Day
Shared Reading
“A Flag for Our Town”
5
KEY IDEA A group of three kids has the task of designing a town flag. Carl tries to take
over, but Martina, who speaks little English, surprises everyone.
LEARNING FOCUS
RL.3.3
Students read closely to describe characters and explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
3 minutes
PREVIEWING THE TEXT
Today we’ll read a short fiction text together. Read the title with me. . . . “A Flag
for Our Town.” Our work as readers is to review and apply one of the learning
focuses we’ve been using this week. We’ll read and think about how we’d
describe what characters are like, why they act the way they do, and how their
actions keep the story moving.
7 minutes
CLOSE READING OF THE TEXT
Who’ll share what our work as readers is today?
Great. Pay attention to those things as we read together to the end of the
second paragraph.
Who can describe Carl?
Who’ll share one action of Carl’s that supports this description?
When we share a description of a character, we need to talk about that
character’s actions and how they make a difference in the story. Who’ll share
thoughts about Carl’s actions?
I liked the way you pointed to a place in the text that supported your idea.
You can figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word by thinking of other words
with the same root or combination of letters. I know the word assign. When
the teacher assigns homework that means students have to do it. The word
assignment has a lot of the same letters, so I think the words must be related.
I think that assignment must be work someone has to do. When I look at the
text, I see that the group has an assignment, or “something they must do.”
I can check my definition in a dictionary. When you see an unfamiliar word, think
about other words you know that use the same combination of letters and make
a guess about its meaning.
MONDO BOOKSHOP GRADE 3 • THEME 4 1
Let’s continue to the end of the story. Pay attention to how you describe
characters, why they act the way they do, and how their actions keep the story
moving. Read with me. If you notice changes in your descriptions, keep them in
mind so we can talk about them.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT
10 minutes
When our classmates talk, it’s important to listen carefully. We want to be able
to make comments that build on what they have said. That helps make our
discussions more meaningful. One way to build on a friend’s comments is to say,
“I can see what you are saying. “You can also say, “I’d like to add to that idea by
pointing out that. . . .”
Let’s have a close read of the third paragraph, where Martina starts drawing the
design for the flag. The text says, “She worked symbols that represented our
town into her design.” What context clues help you understand what symbols
means?
Who’ll share a description of Martina at the beginning of the story?
How would you describe and explain her actions in the story?
How did her actions affect the story?
We often understand a story better when we think about how we’d describe
characters, their actions, and how their actions keep the story moving.
2 WHO AM I?
Day
Shared Reading
“A Flag for Our Town”
6
LEARNING FOCUSES
RL.3.3, RL.3.6, RL.3.9*
Students read closely to compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes, topics,
characters, or plots of two or more stories as they continue to distinguish their own points
of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters and also describe characters and
explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
Returning to the Text
3 minutes
Let’s take a moment to recall what happened in “A Flag for Our Town.” When
we summarize, we retell only the main events and key details. Take a quick look
at the text, then close your eyes, and think quietly to yourself. Who would like to
summarize the story?
We’re going to reread this story today. Remember what we discussed in our
last session about describing characters, the reasons for their actions, and how
their actions moved the story along. When we reread the story, I want us to
focus on how the words and text help us understand each character’s point of
view, and how your own point of view might be different than the characters’.
After that, we’ll compare and contrast this story with other stories we’ve read
in the theme.
Close Reading of the Text
7 minutes
We’ll reread this story together. I want you think about how you’d describe
characters and their actions. Also, pay attention to the point of view of each
character.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
When we talk today, I’d like you to share your own words and thoughts about
the three characters’ points of view. . . . Who’ll start?
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3 • Theme 4 1
Yesterday we compared and contrasted the theme in the stories we read.
Today let’s talk about plot—the events in a story. Who’ll start comparing and
contrasting?
How does that compare to “Daadi’s Kolam”?
Good observation. Now who’ll share how the two plots are similar?
As you see, comparing and contrasting stories helps us read more deeply to
understand the characters, their actions, and the plot.
2 Who Am I?