Brave Shark?

The big question of this issue of Storyworks 2 is: How can we be brave?

• Reading and discussing “Brave Shark?” along with the other themed texts in the magazine (the Big Read, “Jumping to the Fire” and the fiction, “The Bravest Dino on Earth”) will help kids think about this question.

Show “The Big Question” Video (10 minutes)

• Watch “The Big Question: How Can We Be Brave?” (This video also goes with other stories in this month’s Storyworks 2.)
• Before your students watch, ask them to think about the question “How can we be brave?”
• Watch the video.
• After watching, ask the question again. Write students’ ideas on chart paper.

Preview the Poem (10 minutes)

• You can read the poem to the class first to model fluency and get kids familiar with the language. You can also click the Read Aloud button at the top of the digital issue to hear it read aloud by a professional voice actor.
• Read the poem chorally as a class.
• Then call on volunteers to read every two lines of the poem aloud.

Discuss the Poem (10-15 minutes)

• Ask: “What is the poem about?” (The poem is about a shark who is scared of the dark.)
• • Point out that the poem has words that rhyme. Ask: “What are some words that rhyme in this poem?” (shark and dark and beast and feast.)

ELA Focus: Writing (15 minutes)

• Using the printable “Brave Shark,” ask students to write advice to the shark about how to be brave.

ELA Focus: Phonics (15 minutes)

• Using the printable “Make a Word Ladder,” help kids strengthen their reading skills with a fun activity.

Enrich the Learning: Paired Text Opportunities (time amount varies)

• Making text-to-text connections builds knowledge and comprehension. We layer Storyworks 2 with many ways for your students to make connections.
• Pairable Texts The Big Read, “Jumping to the Fire” (pages 6-11) and the fiction, “The Bravest Dino on Earth” (pages 24-29).
• These texts ask questions similar to those posed in the poem. How can we be brave? What should we do when we feel scared?
• Kids can compare the the texts by using our “Bravery Chart” printable. How are the texts alike, and how are they different?

Show the Video “Get Close to Sharks” (10 minutes)

• Watch this video to learn about real sharks.

Whole Issue Scavenger Hunt (15 minutes)

• We created a scavenger hunt for several stories in this month’s Storyworks 2, including the poetry kit, “Brave Shark.” The scavenger hunt can be done by students independently at home or during class time.
• This is a self-contained group of slides that guide your students on a scavenger hunt through the whole issue. It’s not only fun, it also helps them make text-to-text connections.

Enrich the Learning: Paired-Text Opportunities (time amount varies)

Making text-to-text connections builds knowledge and comprehension. We layer Storyworks 2 with many ways for your students to make connections.

Pairable Texts Big Read, “The Grandpa and the Penguin” (pages 6-11); Mini Graphic Novel, “Gabby Solves: The Pokémon Problem” (pages 13- 17); and the Fiction, “Sasha’s Solo” (pages 24-29)

• These texts also ask questions similar to those posed in the Poem. What does it take to be a good friend? What makes someone a good friend?

ELA Focus: Making Personal Connections (20 minutes)

• Using the Mad Libs-style “The Fabulous ____” printable, have your students fill in the blanks to write and illustrate a poem about their own friends.