Amelia Bedelia: 5 Day Reading Comprehension Camp With Idioms and Homonyms

In this "Amelia Bedelia: 5 Day Reading Comprehension Camp With Idioms and Homonyms," students will meet daily for 1 week to listen to and discuss new books about Amelia Bedelia, who struggles to understand the complicated words and phrases (American idioms and homonyms) she is expected to know in her new job!   Beginning readers and students learning English as a foreign language often struggle with these "sayings" which cannot be interpreted literally!  These fun, colorful books are certain to be loved by your child as they listen to stories of Amelia Bedelia as she makes some pretty big mistakes in her new job--all the while learning a lot of valuable language lessons!

Students at this age are learning to be good readers.  Good readers use prior knowledge, make predictions, summarize, question, infer, visualize, and make inferences.  It is important for children to be able to comprehend what they read--but HOW does that happen?  Students must apply literal, inferential, and evaluative skills to answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions based on the text.  In this class, we will focus on characterization and cause/effect while we will practice answering the 5 W's + H (how).  Students will review new vocabulary, make predictions, and make connections while reading each story.

During the 45 minute class:
• Students will be welcomed to class.  We will quickly review the class rules, our learning goals, and writing prompts together as a class.  
• Students will listen to an "Amelia Bedelia story" and discuss idioms and homonyms prior to reading the book.  We will focus on characterization and how misunderstanding of language impacts the plot.  Students will review the 5 W’s + an H (who, what, when, where, why, how) of comprehension as I ask questions.
• Students will then be given approximately 10 minutes to respond to a writing prompt.  Younger children will draw a picture with details to respond to the prompt.  Teacher support will be available to all students during this time. Students should raise their hand if they have a question during this time.
• Once the independent writing time is over, students may share their writing with the class.  Sharing is optional but encouraged. 
• As a class, we will review the material covered in the mini lesson and I will answer any questions prior to dismissing the class. 

Book Sequence:
Day 1:  Amelia Bedelia
Day 2: Amelia Bedelia First Day of School
Day 3: Come Back, Amelia Bedelia
Day 4: Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor
Day 5: Amelia Bedelia on the Move

(NOTE:  Children learn vocabulary, sequencing, and prediction skills through repetition of stories.  If you feel your child would benefit from hearing the story again, I would love to have them join me in additional sections of the class!)