Day
Read Aloud
“Gertrude McClatter Finds
Some Friends”
7
Key Idea Having no friends makes Gertrude McClatter grumpy and mean.
The kitchen utensils are fed up with her, so they devise a plan to scare her out of
the kitchen. They realize, though, that it’s better to offer friendship to someone
who’s mean than to be mean back.
Learning Focus
RL.1.1*
Students listen closely to key details in a story to ask and answer questions about what they
hear and to make basic inferences about characters’ feelings and actions.
3 minutes
Previewing the Text
“Gertrude McClatter Finds Some Friends”
The kitchen court was meeting. Everyone was fed up with Gertrude McClatter.
“Gertrude McClatter may be grumpy. But we shouldn’t be mean to her,” Patrick Potato Barrel
cried out. “Being mean is not going to help.”
“Yes, Patrick, but you know we’re not allowed to speak to people,” said Oswald Oven.
“Everyone else agrees with the plan. We’re going to scare Gertrude McClatter. We are going to
keep her out of our kitchen.”
Let’s talk about what has happened up to this point in the story.
Close Listening to the Text
7 minutes
When I read a story, I often have some questions about one or more characters if I’m not
sure who they are and what they are doing. I’m going to start the story again and read
further. Listen closely. Think about who the characters are and why they act the way they do.
Sometimes we may have to figure things out from clues in the story when the author doesn’t
tell us directly. This is called making an inference.
Then there were footsteps. It was Gertrude McClatter. Everyone went back to their places
quickly.
Gertrude McClatter stormed into the kitchen.
“Breakfast time, again,” she grumbled. She got out some bread. She hit the toaster button.
When I started reading, I wondered who the kitchen court was. The author doesn’t tell us
directly, so I looked for clues. From the names the characters have, like Oswald Oven, and from
Mondo Bookshop Grade 1 • Theme 4 1
the fact that Oswald says they can’t talk to people, I can infer that these characters are things
you find in a kitchen. These text clues help me think of an idea, or make an inference, about the
characters.
Then I asked why they were fed up with Gertrude McClatter. Patrick Potato Barrel says she’s
grumpy. There are more clues when Gertrude comes into the kitchen. The author said she
“stormed in” and she “grumbled” then “hit the toaster button.” I don’t think Gertrude acts
very nicely.
As you listen to the story, keep asking yourself questions about what the characters do and say.
Listen both for what the author says directly and for clues that will help you find answers.
That’s when it all started. Katie Kettle tipped some cold water. It landed all over Gertrude
McClatter.
Next, Fiona Flour Jar joined in. She tipped some flour. It spilled all over Gertrude McClatter’s
wet dress. Tania Toaster fired two slices of bread at her.
The pots smashed. The pans crashed. Gertrude McClatter looked very scared!
“What’s happening?” Gertrude McClatter cried. She cowered in the corner.
“Stop!” Patrick Potato Barrel shouted loudly. Everyone stood very still.
“Are you all right?” asked Patrick Potato Barrel.
“No! I’m not all right! What’s going on?” Gertrude McClatter said.
“You have been mean to us,” Patrick Potato Barrel said. “So we tried to scare you.”
The kitchen court certainly does scare Gertrude. One character that cares about Gertrude is
Patrick Potato Barrel. The author doesn’t say this, but there are clues. What do you think?
Let’s read the rest.
“I used to be happy,” said Gertrude McClatter. “But now I’m lonely. I have no friends. I’m sorry I
was mean.”
Patrick Potato Barrel walked over to Oswald Oven. Everyone in the kitchen watched as they
talked.
“Gertrude McClatter, please come with me,” Patrick Potato Barrel said kindly.
“I would like to introduce Gertrude McClatter,” Oswald Oven said. “Gertrude McClatter, I would
like to welcome you as a friend of the kitchen.”
Gertrude McClatter’s eyes filled with happy tears. At last she had found some friends!
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
When I read the rest of the story, I wanted to find out what the characters said and did after
Patrick stopped them from scaring Gertrude and spoke to her. I see that Gertrude explains a
little about why she’s mean, but we don’t know exactly what happened to make her that way.
