ELA 2-3 The Pumpkin Book

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: K-12 Close Reading Tas

Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 
  • Using the illustrations and text, what are some ways to get a pumpkin patch ready for planting?
  • Look at page 7. (Pumpkin Seed) What text feature is used on this page? What kind of information does it provide? How does it help
  • you as a reader know more about pumpkin seeds?
  • As a seed grows into a pumpkin, how does it get its food? Use the text to support your answer.
  • Explain the process of pollination. Support your thinking by citing evidence in the book and explain why pollination is important to a
  • pumpkin?
  • On page 16 the author says, “In the fall, when the vines begin to dry up and die, it is harvest time.” What are some other ways Gail
  • Gibbons suggests you can tell it is harvest time?
  • What are some ways Gail Gibbons suggests that people use pumpkins?
  • Look at “How to Carve a Pumpkin” on page 25. Explain how Gail Gibbons uses the illustrations to support the text.
  • What is the author’s purpose in writing this book? How do you know?

Activity/Task Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding
Differentiation suggestions: 

Scaffolding and support for special education students, English language learners, and struggling readers:

  • Use real and visual representations of content-specific vocabulary
  • Use graphic organizers (flow map, main idea/details, etc.) and “foldables” to organize information
  • Use partner reading
  • Listen to the text on CD
  • Use repeated, close reading of text
  • Chunk the text
  • Model strategies to decode unknown words
  • Ask text-based questions while reading
  • Model how to stop for and check for understanding (Read/Cover/Remember/Retell strategy) Participate in shared writing about the reading
  • Hold individual conferences while writing
  • Have exemplar journal examples for students who need additional help and a visual representation