Activity Objective

The goal of Miss Nelson Is Missing!: Read-Aloud Activities to Build Vocabulary and Comprehension is to expose students to new words by having them identify synonyms from the story and help students improve their understanding of what they read by having them compare and contrast characters from the story.

What You Need

Prep Time:

10-20 minutes- Obtain story to read aloud
- Prepare Vocabulary chart
- Create word cards
- Photocopy Venn Diagram worksheet

Task Time:

2 30 minute sessions
Session 1:
- Teacher and students review Vocabulary chart
- Teacher reads aloud beginning of story
- Students create missing person poster

Session 2:
- Students retell beginning of story Teacher rereads entire story
- Teacher describes synonyms
- Students identify synonyms
- Students brainstorm descriptive words
- Student complete Venn Diagram worksheet

Materials Required:

Teacher:
- Miss Nelson Is Missing, by Harry Allward
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Cardstock

Students:
- Venn Diagram worksheets
- Pencil

What You Do

Teacher Role:

Facilitator:
- while teacher and students review Vocabulary chart

Direct instruction:
- while teacher reads aloud story and describes synonyms

Supporter:
- while students create missing person poster, students retell story, students identify synonyms and brainstorm descriptive words

Student Grouping:

Whole class:
- when teacher and students review Vocabulary chart, teacher reads story, students retell story and identify synonyms

Individual:
- when students create missing person poster

Assessment Ideas:

- Use a checklist to track students' understanding of synonyms

- Record anecdotal comments on students' posters
      a. List strengths and next steps related to word choice and informative writing

- Use a requirements and criteria checklist for the Venn diagrams as a formative assessment
      a. This will help you guide your small group instruction

Quick Tips

Activity Extensions:

- In small groups have the students practice and perform a reader's theatre based on the story
      a. Reader's theatre promotes fluency and the use of expression

- Have the students retell the story from the perspectives of the difference characters

- Brainstorm and list character traits related to the story
      a. For example: teamwork, cooperation, kindness

- Have the students write a letter to Miss Nelson from the perspective of one of her students

- Create wanted posters for Miss Viola Swamp

Additional Comments:

- If additional texts of the story are available you may wish to have students follow along while you read. Shared reading promotes fluency and provides students with a model reader.

- Venn diagrams are a meaningful tool for students to use when comparing and contrasting a character from a story. Take the time to model how to complete a Venn diagram so that students receive explicit instructions and are familiar with the process.

- Explicitly state how many descriptive words to include in the Venn diagram. Providing students with a definitive number contributes to the task requirements and challenges students to extend their understanding.

- Extend students' understanding of texts even further by comparing and contrasting characters from other grade-appropriate texts.

Other Adaptations/Modifications:

- Provide a quiet work space for students disturbed by sound