Guided Reading Lesson Plan (Levels M-Z)

Title: Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse

Level: L

Fluency 5 minutes. Students reread mark number of errors, time each student. Others whisper read.
Before Reading: (5-7 min.)
- We are going to read one of my favorite authors books Leo Lionni. The book is called Alexander and
the Wind-Up Mouse.
- Take a look at the cover, what do you notice?
- Do you know anything else about the book based on the cover? Caldecott Honor Book award winning.
-

Last week we talked about main idea with the nonfiction text. We thought about what we knew about
volcanoes and MSH to help us prepare to read the book. How did that pre-reading help? It helped
prepare us for what we were going to read, helped use what we already know and better understand the
main idea.

With fiction texts we look for theme. What does theme mean again? The morale, message of the story.

We cant really look at the picture and predict theme, so instead, we just make predictions and we
constantly revise our predictions while we read.
Do you have any predictions about what the book may be about?

Words/Text Layout:
*Dont forget to read with expression especially when you see quotation marks. That will help us
better understand the story.
During Reading: (10-15 min.)
DAY 1: Intro above.
DAY 2:

DAY 3:

Someone summarize.
Review predictions.
Remember to
constantly be ready to
revise predictions.
Summarize. Share
predictions.

Read until dark picture (6 students will read.)

Read until the end of first paragraph with
page with mouse and lizard.

Does anything that has happened change your

predictions? Write prediction on post it note.
Flip book over.
Has your prediction changed? What is this
story mainly about right now? What do you
think A. is going to ask the lizard to do?

Read until the end.

Below.

After Reading: (8-10 min.)

*Discuss the story
-clarify confusion, revisiting parts of the text that posed problems for readers
-acknowledge partially correct responses, seeking to understand students perspectives
*Connect discussion to the teaching point and/or a comprehension strategy (see above)
-

When we are reading fiction texts, we are reading them to make meaning, but we dont always know
what is going to happen. We cant prepare ourselves with background knowledge like we can with
nonfiction. So what can help us/what helped us understand the text? Making predictions, reading with
expression, constantly analyzing our predictions.
What was the theme of this book? Friendships are important. Dont doubt who you are. (Two themes.)
If time: Writing connection write about a friendship that is really important to you.