LESSON 10 TEACHER’S GUIDE
The Life of
George Washington Carver
by Minnie Timenti
Fountas-Pinnell Level O
Biography
Selection Summary
George Washington Carver was born at a time when it was difficult
for African Americans to get a good education. Still, his determination
led him to college and then to become an expert in plants.
Throughout his life, Carver shared his extensive knowledge to help
people improve their lives.
Number of Words: 991
Characteristics of the Text
Genre
Text Structure
Content
Themes and Ideas
Language and
Literary Features
Sentence Complexity
Vocabulary
Words
Illustrations
Book and Print Features
• Biography
• Organized into six sections with headings
• Begins with an introduction, then told in chronological order
• Facts about George Washington Carver– childhood, challenges he faced, education and
career path
• Historical information about farming
• Education and hard work can help people overcome huge challenges.
• Helping others is a great achievement.
• Two quotations included from George Washington Carver
• A mix of short and more complex sentences
• Content vocabulary related to farming: agricultural, crops, soil
• Target vocabulary highlighted in text
• Many multi-syllable words: agricultural, laboratory, experimented
• Mix of photos with illustration
• Several archival photographs
Thirteen pages of text with illustrations or photos on most pages; two full pages of text
• Section headings that indicate content
• Captions and labels that provide additional information and clarify text
• Quotations included at bottom of three pages
• Timeline with important events
© 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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The Life of George Washington Carver
by Minnie Timenti
Build Background
Build interest in this book by asking a question such as the following: Have you ever read
about a person who made a difference in the lives of others? Read the title and author and
talk about the cover photograph. Tell students that this is a biography, so it will contain
facts about a real person.
Front-Load Vocabulary Some everyday words may be unfamiliar to English
learners. Before reading, check understanding of the following words: cotton, institute,
insects, college, farming, crops.
Introduce the Text
Guide students through the text, reading the captions, noting important ideas, and helping
with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Call their
attention to any important labels. Here are some suggestions:
Page 2: Explain that this book is about a man named George Washington Carver.
He helped farmers improve their lives.
Suggested language: Turn to page 2. What does this heading tell you about Carver
as a boy? People thought Carver was smart. He was even called a genius, which is
someone who is very, very smart.
Page 3: Listen as I read this quotation by George Washington Carver: “I wanted to
know the name of every stone and flower and insect and bird and beast. I wanted
to know where it got its color, where it got its life—but there was no one to tell
me.” What does this quotation tell readers about George Washington Carver?
Pages 6-7: Draw attention to the photo across the spread and read the caption and
label. Carver was asked to become a teacher at Tuskegee Institute. Carver took this
as a signal, or sign, that his life was going to change. Have you ever had a signal
of a change in your life? What was it?
Page 11: Draw attention to the photo and read the caption and label. George Carver
made many discoveries while working in his laboratory. What kinds of gadgets do
scientists have in a laboratory?
Now turn back to the beginning of the book and read to find out about the life of
George Washington Carver.
Target Vocabulary
electric – run by electricity, p. 12
experiments – tests that help
scientists answer their
questions, p. 2
gadgets – small machines or
tools that are useful, p. 11
invention – something new
that someone thinks up and
creates, p. 12
occasional – appearing
sometimes but not very often,
p. 2
laboratory – a place where
scientists work and do
experiments, p. 11
signal – a sound, a movement, or
a sign that sends a message,
p. 7
genius – a very smart person, p. 2
Grade 3
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Lesson 10: The Life of George Washington Carver
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Read
Have students read The Life of George Washington Carver silently while you listen to
individual students read. Support their problem solving and fluency as needed.
Remind students to use the Summarize Strategy
parts of the text in their own words.
, and to tell important
Discuss and Revisit the Text
Personal Response
Invite students to share their personal responses to the text.
Suggested language: How do you think Carver felt when he got to college? Why do you
think that?
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
• George Washington Carver was
interested in plants from the time
he was a young boy.
• Sometimes you have to face
huge obstacles in order to meet
your goals.
• Archival photos give readers a
vivid look at life during that time.
• Carver was very smart, but it
was a challenge for him to get
a good education because at
that time, most colleges did not
accept African Americans.
• Helping others can be more
rewarding than fame or fortune.
• The events are described in
chronological order.
• The illustrations, photographs
and timeline help readers
understand the text.
• The author’s attitude is that
Carver was an extraordinary
human being.
• Carver found new uses for crops
like the peanut, so farmers could
make more money and improve
their lives.
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
Choices for Further Support
• Fluency Invite students to choose a passage to read aloud and remind them to use
punctuation to help them group words.
• 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. Have students take apart and make a full range of plurals,
including irregular plurals. For example, insect/insects (page 2), life/lives (page 9), and
potato/potatoes (page 10).
Grade 3
3
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Writing about Reading
Critical Reading
Have students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 10.10.
