LESSON 22 TEACHER S GUIDE City in the Cliffs by M. J. Crozier Fountas-Pinnell Level Q Historical Fiction Selection Summary Lomasi and her friend, Quaha, two young Pueblo girls, enjoy listening to Lomasi s grandmother s stories of the Pueblo people and the Cliff Dwellers. When Lomasi and Quaha find themselves lost, they seek refuge in ancient cliffs that they have only heard about in Grandmother s stories. Number of Words: 1,454 Characteristics of the Text Genre Historical fi ction Text Structure Third-person voice in a continuous narrative A brief foreword provides historical context. Storytelling details help readers understand the mystery of the Cliff People. Content Appreciation for ancestry Familial bonds and friendship Resourcefulness Themes and Ideas Honoring one s ancestry connects people with their past. There are many lessons to be learned from listening to family and friends. Remaining calm in a stressful situation is important. Language and Dialogue Literary Features Figurative language Vivid description ( best grown-up voice ) Sentence Complexity Mostly short sentences, contained in dialogue Vocabulary Straightforward word choice Some multiple-meaning words: mouth, chattering, tracks Words Some multisyllable words, such as disappearing, shadowy, and beautiful Illustrations Sketches, some showing the city in the cliffs, enhance realism. Book and Print Features Thirteen pages of text, with illustrations on most pages. Italics for emphasis Ellipses 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Permission is hereby granted to individual teachers using the corresponding (discipline) Leveled Readers to photocopy student worksheets from this publication in classroom quantities for instructional use and not for resale. Requests for information on other matters regarding duplication of this work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, Attn: Contracts, Copyrights, and Licensing, 9400 SouthPark Center Loop, Orlando, Florida 32819. Printed in the U.S.A. 978-0-547-30958-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0940 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.
City in the Cliffs by Jane Bingley Build Background Help students use their knowledge of Native American history to visualize the story. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What have you learned previously about Pueblo or other Native American cultures? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Explain to students that this is historical fiction; although the characters are not real, the setting is real and the story is based on events that could have happened. Introduce the Text Guide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions: Page 3: Explain that this is a story about a girl named Lomasi, whose grandmother tells stories to her and Lomasi s friend, Quaha. Many of Grandmother s stories are about the Cliff Dwellers, and the City in the Cliffs. Suggested language: Turn to page 3 of this book. Remember that this is historical fi ction, so the City in the Cliffs is a real place. Ask: Based on this illustration, what do you think it would have been like to live in homes carved into cliffs? Does the illustration help you understand why people like Grandmother might tell stories about the cliffs? Page 4: Read the sentence spoken by Lomasi: I don t understand why the Cliff Dwellers ever left their homes! Ask: What does this sentence tell you about how Lomasi feels about the cliff dwellings? Pages 5: Explain that Lomasi and Quaha went to pick herbs, and they become lost. The main action of the story begins on page 5. Ask: What might happen next, based on what you know about the story? Pages 8 9: Point out that the girls see a ravine with upright slopes. Ask students what they think a ravine might be. Ask: Look at the illustration on page 9. How might a ravine differ from a mountain? Now turn back to the beginning of the story and read to fi nd out what happens to Lomasi and Quaha. Target Vocabulary astonished surprised and shocked, p. 14 banish to drive out bared revealed or removed the covering deserted left behind or abandoned, p. 10 envy a feeling of jealousy margins edges or borders nerve courage, p. 12 reasoned thought through an idea logically, p. 6 spared have shown the person mercy or consideration upright in a standing or vertical position, p. 9 2 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs
Read Have students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed. Remind students to use the Infer/Predict Strategy confirm predictions as they read. and to make and Discuss and Revisit the Text Personal Response Invite students to share their personal responses to the story. Suggested language: What other ancient mysteries does this story remind you of? Ways of Thinking As you discuss the text, help students understand these points: Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text Lomasi s grandmother tells stories to Lomasi and her friend, Quaha. Lomasi and Quaha get lost while picking herbs and spend the night in the cliffs. Grandmother is worried but relieved when the girls return safely. Listening to stories of the past can connect family members. Remaining calm in a stressful situation can help people make better decisions and help those around them to remain calm. 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. The beginning of the story includes a foreword that provides historical context of the Pueblo people. The dialogue between the characters is realistic and draws readers into the story. The storytelling sections provide a lot of detail about the cliffs beauty. Choices for Further Support Fluency Invite students to choose a passage from the text to use for readers theater. Remind them to pay attention to punctuation. Point out the italicized text on page 8 and remind students that this should be read as dialogue, although it is occurring in Lomasi s mind. Comprehension Based on your observations of the students reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas. Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Remind students that longer words can be broken down into smaller parts in order to read them. For example, the word disappeared on page 4 can be broken down into smaller parts, such as the root word, appear. This technique can help readers segment and read words. 3 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs
