GRADE 2
Ten Ways to Hear Snow written by Cathy Camper; illustrated by Kenard Pak
AT A GLANCE The morning after a blizzard, Lina ventures out into the snowy city for a visit with her grandmother, Sitti, to do something they love to do together: cook. Sitti has limited eyesight, and as Lina makes her way to Sitti’s building, she listens to the sounds around her and wonders whether these sounds are ways in which her grandmother now experiences snow. Lina and Sitti connect with each other and to the world around them through what they hear and what they do. The author’s use of language also helps readers feel they are right there, alongside Lina, experiencing this special day.
Genre/Text Type: Realistic Fiction/Picture Book
Strategy Focus: Visualize
Social-Emotional Focus: Relationship Skills
INTRODUCE THE BOOK Display the front cover to the children. Share with them that Ten Ways to Hear Snow is about a girl, Lina, and her grandmother, Sitti, who notice different ways to hear snow. Ask: When you think about snow, what do you think about? Have you ever thought about how to hear snow? What might that sound like? Let’s read and count with Lina to find out the ten ways she hears snow! DURING READING As you read the book, pause to discuss the questions below. Encourage students to turn and talk with partners or share their thinking with the whole group. pp. 3–7 When Lina looks out her window, she sees a street blanketed in white. Where is she going on this snowy morning? Why do you think Lina turns down her parents’ offer to join her? (key ideas and details, make inferences)
Rising Voices Theme Someone Like Me/ Memorable Characters
Note to the Teacher • Read-Aloud Tip Have fun reading aloud the special words the author uses to describe sounds like ploompf and swish-wish. Allow time for children to look at the illustrations and connect images and sounds. • Language Support The use of adjectives is very important in the story. Remind students that adjectives describe nouns. Discuss some of the author’s vivid descriptions, such as powdery sound or whiskery noise . • Background The author is an Arab American who was born and grew up in Wisconsin. She draws on her childhood experiences and includes a few Arabic words in this story: Sitti (grandmother), habibti (dear girl), and warak enab (stuffed grape leaves). Vocabulary muffled (p. 5) softened a sound squinched (p. 8) made narrower radiator (p. 21) a metal fixture that provides heat cocoons (p. 25) protective coverings
As Lina makes her way to Sitti’s, she hears snow in different ways. How do the details in the illustrations connect to the words the author uses to help you better understand what Lina hears? (visualize, picture clues)
pp. 8–13
pp. 14–19 Lina continues her walk to Sitti’s home and meets her friends, Rachid and Mariam, building a snowman. But then...what happens? Which words and details in the text and illustration help you understand the seventh way to hear snow? (context clues, visualize) pp. 20–27 Lina and Sitti make stuffed grape leaves together. Why do you think the illustrator shows how to make the stuffed grape leaves? What can you tell about Sitti and Lina’s relationship from how they work and play together? (picture clues, make inferences) pp. 28–32 In the beginning of the story, Lina isn’t sure if Sitti knows it snowed
overnight because of Sitt’s poor eyesight, but Sitti surprises her. What details help you understand how Sitti knew there was snow outside? How do you learn to appreciate your different senses through this story? (visualize, make connections)
caterpillars make around themselves while changing into moths
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