SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Vocabulary Strategies and Questions from the Text: Close Reading of The Lightning Thief

Pre-Planning
TOPIC
Name
Subject
Grade Level
Date/Duration
Standards/
anchors/
competencies
PA/Common
Core/Standards
(Plus any others
as may be
required)

Formative
AND/OR
Summative
Assessment
Evidence
Objectives
A-B-C-D
Bloom's Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge (DOK)

DETAILS
Emily Maeder
Language Arts- Reading
6
1-1.5 hours
E06.B-K.1.1.1: Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences and/or generalizations drawn from the text.
E06.B-K.1.1.2: Determine a central idea of a text and
how it is conveyed through relevant details; provide a
summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.
E06.B-K.1.1.3: Analyze in detail how a key individual,
event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, or elaborated in
a text (e.g., through examples, anecdotes, or sequence
of steps).
E06.B-V.4.1.1: Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing
flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context (e.g.,
the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph, a
words position or function in a sentence) as a clue to
the meaning of a word or phrase. b. Use common,
grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as
clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience,
auditory, audible). c. Determine the meaning of
technical words and phrases used in a text.
Informal Evaluation
Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face
Using prefixes recording form
Observation
Question and answer

CK

I can determine the meaning of words using prefixes

and context clues
I can cite evidence from the text when answering
questions and discussing Percys character in The
Lightning Thief.

Step-by-Step Procedures
RATIONALE for the
Learning Plan
DETAILS
Introduction
Activating Prior Knowledge
Invite students to sit with their triad groups.

CK

Checking
evidence flags

Unpacking
learning targets

Explicit
Instructions
Big Ideas
Essential
Questions

Tell students that their use of evidence flags is becoming

an important part of their learning to be close and
careful readers, and you would like to celebrate that by
giving them the opportunity to share some of their
thinking today.
Remind students that their purpose in reading chapter 4
was to recognize moments when Percy faced a challenge
and then identify how he responded to that challenge.
Ask students to use the next 5 minutes to take turns
sharing with their triad one of the places in the text they
flagged. The students should read the excerpt they
flagged and then explain why they thought it was
important.
Circulate and listen to these discussions, noting students
who are using evidence flags purposefully and those
who may need more support in this routine.
After the discussion, briefly address any clarifying
questions the students may have about the basic events
of the chapter.
Reinforce that the purpose of the evidence flags is to
help them focus on what we are learning about Percy.
Remind them that they will frequently reread key
sections in class, focusing on key details as they practice
becoming close readers.
Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set
Explain to students that throughout the year, they will
be accountable for sharing their thoughts in class, and
that you will use various techniques to make sure
everyone gets to participate.
Use total participation technique, such as equity sticks,
to invite students to read todays learning targets.
Focus students on the first target.
Tell them that they have been practicing using context
clues to figure out unfamiliar words in the text and that
they will continue to work on this strategy.
Today they will also practice a new way to figure out
words: thinking about the first part of the word, or the
prefix.
Define prefix: a letter or group of letters attached to the
beginning of a word that partly indicates its meaning.
Point out that the word prefix itself has a prefix in it:
pre which means before.
Big Idea Statement
Reading and rereading a text allows us to discover new
aspects of the text, make inferences, and read the
context clues, and this practice is what will lead us to
become close readers.
Essential Questions

Lesson Procedure
Must include
adaptations &
accommodations
for students with
special needs
Accommodations,
Modifications

Why is it important to reread a text?

How can a reader get an understanding of what is going
on with the text?
How can I use the characters actions and words to learn
more about who they are?

