the blankets on a big loom. The loom is made of
wood. Perla’s father made the loom, too.
Perla’s brother, Paco, is learning how to make blankets.
“You make the blanket like this,” said Perla’s father.
Paco likes making the blankets. He likes spending time with his father. They have fun making
blankets together.
Perla’s mother sews. She sews dresses. Perla’s big sister, Carla, is learning how to make pretty
dresses.
“Make the dress like this,” says Perla’s mother.
I think it’s so nice that every grown-up in Perla’s family has something to teach and each young
person is learning how to make something that the family can sell. Who would like to share
some of the important details about the characters?
It seems like the whole family really likes to spend time together. As I read to the end of the
text, listen carefully for to learn more about Perla and her family.
Carla likes making the dresses. She likes spending time with her mother. They have fun making
dresses together.
Perla, Carla, her mother, and her grandmother sell the things that they make at the market.
They have fun together there. A lot of people come to the market to buy things. Some days
Perla’s mother takes the things that they make to the town. She has to go on the boat to get to
the town. Some days Perla and Carla will go to town, too. It will be fun!
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
When I read the rest of the story, I noticed that the girls in the family go to the market to sell
the things they make, and, of course, they have fun together! I’d like to hear what you noticed
about what the characters do and feel.
2 Family Time
Day
Read Aloud
“Perla’s Family”
2
Learning Focuses
RL.K.2, RL.K.5
Students listen closely to notice elements in the text that help them identify it as a story, and use
those elements as they retell the story.
3 minutes
Reflecting on the Text
Let’s review what I read to you in our last session. Who can remind us what the story “Perla’s
Family” is mostly about?
Anyone else?
I like how you told about what the characters do, but also how they feel.
Close Listening to the Text
7 minutes
Today as I reread “Perla’s Family,” pay close attention to the things that tell us what kind of
text this is. We can then think about how those things give us details we can use to better
understand what we’re reading.
Perla’s Family
Perla and her family live in a little village. The little village is in the hills. ‘The little village is by a
lake. Perla and her family live in a little house. Perla’s family all work together. They make things to
sell at the market. They make things to sell in town. The family has fun making things.
Perla goes to school. At school, Perla learns to read. She learns to write and she learns to
count. She likes school very much. After school, Perla helps her grandmother. Perla’s grandmother
makes bracelets. Perla is learning how to make bracelets.
“Make the bracelets like this, Perla,” says her grandmother.
I noticed that in this part of the text, I learned where the story takes place, or the setting.
I was also introduced to some characters—Perla and her grandmother. There was even some
dialogue that told me more about what Perla’s grandmother does—she shows Perla how to
make the bracelets. Those are all things that tell me what kind of text this is.
As I read, listen for things that help you understand what kind of text this is and what it’s about.
I’ll ask you to share your ideas.
Mondo Bookshop Grade K • Theme 4 1
Perla likes making the bracelets. She likes spending time with her grandmother. They have fun
making bracelets together.
Perla’s father makes blankets. He makes the blankets on a big loom. The loom is made of
wood. Perla’s father made the loom, too.
Perla’s brother, Paco, is learning how to make blankets.
“You make the blanket like this,” said Perla’s father.
In this part, there’s more of the same kind of things I noticed in the first part, aren’t there?
Who would like to share what they found in this part?
So, we met new characters and learned what they do. The dialogue told us even more about
Perla’s father. Can anyone tell me what kind of text has dialogue and details about characters?
Listen to more of the story now. Keep thinking about the things in the text that tell you this is
a story.
Paco likes making the blankets. He likes spending time with his father. They have fun making
blankets together.
Perla’s mother sews. She sews dresses. Perla’s big sister, Carla, is learning how to make pretty
dresses.
“Make the dress like this,” says Perla’s mother.
Carla likes making the dresses. She likes spending time with her mother. They have fun making
dresses together.
I noticed that I know a lot about how the characters feel, as well as what they do. How do we
know these details?
Yes, those details are part of the plot of the story. As I read to the end, keep paying close
attention to things like plot and dialogue and details about the characters.
Perla, Carla, her mother, and her grandmother sell the things that they make at the market.
They have fun together there. A lot of people come to the market to buy things. Some days
Perla’s mother takes the things that they make to the town. She has to go on the boat to get to
the town. Some days Perla and Carla will go to town, too. It will be fun!
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
I noticed that I learned more about the plot when I read about Carla and how she feels when
she works with her mother. Who else noticed something?
Who can say more about the ending?
I noticed that all the plot details and what we learned about the characters have something
in common. It’s like the author is trying to teach us something. What do you think the author
wants us to know?
Remember, paying attention to story elements and key details can help us understand what
kind of text we’re reading, and what it means.
2 Family Time