Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy Level 3.1

Disaster!

The Titanic: Lost ....and Found      DAY ONE

By Judy Donnelly 

Before reading

Guess The Covered Word Lesson: 

Notice to all passengers:

If there are any problems during the voyage, follow these instructions. 

• Obey the captain’s orders at all times.

• Head for the nearest lifeboat.

• When you are in a lifeboat, wait for the rescue ship to come to you.

• Don’t panic.

If you follow the instructions, we will all be survivors. 

During reading

It is important for all the children to be successful reading the first story in the text. The AERT@ 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: 

The Wonder Ship Part 1 

ERT page 227 Everyone read to FIND out why the whole world is talking about the Titanic.

ERT pages 228-229 Everyone read to FIGURE out what features the Titanic had that made the passengers feel safe.

ERT page 230-231 Everyone read to FIGURE out how the people felt about as the ship began to sail. 

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.

 
Notice to all passengers:

If there are any problems during the voyage, follow these instructions. 
 

• Obey the captain’s orders at all times.

• Head for the nearest lifeboat.

• When you are in a lifeboat, wait for the rescue ship to come to you.

• Don’t panic.

If you follow the instructions, we will all be survivors. 
 
 
 
 
 

Guess the Covered Word for The Titanic: Lost ....and Found  
Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy Level 3.1

Disaster!

The Titanic: Lost ....and Found    DAY TWO

By Judy Donnelly 

Before reading  

Prior Knowledge — Ask students to discuss safety precautions they observed while on a ship or boat. Use a semantic map to discuss potential dangers at sea. What can be done if a ship experiences trouble at sea. Lead to see that the passengers on ships rely heavily upon the experiences of the people running the ship.  

Hints for answers:  

Ship could hit an iceberg     Not enough food 

Dangers At Sea 

ship could spring a leak   ship could get lost  ship could hit another ship 

During reading 

Iceberg Part 2

ERT pages 232-232 Everyone read to FIND out about the danger. What does that mean to the Titanic?

ERT pages 234-237 Everyone read to FIGURE out how you know the Titanic sank slowly.

ERT pages 238-239 Everyone read to FIGURE out why the band changed the music it was playing.  

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.  
 
 

Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy Level 3.1

Disaster!

The Titanic: Lost ....and Found    DAY THREE

By Judy Donnelly 

Before reading  

During reading  

Never Again Part 3 Pages 240-243 

ERT pages 240-241 Everyone read to FIGURE out what happened to the people in the lifeboats.

ERT pages 242-243 Everyone read to FIND out what changes were made to make ships safer after the Titanic disaster?  

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.

 
Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy Level 3.1

Disaster!

The Titanic: Lost ....and Found    DAY FOUR

By Judy Donnelly 

Before reading  

During reading

Found At Last Part 4 pages 244-247 

ERT pages 244-245 Everyone read to FIND out what did ARGO photograph. 

ERT pages 246-247 Everyone read to FIGURE out how you think the survivors of the Titanic felt when they learned of the discovery.  

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.

 
Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy Level 3.1

Disaster!

The Titanic: Lost ....and Found    DAY Five

By Judy Donnelly 

Before reading

Extension Activity -- Teachers can teach the ideas of topic, main idea, and supporting detail using this story. (see teachers edition 248B-248C) 

A topic is one thing a piece of writing is about. A main idea is statement that supports the topic. Main ideas are the points an author wants to make about the topic. A supporting detail is a piece of information that further explains a main idea.

• If you are looking for topics, check out the title of the chapters.

• If you are looking for main ideas, check out the heading within a chapter and key sentences in a paragraph that let you know what most of the details will be about.

• If you are looking for supporting details, check out the paragraph or paragraphs around the main idea.

Examples:

Topic: The Wonder Ship

Main Idea: The Titanic is the biggest and safest ship in the world.

Supporting Details: restaurants, gym, pool, two bottoms on the ship 

Topic: Iceberg

Main Idea: The Titanic strikes an iceberg.

Supporting Details: the lookout sees it too late; there is a grinding noise 

Topic: Iceberg

Main Idea: The lifeboats are only partly effective.

Supporting Details: 2227 people but lifeboats for 1178 people; Some lifeboats are lowered half full; two lifeboats are stuck and aren’t used at all 

Topic: Iceberg

Main Idea: Communication is poor.

Supporting Details: The Californian doesn’t hear their calls for help; Fireworks don’t work; people continue to play; passengers don’t listen to the help 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Discuss with the students different ways Judy Donnelly could have named each chapter of The Titanic: Lost….and Found.  

Topic: The Passengers on the Titanic

Main Idea: There were both poor and rich passengers aboard the ship.

Supporting Details: It was called “The Rich Man’s Special”; The poor were finding a new home 

Topic: The Passengers on the Titanic

Main Idea: The passengers did not know the danger they were in.

Supporting Details: They laughed and joked; some refused lifeboats 

Topic: The Passengers on the Titanic

Main Idea: Many passengers lots their lives

Supporting Details: Only 705 people rescued; there weren’t enough lifeboats. 

Topic: The Sailors on the Titanic

Topic: The Miracle of ARGO 

During reading  

Have each student choose one part to write a topic, main idea, and supporting details for. Use the book to find the information. 

After reading 

Have the students share their paragraphs with the class.