The+Crocodile's+Toothache

Day 1



 * 1) This is a poem about the dentist, so to get the __connections__ going in your brain, you should be thinking about the dentist. Who has been to the dentist? What happens at the dentist?
 * 2) Echo read the poem. Teacher reads a line or two, group echos. Give positive feedback / make a few suggestions for improvement.
 * 3) Second time through, talk about:
 * 4) pliers: __infer__ what it means (some kind of tool)
 * 5) confess: to tell the truth, even when it's not good news
 * 6) forwarding address: explain what you do with your address when you move
 * 7) In pairs, students time each other reading the poem.
 * 8) Comprehension:
 * 9) What does the dentist mean when he says, "What's one crocodile's tooth, more less?" (If necessary, do a think-aloud: "Well, I know that crocodiles have lots of teeth, so I think that even though he pulled out the wrong tooth, he thinks the crocodile has enough to spare so it's not a big deal. So one tooth more or less - it doesn't really matter."
 * 10) How is the crocodile thinking and feeling? What is your evidence?

Day 2

 * 1) Have students model reading with expression. Talk about the dialogue (note quotation marks and how they show you which words came out of a character's mouth -- the beginning and the end of their words.)
 * 2) Go over each part of the poem in more detail. Paraphrase the poem in "talking language." What is the story?
 * 3) Partners time each other and record their Tuesday time on the sheet.

Day 3

 * 1) Talk about where to pause when you're reading the poem. Focus on the punctuation -- dashes, commas, periods, elipses. Have students look for punctuation and then suggest how they think that kind of punctuation should sound. There is a lot in this poem!
 * 2) Comprehension: What is funny about the ending? What happened to the dentist? What does it mean when it says he left no "forwarding address?" What is funny about "What's one dentist, more or less?" Why did the crocodile eat the dentist?
 * 3) Students practice alone or with a partner, as they choose, trying out different ways of reading it and paying close attention to punctuation.
 * 4) They time each other and record the time.

Day 4

 * 1) Today they will get to perform the poem for each other. Give them some time to practice.
 * 2) Comprehension: Ask for text-to-text connections. What else have you read that has this kind of thing where the bad guy gets what is coming to him?
 * 3) People who want to can perform for the group. Time them as they do. If some don't perform, be sure they get timed by a partner and record their times.
 * 4) Other options for performing: have pairs or groups of 3 read each stanza, and go around the table, reading the poem chorally in small groups.