Maria Celebrates Brazil

Introduce the Concept

Build Background

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How are families around the world the same and different?

Have children read the Essential Question on page 34 of the Reading/ Writing
Workshop. Tell them that families around the world may have the same or
different holidays, traditions, and language, or way of speaking. These things make
up a family’s culture, or way they live.

Discuss the photograph of the family celebrating Holi. Focus on how Holi is the
same or different from children’s own family celebrations.

• During Holi, families throw colored powder on each other to celebrate flowers
blooming.

• Families share a big meal.

Talk About It
Ask: How are families from different cultures the same? How are they different?
Have children discuss in pairs or groups.

• Model using the Same and Different Chart to help children generate ideas about
families. Add children’s contributions.

Vocabulary Routine

Oral Vocabulary Words

Use the Define/Example/Ask routine to introduce the Oral Vocabulary words
below. Prompt children to use the words as they discuss families.
Dinner at
Words in Context
Model the Routine
Introduce each vocabulary word using the Vocabulary Routine found on the

Visual Vocabulary Cards.

Definitions
• culture People of the same culture share the same way of life at a certain time
in history.

• fair I am fair when I treat my friends in a just and honest way.

• invited When people are invited, they are asked in a nice way to do something or
to go somewhere.

• language Language is the way we speak, read, write, or sign.

• plead When you plead for something, you beg or argue to get what you want.

• scurries When something scurries, it scampers or runs quickly.

• share When I share, I give part of something I have to someone else.

Talk About It
Have children work with a partner and look at each picture and discuss the
definition of each word. Then ask children to choose three words and write
questions for their partner to answer.

Connect to Concept
Families Around the World
Explain to children that “Maria Celebrates Brazil” is about a girl in Brazil who is
practicing to be in a celebration.
After reading each page, have partners discuss what they have learned about how
families around the world are the same and different.

Use Vocabulary Words in Context

aside culture fair invited

language plead scurries share

The highlighted words in the text are vocabulary words children have learned. As
you read, have them discuss the words’ meanings.

Read

Close Reading
Note Taking Read page 39 together. Model how to take notes. I will think about
the Essential Question as I read and note key ideas and details. As you continue to
read, encourage children to write down questions they have and words they don’t
understand.

Paragraph 1: Reread the first paragraph together. Ask: What is this paragraph
about? I read that Maria begs her family for something. This paragraph invites me
to keep reading to find out Maria’s problem.

Paragraph 2: Reread the second paragraph on page 39 with children. Ask: What
are some key details that you noted? I read that Maria and her family speak
Portuguese.

Maria begs not to go to a practice. The practice is for a parade.

Shared Read

Close Reading
Page 40: Reread page 40 together. Tell children that you are going to take a
closer look at this page of the story. Ask: What surprises Maria about Mãe’s
question? According to Pai, why is the parade important? I read that Maria is
surprised when her mother asks, “What is not fair about going to practice?” Maria
is surprised because Mãe understood when she was speaking in English. Pai tells
Maria the parade is Maria’s chance to share her culture with people from around
the world.

Page 41: Reread page 41 together. Ask: Why did Maria change her mind about
missing practice?

Maria thinks "Pai is right." The key details tell me why. She has practiced with the
other children for a year. All of the children have made their own costumes. When
Maria thinks about the work everyone has put into the parade, it helps her to
change her mind about going to practice.

Make Connections
Essential Question Encourage children to discuss with a partner how Maria’s
family from Brazil is like and unlike families they know. Ask them to cite text
evidence. Use these sentence frames to focus discussion:

I read that Maria’s family . . .

One way they are different is . . .

Comprehension Strategy t

Visualize e

Explain to children that they can use the words of the story and the illustrations
to help them form pictures in their mind about characters, settings, and events.
This can help them to better understand the story. If they are having trouble
understanding

something they read, they can follow these steps:

• Think about what you already know about the characters and where the story
takes place.

• As you read, pay attention to any describing words the author uses.
• Close your eyes and try to picture what the author is describing.

• Change your picture as you read more details.

Model Close Reading: Text Evidence
Model how to identify words in the text that can help you visualize details in
“Maria Celebrates Brazil.” Reread the last paragraph on page 41. Ask: How do the
words bright colorful costumes help you form a picture in your mind of the parade?
What other words in this paragraph help you imagine what the parade will look like?

Guided Practice of Close Reading

Have children work in pairs to visualize part of the story. Direct them to page 42
and have them point out phrases that will help them visualize the parade, such as
lots of people line the streets, sparkling costumes, and dance to the beat. Have
children work together to describe the picture these phrases help them form in
their mind.

Then have them describe how they visualized other parts of the story.

Comprehension Skill to Fly

Character, Setting, Events

Explain
Tell children that characters, settings, and events are all parts of a story.

• A character is a person or animal in a story.

• The setting is where and when a story takes place.

• Events are the main things that happen in a story.

Explain that setting and events can affect what characters do and say.
Model Close Reading: Text Evidence
Model how to identify the characters, setting, and one major event on page 39 of
“Maria Celebrates Brazil.” Model writing them in the graphic organizer.

Write About Reading: Sentences Model for children how to use text

evidence and the notes from the graphic organizer to write a few sentences
describing the first major event in the story and how Maria feels about that event.
For example: Maria wants to miss practice. Her mother tells her she must go to
practice. Maria feels upset.

Guided Practice of Close Reading

Have children work in pairs to complete the graphic organizer for “Maria
Celebrates Brazil.” Have them note where the setting changes at the end of the
story. Discuss each important event as children complete the graphic organizer.

Write About Reading: Sentences Ask pairs to work together to

complete the following sentence frames to describe major events in

the middle and end of the story and how Maria feels about those events.

Maria decides _______.

At the end of the story, Maria _______. She feels _______.