LESSON 9 TEACHER’S GUIDE
Reptiles as Pets
by Katie Sharp
Fountas-Pinnell Level O
Nonfiction
Selection Summary
Reptiles make wonderful pets for many people. Choosing and caring
for the reptile is a task that must be handled properly. This book
walks readers through the process of choosing and caring for these
special creatures.
Number of Words: 1,109
Characteristics of the Text
Genre
Text Structure
Content
Themes and Ideas
Language and
Literary Features
Sentence Complexity
Vocabulary
Words
Illustrations
Book and Print Features
• Nonfiction
• Third-person narrative divided into seven short chapters
• Caring for animals
• Choosing the right pet
• Being a responsible pet owner
• Reptiles make good pets for many people.
• It is important to properly care for a pet reptile.
• Descriptive language
• Conversational language
• A mix of short and complex sentences
• Many sentences containing conjunctions
• Questions, exclamations, dashes
• Some names of animals: gecko, rattlesnake, python
• Multisyllable words: temperature, important, excellent
• Color photographs with captions
• Twelve pages of text, photographs on most pages with text
• Bulleted lists
• Sidebars
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
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Reptiles as Pets
by Katie Sharp
Build Background
Help students use their knowledge of their pets to visualize the selection. Build interest by
asking questions such as the following: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind of pets do
you have? Do you think reptiles would make good pets? Why or why not? Read the title
and author and talk about the cover photograph. Explain that choosing the right kind of
reptile as a pet takes many steps.
Introduce the Text
Guide students through the text, noting important ideas and nonfiction features. Help with
unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Give special
attention to target vocabulary. Here are some suggestions:
Page 4: Explain that this selection tells readers how to choose the right type of
reptile as a pet. Read the caption. Read the first sentence aloud: Some people
are allergic to furry animals. Suggested Language: When people are allergic to
something, they sneeze, cough, or develop a rash. Ask: Why would reptiles make
good pets to people who are allergic?
Page 5: Explain that like all pets, reptiles require special attention and care. Parents
insist on having proof that their children are ready to care for a pet. Ask: What are
some ways you could prove that you are ready for a pet?
Pages 6–8: Read the captions. Have you ever touched a snake? Was it slimy or
smooth? Explain to students that snakes, like all reptiles, have scales all over their
bodies.
Page 10: Discuss with students the supplies needed to take care of snakes. Tell
students that they can find most of these supplies near their home, in their local
pet store.
Page 10–13: Point out captions can give clues about information in the text. Ask:
What do the captions on these pages tell you?
Now turn back to the beginning of the selection and read to find out why reptiles
can make good pets.
Target Vocabulary
apologize – to say “I’m sorry,”
p. 4
genuine – sincere and honest,
p. 11
proof – to show that something
is true, p. 5
borrow – to take something for a
while and then return it, p. 9
insisted – demanded something,
p. 5
reference – something used for
information, p. 9
fainted – passed out, p. 6
local – a small area that is
nearby, p. 10
slimy– slippery and thick, p. 6
fault – to be responsible for a
mistake, p. 4
Grade 4
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Read
Have students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their
understanding of the text as needed.
Remind students to use the Question Strategy
questions before they read, as they read, and after they read.
as they read, and to ask
Discuss and Revisit the Text
Personal Response
Invite students to share their personal responses to the selection.
Suggested language: After reading this book, do you think that reptiles would make good
pets? Why or why not?
Ways of Thinking
As you discuss the text, help students understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text
Thinking Beyond the Text
Thinking About the Text
• Caring for an animal is a huge
responsibility.
• Reptiles make good pets for
many people.
• The bulleted lists break down
information for readers.
• Choosing the right pet is very
important to find a good match.
• It is important to properly care
for a pet reptile.
• The photos contain a lot of visual
information.
• Being a responsible pet owner
takes lots of work and time.
• The captions help support the
photographs.
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
Choices for Further Support
• Fluency Invite students to choral read a passage from the text. Suggest that they try
reading a couple of pages as if they were giving a presentation about choosing and
caring for pets.
• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion,
revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go
back to the text to support their ideas.
• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using
examples from the text. Tell students that many words in English contain r-controlled
vowels. Have students turn to page 6 and point out the words after, their, air, and rock.
Explain that all of these words are r-controlled vowels. Have partners look through the
selection and find more examples of words with r-controlled vowels.
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Writing about Reading
Vocabulary Practice
Have students complete the Vocabulary questions on BLM 9.1.
Responding
Have students use their Reader’s Notebook to complete the vocabulary activities on
page 15. Remind them to answer the Word Teaser on p. 16. (Answer: proof)
Reading Nonfiction
Nonfiction Features: Table of Contents and Bulleted/Numbered Lists Remind students
that nonfiction has many features to help readers find and understand important
information. A table of contents and bulleted/numbered lists are two of these features.
