Lesson Plan: Interactive Read Aloud

Common Core State Standards: Reading Standards for Literature K-5

Grade 5, #1,2,3,4,5,6
Objective:
The students will listen as the teacher reads aloud, stopping to make predictions, connections,
and wonderings.
The students will create themes for the story.
Materials:
Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Theme Chart
Lesson Sequence:
Before Reading:

Readers, today we are going to read to read a book the some of you may be familiar with. Its
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. For Read Across Americas door decorating activity we
thought it would be cool to do ours Rainbow Fish themed. We noticed you have been working a
lot on theme so we wanted to talk about the theme of the book. While we read we want you to
jot down ideas on what the theme could be. After we read and share ideas about the theme of
the book, we are going to all decorate our door. How many of you have read The Rainbow Fish
before? So it looks like we arent the only ones who love this book! Today were going to be
looking at the book using our fifth grader background knowledge. I want you to look at the cover
of the book and tell me what you see. Based on your observation, what do you think this book is
about? Can you make any predictions from just the cover? Pretend you have never read the
book, what would you think then?
Give students time to predict. Ask, What makes you think that?
These are great predictions. Now were going to read the book to you and we want you to listen
to determine if your predictions were correct. If our predictions turn out to be different than what
happens in the story, then we can make new predictions based on the knowledge well gather
through the text. Raise your hand when a prediction is confirmed or when we think its time to
make a new prediction. Also as we read, lets keep our eyes our for clues within the text that can
give some insight on what the theme could be. We are going to keep a theme chart on the
board like you guys did a few weeks back. Alright reader, lets get started.
During Reading:

Stop reading occasionally and allow students to discuss if their predictions were confirmed and
change predictions when needed. Also stop to add things to the theme chart.
Plan to stop at least twice to talk about theme.
Pg. 2 Why dont you think he played with them?
Pg. 8 - Does anyone want to give me word that would go with the theme right now?
Pg. 20 Did he share? What is the feeling that Rainbow Fish felt?
End of book How did Rainbow Fish become happy?

Stop and model your own thinking at least once.

Pg. 13 I wonder if he is going to share his scales? I wonder if he would prefer beauty over
frinds? In my opinion I would share because I would rather have friends than be lonely.
Pg. 18 Do you think he is going to share a scale?What from the test makes you think that? I
think he isnt going to share, because earlier in the book he was so proud of them and wouldnt
even play with the other fish.
After Reading:

Now that weve come up with words and text examples for theme, we have to write what we
think the theme is. On a post-it note, please write down what you think the theme of the book
is. (Collect post-its and put on board)
We see that everyones got a theme written down, so how about we share them! Allow 3-4
people to share.
Based on what we hear, I think we can come up with a universal theme. We then write the
universal theme on the board.
Because we have all agreed the universal theme is sharing, which is going to be included on
our door, we some fish scales here that we want each of you to decorate with the things you like
to share. Make it as colorful as you want! When were done were going to put them on the
door.
(Work on scales)
Have 3-4 of the students scales, then turn and talk so they can share them with their partners
for the rest.
Assessment:
How will know if students are successful?

Students will be successful if they are able to make reasonable predictions, accurate
observations, and interesting connections to the text through oral discussions. As well as give
reasonable themes for the story.

Reflection for the Interactive Read Aloud for The Rainbow Fish
This lesson was co-taught by Jenn and I in Mrs. Collins class for Read Across America
and the schools door decoration activity. We thought it would be a cute idea to do a door based
off of this beloved childrens book. A week or two prior we read another book as a read aloud,

Mrs. Marlowes Mice, and looking back I feel like this would have been a better choice for this
activity. The kids would have already had background on the book and we could have skipped
reading the entire book like we had to do with Rainbow Fish. If we had stuck with Mrs.
Marlowes Mice for this activity we could have really worked with theme more in depth and
really thought critically about the text.
I was extremely nervous before this lesson because it was the first time Jenn and I were
teaching together, and although we have a great friendship, that doesnt always translate to good
co-teaching. Dividing the responsibilities helped us do our own thing without worrying about
stepping on each others toes. She strictly read, and I facilitated critical conversation and
engaged in model thinking with her. It was going smoothly but I wasnt sure if Jenn was okay
with some of the things I did, like take the book from her to do the critical thinking. It was
unplanned and spontaneous so I wasnt sure how she was going to react or feel about it. Luckily
she was more than happy to go with the flow and it enhanced the critical thinking and modeling.
While Jenn read I tried to manage the class and make sure the kids were being respectful
and paying attention. I learned last field placement that every pair of eyes in a classroom need to
be utilized during a lesson, so I really tried to use this idea by use this idea by doing what I
could. When it came to my turn to interact with the kids, my nerves kicked in. Both Mrs. Collins
and Dr. McKool noted how confident I looked but I felt like you could see my nerves through
my nervous giggles when talking to the kids. The giggling was counterproductive when trying to
get the students to quiet down because I didnt seem serious. This is something I have been really
trying to manage for future lessons.
In my opinion I felt like the lesson sort of fell apart when we started talking about theme.
There was a miscommunication between Mrs. Collins and us about the theme of the book. We
believed she wanted us to talk about sharing as the theme, and she wanted the kids to come up
with their own theme. Because we were fishing for a certain theme, we had to dumb it down

when the students wanted to push it to the next level and come up with deep themes that were
insightful and well thought out. We took a lot of time trying to push them into the direction we
wanted them to go in and overall it felt less authentic than it should have. I felt bad because these
kids have a very high level of thinking and we werent doing what was best for them in that
lesson. When crafting the lesson we didnt make it for them, we made it for us. Thinking about it
like that, it felt like something clicked in terms of thinking about instruction. I really need to
make my lessons reflect the kids in the class rather than just teaching something to teach it. The
personality of the class and the students levels need to be considered when making lessons so
they can be successful, engaging, and relatable.
The activity after the book wasnt beneficial because there was no thinking or practicing
skills, it was simply coloring. Looking back, I feel like for the time we spent talking about
theme, we should have done more with that within the activity.
If I had to re-do this lesson there are a few things I would fix, but other things I wouldnt.
Jenn and I worked amazingly well together because we do have a solid friendship that is based
off of bouncing ideas off of each other. This provided some great modeling opportunities within
the reading. When it came to the discussion after the book this bouncing off of each other gave
way to us fading in and out to allow the other to speak and add information. Although we could
have used a few more minutes of planning, I feel like we are where we should be with coteaching. Going forward I want to use the co-teaching strategies I learned in my special
education class. The whole class is focused on how to effectively co-teach and that information
will help us create lessons that will work successfully in the classroom. We also need to discuss
how to handle spontaneous changes or actions, but that can be lessened if we plan more. The
giggling is something I need to change because I want the students to know Im serious when I
have to be, and I dont want to undermine myself by giggling.