Strategies

How to Teach a Slug to Read

Written by: Susan Pearson

Illustrated by: David Slonim

Published by: Two Lions, 2011

32 Pages

Modern Fantasy

   We all know animals can't talk and slugs can't read, but in modern fantasy books, anything is possible. This story outlines the strategies a boy uses to teach a slug to read, beginning with labeling some of the slugs favorite things.

   Slonim uses cartoonish paintings to capture the attention of young readers. By using a lot of bright colors, the different objects stand out and the children can identify the different objects using similar strategies that the slug does.

   I would use this book in a second grade language arts lesson, using the following standard: 

38 ) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. [L.2.4]

   Students can then use these strategies when reading different pieces of writing. After reading this, I would divide students into small groups, giving each group a different excerpt from higher-level books. The students would work together highlighting unfamiliar words, then they would present the unfamiliar words to the class. Other students could define the words, if possible. At the end of the activity, if any words were left undefined, we would work together to define them by using context clues or a dictionary.

This is a fun and engaging way to help students learn different strategies for identifying new vocabulary words, such as highlighting, re-reading, and most of all being patient.