Houghton Mifflin Reading

Second Grade

Delights 

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann  BEFORE READING 

During the words block, the teachers should include this Guess The Covered Word activity before the children will read Officer Buckle and Gloria.  

Guess The Covered Word for the introduction to "Safety Officers" on page 16 

Teachers should write the following paragraph on chart paper or sentence strips and conduct a Guess the Covered Word lesson BEFORE the children open their book and see this paragraph on page 16 of their textbook. The boldface words are covered up so the children guess these words.  

Safety Officers

Police officers who visit schools to talk about safety are sometimes called safety officers. In the story you're going to read next, an officer and his partner give safety speeches at an elementary school. Like the audience in this story, you should always pay close attention to a safety officer's speech. He or she will explain many ways to avoid accidents and to stay safe.  

Before reading Officer Buckle and Gloria  FIRST READING 

Since this is the first story of the basal, the children need to see that this is a real story and they will read it like other stories. I show the students a copy of the book so they see that it is a real book.  

Set purpose for reading — What safety tips did Officer Buckle share with the students?  
 
 

During reading — I want you to monitor (pay attention to) what you are learning. Read one page and then tell your partner something that you learned from this page. I call this "Say Something." 
 

For example, the first page of the story says: 

Officer Buckle knew more safety tips

than anyone else in Napville.

Every time he thought of a new one,

he thumbtacked it to his bulletin board.

Safety Tip #77

NEVER stand on a SWIVEL CHAIR. 

Child one: I learned that you shouldn't stand on a swivel chair.

Child two: I learned that Officer Buckle collects safety tips. 

The partners continue reading and "saying something" after each page.  

If partners finish early, have them think of a safety tip that your class should follow. Write the tip down and draw a picture of Gloria acting out the safety tip. This is ONLY told after the reading. Have students READ. First, then if time complete this activity. READING, not activity is most important part.  

After reading — Make a list as a whole class of the safety tips share by Officer Buckle. 
 

Houghton Mifflin Reading

Second Grade

Delights 

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann SECOND READING 

Before Reading  

Set purpose for reading —  

Choose ONE: 

Student question #3 on page 52 — How do you think Officer Buckle felt when he saw himself on the 10 o'clock news? 

Student question #4 on page 52 What does this story teach about teamwork and friendship? 
 

During reading —  

Find examples from the story that support your answer. 
 

After reading — Class discussion of set purpose. Have the class share times when they've felt embarrassed. Teacher should ALWAYS start with a personal example.  
 

Extensions: (page 52 student anthology)

Write a thank-you letter — the students at Napville School sent letters to Officer Buckle and Gloria. Write your own thank-you letter. Tell Officer Buckle and Gloria what you thought of their speeches. Tell what you learned about safety.

Another Officer Buckle and Gloria idea 

It is important for all the children to be successful reading the first story in the text. The "ERT" or Everyone Read To... strategy encourages the students to really read the book. See Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way book chapter 18 pages 169-173.  

Some of the guidelines found on page 173:

• Choose text for which you think children need page by page guidance
• Plan a before and after reading activity which will develop comprehension strategies.
• Lead the children through the text a page or two at a time. Have students read to find out or figure out important events or information.
• Include questions to which the answers are not literally stated, but which can be inferred.
• Have the children raise their hands when they read the part that helps them to figure out the answer.
• When most hands are up, ask a volunteer to give you the answer. Ask someone else to read the parts aloud that helped them figure out the answer.
• When the answers are not literally stated, ask children to explain how they figured it out.

During Reading ERT strategy:

ERT pages 21-23 Everyone read to FIND out Officer Buckle's Safety tips.

ERT pages 24-30 Everyone read to FIGURE out how Gloria helped Officer Buckle.

ERT pages 31-34 Everyone read to FIGURE out why Officer Buckle thinks the children have a good imagination.

ERT pages 35-37 Everyone read to FIND out how come Officer Buckle got busy.

ERT pages 38-43 Everyone read to FIGURE out how Officer Buckle felt when he saw the 10 o'clock news.

ERT pages 44-47 Everyone read to FIND out what happens when Officer Buckle doesn't go to school.

ERT pages 48-50 Everyone read to FIGURE out why Officer Buckle comes back. 

After Reading each page section, make sure the teacher supports the reading by discussing the set purpose for reading. Have one student answer the question. Have another student tell where in the book helped to find that answer.