Subject Area: Language Arts

Book Summary
When Emily Elizabeth's auntie decides to train Clifford, she is in for a big Clifford-sized lesson.

Objective
Children will use a book with cassette to develop listening and reading skills and will engage in activities to identify high-frequency words.

Before Reading
Show the children the book Clifford Goes to Dog School. Ask them to predict what types of things Clifford will learn at dog school.

Teaching Plan

Clifford in the Listening Center
Materials

• Clifford Goes to Dog School book and cassette
  
• Listening Center (or cassette recorder)

Activities
Listening in a Group
Set up the listening center to accommodate a small group of children and one teacher. Hold the book and point to the words as the group listens to the story on cassette.
Then invite children to take turns holding the book and pointing to the words. Encourage them to follow the text while they are listening.

Listening Buddies
Set up your listening center to accommodate two children. Tell the class that they will work in pairs to listen to the story Clifford Goes to Dog School. Each pair will listen to the story two times. One child will have an opportunity to hold the book and point to the words and turn the pages as the story is being told. Then they will switch.

Clifford's Words
Materials

• Sentence-strip paper
  
• Marker
  
• Resealable plastic bag
  
• Writing paper
  
• Pencils

In advance: Write the following words on individual pieces of sentence strip paper: I, he, she, can, was, dog, Clifford, a, sit, stay, school.

Activity

1. During small-group time, show the children the word cards and tell them that these are words that are found in the story Clifford Goes to Dog School. Review the words and encourage them to read words they recognize.
   
2. Give each of the children one or two words. Ask them to assist you in rereading the story. As you read each page encourage them to find their words and hold up their word as you read it. Point to each word as the text is read. Encourage the children to read with you any words that they already know.
   
3. Afterwards, have the children place all of the words on the table. Then give each child a sheet of lined paper and a pencil. Invite the children to use the words to create a sentence about Clifford.
   
4. Place the words in a resealable plastic bag and include it with the book. Encourage the class to continue to use the words during reading and writing time.

Other Books With Cassettes
Lyle, Lyle Crocodile
by Bernard Waber
Lyle's neighbor feels that Lyle belongs in a zoo until Lyle saves him from a fire.

Little Bear (I Can Read Series)
by Else Holmelund Minarick
Four easy-to-read tender stories capture the hearts of young children.

A Pocket for Corduroy
by Don Freeman
Lovable Corduroy sets out on a search for a pocket.

Other Clifford Books for Young Readers
The Big Leaf Pile
The Runaway Rabbit
Tummy Trouble

Teaching plan written by Risa Young