Welcome back to the Crazy Critter Cafe!
We've been reading the story Thunder Cake, by Patricia Polacco and during our first day of reading, it actually came up a storm and thundered outside! Couldn't have been a more *perfect* time to storm!
In third grade we really dig into the story and talk about figurative language and why the author chose the words and phrases to help the reader better understand the story. And, as always, we answer Who, What, When, Where, Why and How questions.
We have iPads, so each student could use their headphones to scan the QR code and actually hear Patricia Polacco read her own story. How cool?!
After a few days of book discussion, I have students write about a time when they were scared and somehow overcame that fear {like the granddaughter in the story}. This print and go template is great for creating a writing display.
Along with book discussion and open-ended response questions, I give students a multiple-choice quiz to check for understanding. After all, the big end of grade test will be in this format, so they'll need to practice those process of elimination skills throughout the year! I allow them to use the text to go back and look for answers if needed. This is helping the practice using text evidence.
There is even a real recipe for thunder cake! We didn't bake one, but students could take home a copy of the recipe and try it at home with their families.
Please feel free to comment and share other activities you use when reading Thunder Cake with your class.
Thanks for stopping by the Cafe!
