LESSON 26 TEACHER’S GUIDE
Planet Zogo
by Gus Regallo
Fountas-Pinnell Level L
Fantasy
Selection Summary
After spending a year on planet Zogo, Jason is about to return to Earth.
When he boards his spaceship, he discovers two stowaways—Zenon
and his pet, Zaggy. Jason agrees to bring Zenon and Zaggy to Earth in
exchange for learning more about planet Zogo.
Number of Words: 663
Characteristics of the Text
Genre
Text Structure
Content
Themes and Ideas
Language and
Literary Features
Sentence Complexity
Vocabulary
Words
Illustrations
Book and Print Features
• Fantasy
• Third person narrative
• Set in the future
• Organized chronologically
• Problem/solution structure
• Space and space travel
• Beings from different planets can get along.
• Importance of friendship
• Conversational language
• Elements of fantasy (life in space, space creature with human characteristics)
• Variety in sentence length and complexity
• Some more complex sentences with dependent clauses: As he stored the plants inside the
spaceship, Jason saw a small shape in the corner.
• Split dialogue
• Words related to space and space travel: planet, Earth, spaceship, takeoff, black hole
• Unfamiliar names: Zogo, Zenon, Zaggy
• Many two- and three-syllable words
• Words with suffixes: dusty, lonely, colorful
• Colorful, stylized illustrations indicate futuristic setting.
• Five to ten lines of print on a page
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
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Planet Zogo
by Gus Regallo
Build Background
Help children think about space and share what they know. Build interest by asking a
question such as the following: What do you suppose would happen if a space traveler
met a space creature on another planet? Read the title and author and talk about the
cover illustration. Ask children to point out details on the cover that suggest this story is a
fantasy.
Introduce the Text
Guide children through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar
language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some
suggestions:
Page 3: Explain that this is a story about Jason, a spaceship captain. He has lived
on the planet Zogo for a year and is getting ready to return home to Earth. On
board his space ship, Jason meets a space creature, Zenon. Zenon and Zaggy want
to go to Earth because they are lonely.
Suggested language: Turn to page 3. The story starts on the planet Zogo. Here is
a picture of Jason and Zenon on the spaceship. How do you think they feel when
they see each other?
Page 4: Identify Zenon’s pet, Zaggy, in the illustration. What kind of animal does
Zaggy look like?
Page 6: Call attention to the illustration. Notice that Zenon keeps Zaggy in a cage.
Why do you think he does that? Jason looks at Zaggy suspiciously. Why do you
think Jason doesn’t trust the pet?
Page 7: When Jason tells Zenon he can’t come with him to Earth, Zenon gets
upset. Why do you think Jason’s answer makes Zenon unhappy?
Now turn back to the beginning of the story and read to find out whether Jason
brings Zenon back to Earth.
Target Vocabulary
cage – n. a structure in which
animals are kept, p. 6
ordinary – not special in any way,
p. 14
training – n. process of learning,
p. 6
confused – not understanding
what is happening, p. 9
sensible – based on common
sense, p. 8
upset – adj. worried or unhappy,
p. 7
control – n. ability to affect
something, p. 4
suspiciously – in a way that is
not trusting, p. 6
Grade 2
2
Lesson 26: Planet Zogo
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Read
Have children read Planet Zogo silently while you listen to individual children read. Support
their problem solving and fluency as needed.
Remind children to use the Infer/Predict Strategy
figure things out as they read.
, and use clues to
Discuss and Revisit the Text
Personal Response
Invite children to share their personal responses to the story.
Suggested language: Do you think Jason did the right thing by bringing Zenon and Zaggy
to Earth? Why or why not?
Ways of Thinking
As you discuss the text, help children understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text
Thinking Beyond the Text
Thinking About the Text
• Zenon and Zaggy want to leave
planet Zogo and go to Earth with
Jason.
• It is possible to get along with
others who are different.
• The dialogue includes both
informal and more formal
language.
• Jason does not think it is a good
idea.
• It is important to have friends
and to help them.
• Zenon says he will teach people
on Earth about planet Zogo.
• The author uses colorful verbs to
bring the story to life.
• The author’s purpose in writing
the story is to entertain, and
describe the future.
• Jason brings Zenon and Zaggy
to Earth.
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
Choices for Further Support
• Fluency Invite children to choose a passage from the text to present as Readers’
Theater. Remind them to use appropriate expression to get across the characters’
emotions.
• Comprehension Based on your observations of the children’s reading and discussion,
revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind children 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. Remind children that a contraction is a short way of writing two
words. For example, the word You’re on page 4 is a contraction made up of You and
are. Point out that the apostrophe takes the place of the letter a in are. Work together to
identify the words in these contractions on pages 4 and 5: I’m, you’d, don’t, that’s.