Writing about Reading Have students complete the questions on BLM 22.7. Responding Have students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill. Target Comprehension Skill Theme Remind students that they can use a character s thoughts and actions to help them understand and draw conclusions about a story s theme. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a Think Aloud like the one below: Think Aloud On page 4, Lomasi wishes that she could live in a cliff dwelling rather than on the ground. Add this detail to one of the columns on the chart. This detail supports the idea that Lomasi learns from her grandmother s stories and applies that knowledge in a real-world situation. Learning from the past could be the theme of the story. Practice the Skill Have students share an example of another story in which they used details about a character to infer a story s theme. Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the Text Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings. Assessment Prompts What can the reader conclude about Lomasi based on her actions? The most important message in the story is. Which sentences on page 6 support the idea that the girls are in trouble? 4 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs
English Language Development Reading Support Pair advanced and intermediate readers to read the story softly, or have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Remind them that this selection is about friendship, family, and staying calm in order to solve a problem. Idioms The story includes many idioms that might be unfamiliar. Explain the meaning of expressions such as Only echoes live there now (page 4) and The hours flew by (page 6). Oral Language Development Check student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students English proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student. Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced Speaker 1: Who is telling the story? Speaker 2: a narrator Speaker 1: Who tells stories to Lomasi? Speaker 2: Lomasi s grandmother Speaker 1: Where do Lomasi and Quaha spend the night? Speaker 2: in a cliff dwelling Speaker 1: How does Grandmother describe the cliff homes? Speaker 2: She says they are beautiful and look different depending on the Sun s position. Speaker 1: Why do Lomasi and Quaha spend the night in the cliffs? Speaker 2: They are picking herbs and lose track of time and get lost. Speaker 1: Why does Quaha speak to Lomasi in a grown-up voice? Speaker 2: She wants to help Lomasi s fear about being lost in an unfamiliar place as night approaches. Name Date Lesson 22 BLACKLINE MASTER 22.7 Responding TARGET SKILL Theme What do Lomasi s thoughts and actions tell you about the theme of the story? What text details support your conclusion? Copy and complete the chart below. Detail Lomasi listens carefully to her grandmother s stories. Detail? Detail? Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown. 1. Think within the text Where did the Pueblo people live? They lived in New Mexico and Arizona. 2. Think within the text Why is Lomasi not afraid of ghosts in the City in the Cliffs? Her ancestors, the Cliff Dwellers, would not harm her. 3. Think beyond the text Why do you think the Cliff Dwellers may have left their homes? The Cliff Dwellers may have been driven out by enemies. The City City in in the the Cliffs Theme? 4. Think about the text What do you think is the theme, or main message, of the story? What clues does the author provide? Write About It Text to Text Think of a story you have read about a character who learns something as Lomasi does. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting Lomasi with the character you have chosen. The theme is that Native Americans value and stay connected to their ancestors. They also believe that their faith in their ancestors can protect them. The author begins the story with the girls listening to Grandmother s story of the City in the Cliffs. Later, the ancient city comes to their rescue. Making Connections For the two Pueblo girls in this selection, the Cliff Dwellers are their ancestors. Who are your ancestors? Explain what you know about your ancestors. Write your answer in your Reader s Notebook. 15. All rights reserved. 9, Unit 5: Under Western Skies 5 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs
Name Date City in the Cliffs Thinking Beyond the Text Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in one or two paragraphs. Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal knowledge to reach new understandings. Stories told by older relatives to young people can draw people closer together. Do you agree with this statement? Why is storytelling important? How does storytelling draw Lomasi closer to her grandmother? Support your response with details from the text. 6 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs
Name Date Lesson 22 BLACKLINE MASTER 22.7 Read and answer the questions. City in the Cliffs 1. Think within the text Where did the Pueblo people live? 2. Think within the text Why is Lomasi not afraid of ghosts in the City in the Cliffs? 3. Think beyond the text Why do you think the Cliff Dwellers may have left their homes? 4. Think about the text What do you think is the theme, or main message, of the story? What clues does the author provide? Making Connections For the two Pueblo girls in this selection, the Cliff Dwellers are their ancestors. Who are your ancestors? Explain what you know about your ancestors. Write your answer in your Reader s Notebook. 7 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs
Student Date Lesson 22 BLACKLINE MASTER 22.11 City in the Cliffs LEVEL Q City in the Cliffs Running Record Form page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections 10 For a second, Lomasi was frightened. But then she thought of Grandmother s stories. Even if there were, they wouldn t harm us. The Cliff Dwellers are our ancestors. We are their children. We will be safe here tonight, she said. The girls carefully climbed up the steep slopes of the ravine. They soon reached some of the deserted dwellings. The bright moonlight lit their path. They made their way into one of the houses. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they saw a bare room, with walls and floor made of hard, dry clay. 11 Quaha looked around the room. Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read correctly/99 100) % Total Self- Corrections Behavior Code Error Read word correctly cat 0 Repeated word, sentence, or phrase Omission cat 0 cat 1 Behavior Code Error Substitution cut cat 1 Self-corrects cut sc cat 0 Insertion the 1 Word told T 1 cat 1414373 8 Lesson 22: City in the Cliffs