Runaround Rowdy (PM Resources) - Rigby

STORY BOOKS LEVEL 24
Running words: 1028
Runaround Rowdy
About the story
This is a story about Paul, a new character to the PM Plus
series, and his dog, Rowdy. If Rowdy is to stay at the
farm, Paul must prove by the end of the month that
Rowdy can round up the sheep.
Creating the atmosphere
Involve the children in a discussion about dogs.
Talk about how they can be trained to respond
to commands.
Focusing on the story
• Cover Read the title and discuss the cover
illustration. Talk about the tasks that farm
dogs might be expected to do.
• Pages 2–5 Introduce interest words while
discussing the illustrations, e.g., tailgate and
woodbox. Make sure that the children
understand why Dad is angry. Predict what
Paul will need to do if Rowdy is to stay.
• Pages 6–7 Check predictions. Discuss
approaches to dog training, i.e., through
particular words, signals, whistles, etc.
• Pages 8–11 Talk about the meanings of
huddled and hustled. Discuss the phrases
clucking around and standing guard.
• Pages 12–13 Ask the children to read these
pages to themselves. Discuss the meaning of
“Maybe I need to train him in a different
way.”
• Pages 14–16 Observe the changes in Dad’s
body language. Discuss how Paul will be
feeling now that he has succeeded.
Developing specific skills
• Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for: stomped,
leaped, ruffled, etc.
• Review the use of the ellipse.
• Review prepositions: through, towards, behind.
Linking with other PM books
Dogs PM Library NF Orange Level
Sheep PM Library NF Purple Level
Rex Plays Fetch PM Plus Level 19
Mack’s Big Day PM Plus Level 20
For the English language learner
Discuss Paul’s realization that Rowdy learns and does
things in a different way than his previous dog. Relate
this to the classroom and to learning English. People
also learn in different ways, and can achieve the same
results by different means.
Exploring language features
• Discuss the abrupt beginning to the story—
“Dad slammed the tailgate of the truck
shut.” Talk about how this beginning
introduces the reader to events in the story.
• Identify short sentences used in the story
and discuss their impact, e.g., “That’s it!” or
“No buts, Paul.”
Going beyond the story
• Provide additional books about dogs. Have
the children complete small projects around
the topic “Interesting Facts About Dogs.”
• Read the stories about the dog, Bear, from
PM Library (see Purple, Gold, and Silver
Levels). Have the children write about
happy experiences they have shared with
their own or relatives’ pets.
• Invite the children to describe Dad and
Paul’s emotions and reactions at different
places in the story. As a group, discuss how
these centered upon making changes in
Rowdy’s behavior.
Using the blackline master
• Brainstorm verbs that can be used instead of said.
• Discuss reasons why writers use other words rather
than said.
• Review the punctuation used to show that
someone is speaking.
PM Plus Silver Runaround Rowdy 999278802X

Runaround Rowdy
PM Plus Silver
F/P: O
DRA: 34
999278802X
Runaround Rowdy
PM Plus Silver
F/P: O
DRA: 34
999278802X
Runaround Rowdy
PM Plus Silver
F/P: O
DRA: 34
999278802X
Runaround Rowdy
PM Plus Silver
F/P: O
DRA: 34
999278802X