Making Meaning

9:30-10
Monday 1-18-16
Goals:
The students will use Stop and Ask Questions to think about the story.
The students will use their questions to discuss the story.
The students will discuss a problem in the story.
Purpose:
The students will learn new vocabulary throughout the book and will continue working
on how to stop and ask questions as they read.
Standards:
RI 3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding
RI 3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases in a text
Materials:
Mailing May
Lesson plan
Before:
The last book we read was A Days Work. While reading that book what did we do as we
read?
o Have students share
Review the Stop and Ask Questions tool.
o What does it mean to stop and ask questions?
o Have students share
o Asking questions while we read helps us to think about the story and have better
understanding of the story.
Today we are going to start reading Mailing May. We are going to continue working on
the thinking tool Stop and Ask Questions.
I am going to stop different times throughout the book so you can ask questions. We will
go back to those questions later and will use those questions to discuss the story.
I will show the cover of the book and read the title, the author, and the illustrator.
This book is based on a true story. What does that mean? A true story?
o Have students share
The story takes place in 1914 when railroads were an important way of transportation.
I will show the cover of the book and the back cover and read what is on the back cover.
What questions do you have about the story before we start reading?

o Have students think independently and then share

As I read I want you to remember to visualize.
Since there are a lot of characters I will write the characters and a short description where
the students can see. (May do this as a class towards the end of this lesson or before the
next lesson)

During:
Stop at different vocabulary words throughout the book and define them with the students
so they comprehend the story better. Suggested vocabulary:
o A spell: a while (pg. 5)
o Made a beeline: walked very quickly in a straight line (pg. 6)
o Slogged: walked very slowly and heavily (pg. 6)
o Commenced to: started (pg. 9)
o Mans: is in charge of (pg. 15)
o Flabbergasted: surprised (pg. 15)
o Postal code: post office rules for shipping (pg. 16)
o Permissible: allowed (pg. 16)
o Valise: suitcase (pg. 16)
o Poultry: farm birds, such as chickens and turkeys, raised for their meat and eggs
(pg. 18)
o Carted me: used a cart to carry me (pg. 21, refer to the illustration)
o Daniel Boone: early explorer of the old West (pg. 22)
o Spidery trestles: supports for a train bridge that resembles a spiders legs (pg. 25,
refer to the illustration on the title page)
o Cranky: grouchy (pg. 26)
o End of the line: last station on a railroad line or route (pg. 29)
Stop after: Then they made me go to bed awful early, which I did not like at all. (pg. 9)
o Ask: What question can you ask right now?
o Have students think individually before sharing with their making meaning
partner.
o Have a few students share their questions and write what they say.
o Reread the last sentence before moving onto the next page.
Stop after: Mr. Perkins looked at Pa real strange-like as he asked, What you got in
mind, John? (pg. 13)
o Ask: What question can you ask right now?
o Have students think individually before sharing with their making meaning
partner.
o Have a few students share their questions and write what they say.
o Reread the last sentence before moving onto the next page.
Stop after: The sight made me go all tingly, seeing as Id never ever ridden on a train
before. (pg. 21)
o Ask: What question can you ask right now?

o Have students think individually before sharing with their making meaning
partner.
o Have a few students share their questions and write what they say.
o Reread the last sentence before moving onto the next page.
Stop after: Leonard, yelled a man in a uniform, that girl better have a ticket or money to
buy one. (pg. 25)
o Ask: What question can you ask right now?
o Have students think individually before sharing with their making meaning
partner.
o Have a few students share their questions and write what they say.
o Reread the last sentence before moving onto the next page.
Continue reading to the end of page 30

After:
After: Give the students a few moments to review the questions they wrote individually.
Have them get into partners and use their questions to discuss the story.
Bring the class back together to ask some questions.
o What has happened in the story so far?
o What is the problem in the story? How is the problem solved?
We will come back to the questions that you came up with today before we read
tomorrow.
Tuesday 1-19-16
Goals:
The students will use Stop and Ask Questions to think about the story.
The students will use their questions to discuss the story.
The students will discuss a problem in the story.
Purpose:
The students will learn new vocabulary throughout the book and will continue working
on how to stop and ask questions as they read.
Standards:
RI 3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding
RI 3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases in a text
Materials:
Mailing May
Lesson plan

Before:
Give the students a few moments to review the questions they wrote individually.
Have them get into partners and use their questions to discuss the story.
Bring the class back together to ask some questions.
o What is the story about?
o Do we know what the problem is yet? If so, what is the problem?
As a class make a list of the characters and a short description of them.
o May
o Ma
o Pa (John)
o Mr. Alexander: the department store owner
o Leonard: Mas cousin who takes care of the mail on the train
o Mr. Perkins: the postman
o Grandma Mary: Mays grandmother
o Mr. Harry Morris: the train conductor
Review the Stop and Ask Questions thinking tool
Review vocabulary
Reread pages