Parenting Education Plan:
Good Night, Good Knight

Good Knight Quest for Reading Fun

Students Participating/Size of Group:

Family members in any size group. These activities can also be done during a home visit.

Lesson Goal:

Participants will learn how emphasizing specific words with their voices and asking simple questions makes reading with their children a more enjoyable shared experience.

Learning Objectives/Skills:

The learners will be able to:

use vocal expression to encourage active story listening
direct children's ears to particular words and sounds by asking "W" questions
make reading together fun

Environmental Adaptations, Time & Materials Needed:

The following activity can be adapted to different situations. This activity can be conducted in a home or group setting. Participants will need a space for reading and writing; otherwise no particular room arrangements are required. The activities will take approximately 25-30 minutes depending on students. The following materials will be needed:

5 copies of the book: Good Night, Good Knight, one book per small group of 2-3 learners
One roll 3M Post-it note re-adjustable low stick tape
22 (8.5" x 11") overhead transparency sheets cut in half
One water based fine line transparency marker per small group
Using water based markers will allow for repeated use of the overhead transparencies for other exercises
Pencils or colored pencils, one per learner
Chart paper or whiteboard with appropriate markers for facilitating large group discussion
One pad of small self-stick notes 3" x 3" or smaller, 3 or 4 note sheets per learner
Good Knight bookmark pattern, one bookmark per learner

Procedure/Description of Activity:

1. Preparation: The leader should practice reading the book aloud so that the rhythm flows easily and words are properly emphasized. In addition, prepare the books for the activity by placing the overhead transparency sheets on the pages in the Good Night, Good Knight books in the following sections:

1st book: pages 5 - 9
2nd book: pages 10-14
3rd book: pages 15 -23
4th book: pages 24 - 33
5th book: pages 34 - 48

If needed, secure the overhead transparencies with the re-adjustable low stick tape, which will not damage the book's pages and can be removed after the exercise. Preparing the books ahead of time with the overhead transparencies will save instruction time.

2. Introduction: Model by reading Good Night, Good Knight with drama and vocal expression, emphasizing specific words; for example, "In the kingdom there was a Good Knight." When finished, ask the learners if they noticed that you used special emphasis and expression on particular words. List their responses on the chart paper or whiteboard. Discuss why this is a good technique for reading aloud. Probe by asking questions such as, "Why do you think you remember ____?" "What is a fun word you remember from the book?" Affirm learners' ideas and encourage them to consider how the technique helps children:

Listening attentively (through enjoyment, surprise, humor), and
Actively engaged in the story (as they join in).

3. Discuss why certain words are good to emphasize:

The sound or rhythm of the words "night and knight; clippety-clop and thud; crumbly tumbly and tall wall; and deep dark"; or
That the word choice has a key story concept, new vocabulary, or literary language "Methinks" or "Away!"

4. Divide the class into 5 small groups of 2 - 3 learners per group. Pass out a copy of the book Good Night, Good Knight prepared with the overhead transparencies, and a marker for each small group. Ask the learners to find and underline words in their sections that could be emphasized for vocal expression. Prompt learners with questions such as, "What words would be more interesting if they were read loudly or whispered, if read quickly or very slowly?" Encourage the learners to enjoy saying various words with drama and emphasis. "Isn't it fun to say clippety-clop, clippety-clop?" As you circulate among groups, remind the learners that children will enjoy listening to both the words and the tone of the reader's voice.

5. Summarize that vocal expression keeps children listening attentively and with enjoyment. Point out that another attention technique they can use during reading is to ask children questions. Note that questions that begin with a "W" are always good ones to use. As a large group, brainstorm on the chart paper or whiteboard simple questions starting with "W" (who, what, where, or why) that can be used to draw the children's attention to the particular words or sounds that the adult reader will be emphasizing; for example, "Listen carefully to find out: Who watches from a crumbly tumbly tower on a tall wall?" "What kind of wall did the Good Knight watch from?" "What sound did the horse's hooves make?" "Where were the dragons sleeping?" "Why did the first dragon roar?"

6. Ask the learners to select 3 or 4 questions from the brainstorm list that they would like to use with their children. Have the learners write down the questions, one per sheet on the self-stick notes, and then place the note on the appropriate page of the book as a prompt.

7. Divide the class into the small groups again to practice reading the book. Ask groups to share feedback on the reading with each other. Affirm the learners' efforts in using their question prompts and emphasizing words as they read. Remind the learners that children enjoy drama and silliness during a read-aloud. As you circulate and observe, point out techniques that you think others might like to try such as experimenting with different vocal expressions.

8. Wrap up: Congratulate the learners on their work. Pass out one bookmark per learner and point out that the bookmark gives suggestions for other kinds of questions that help children attend to a story. Tell the learners that they can save on the bookmarks their self-stick note question prompts to use when they read the Good Night, Good Knight book aloud to their children. As a large group, share feedback on what went well with the reading practice. Encourage parents to use vocal expression and "W" questions to make reading fun for their children.

9. Optional extension activities: Review previous shared reading strategies like stick puppets, props, turn-taking, or rhyme and rhythm. Discuss what other things learners can do besides use vocal expression to make reading aloud to their children fun.

Informal Assessment

Objective	Participant's Names	Comments

uses vocal expression to encourage active story listening
directs children's ears to particular words and sounds
makes reading fun together

Reflect on the Activity:

1. What worked well?

2. What didn't work?

3. What might have made the activity more successful?

4. Did you notice any potential for follow-up activities based on what the students said or did?

Transfer Home Ideas:

Repeat the "finding words to emphasize process" with other picture books that are available in the children's early childhood lesson and/or review the song Good Night Lullaby which will be used during the Parent-Child Interactive Literacy Lesson.

Literacy Area(s)* Addressed:

Check all that apply

X	The Power and Pleasure of Literacy	The Literate Environment		Language Development
X	Phonological Awareness	Phonemic Awareness		Types of Text
	Letters and Words	Vocabulary		Knowledge of Print
	Building Knowledge & Comprehension	Reading Comprehension	X	Motivation
X	Fluency	Multiple Literacy