| Students get a better understanding of the text | | | | 1) The Three Little Pigs moved out of their |
| they are reading when they have the opportunity | | | | mother's house. |
| to manipulate its elements. Linking characters to | | | | 2) The First Little Pig built a house of straw. |
| your own life, isolating key features and looking | | | | 3) The Second Little Pig built a house of sticks. |
| very closely at one feature of the text are all | | | | 4) The Third Little Pig built a house of bricks. |
| manipulation activities that strengthen reading | | | | 5) The Big Bad Wolf knocked on the First Little |
| comprehension. | | | | Pig's house and asked to come in. |
| These activities can be done with any text. I | | | | 6) The First Little Pig refused to let the Big Bad |
| have used The Three Little Pigs as an example. | | | | Wolf in. |
| 1. There Is Someone At The Door! | | | | 7) The Big Bad Wolf blew the First Little Pig's |
| Ask your students to do the following. | | | | house down. |
| Imagine one of the characters from the text you | | | | 8) The First Little Pig ran away to the Second |
| are exploring has come over to dinner. Write a | | | | Little Pig's house. |
| recount of what happened. You could include: | | | | 9) The Big Bad Wolf knocked on the Second Little |
| what time they arrived, what the character was | | | | Pig's house and asked to come in. |
| wearing, who in your family was home at the | | | | 10) The Second Little Pig refused to let the Big |
| time, what your family's reaction was, what you | | | | Bad Wolf come in. |
| served for dinner, what you talked about at | | | | Some students will focus on minute details and |
| dinner, what you did before dinner, what you did | | | | others will focus on broader features. There is no |
| after dinner, what the best thing about the visit | | | | right way. As long as the students are breaking |
| was and what the worst thing about the visit | | | | the story in parts they are becoming more |
| was? | | | | familiar with it. |
| 2. A List Of Ten Facts | | | | 3. Let's Take A Closer Look |
| Ask your students to do the following. | | | | Ask your students to do the following. |
| Write ten facts about the text your class is | | | | Take one thing that exists in the text your class |
| exploring. Re-read it slowly and as you do this, | | | | is exploring and write a one page report on it. For |
| write down the first ten facts you read. Ignore | | | | example, if you were reading "The Three Little |
| any conversations and list what you know for | | | | Pigs", you could do a report on pigs, builders, |
| certain exists in the scene and what the | | | | house construction, straw, bricks, or wolves. |
| characters are doing. | | | | These reports make a great classroom display. |
| The students will end up with a list like this. | | | | |