24 fireflies - houghton mifflin...

Characteristics of the Text Genre • Informational Text

Text Structure • Focused on a single topic • Each page presents one simple category of information• Details help the reader identify a sequence of events

Content • Firefl ies • Firefl ies’ life cycle

Themes and Ideas • An insect’s life cycle involves changes in form.• Insects can be interesting to read about.

Language and Literary Features

• Simple, straightforward language • Meaning provided through integration of photos with text• Direct questions to the reader: Have you ever heard of a glow worm?

Sentence Complexity • A mix of short and more complex sentences• Full range of punctuation

Vocabulary • Content words, not all of which are defi ned in text: beetle, lightning bugs, life cycle, insects, females, larva, glow worm, pupa, nectar

Words • Repeated use of high-frequency words• Words labeled in photographs• Multisyllable words, some of which may be diffi cult: messages, already, hungry, another,

develops, twinklingIllustrations • Photos on every page that support the text

Book and Print Features • Nine pages of text, with photos on every page• Labels on photos identify some content vocabulary• Sentences stand alone, not run into paragraphs

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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Number of Words: 289

L E S S O N 2 4 T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

Firefliesby Rhonda Jackson

Fountas-Pinnell Level IInformational TextSelection SummaryA fi refl y is not a fl y; it is a beetle. Firefl ies are also called lightning bugs because they glow at night. A fi refl y’s life cycle is the same as that of many insects: a larva hatches from an egg, develops into a pupa, and changes into an adult fi refl y.

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Fireflies by Rhonda Jackson

Build BackgroundRead the title to children and ask them what they think the children on the cover are doing. Ask them whether they have ever seen fi refl ies twinkling at night. Encourage children to use their knowledge of insects to think about the book. Ask questions such as the following: Why do you think fi refl ies light up at night?

Introduce the TextGuide children through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions:

: Explain that this book gives facts about fi refl ies. You will fi nd out why fi refl ies are called lightning bugs.Suggested language: Turn to page 2. Here is a fi refl y. What do you notice that’s special about the tail of the bug? The last sentences read: A fi refl y is a beetle. But it’s a very special kind of beetle.

Page 3: Remind children to look at the pictures to help them understand the words. What do you see at night in this photo? The sentences read: Firefl ies are also called lightning bugs. That’s because they light up, or glow at night. Say light and night. What do you hear at the end of these words? They have the same ending. Find light and night on the page. Do you think lightning bug is a good name for a fi refl y?

Page 5: Point out that this book includes many terms related to insects. Make sure children understand the terms life cycle, females, and larva.

Page 9: Explain that some fi refl ies eat nectar, which is a sweet liquid made by some flowers. What do you think the fi refl y in the photo is doing on the fl ower?

Now go back to the beginning to learn about the life of a fi refl y.

also

anything

flower

kind

light

night

places

ready

Words to Know

2 Lesson 24: FirefliesGrade 1© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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ReadAs children read, observe them carefully. Guide them as needed, using language that supports their problem solving ability.

Respond to the TextPersonal ResponseAsk children to share their personal responses to the book. Begin by asking what they liked best about the book, or what they found interesting.Suggested language: What did you learn about fi refl ies that you didn’t know before? What was the most interesting thing you learned?

Ways of ThinkingAs you discuss the text, make sure children understand these teaching points:

Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text

• A fi refl y is a beetle, not a fl y.

• Firefl ies glow at night. They use their lights to send messages to each other.

• A fi refl y larva hatches out of an egg, develops into a pupa, and in about ten days changes into an adult fi refl y.

• An insect’s life cycle involves changes in form.

• Insects can be interesting to read about.

• Some insects have very special traits.

• Labels in the photos help readers understand what is shown.

• The author makes it easy to understand how fi refl ies grow from an egg into an adult.

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for SupportFluencyInvite children to choose a passage from the text and demonstrate phrased fl uent reading. Remind them to read with phrasing and expression that shows they understand what they are reading.