Who would like to share ideas about the ending?
We ask questions about characters and answer them with the text.
2 Friendship
Day
Read Aloud
“Gertrude McClatter Finds
Some Friends”
8
LEARNING FOCUSES
RL.1.1*, RL.1.6*
Students listen closely to ask and answer questions about key details in a story and to make
inferences about characters’ feelings and actions, and they identify differences in the characters’
points of view based on how the author conveys information in the text.
Reflecting on the Text
3 minutes
Let’s review the story I read to you in our last session. Think about the characters and what they
said and did.
Close Listening to the Text
7 minutes
As I reread “Gertrude McClatter Finds Some Friends” to you, think about what we know about
the characters. As you listen, think about how the characters feel and act. This will help us
understand their points of view. Point of view means how one character thinks about other
characters and what is happening.
“Gertrude McClatter Finds Some Friends”
The kitchen court was meeting. Everyone was fed up with Gertrude McClatter.
“Gertrude McClatter may be grumpy. But we shouldn’t be mean to her,” Patrick Potato Barrel
cried out. “Being mean is not going to help.”
I noticed that Patrick Potato Barrel doesn’t think the kitchen court should be mean to Gertrude.
His point of view is that being mean won’t help. I think what this character says is something
that the author is trying to share with us.
I’ll read the next part. Listen closely to what the characters say and do and see what you can
infer about their points of view. Also think of questions you have about the characters.
“Yes, Patrick, but you know we’re not allowed to speak to people,” said Oswald Oven.
“Everyone else agrees with the plan. We’re going to scare Gertrude McClatter. We are going to
keep her out of our kitchen.”
Then there were footsteps. It was Gertrude McClatter. Everyone went back to their places
quickly.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 1 • Theme 4 1
After Patrick objects, Oswald Oven tells him that everyone else agrees with the plan. The other
characters don’t say so, but I can infer that they share Oswald’s point of view because they get
ready to scare Gertrude. Patrick’s point of view is different.
I’ll read almost to the end of the story. Continue to listen closely to what the characters say and
see if you can hear more about what the characters’ points of view are.
Gertrude McClatter stormed into the kitchen.
“Breakfast time, again,” she grumbled. She got out some bread. She hit the toaster button.
That’s when it all started. Katie Kettle tipped some cold water. It landed all over Gertrude
McClatter.
Next, Fiona Flour Jar joined in. She tipped some flour. It spilled all over Gertrude McClatter’s
wet dress. Tania Toaster fired two slices of bread at her.
The pots smashed. The pans crashed. Gertrude McClatter looked very scared!
“What’s happening?” Gertrude McClatter cried. She cowered in the corner.
“Stop!” Patrick Potato Barrel shouted loudly. Everyone stood very still.
“Are you all right?” asked Patrick Potato Barrel.
“No! I’m not all right! What’s going on?” Gertrude McClatter said.
“You have been mean to us,” Patrick Potato Barrel said. “So we tried to scare you.”
“I used to be happy,” said Gertrude McClatter. “But now I’m lonely. I have no friends. I’m sorry
I was mean.”
Let’s talk about what happens in this part of the story.
How can you tell that they share the same point of view?
Is there a character who is different?
Now listen as I read the rest of the story.
Patrick Potato Barrel walked over to Oswald Oven. Everyone in the kitchen watched as they
talked.
“Gertrude McClatter, please come with me,” Patrick Potato Barrel said kindly.
“I would like to introduce Gertrude McClatter,” Oswald Oven said. “Gertrude McClatter, I would
like to welcome you as a friend of the kitchen.”
Gertrude McClatter’s eyes filled with happy tears. At last she had found some friends!
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
Let’s review why the kitchen court was fed up. How did they get her to change?
Whose plan did not work?
What do you think readers can learn from this story?
Who can share thoughts on whether the characters’ different points of view showed this?
As you read stories, look for how characters feel, think, and act. This will help you understand
their different points of view and give you a better understanding of them.
2 Friendship