This document contains a reading passage titled "The Speech" about a boy, Willie, trying to help his mother feel less nervous about giving a speech at work. It also discusses classroom activities around reading comprehension, spelling, and analyzing plots. These include questions about the passage, practicing spelling words with "cle" syllables, defining plot, and mapping the plot of another story titled "Evie and Margie".

1. Question of The Day
What have you done that, at first,
you thought you couldn’t do?
I really surprised myself by _______.
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2. Loved
Best
Theme 3 Lesson 11

3. T429
Read Aloud
• Genre- Fiction
• Set a Purpose- Why might we read or
listen to a fiction story again?
• Modeling Fluency- Pay attention to
phrasing and punctuation.
• Listen as I carefully read the poem.

4. The Speech
Willie watched as his mother moved about the
kitchen in a hurry. He could tell she was upset. She was
so nervous she could not sit still or smile. When Willie
asked what was wrong, she said, “I have to give a
speech at work today. I haven’t felt this nervous since
my third grade play! I’m not sure I
can go through with it.”
Poor mom, thought Willie. “Is your speech
important?” he asked.
“Yes.” she said. “That’s why I’m so nervous. I’m
supposed to be showing people how to use our new
computer system. There will be real problems if people
can’t use it.”
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5. The Speech
Willie thought about her words. “I
remember when I had to recite a poem last
year,” he said. “I was sure I was going to
fall right off the stage. I was so scared I
would forget the words that I could hardly
walk. But you told me that all I had to do
was just think of one word at a time. I did
just fine. You will, too, Mom. Just take it
one word at a time.”
Willie watched his mother’s face as a
big smile grew. “You’re absolutely right,
she said.”

6. Discussion Questions:
What is the story problem?
In the story, how might Willie’s mom
have said “I’m not sure I can go through
with it”? What emotion should you try to
show in your voice?
How does Willie try to help his mother?

7. C-le Syllables
pebble tumble gentle
• What sound does –le make in these words?
• Remember that these words are divided into
syllables so that a consonant and
-le form the final syllable
• Remember when there are two consonants
before the letters –le, the vowel sound in the
first syllable is short.
peb/ble tum/ble gen/tle

8. C-le Syllable
noble staple bugle eagle
• Remember when there is one
consonant before –le, the vowel sound
in the first syllable is long.
no/ble sta/ble bu/gle ea/gle

9. Spelling with C-le Syllables
Use the words below to help complete each sentence.
title uncle beetle
table bubble apple
rattle cable
1.) Tell me the ______of the book you are reading.
2.) Sara set the _______ for dinner last night.
3.) Seema’s _________ lives in Ohio.
4.) If you cut an ________ in half, you can see the seeds.
5.) A thick, strong wire is called a ___________.
6.) Lisette bought some _______ gum.
7.) A big read _______ was crawling on the tree.
8.) Have you ever seen a baby playing with a _________.
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10. Spelling with C-le Syllables
Use the words below to help complete each sentence.
little scribble purple middle
trouble saddle simple
9.) Denison’s favorite color is ________.
10.) An elephant is big, but a mouse is ________.
11.) Erik sat in the _________ of the bench.
12.) It is _________ to add 2 and 2.
13.) Jovan fastened the ________ around the horse.
14.) Jake got in _______ when he ran in the halls.
15.) Small children like to ________ with crayons.

11. Performing “Loved Best”
In groups we will perform a readers’
theater by rereading “Loved Best” on
pages 306-323.
Things to remember:
• The characters might act and sound
different in various parts.
• Readers can use expression to
reinforce what is happening in the text.

12. Plot
What is the plot of a story?
A plot is the events that happen; it usually
includes a problem and its solution.
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13. T431
“Evie and Margie”
Listen closely as I reread “Evie and
Margie” starting on page 38. Listen
closely for the problem and the solution
as I reread the story.
• What is the main problem in the story?
Evie and Margie both want to be Cinderella in the play.
• How is the problem solved?
Evie gets to perform as an understudy, and Margie gets
to do another performance.

14. Use the graphic organizer below to help you
map the story.
Plot
Problem
Important Events
Solution
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