Phonemic Awareness and Word WorkProvide practice as needed with words and sounds, using one of the following activities:• Clapping Syllables Have children hear and say syllables in words from the book, such

as larva, another, develops, anything, twinkling. Have them clap on each syllable: lar-va, an-oth-er, de-vel-ops, an-y-thing, twink-ling.

• Word Wall Materials: words on word wall, index cards. Have children choose six or seven words from the word wall and read them. Then have children write the words on cards. Have partners build sentences using some of their words and adding other words.



Writing About ReadingCritical ThinkingRead the directions for children on BLM 24.8 and guide them in answering the questions.

RespondingRead aloud the questions at the back of the book and help children complete the activities.

Target Comprehension SkillSequence of Events

Target Comprehension Skill Remind children that when they read, they can

look for details that tell the order in which things happen. Model how to think about the sequence of events in a book:

Think Aloud

On page 8 I read that in winter, the larva digs deep in the ground. That’s the fi rst event. In the spring, the larva starts to build a mud house. That’s the second event. Read the last line on page 8. What’s the next event that happens? The larva develops into a pupa.

Practice the SkillHave children share an example of another science book in which they fi nd out the order in which things happened.

Writing PromptRead aloud the following prompt. Have children draw and write their response, using the writing prompt on page 6.

Draw a picture of fi refl ies dancing in the grass.

What do the fi refl ies look like?



Read directions to children.

Think About ItWrite an answer to the question. Responses may vary.

1. How do fireflies talk to each other?

Fireflies use their lightsto send messages.

Making Connections Think about telling a friend

about fireflies. Write some sentences about what

you would tell your friend.

10 Grade 1, Unit 5: Watch us Grow

Name

Think About It© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

FirefliesThink About It

Lesson 24B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 2 4 . 8

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English Language LearnersReading Support Make sure the text matches the children’s reading level. Language and content should be accessible with regular teaching support.

Oral Language DevelopmentCheck the children’s comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches their English profi ciency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the child.

Beginning/ Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced

Speaker 1: What is this book about?

Speaker 2: fi refl ies

Speaker 1: What is another name for fi refl ies?

Speaker 2: lightning bugs

Speaker 1: How do fi refl ies send messages?

Speaker 2: They use their lights

Speaker 1: What hatches from a fi refl y egg?

Speaker 2: A larva hatches from a fi refl y egg.

Speaker 1: Why is glow worm another name for a fi refl y larva?

Speaker 2: A fi refl y larva looks like a worm, and it can glow.

Speaker 1: What do adult fi refl ies eat?

Speaker 2: Some fi refl ies eat nectar from fl owers, and others eat insects.



Name Date

FirefliesDraw a picture of fireflies dancing in the grass.

What do the fireflies look like?



Think About ItWrite an answer to the question.

1. How do fireflies talk to each other?

Making Connections Think about telling a friend

about fireflies. Write some sentences about what

you would tell your friend.

Name

FirefliesThink About It

Lesson 24B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 2 4 . 8



1413343

Student Date Lesson 24

B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 2 4 . 1 2

FirefliesRunning Record Form

Fireflies • LEVEL I

Behavior Code Error

Read word correctly ✓cat 0

Repeated word, sentence, or phrase

®cat

0

Omission —cat 1

Behavior Code Error

Substitution cutcat 1

Self-corrects cut sccat 0

Insertion the

cat 1

Word told Tcat 1

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

2

3

What kind of animal is a firefly?

It’s not really a fly!

A firefly is a beetle.

But it’s a very special kind

of beetle.

Fireflies are also called lightning

bugs. That’s because they light

up or glow at night.

The end of the firefly glows

bright yellow and green.

Fireflies send messages to each

other with their lights.

Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read

correctly/59 × 100)

%

Self-Correction Rate

(# errors + # Self-Corrections/ Self-Corrections)

1:



24 fireflies - houghton mifflin...

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