Key Vocabulary
Gist, inference, context clues, dyslexic (38), resent (39),
stalk (40), broad (40), hallucination (40)
Pre-Assessment of Students
The entrance discussion and review of evidence flagging
will be used to assess student understanding and
engagement with the text.
Modeling of the Concept
As students to think-pair-share: What other words do you
know that have the letters pre at the start?
Invite students to share out.
Probe for meaning: How does that relate to the word
before?
Tell students they will use this technique to learn more
about prefixes in this lesson.
Transition
Tell students that today they will continue focusing on
chapter 3, which includes a lot of rich information about
Percy. They will work on chapter 4 more in the next
lesson.
Guiding the Practice
Tell students that today they will continue focusing on
Chapter 3, which includes a lot of rich information about
Percy. They will work on Chapter 4 more in the next
lesson.
Post the title of Chapter 3, Grover Unexpectedly Loses
His Pants, on a document camera or on chart paper.
Think-Pair-Share: * What do you notice about the word
unexpectedly?
Listen for answers like: I see the word expect. Probe,
encouraging students to offer a definition for the word
expect.
Students may recognize that un- is a prefix, but may not
be able to recall the meaning of the word.
At this point, connect the study of prefixes and suffixes
to the novel by reminding students that one of the
central characters, Mr. Brunner, is a Latin teacher, and
Percy studies Latin.
Explain that one reason people study Latin is because it
helps understand vocabulary in English. A lot of English

words and word parts come from Latin. Prefixes are an

example of this.
Say: Lets look closely at the prefix un-. How does the
prefix un- change the meaning of the word expect?
Think-Pair-Share: * Can you think of other words that
begin with the prefix un-?
Allow time for students to discuss other words that begin
with a prefix with their partner or small group.
Distribute the Prefix List to each student. Tell students
these are the most common prefixes found in English.
Knowing these can help you unlock the meaning to
countless words.
Distribute the Using Prefixes: Determining the Meaning
of Unfamiliar Words.
Give directions:1. Read each passage from The Lightning
Thief. 2. Use your knowledge of prefixes, your prefix list,
and context clues to help you determine the meaning of
words.
Circulate and support students as they work. If a student
gets stuck, make sure they are using both strategies
they have learned so far: using context clues and using
prefixes. If they are still struggling, consider giving them
the root word definition so they still have the opportunity
to work with the prefix.

Providing the Independent Practice

Ask students to come together in their triads.
Tell them they will be revisiting the excerpt from The
Lighting Thief they were working with in the last lesson:
pages 3840.
Tell students that in the next lesson they will have an
assessment of their reading of The Lightning Thief, and
that the questions they are about to work with in their
triads are very similar to the ones they will see in the
assessment.
Distribute a question basket to each triad.
Give directions: 1. Rotate responsibility: Take turns
drawing questions from the basket and reading them.2.
All members of the triad should be searching for the
evidence in The Lightning Thief to answer the question.
3. All voices should be heard.
As students discuss these questions, circulate and
support to ensure equity in voices and participation.
Remind students to read aloud passages from The
Lightning Thief as evidence that supports their thinking,
and to tell their peers what page to look at as they read.
Adaptations/Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
The instructor will provide adapted versions of the

Materials
(reading,
technology,
equipment,
supplies, etc.)
Closure

homework worksheet with sentences starters and

explicit instructions.
Students may be paired with peer mentor.
Pencils
Evidence flags
Novels: The Lightning Thief
Things close readers do anchor chart
Homework: Finding Words with Prefixes

Summary & Review of the Learning

Commend students on their work using prefixes to
determine word meanings.
Briefly focus students on the Things Close Readers Do
anchor chart. Add the following to the chart: *Pay
attention to vocabulary * Use prefixes to determine word
meanings.
Ask students to stand back-to-back with the person who
sits next to them.
Tell them you will pose a question, and then will give
them 10 seconds of think time. After this think time,
you will say Face-to-Face at which point the students
need to turn around and share their ideas.
You will do this for three questions. 1. What is an
example of a word that begins with a prefix? 2. What is
an important challenge Percy has faced so far in The
Lightning Thief? 3. What is the most important thing you
have learned about Percy so far in this novel? Support
your thinking with a specific example from the book.
Homework/Assignments
Reread your favorite part of The Lightning Thief so far. In
that section, see how many different words you can
identify that begin with a prefix. Use the prefix list to
help you.
Homework worksheet: Finding Words with Prefixes

Other(This area
is to be
determined by
instructor OR
student as
needed)
Supervising
teacher
comments and
signature
Teacher
Self-reflection
What

worked?
What would
you
change?