LESSON 5 TEACHER’S GUIDE

The Amazing Balina

by Michael Sandler

Fountas-Pinnell Level P
Tall Tale
Selection Summary
Discovered as a baby inside a whale’s mouth, Balina is a most
unusual child: she can lift cows, pull tugboats, and swim for hours
on end. When Balina’s talents compete with local business, she is
banished from working as a tugboat. Her kindness, however, is put to Number of Words: 997
the test when a large ship collides with rocks during a severe storm.

Characteristics of the Text

Genre • Tall tale
Text Structure • Third-person continuous narrative with multiple episodes related to the life of Balina
Content • Oceans and life on the sea
• Shipping, tugboats, and local politics
• Maritime rescue
Themes and Ideas • What people consider home can be in more than one place.
• What might seem different or threatening can be the very thing that is needed.
Language and • Formal and informal language used interchangeably in narrative
Literary Features • Exaggeration and hyperbole appeal to readers’ sense of fantasy
• Assigned dialogue throughout the story
Sentence Complexity • Some complex sentences containing embedded clauses and phrases
• Some sentences containing colons and semicolons
Vocabulary • Many nautical terms, some of which might not be familiar to English language learners,
such as seaweed, marine, harbor, and tugboat. Cultural references such as playing cards
(p. 6).
• Place name: Tampa Bay, Florida
Words • Multisyllable target vocabulary: condition, horrified, memorable, seafaring
Illustrations • Lively, cartoon-like drawings support the story
Book and Print Features • Twelve pages of text, illustrations on every page, with captions
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly
permitted by federal copyright law.
Permission is hereby granted to individual teachers using the corresponding (discipline) Leveled Readers to photocopy student worksheets from this publication
in classroom quantities for instructional use and not for resale. Requests for information on other matters regarding duplication of this work should be
addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, Attn: Contracts, Copyrights, and Licensing, 9400 SouthPark Center Loop, Orlando, Florida 32819.
Printed in the U.S.A.
978-0-547-30572-1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0940 15 14 13 12 11 10 09
If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company retains title to the materials and
they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited.

Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 1 1/5/10 10:37:03 PM

 The Amazing Balina by Michael Sandler

Build Background
Help students use their knowledge of whales and oceans to visualize the story. Build
interest by asking a question such as the following: What kinds of special strengths or
skills might a character who loves the ocean exhibit? Read the title and author and talk
about the cover illustration. Tell students that this story is a tall tale, which is a humorous
story about impossible or exaggerated events.

Frontload Vocabulary
Some everyday words may be unfamiliar to English learners. Before reading, check
understanding of the following words: shore, tongue, hospital, farmer, bathtub, tugboat,
mayor, telescope, pier.

Introduce the Text

Guide students through the text, reading the captions, noting important ideas, and helping
with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Call their
attention to any important labels. Here are some suggestions:
Page 3: Read the caption above the illustration. Explain that a whale on the beach
is an unusual sight, and this whale with its mouth open as if ready for inspection
was especially strange. Suggested language: The text says whales were rarely
seen so close to land, in tidal areas. How did the ocean tide allow the whale to get
stuck on the beach?
Pages 4–5: Have students look at the illustrations and read the captions: “There
was a baby inside the whale; Balina was so strong she could lift a cow.”
The text says Balina quickly put down the surprised cow after it bellowed, or cried
out. What seems to be Balina’s special talent?
Pages 8–9: Have students read the last sentence on page 8: Although it sounds
strange, Balina started to work as a tugboat. Cultural Support: Explain the word
tugboat. Then read the first two sentences on page 9: That is right. She worked
as a tugboat, not on a tugboat. Have students look at the illustration. Ask why the
writer italicized the two words in the second sentence.
Now turn back to the beginning of the story and read to find out what happens to Balina.

betrayed – done something to
disappoint or let down, p. 10
condition – a state of being, p. 7
foaming – making a layer of
foam, or small bubbles, p. 12
Target Vocabulary
horrified – shocked or fearful
because of something
unpleasant, p. 12
memorable – so special that it is
worth remembering, p. 11
outcast – not accepted by a
group, p. 11
seafaring – working or traveling
at sea, p. 14
shortage – not enough, p. 5
tidal – affected by the regular rise
and fall of the sea level, p. 3
yearning – a strong desire, p. 7

Grade 4 2 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 2 7/28/09 5:09:22 PM

 Read
Have students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their
understanding of the story as needed.

Remind students to use the Infer/Predict Strategy and to use text clues
to figure out what isn’t exactly stated by the author as they read.

Discuss and Revisit the Text

Personal Response
Invite students to share their personal responses to the text.
Suggested language: What kinds of special talents do you have? How does Balina make
use of her special talents?

Ways of Thinking
As you discuss the text, help students understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text
• A whale appears on a Florida • The comfort and familiarity of • The detail of the characters
beach, and a little girl is inside one’s family can take many makes the story amusing and
its mouth. forms and exist in more than fun to read.
one place.
• The girl, Balina, is adopted and • The author explains ocean life to
exhibits abilities to swim for • People can overcome differences teach and appeal to readers.
hours and pull tugboats. and jealousies and work together
• Dialogue makes the narrative
to make a difference in the
• Local tugboat owners lobby to realistic for readers.
world.
outlaw Balina’s presence, but she
saves the day when a damaged
ship is stranded during a bad
storm.
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for Further Support

• Fluency Invite students to choose a passage from the text to use for a reader’s
theater. Remind them to read at an appropriate rate, moving along rapidly with a few
slowdowns and stops or pauses to solve words.
• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion,
revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go
back to the text to support their ideas.
• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using
examples from the text. Tell students that names are sometimes derived from nouns.
Explain that the whale shown in the illustrations is a baleen whale, and that baleen
whales live in coastal areas like Florida. Explain that the author might have named the
main character Balina as a tribute to her unusual connection to baleen whales.

