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Literar y Elements
LITERARY
RESPONSE
Genre: Historical Fiction
Remind students that there are many kinds of writing styles,
and that a
genre
is a particular kind or style of literary
composition. Explain that
What a Tree Has Seen
belongs to
the genre of
historical fiction
. This genre has the following
elements:
1. It tells a story about historical figures or events.
2. It shows historical events and puts you in the
characters’ shoes, to let you know how they feel.
Author ’s Purpose
LITERARY
RESPONSE
Remind students that the author’s purpose is the reason an
author writes a particular story. Elicit from students the four
main purposes of writing:
to inform
,
to entertain
,
to explain
,
and
to persuade
. Ask students which purpose they think the
author had in mind when she wrote
What a Tree Has Seen
.
Write their ideas on the Prediction Chart.
Reading Options
READING
COMPREHENSION
Choose one or more of the activities described below to
conduct with students as they read
What a Tree Has Seen
.
Reading Aloud
Prior to reading
What a Tree Has Seen
aloud to students,
provide the following background information:
Q
This story is about the live oak trees that grow in
Savannah, Georgia.
Q
The story is about the history that occurred while the
live oaks were growing in Savannah.
As you are reading aloud, let students know what questions
you may have or what predictions are being confirmed, if
any. At the end of the reading, model answers to your own
comprehension questions. Also, model a summary of the
story for students and finish confirming students’ predictions
by going back to the chart.
Guided Reading Groups
Group students according to their specific instructional
needs, which you may have determined from previous
assessment data or reading inventories, and prepare specific
reading strategies for each group prior to their reading.
Then, have students read aloud
What a Tree Has Seen
and
circulate among each reading group, helping them practice
the specific skills and strategies assigned to them.
Echo Reading
This reading technique is ideal for modeling correct
pronunciation and intonation of text. Start reading
What a
Tree Has Seen
and ask students to repeat, from words and
phrases to sentences, after you. Avoid correcting students
who mispronounce during this activity; instead, encourage
students to continue reading, following your lead, as you
gradually release more responsibility to them.
Independent Reading and Reading Fluency
Explain to students that good readers develop fluency by
reading repeatedly and independently. Tell them they must
read for at least thirty minutes outside of class each day.
Encourage them to take
What a Tree Has Seen
home to read
several times and share with family members. You may
wish to have volunteers give oral presentations the next day,
summarizing the story, and discussing how they felt when
they read the story.
Literar y Response
LITERARY
RESPONSE
After reading
What a Tree Has Seen
, choose from a variety of
activities to conduct with your students, such as:
1. Have students discuss the genre of the story and
compare it to other genres, such as fiction or legends.
2. Have students describe each of the historical settings
of the story, citing examples from each setting.
3. Have students identify the main idea of the story and
the author’s purpose for writing the story.
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