Responding
Have students complete the activities at the back of the book. Use the instruction below as
needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.
Target Comprehension Skill
Main Idea and Details
Remind students that the important ideas in a
book are always supported with details. Explain that students can tell important ideas and
details about a topic in their own words. Model the skill, using a “Think Aloud” like the one
below:
Think Aloud
I know the main idea on page 2. George Washington Carver loved plants
and wildlife from the time he was a child. What are the details that
support that idea? George always brought back plants, insects and even
snakes from the woods. He even planted his own garden in the woods!
Practice the Skill
Have students write one sentence explaining the main idea of the book. Then have
students write one sentence telling a detail that supports that idea.
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 what they know and their own experience to think about
the information in the book.
Assessment Prompts
• Find the sentence on page 9 that shows that farmers had problems with insects eating
their crops.
• On page 5, what are paragraphs 3 and 4 mainly about?
• Complete this sentence in your own words: By the end of the book, the reader can tell
that George Washington Carver was an important man because
________________________________________________________________.
Grade 3
4
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English Language Development
Reading Support In Introduce the Text (p.2), use pictures, concrete objects, or
demonstrations that will help children understand the concepts and ideas in the text. Don’t
ask children to read any text they will not understand. Or have students use the audio or
online recordings.
Vocabulary Explain any vocabulary words and terms that might be confusing, such as
farm animals (page 6), graduated (page 7), healthy foods (page 9), and poor man’s empty
dinner pail (page 9).
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: What is on the cover?
Speaker 1: Why is the book called The
Life of George Washington Carver?
Speaker 1: How did George
Washington Carver have a strong
impact on the world?
Speaker 2: photograph
Speaker 1: Who is in the photograph?
Speaker 2: George Washington Carver
Speaker 2: It is about George
Washington Carver’s life.
Speaker 2: He helped many
people improve their lives by
growing better crops.
Speaker 1: What did Carver do?
Speaker 2: He helped farmers improve
their farms.
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Lesson 10
Name
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 10.10
Critical Thinking
The Life of George
Washington Carver
Critical Thinking
Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown.
1. Think within the text What is one reason why people
thought young George Washington Carver was very
smart?
He did experiments with dirt and sunlight.
2. Think within the text What did Carver teach farmers?
Carver taught them how to make the soil healthy and how to help
their plants grow.
3. Think beyond the text Would you call George
Washington Carver an American hero? Explain your
answer.
Responses will vary.
4. Think about the text Why do you think the author
includes the words from Carver’s gravestone in the text?
The author includes the words to show what was most important to Carver
and to inspire others to be like him.
Making Connections George Washington Carver wanted to make
life better for farmers. Think of someone else you know or have
read about who has helped others. Who is this person? How has
this person helped others?
Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.
Read directions to students.
Critical Thinking
12
Grade 3, Unit 2: Express Yourself
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Grade 3
5
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Name
Date
The Life of George Washington Carver
Thinking Beyond the Text
Write a paragraph answering the following questions.
If George Washington Carver were still alive today, what kinds of problems
do you think he would try to solve? What would he do to help farmers
today? Use details from the book to support your answer.
\
Grade 3
6
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Lesson 10
Name
BLACKLINE MASTER 10.10
Date
Critical Thinking
The Life of George
Washington Carver
Critical Thinking
Read and answer the questions.
1. Think within the text What is one reason why people
thought young George Washington Carver was very
smart?
2. Think within the text What did Carver teach farmers?
3. Think beyond the text Would you call George
Washington Carver an American hero? Explain your
answer.
4. Think about the text Why do you think the author
includes the words from Carver’s gravestone in the text?
Making Connections George Washington Carver wanted to make
life better for farmers. Think of someone else you know or have read
about who has helped others. Who is this person? How has this
person helped others?
Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.
Grade 3
7
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Student
Lesson 10
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 10.14
The Life of George Washington
Carver • LEVEL O
page
2
The Life of George
Washington Carver
Running Record Form
Selection Text
Errors
Self-Corrections
Accuracy Rate
Total SelfCorrections
Susan Carver stood in front of her house. She watched George
Carver take things out of his pockets. George had been out in
the woods again, collecting things. He got plants, insects,
rocks, frogs, and an occasional snake. Susan was happy that
George loved nature. She just didn’t want George to bring all
that nature into her house!
Susan Carver and her husband, Moses, started taking care of
George when he was little. Even when he was very young,
George wanted to study the world outside. He planted a garden
in the woods. He did experiments with dirt and sunlight.
Comments:
(# words read
correctly/100 ×
100)
%
Read word correctly
Code
✓
cat
Repeated word,
sentence, or phrase
®
Omission
—
cat
cat
Grade 3
Behavior
Error
0
0
Substitution
Code
cut
cat
1
Self-corrects
cut sc
cat
0
Insertion
the
1
cat
Error
1414259
Behavior
ˆ
Word told
1
8
T
cat
1
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