[MOSAIC] realtor/burglar point of view

[Danna, Claudia]

Thank you so much, I'll use it tomorrow.  Claudia

-----Original Message-----
From: mosaic-bounces at literacyworkshop.org
[mailto:mosaic-bounces at literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of Ann
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 5:57 AM
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] realtor/burglar point of view

---- Rascal570 at aol.com wrote: 
> I love this passage.  Does anyone have a copy of it they could  share?
> I apologize if its already been posted.  Things have been crazy  here!
I'm 
> sure you all understand.
> Thank you so much!
Hope it's helpful!

The House
The two boys ran until they came to the driveway. "See, I told you today
was good for skipping school," said Mark. "Mom is never home on
Thursday," he added. Tall hedges hid the house from the road so the pair
strolled across the finely landscaped yard. "I never knew your place was
so big," said Pete. "Yeah, but it's nicer now than it used to be since
Dad had the new stone siding put on and added the fireplace." 
There were front and backdoors and a side door which led to the garage
which was empty except for three parked 10 speed bikes. They went in the
side door, Mark explaining that it was always open in case his younger
sisters got home earlier than their mother.
Pete wanted to see the house so Mark started with the living room. It,
like the rest of the downstairs, was newly painted. Mark turned on the
stereo, the noise of which worried Pete. "Don't worry, the nearest house
is a quarter mile away," Mark shouted. Pete felt more comfortable
observing that no houses could be seen in any direction beyond the huge
yard.
The dining room, with all the china, silver, and cut glass, was no place
to play so the boys moved into the kitchen where they made sandwiches.
Mark said they wouldn't go to the basement because it had been damp and
musty ever since the new plumbing had been installed.
"This is where my Dad keeps his famous paintings and his coin
collection," Mark said as they peered into the den. Mark bragged that he
could get spending money whenever he needed it since he'd discovered
that his Dad kept a lot in the desk drawer.
There were three upstairs bedrooms. Mark showed Pete his mother's closet
which was filled with furs and the locked box which held her jewels. His
sisters' room was uninteresting except for the color TV which Mark
carried to his room. Mark bragged that the bathroom in the hall was his
since one had been added to his sisters' room for their use. The big
highlight in his room, though, had a leak in the ceiling where the old
roof had finally rotted. 
________________________________________
Tovani (2000), p. 26. Hand out a copy of these paragraphs to every
student. Then:
1. Ask students to read the piece and circle with their pencil whatever
they think is important. 
2. Ask students to read the piece again and this time use a pink
highlighter to mark places in the text a robber would find important.
3. Have the students read the piece a third time. Ask them to mark with
a yellow highlighter any places in the story that a prospective home
buyer might think are important. 
4. Ask students what they notice about the three times they highlighted.
Point out that the first time was probably the hardest, because they
didn't have a purpose.
5. On a projected transparency, jot down what students think is
important for the robber and for the homebuyer. Compare the two lists
and discuss why each item is important. If an item is on both lists,
discuss why both a robber and a home buyer would find it important. 
p. 26. Once students see the importance of establishing a purpose when
they read, it's time to teach them different purposes for reading.
Access tools are specific materials and strategies that help students
organize and synthesize their thoughts as they read. They make material
more accessible. Students of all grade levels can use these tools with
almost any type of material. They'll quickly figure out which tool works
best for their particular purpose.

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