by Elaine Gallagher
These stories definitely are NOT intended to be used as a quiz, homework, or class assignment!
READING ALOUD is a stimulating technique to promote oral listening and spoken fluency for children of all ages. DAILY reading aloud, for all ages, is our goal. The same story can be read several times during a week. The students actually enjoy hearing them over and over, because the tale will begin to make more sense, and fluency builds
(Eager and apt readers, may also read these stories by themselves.)
NOTE: Words in BOLD PRINT are suggested vocabulary words.
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SECOND GRADE STORIESTOPIC ONE: “MY CLASS”ART PROJECT: a bus or other ideaSTORY: “The First Day of School”The First Day of School
“Which color book bag isyours?” asked mother.
“This one. The blue and green one on the chair,” answered Robert.
The yellow and brown book bag is Robert’s sister’s. It is on the table. She is two years old and does not go to school, but she likes to have a bookbag for her pencil, a book, and a marker.
(SHOW: A book bag on a chair and a book bag on a table.)
“I am so excited!” exclaimed Robert. “It is the first day of school. I am in second grade. I’ m a big boy now. I know how to read in Spanish and in English!”
“I am very proud of you, Robert. Now you are eight years old. What class are you in? What’s your teacher’s name?”
Robert answered, “My class is 2-B, and my teacher’s name is Mrs. Ramirez. She has a big desk in front of the class.”
“Can you count in English, Robert?” asked his mother.
“Yes. Listen to me count. One, two three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.”
“You will have a great first day of school this morning,” Mother said. “Now here comes the yellow school bus. Good- bye Robert. Do your best! Remember to say good-morning to your teacher.”
“No, I won’t forget”, said Robert as he got on the big, yellow school bus.
“Hello, Robert,” said the bus driver. “It’s time for the first day of school.”
(SHOW: a picture of a school bus)
THE END
(TEACHER: The children will draw a school bus. If they make a large one, they can use clear cellophane or plastic wrap for the windows.)
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SECOND GRADETOPIC TWO: “MY FAMILY”ART PROJECT: a dogSTORY: “How Big Is My Family?”How big is my family?
Robert is in second grade. His baby sister, Anita, stays home. She is two. Robert’s teacher, Mrs. Ramirez, is asking questions to the class about their families.
(SHOW: a teacher in front of a class.)
“How many men and women do you have in your family, Robert?”
Robert answered, “I have a small family. I’m the only boy. There is a girl, my sister. She’s a baby, only two years old. The man in the family is my father. He’s thirty years old. His name is Robert, too. The woman in my family is my mother. She’s thirty years old, too.”
Mrs. Ramirez said, “That is interesting. Do you have any other family in your house, Robert?”
“Yes. We have a cat named Angel and a dog named Barney.” “Look at this picture”, Roberto said to his teacher.
“Who’s this?” asked Mrs. Ramirez, pointing to a picture.
(SHOW: a dog and a cat.)
“That is my dog, Barney,” answered Robert.
“Thank you for telling us about your family,” said Robert’s teacher. Mrs. Ramirez continued, “Now boys and girls, we will say good bye for the day. Everyone had a chance to tell me about his or her family. For homework, I want you to draw an apple, an egg, and a baseball bat. Copy the words now so you will remember to do your homework. Good bye class. See you tomorrow.”
Mrs. Ramirez told Robert, “Say hello to Barney and Angel for me.”
“O.K.” said Robert, happily, as he left the class with his friends.
(SHOW: children leaving a classroom and a teacher waving good bye.)
THE END
TEACHER: You will show the students how to draw and color a dog. (Barney) They can use fur-type cloth for the body, or stuff a sock and use markers for the face details
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SECOND GRADETOPIC THREE: “MY BODY”ART PROJECT: a ravenSTORY: “Everyone is Beautiful.”
EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL
A clown with orange hair came to school to visit the students and to teach about the human body. As he pointed to parts of the body, he asked the students to say the name of the body part he pointed to.
(SHOW: a clown pointing to his head.)
“What color are my eyes?” asked the clown.
“They’re brown,” said the students.
“How many fingers do I have on one hand?” asked the clown.
“Five!” shouted the students.
“How many feet do I have?”
“Two.”
The clown asked, “How many toes do I have on one foot?”
“Five,” answered the students again.
The clown told the students that he would use a picture of a body and for them to name the parts of the body he pointed to.
(SHOW: a picture of a human body.)
“What are these?” asked the clown as he pointed.
The students answered together as the clown pointed to each part:
“An arm! An ear! A face! A knee! A leg! A mouth! A nose!”
The clown asked the students, “Is my nose big or little?”
“Big,” the students answered.
“What is this?” asked the clown as he continued pointing to the picture.
(SHOW: a monster picture.)
“It’s a monster!” the students responded.
They continued, “It has a big head, and his hand has a green thumb.”
One girl said, “His long hair is black like a raven.”
“What is a raven?” the clown asked her.
The girl with long, yellow hair, in a pink and blue dress answered, “ A raven is a big, black, beautiful bird.”
(SHOW: a raven)
“All of you are so smart,” the clown exclaimed. “And you are all so beautiful. When you smile, you are all very beautiful.”
“Thank you, Mr. Clown. Thank you for saying we are all smart and beautiful. Thank you for teaching us about the names of the body parts.”
“Now”, the clown said, “I will show you how to make an origami raven. Let’s get paper and begin.”
THE END
(TEACHER: Students will make a raven. Show students a picture of a raven from Internet of an encyclopedia.)
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