TEACHERNET Education Webspace - RPS

Summary

A little boy, Stanley, and his mom make raisin buns for afternoon tea. After the buns are made and mom goes to tidy up, the little boy starts to think 'what if'. He removes the raisins from the buns, glues them to the wall and decorates them. This cumulative story shows the effects of his imagination and how he fixes the problem.

Strategies

Modeled Lessons

The following are ideas for sample lessons using five key reading strategies. When modeling lessons for students, it is important to concentrate on one strategy at a time. With modeled lessons, the teacher reads the books to the students and thinks aloud so that students can observe how the process works.

1. Connections

(Before Reading)
Look at the cover of What If Your Mom Made Raisin Buns? Does it make you think of anything?

It reminds me of when I used to bake with my boys when they were little. We used to get out all the stuff we needed, the margarine and the flour, all the measuring things and a big bowl. In the picture the mom, at least I think it's the mom, is wearing an apron. I remember that everybody had to wear an apron when we baked because everything was so messy. I notice some raisins in the picture as well. My biggest boy, John, loved raisins. Do you think raisins might be important in this book? I think they might be important because the name is in the title.

(During Reading)
The boy and his mom have finished the baking and mom has gone to tidy up. Now we notice that company is coming.

I remember that we always had to clean up the mess we made. If we had visitors coming then I always had to tidy up as well. I sure hoped that what we made would be tasty. It's fun to have visitors and share a meal.

(After Reading)
Stanley sure did some weird things with the raisins.

I can think of making funny things on paper out of raisins but I don't think I would ever think of putting them on the wall. Maybe, that's because I'd be too busy eating them to think of all those pictures. I'm not sure how I'd feel about eating raisins in a bun that had glue on them and then the glue got washed off. Yucky!

2. Questioning

(Answers to questions might be found directly in the text, by inference or by activating background knowledge.)

We have looked at the cover of the book. Now, what are some questions we might have about the book.

I'm wondering some things:

Do they get to make raisin buns?
The title says What If Your Mom Made Raisin Buns so I wonder if the mom does something else instead of making buns.
The look on the boy makes me think he might get into trouble. I wonder what kind of trouble he might get into.
What kind of animal is that and why is it with the boy?

Let's read the story and see if we can find the answers to our questions.
(Read the story together)

Now that we've finished reading the story do we still need answers to our questions?

We found out that they did make buns. They had some company as well didn't they? (directly from text)
The boy did do some things he wasn't supposed to. He did get into some trouble. Then, he had to fix up his mistakes. (text and inference)
I don't know for sure what kind of animal it was but I think it was a pet. It doesn't tell us in the story does it? I wonder what that animal is. (background knowledge)

I have some more questions now that I've finished the book.

I wonder what Stanley's pet is. (background knowledge)

I wonder why those bugs are all through the book. (inference)

I wonder if mom will let Stanley make raisin buns again. (inference)

There was a question at the back of the book about making something with chocolate chips. What kind of things would happen then? (inference and background knowledge)

3. Imagery

When I read the book I could make all kinds of pictures in my mind. The author and the illustrator help me make those pictures.

I can imagine squishing the raisins against the wall and how gooey they'd feel.

I don't want to imagine being one of the guests and tasting glue on the raisins yuck.

Sometimes using our smell and touch and taste can help us understand a story. Can you make pictures in your mind. Close your eyes and think about a part of the story that you can make a picture of. I bet I'll be able to see it on your face.

4. Inference

We've just read What if Your Mom Made Raisin Buns.

Mom went to clean up the house partway through the story. I'd like you to think about what you would have done when mom went to tidy up.

I know that I might have been tempted just to take a little tiny bite of one of the buns.

Can you think what would happen at your house if you made raisin buns and you took all the raisins out of the buns.

I can't even think of an answer. If one of my boys had done that, I think I might start all over again. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be very happy.

Were you surprised by what happened?

I was sure surprised because I never thought about sticking raisins to the wall. I don't think I would like to be one of the guests there either.

What do you think might happen if they make chocolate chip cookies?

Well I love chocolate chip cookies so I hope Stanley gets a chance to eat some. I think he might find a way to make a castle out of chocolate chips because he likes to create new things.

5. Synthesis

When we retell a story, we have to remember to "tell what's important in a way that makes sense without telling too much."(Miller, p 162, 2002)

We could retell the story this way. What if Your Mom Made Raisin Buns is about Stanley, who makes raisin buns with his mom one day. His mother goes to tidy up for company and he starts to wonder what if? He takes the raisins out of the buns and glues them to the wall. His mom finds out and makes him clean up all the raisins and put them back in the buns. Stanley starts to wonder again. What if they made chocolate chip cookies?

Sometimes to help us understand a story we can think about who might like the story. We can make a recommendation.

I would show this story to somebody who likes to laugh. It is kind of like the House that Jack Built because things keep getting added to the story on each page. It has some really silly drawings and people talk like they do in cartoons. I think this is a funny story.

Strategies Used with Activities from the Willow Site

What if Your Mom Made Raisin Buns - 2007 Shining Willow Award Nominee

http://www.willowawards.ca/nomdescribe/raisin.htm

• Using "what if . . ." complete a story or paragraph. Inference, Synthesis
• Make raisin buns in the classroom. Synthesis, Connections
• Draw a picture inserting some little bugs like the lady bugs which appear throughout the book. Synthesis
• Read other books like "If you give a mouse a cookie" and then write a classroom story. Inference, Synthesis