Shared Reading Lesson: A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein

Using A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein, students will be able to identify and create rhyming patterns and write two rhyming couplets.

A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein is one of my all time favorite children's books. I can remember as a child I used to hide my copy of the book under my mattress so I could read it after my mom tucked me into bed for the night. Written in rhyming couplets, A Giraffe and a Half is the hilarious story of a little boy and his wild imagination. If there is one book you need to read to your classroom, or to your child at home, A Giraffe and a Half is the one.

Other books and stories by Shel Silverstein:

The Giving Tree

Runny Babbit

Where the Sidewalk Ends

A Light in the Attic

The Missing Piece

CA Standards:

1.2 Recognize and use the correct word order in written sentences.

3.4 Identify the use of rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration in poetry.

1. Stimulating Interest:

• Students will complete a draw-a-rhyme activity.
• Volunteers will be allowed to share their pictures.

2. Prior Knowledge:

• Brainstorm for rhyming words.
• Show students the cover of A Giraffe and a Half.
• Students will make predictions on what the book will be about and on some possible rhyming words that might be in the book.

3. First Read:

• Students will listen to the teacher read the A Giraffe and a Half.

4. Second Read:

• Students will participate in the second read by listening to the story while simultaneously doing a complete the rhyme activity.

5. Mini Language Lesson: SYLLABLES AND RHYMING WORDS

• Prior Knowledge: Students will look at sentences from the story on the overhead. We’ll talk about these sentences and analyze the rhyming words, where the rhyme occurs and the amount of syllables in the sentences.
• *Whole Group: Each student will be given a slip of paper with two complete sentences from the story on them. The students will then have to underline the rhyming words and be able to correctly count the amount of syllables in the sentences.
• *Follow-Up: Students will be given two words to use in two six-syllable sentences. The given word must be the last word in the sentence.

6. Small Group Activity:

• Students will find their partner by matching up their rhyming words.
• Students will work in pairs.
• Students will join their sentences together and create a funny picture to go with what they wrote.

7. Closure:

• Students will share out their couplets and funny pictures.

8. Extension Activities:

• Students can write more couplets.
• Students can do a draw like Shel Silverstein activity.
• Students use the computers to explore www.shelsilverstein.com
• Students can listen to a recorded version of A Giraffe and a Half.