Explain that a table of contents tells readers what the chapters of the book will be about.
Browsing the table of contents before reading a book is a good way to preview the book
before reading the main text. Ask students to write down a different name for one of the
chapters. They should be sure that the new name also matches the material in the chapter.
Bulleted or numbered lists are another important source of information. They often
break down information in such a way that makes it easier for the reader to understand.
Have students look at the numbered list on page 11. Ask if the information provided in
the numbered list is easier to understand in this form or if it would have been written in
paragraph form (answers will vary). Then have students find another section that could
be broken down into either a bulleted or numbered list.
Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the Text
Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they
think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings.
Assessment Prompts
• What is the main idea of page 5?
• Which words on page 4 help the reader understand what fault means?
• Complete this sentence in your own words: This selection was most likely written to
________________________________________________________________.
Grade 4
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English Language Development
Reading Support Pair beginning and intermediate readers to read the text softly or
have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Or have beginning speakers read
the captions.
Cognates The text includes many cognates. Explain the English word and its Spanish
equivalent: genuine (genuino), insist (insistir), local (local), and reference (referencia).
Oral Language Development
Check student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’
English proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.
Beginning/Early Intermediate
Intermediate
Early Advanced/ Advanced
Speaker 1: Why do reptiles make good
pets for people who are allergic?
Speaker 1: What do a snake’s scales do?
Speaker 1: What are things to
look for to make sure a reptile is
healthy?
Speaker 2: They don’t have fur.
Speaker 1: What does a cold-blooded
mean?
Speaker 2: body temperature is same
as temperature of the air
Speaker 2: Scales help snakes move and
protect them on rough surfaces.
Speaker 1: What do reptiles eat?
Speaker 2: Some reptiles eat plants,
others eat meat, and some eat both.
Speaker 2: People should
make sure the reptile is eating
normally, drinking water, has
normal colored skin, and looks
healthy.
Lesson 9
Name
BLACKLINE MASTER 9.1
Date
Target Vocabulary
Reptiles as Pets
Target Vocabulary
Write a sentence using the word insisted below. Then, with a
partner, find synonyms, antonyms, examples, and non-examples
for three of the remaining Target Vocabulary words. Complete a
Four-Square Map for each. Possible responses shown
Vocabulary
apologize
borrow
fainted
fault
genuine
insisted
local
proof
reference
slimy
Synonym
demanded
Antonym
asked
insisted
Example
“Be nice to your
sister!”
Non-example
“Would you like an
apple or a banana?”
Example Sentence:
My mother insisted that I return the snake to the pet store.
Target Vocabulary
3
Grade 4, Unit 2: Do You Know What I Mean?
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First Pass
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Name
Date
Reptiles as Pets
Thinking Beyond the Text
Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in one or two
paragraphs.
Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal
knowledge to reach new understandings.
On page 14, the caption says that people should “Take good care of your
new pet, and you will be friends for a long time.” What does this statement
mean? Why type of friendship do pets offer? How is it different than
friendships with people?
Grade 4
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Lesson 9
Name
BLACKLINE MASTER 9.1
Date
Target Vocabulary
Reptiles as Pets
Target Vocabulary
Write a sentence using the word insisted below. Then, with a
partner, find synonyms, antonyms, examples, and non-examples
for three of the remaining Target Vocabulary words. Complete a
Four-Square Map for each.
Vocabulary
apologize
borrow
fainted
fault
genuine
insisted
local
proof
reference
slimy
Synonym
demanded
Antonym
asked
insisted
Example
“Be nice to your
sister!”
Non-example
“Would you like an
apple or a banana?”
Example Sentence:
Grade 4
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Student
Lesson 9
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 9.23
Reptiles As Pets • LEVEL O
page
Reptiles As Pets
Running Record Form
Selection Text
3
Errors
Self-Corrections
Accuracy Rate
Total SelfCorrections
Do you have a pet? Maybe your family has a dog or cat.
Your classroom might even have a pet hamster.
When you think about getting a pet, you might think first
of a cuddly kitten or a dog that will play fetch with you. But
what about having a reptile as a pet? For some people, reptiles
make excellent pets.
4
Some people are allergic to furry animals. Reptiles do not
have fur, so they make good pets for people who are allergic.
Also, reptiles do not need to be trained to behave. It won’t
be your fault if the furniture is covered with fur.
Comments:
(# words read
correctly/105 ×
100)
%
Read word correctly
Code
✓
cat
Repeated word,
sentence, or phrase
®
Omission
—
cat
cat
Grade 4
Behavior
Error
0
0
Substitution
Code
cut
cat
1
Self-corrects
cut sc
cat
0
Insertion
the
1
cat
Error
1414204
Behavior
ˆ
Word told
1
8
T
cat
1
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