Text Talk Lesson
By: Rebecca Crago
Kate and the Beanstalk
Written by: Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrated by: Giselle Potter
Aladdin Paperbacks, 2000
Summary:
Long ago a girl and her mother lived in a small village and were poor and very hungry. The mother eventually asks her daughter Kate if she would go into town and sell their only cow for money for food. Kate comes across an old beggar with magic beans who offers them to her in exchange for her cow. After accepting the offer and returning home, Kate’s mother is furious about the exchange and throws the beans right out the window. That night Kate decides to wander outside and to her surprise a huge beanstalk reaching to the sky stood in her backyard. Kate then decided to climb the beanstalk which led to a magical place with a beautiful castle. An older woman approaches Kate and tells her how a noble knight once lived with his wife and infant in the castle. A mean giant killed the knight while the wife and infant were away and stole the knight’s three treasures. Kate decides to sneak into the castle to get the treasures back to return to the knight’s wife. First Kate becomes the servant for the Giantess. The Giant comes home and smells Kate hiding in the closet yet soon falls asleep. Kate grabs the first treasure, a golden hen and takes it back to her home. Then in a disguise Kate returns two more times taking the two other treasures, a golden money bag and a singing harp. The last trip, while Kate was taking the harp, the Giant awakes and chases her down the stalk. Kate grabs an ax and chops the stalk just in time killing the Giant. The mother realizes the Giant is the same one that killed her husband. A fairy arrives and Kate realizes the noble knight was her father and that she was the infant. The fairy tells Kate that she secretly was the beggar and older woman and had set Kate up to see if she was worthy of the treasures. In the end it is proven that Kate is worthy and so she and her mother live happily ever after with plenty of food.
Cover Page:
Based on the cover what do you think is going on? What do you think the girl is up to in the cover picture?
Page One: “Why are Kate and her mother upset?” “What kind of trouble are they in?” (Best Answer: They are upset and in trouble because they are out of food and money.)
Page Four: “What made Kate want the beans?” Would you have traded your cow for magic beans like Kate did? Also what would your mom say?!” (Best Answer: Kate wanted the beans because they were golden and magical)
Page Seven: “What did Kate end up finding at the top of the beanstalk?” “Was it good or bad?” “Also what do you think the word astonishing means? Why is that?” (Best Answer: She found a countryside and a wonderful castle.)
Page Nine: “What is Kate going to try to do for the noble knight’s poor starving wife? “Kate is being very brave isn’t she?” (Best Answer: Kate is going to try to get the three treasures back from the giant.)
Page Thirteen: “By looking at the picture, describe the Giant.” “What does he smell?” (Best Answer: The Giant looks scary and mean. He smells an Englishwoman, which is Kate.)
Page Fourteen: “What does it mean when the sentence said Kate crept out the closet?” (Best Answer: It means she slowly and quietly left the closet.)
Page Fifteen: “What does the word disguise mean?” What was Kate’s disguise? (Best Answer: Kate’s disguise was a wig and a beard.)
Page Twenty: “What pattern do you see happening with the King.” Can you think of a word to describe the King based on the sentence “haha I love my lovely little stolen coins.” (Best Answer: The king gets hungry and then falls asleep as Kate sneaks out with one of the treasures. Based on the sentence, you can tell the king is very greedy and selfish.”
Page Twenty-six: “What does the word magnificent mean?” How is the harp magnificent? (Best Answer: The Harp sparkled with diamonds and rubies with strings made of gold which made it magnificent.)
Page Twenty-eight: “What do you think Kate is going to do with the ax?”
Page Twenty-nine: “So who is Kate’s father?” “Can you see how the fairy helped Kate’s family? This makes her a good fairy” (Best Answer: Kate’s father is the noble knight. The fairy helped Kate return her family treasures.)
Vocabulary:
- astonishing- means surprising, shocking or stunning. Example in Book: “Through a misty haze, she saw the most astonishing sight. Above the clouds was a countryside with fine woods, a crystal stream, a rolling sheep meadow, and a mighty castle.”
- disguise- means to modify one’s appearance in order to prevent recognition. “Kate knew she must disguise herself to return to the castle. That night she dressed in a wig and a beard, crept out to the moonlit garden, and climbed the beanstalk again.”
- magnificent- splendid in appearance; grand or noble. “The giantess brought out a magnificent harp, the only one of its kind in the world. The harp sparkled with diamonds and rubies, and it had strings made of gold.”
Wrap-Up:
Ask students if they enjoyed the story and if they were surprised by the ending. Also ask them what they would have done if they had been in Kate’s shoes.
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DRTA Lesson for Frog and Toad Together
“Cookies”
Before Reading
Frog and Toad Together is the title of the book. The title of the story you are about to read is “Cookies”. What do you think the story “Cookies” is going to be about? What do you think that characters Frog and Toad are going to do in this story?
Before reading look at the cover and what do you see? Also look at the picture on page 31. Can you believe how many cookies they have?
Now starting with page 30 let’s read and find out what the story’s about.
Stop One (page 30 to 32)
What is Toad doing? Where are Toad and Frog right now? Did you think this would happen?
Describe the cookies Toad made. Are they good?
What does Frog suggest he and Toad do? Would you eat all of the cookies? What would your parents do if you ate a whole batch of cookies by yourself?
Now let’s keep reading and see what Frog and Toad are up to next.
Stop Two (33 to 35)
When does Toad say they should stop eating the cookies?
What is will power? Think about a time you had to use will power. Was it hard to find will power, especially for something you loved?
What do you think Frog and Toad will do now with the cookies? Now read on to page 36 and 37 to see what they come up with.
Stop Three (36 to 37)
Where did Toad and Frog hide the cookies?
How could the string be a problem? Can you think of a better way for them to fix their problem?
I think Frog and Toad are getting close to fixing their cookie problem, don’t you agree? I bet page 38 will help us find out, so let’s read on.
Stop Four (38 to 39)
Do you see Frog all the way up the ladder? What is he doing? Do you think this is a good idea? If you don’t think this is a good idea what do you think Frog should have done instead?
Stop Five (40 to 41)
What did Frog end up doing with the cookies?
Define beak. We don’t have beaks but do have something similar; what do you think that is? Is it realistic that all of these animals ate the cookies?
Did Toad and Frog solve their problem? Why or why not?
Great job reading! Can you believe the ending of the story? Tell me lastly what you thought of it.