Grade 2
3
Lesson 26: Planet Zogo
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Writing about Reading
Critical Thinking
Have children complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 26.8.
Responding
Have children complete the activities at the back of the book, writing the answers in their
Reader’s Notebook. Use the instruction below to reinforce or extend understanding of the
comprehension skill.
Target Comprehension Skill
Story Structure
Remind children that thinking about the characters,
setting, and events can help them understand a story. Model the skill, using a “Think
Aloud” like the one below:
Think Aloud
First, I think about the characters in the story. The characters are Jason,
Zenon, and Zaggy. Next, I think about the setting. This story has two
settings—it starts on planet Zogo and it ends on Earth. Then I think
about what happens in the story. Jason finds Zenon on the spaceship.
After a lot of talking, Zenon convinces Jason to take him and Zaggy to
Earth.
Practice the Skill
Have children think of another story they have read. Ask them to name the characters,
setting, and important story events.
Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the Text
Have children 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
what happens in the story.
Assessment Prompts
• How does Zenon feel after Jason agrees to take him to Earth?
• On page 12, what does the word shocked mean?
Grade 2
4
Lesson 26: Planet Zogo
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English Language Development
Reading Support Help children understand the meaning of the whole story. Work
together to recall what happens at the beginning, middle, and end.
Vocabulary Point out the word shortcut on page 11. Be sure children understand that it
means “a quicker way to get somewhere.”
Oral Language Development
Check children’s comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches their English
proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the child.
Beginning/Early Intermediate
Intermediate
Early Advanced/ Advanced
Speaker 1: Who is the captain of the
spaceship?
Speaker 1: Where does Jason meet
Zenon and Zaggy?
Speaker 1: Why does Zenon want
to leave planet Zogo?
Speaker 2: Jason
Speaker 2: He meets them on planet
Zogo.
Speaker 2: He is lonely.
Speaker 1: Who is the space creature?
Speaker 2: Zenon
Speaker 1: What does Zenon do when
he gets to Earth?
Speaker 1: How did Zenon learn
to speak English?
Speaker 2: He watched TV shows.
Speaker 2: He goes to school.
Lesson 26
Name
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 26.8
Think About It
Planet Zogo
Think About It
Read and answer the questions.
1. Why does Jason finally agree to let Zenon go to
Earth with him?
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2. Which part of the book did you like the most?
Explain why.
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3. List two ways the people of Zogo are different from
the people of Earth.
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Making Connections Suppose you met a creature from
another planet. Write about what might happen. Be sure
to describe the creature and tell how it acts.
Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.
Read directions to children.
Think About It
Grade 2, Unit 6: What a Surprise!
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Grade 2
5
Lesson 26: Planet Zogo
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Name
Date
Planet Zogo
Thinking Beyond the Text
Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in one or two
paragraphs.
In the story, Zenon and the school children come from different planets.
Why do you think they are able to become friends? Use details from the
story in your answer.
Grade 2
6
Lesson 26: Planet Zogo
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Lesson 26
Name
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 26.8
Think About It
Planet Zogo
Think About It
Read and answer the questions.
1. Why does Jason finally agree to let Zenon go to
Earth with him?
2. Which part of the book did you like the most?
Explain why.
3. List two ways the people of Zogo are different from
the people of Earth.
Making Connections Suppose you met a creature from
another planet. Write about what might happen. Be sure
to describe the creature and tell how it acts.
Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.
Grade 2
7
Lesson 26: Planet Zogo
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Student
Lesson 26
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 26.12
Planet Zogo • LEVEL L
page
2
Planet Zogo
Running Record Form
Selection Text
Errors
Self-Corrections
Accuracy Rate
Total SelfCorrections
Jason had lived on the planet Zogo for a year,
but now he was ready to go back to Earth. He
missed his home, and he wanted to see his family.
He had not seen a living creature all year.
Jason gathered a few plants to take back to
Earth. He turned to say good-bye to the dry,
dusty planet Zogo and then stepped inside his ship.
3
As he stored the plants inside the spaceship,
Jason saw a small shape in the corner. The shape
was green, and it was breathing.
“Hello there,” Jason said.
The little body uncurled and jumped up.
“Hello!” it said. “My name is Zenon.”
Comments:
(# words read
correctly/109 × 100)
%
Read word correctly
Code
✓
cat
Repeated word,
sentence, or phrase
®
Omission
—
cat
cat
Grade 2
Behavior
Error
0
0
1
8
Substitution
Code
cut
cat
1
Self-corrects
cut sc
cat
0
Insertion
the
1
Word told
T
cat
cat

Error
1413848
Behavior
1
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