The Storm Genre: Realistic Fiction Author’s Purpose: Entertainment and Expressing Feelings Comprehension Skill: Predicting By: Marc Harshman Compiled by Terry Sams, Piedmont

Summary     Ever since his accident, Jonathan has worked hard to make himself strong and capable in his wheelchair.  One afternoon, his mother leaves him in charge of bringing in the horses on the family farm while she and his father are elsewhere.  A huge storm is brewing.  Jonathan likes most storms, but this is no ordinary storm - it's a tornado.  The story tells how Jonathan saves the horses - and himself.  

Genre: Realistic Fiction Realistic Fiction seems like real life with characters dealing with real life problems. The action can happen no matter how improbable, and often takes place in the present time. The situations are true or could be, but the characters are made up. Realistic Fiction may include "real people" characters who have actually lived. \ Bibliography of Realist Fiction Realistic Fiction Activities

Realistic Fiction and Expository Nonfiction TE 317i The Storm is an imaginary story, but the setting, characters, and events are realistic. This is realistic fiction, and it is usually written to entertain. Tornado Tales is factual. It explains something in the real world. It explains what tornadoes are like and what they do. This genre is expository fiction and is written to explain.

Realistic Fiction and Expository Nonfiction The Storm fiction tells about imaginary people, places and events that are like those in real life main purpose is usually to entertain “Tornado Tales” nonfiction tells about something in the real world main purpose is to explain

Comprehension Skill: Predicting To predict means to tell what you think might happen next in a story or article based on what has already happened. Your prediction is what you say will happen next. When you make predictions, you also use your personal knowledge about a topic to help you. Predicting is a process of checking and changing your predictions as you read based on new information.

Practice Predicting (TE 317A) Prediction Jonathan will stay calm during the storm. Story Information He loves storms and isn’t scared. Prior Knowledge that Confirms It is important to stay calm in a storm. The storm will be more violent than Jonathan expects. There are many signs a twister is coming, radio, wind, wail, sky. Tornados or more damaging than he is use to.

Comprehension Skill Review – Drawing Conclusions Author’s don’t always tell you everything. Instead, they may give you a few details about what happens or about characters. A conclusion is a decision you reach that makes sense after you think about the details or facts that you have read. You can you details and what you know to draw conclusions, or to figure out things about characters and evens in what you read..

Practice Drawing Conclusions Story Clues Jonathan tells his parents about what he did. What I know = When I do something really hard or scary, I feel proud. Conclusion Jonathan feels very proud of himself. They did not scold or baby him. When I tell people what I’ve done, it’s because I feel good about it. It feels good to do a job well. He won’t care as much when they look at him, because they might see him and not his condition. People don’t like to be pitied. People with disabilities are capable and want to be treated the same as everyone else.

Vocabulary Skill Review : Antonyms Words with opposite meanings are called antonyms. You can often figure out the meaning of an unknown word by finding a clue in the words around it. Sometimes the clue is an antonym. Click on the title to practice this skill.

Research Skills – Almanac TE 317j An almanac is a book that is published every year. It contains calendars, weather information, and dates of holidays. It also contains charts and tables of current information about subjects such as city populations and recent prize winners in science, literature, or sports.

Weekly Fluency Check - Read with Attention to Punctuation Students should read with attention to punctuation, for example, using commas to break up long sentences. Commas provide a place where the reader can pause or take a breath, and can help to determine the proper meaning of the sentence. Go to pages 304-305, beginning with Ever since the. . .”

Review #1a Pages 302-307 What does Jonathan hate most of all? Where had his mother gone? How can you tell Jonathan is independent and confident? What are some words the author uses to help you visualize the storm?

Review #2 Pages 308-314 What does he do to calm the horses? How does he feel when he looked beyond the house? Explain Why did he cry so hard when he found the dead rooster?

Pick one of the following and write about it: Write a weather bulletin announcing that a tornado has been sighted. Warn people about the dangers and how they can protect themselves. Despite his disability, Jonathan responds bravely to a crisis. Write a journal entry that he might have written at some point in this story.

Write About It What do you think Jonathan will be like in the future because of his experience in the storm? Give reasons for your opinion.

What You Should Know About Tornados More Good Stuff ABC Spelling words Vocabulary Match Up Hangman Spelling Antonyms Game Tornado Museum What You Should Know About Tornados Teacher Lesson Plan Reading Test Spelling Test

Say It! accident coaxed nuzzled soothed tornado wailed

More Words to Know advisory flashbacks scythe therapist

coaxed persuaded gently

accident something harmful or unlucky that happens unexpectedly

soothed quieted or comforted someone or something

tornado a violent or destructive windstorm with winds as high as 300 mph

wail a long, sad cry

advisory report of bad weather

flashbacks scenes of an earlier event inserted into a current event

scythe a long, curved blade on a handle

therapist people who treat injuries or diseases

nuzzled rubbed with the nose

A scythe was used to cut grass a long time ago.

A scythe was used to cut grass a long time ago.

I heard the wail of the wind. It sounded like the cry of a child.

I heard the wail of the wind. It sounded like the cry of a child.

The tornado is a very destructive storm.

The tornado is a very destructive storm.

He was involved in a bad car accident.

He was involved in a bad car accident.

He coaxed the horses into the barn.

He coaxed the horses into the barn.

She tried to soothe her crying mother.

She tried to soothe her crying mother.

The dog nuzzled me with his nose.

The dog nuzzled me with his nose.

Flashbacks sometimes come to mind when we are thinking about other things.

Flashbacks sometimes come to mind when we are thinking about other things.

The weather advisory predicted lots of rain.

The weather advisory predicted lots of rain.

The therapist tried to help him learn how to walk again.

The therapist tried to help him learn how to walk again.

Spelling Words – with /j/, /ks/, /kw/ change village edge except excited explain expect Texas quick equal

Spelling Words – with /j/, /ks/, /kw/ extra queen quart liquid quilt charge bridge fudge excellent relax

This Week’s Word Wall Words Click and type your own words for this week:

Let’s review our spelling words Let’s review our spelling words. Watch carefully because they will flash on the screen for just a moment. We will clap as we spell the word..

change

village

edge

except

excited

explain

expect

Texas

quick

equal

charge

bridge

fudge

excellent

relax

extra

queen

quart

liquid

quilt

change

GREAT JOB!