Grade 4 3 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 3 11/4/09 10:48:35 PM

 Writing about Reading
Critical Thinking
Have students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 5.10.

Responding
Have students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s
Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding
of the comprehension skill.

Target Comprehension Skill

Understanding Characters Remind students that they analyze a
character’s thoughts, actions, and words to better understand a story. Model how
to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:

Think Aloud

Balina demonstrates her love for the ocean in many ways. One of the
actions that Balina takes is to work as a tugboat. This is an action that
shows her love of the ocean.

Practice the Skill

Have students share other examples of characters in the story whose thoughts, actions,
or words help you understand them.

Writing Prompt: Thinking About the Text

Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when
they think about the text, they reflect back on the text. They should notice and evaluate
language, genre, literary devices, and how the text is organized.

Assessment Prompts
• Complete this sentence: The most important thing about Balina is that she

________________________________________________________________.
• Why do the tugboat owners complain to the mayor about Balina?
• What is the meaning of the word seafaring on page 14?

Grade 4 4 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 4 11/13/09 6:51:05 PM

 English Language Development
Reading Support Check regularly on students’ oral reading to determine accuracy,
fluency, and comprehension.

Idioms The story includes some informal language that might affect fluent reading for
English language learners. Explain the meaning of phrases such as mighty surprised, a
brave move (page 3) and no shortage of strength (page 5).

Oral Language Development

Check student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’
English proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.
Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced
Speaker 1: Who is telling the story? Speaker 1: Why did Balina swim in her Speaker 1: How does Balina
bathtub? rescue the ship?
Speaker 2: a narrator
Speaker 2: She could not go to the Speaker 2: She lifted it from the
Speaker 1: Who is Balina?
beach during the winter. rocks and lifted it overhead. She
Speaker 2: the main character swam on her back so the ship
Speaker 1: What kind of student is
wouldn’t sink. She took the ship
Speaker 1: Where does the story take Balina?
to dock on land.
place?
Speaker 2: She is nice, polite, and has a
Speaker 2: in Florida lot of friends.

Lesson 5
BLACKLINE MASTER 5.10
Name Date

Critical Thinking The Amazing Balina

Critical Thinking

Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown.

1. Think within the text How does Balina come to live in Tampa
Bay?
She is pulled out of the mouth of a whale and adopted by a local family.

2. Think within the text What is one disadvantage that the

author presents about Balina’s unusual abilities?
Her siblings get angry with her for spending so much time in the tub. The tugboat
captains get angry with her for taking business away from them. Balina is
unhappy when she cannot be in the ocean.

3. Think beyond the text List two human characteristics that

Balina has. How do you know?
Balina is a good student: she does well in school. Balina likes to help: she pulls

boats and charges very little for it. She also loves her family: she doesn’t leave
with the whales without her parents’ permission, and she comes back yearly to see
them.

4. Think about the text What makes Balina a tall tale?

Balina is like other people in many respects, but she has superhuman
characteristics and can perform superhuman feats.

Making Connections Is there anything that you love as much as Balina

loves the ocean? Explain what you love and tell how it affects your life.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Critical Thinking 12 Grade 4, Unit 1: Reaching Out

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

12_4_246253RTXEAN_L05_FR.indd 12 3/22/09 11:34:19 PM

Grade 4 5 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 5 7/28/09 5:09:24 PM

 Name Date

The Amazing Balina

Thinking About the Text
Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in one or two
paragraphs.

Remember that when you think about the text, you reflect back on the text.
You notice and evaluate language, genre, literary devices, and how the text
is organized.

In what ways are the illustrations in this tall tale an important part of its
humor? How do they add to the humor of the text? What kinds of things
do they show about the characters and settings that are not explained by
the text and captions alone? Give examples from the tale to support your
answers.

Grade 4 6 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 6 7/28/09 5:09:26 PM

 Lesson 5
BLACKLINE MASTER 5.10
Name Date

Critical Thinking The Amazing Balina

Critical Thinking

Read and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text How does Balina come to live in

Tampa Bay?

2. Think within the text What is one disadvantage that the

author presents about Balina’s unusual abilities?

3. Think beyond the text List two human characteristics that

Balina has. How do you know?

4. Think about the text What makes Balina a tall tale?

Making Connections Is there anything that you love as much as Balina

loves the ocean? Explain what you love and tell how it affects your life.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Grade 4 7 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 7 7/28/09 5:09:27 PM

 Lesson 5
Student Date BLACKLINE MASTER 5.14

The Amazing Balina • LEVEL P The Amazing Balina

Running Record Form

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

6 Balina was unusual in other ways as well. She did not speak
very often. Instead, she made noises that were similar to the
sounds made by whales. She also had a strange love for water.
Each day during the summer, Balina begged her parents to
take her to the beach.

Balina’s parents usually agreed. They would sit for hours,

reading or playing cards, while Balina swam and swam. They
did not fear for her safety. Balina could swim better than any
marine creature.

Balina never got tired. She loved long swims into the deep
water most of all.

Comments: Accuracy Rate Total Self-

(# words read Corrections
correctly/98 × 100)
%

Behavior Code Error Behavior Code Error

1413973

Substitution cut 1
Read word correctly ✓ 0 cat
cat
Self-corrects cut sc 0
cat
Repeated word, ® 0
sentence, or phrase cat Insertion the 1
cat
—

Omission cat 1 Word told T 1
cat

Grade 4 8 Lesson 5: The Amazing Balina

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305721_ELL_LRTG_L05_AmazingBalina.indd 8 12/18/09 5:33:12 PM