by Libby Hathorn and Gregory Rogers
A homeless boy rescues a stray cat and is determined to care for it, despite the dangers.
Strategies/Skills Used
Reading Strategy 1: Access background knowledge.
Reading Strategy 2: Predict what will be learned or what will happen.
Reading Strategy 3: Figure out unknown words.
Reading Strategy 6: Connect what you read with what you already know.
Reading Strategy 7: Determine the most important ideas and events and the relationship between them.
Reading Strategy 8: Extract information from text, charts, graphs, maps and illustrations.
Reading Strategy 10: Summarize what has been read.
Reading Strategy 11: Make inferences and draw conclusions.
Reading Strategy 12: Reflect and respond.
Writing Skill 1: I generate ideas in a variety of ways.
Writing Skill 2: I organize my ideas based on my purpose for writing.
Writing Skill 5: I carefully choose the most effective words to express my ideas.
TEACHING THE ACTIVITY: PRE-READING
(1) Analyze the poem “Hunger” by Binion. Do not reveal the title of the poem until after the analysis is complete. (See How to Analyze a Poem.)
(2) Choose four articles based on the topic of homelessness, and have students participate in a Jigsaw. Articles can be chosen from the following online publications:
- Megaphone Magazine
- “Homelessness,” PovNet
- “30 Victoria homeless deaths in 4 months draw inquest calls,” CBC News
(3) Have students write the first response log in the Reflective Journal and focus on including two facts learned about homelessness.
(4) Using Poll Everywhere, poll students on homelessness facts. (See Homeless Facts and Figures sheet)
TEACHING THE ACTIVITY: DURING READING
(6) Read the picture book Way Home aloud.
(7) Pause while reading, and ask the Way Home Questions, allowing for class discussion.
(8) Ask students to complete the Vocabulary Self-Collection activity.
(9) Post self-collected words around the classroom. They should be large and visible.
TEACHING THE ACTIVITY: POST-READING
(10) Show the Homeless Feet photograph.
(11) Lead students through the PWIM: What’s in a Picture? activity.
(12) Ask students to choose one word from the Vocabulary Self-Collection activity and one word from the PWIM: What’s in a Picture? activity. Students should use those words in the first and last lines of a free verse poem they write about homelessness.