Found!
by Norman Bilbrough
From School Journal Story Library
Overview
This text has three separate sections. In the opening recount, Perez finds an injured cat in the alley and gets an inside look at the work of the SPCA. A report provides further information about the SPCA’s work, and the text concludes with a recount about the rescue of a mistreated dog. This text supports rich discussion and could be read over more than one session.
Suggested Teaching Purpose
Based on the information I have about my students’ learning needs, what would be an appropriate teaching purpose for this session?
Examples of an appropriate teaching purpose are listed below.
•	To support the students in developing the comprehension strategies of making connections, summarising, and identifying the author’s purpose and point of view.	
Features of the Text to Consider in Context
What features of this text would support the teaching purpose?
•	The mix of text forms	
•	The many ways that the text conveys information (through dialogue, personal stories, explanations, definitions, the report on pages 13–15, the photographs, and a footnote)	
•	The theme of caring for animals	
•	The way the writer engages the reader and conveys his point of view about the work of the SPCA, for example:
- the dramatic opening, which features direct speech and launches straight into the action of the recount
- evoking an emotional response by focusing on animals that are common as pets and including references to the pets’ feelings in the final sentences of both recounts
- the use of rhetorical questions on pages 14 and 15, which directly address the reader (“Maybe you would prefer a smaller animal?”)
- the focus on Perez, which encourages the reader to identify with him and his enthusiasm about the SPCA
- the use of personal stories, which adds interest and helps readers to make connections to their own experiences of animals
- the friendliness of the SPCA staff shown in the text and the photographs.	
•	The features of a report on pages 13–15 — subheadings, bullet-pointed list, and italicised sections to convey extra information and tips	
•	The supportive photographs	
•	The topic-specific vocabulary, for example, “SPCA”, “vet”, “volunteer”, “clinic”, “X-ray”, “injection”, “medication”, “cat runs”, “dog runs”, “battery farming”, “sow crates”, “euthanasia”, “desex”, “vaccinate”, “worm” (verb), “de-flea”, “microchip”, “inspectors”	
•	The legal language in the report — “Animal Welfare Act”, “Act of Parliament”, “passed” (the Act), “prosecute”	
•	The acronyms SPCA and AWA.	
Readability
What features of this text might constitute challenges for my students? (For example, features that may require a prompt or a brief explanation)
•	The topic-specific vocabulary (including legal terms), especially in the report	
•	The phrases conveying the meaning and mission of the SPCA.	
What prior knowledge would support my students in reading this text?
•	Their familiarity with and interest in animals and in the SPCA.	
•	Their experience of looking for clues to help them identify an author’s purpose and point of view.	
Sharing the learning outcome and success criteria with your students
Learning outcome
I will be able to say why I think the author wrote this text and what he thinks about the work of the SPCA, using examples to support my opinion.
Success criteria
I will be successful when I have:
•	identified and summarised the information about the SPCA and the people who work there;	
•	looked for clues to what the author thinks about the SPCA;	
•	made connections to my own experiences of pets to help me understand the author’s point of view;	
•	thought about why the author has chosen to present his ideas and information in this way.	
A Framework for the Lesson
How will I help my students to achieve the learning outcome?
In the sections below, particular comprehension strategies and reading processes have been identified in brackets. Select from the suggestions according to your purpose for the lesson.
Before reading
•	Show the students the cover and ask them to predict what the text will be about. Encourage them to share any experiences they have of lost pets. Then discuss the title page and the extra hints it gives. Confirm that this book is about the work of the SPCA and draw out your students’ prior knowledge about or experiences with this organisation. You could ask them to predict how the dog on the back cover might fit in with the text. (Forming and testing hypotheses; making connections)	
•	Share the learning outcome and success criteria with the students.	
During reading
•	Have the students work with a partner to preview the photographs on pages 2–5 and predict what’s happening. “How did you make your predictions? What helped you?” (Making connections; forming hypotheses)	
•	Then have them read page 3 and check their hypotheses. “How does Perez know the cat’s a stray?” If necessary, clarify terms like “stray” and “directory assistance”, first encouraging your students to look for clues to the meanings in the text. (Testing hypotheses; building vocabulary)	
•	Briefly point out the difference between “it’s” (meaning “it has”) and “its” (possessive pronoun) in the phrase “it’s hurt its leg”.	
•	Ask the students to consider the author’s purpose. Gently draw out the idea that the inclusion of the photographs shows that this recount has been staged (or reconstructed). “Why would the author want to do this?” (Identifying the author’s purpose)	
•	Ask the students to read page 5 and to predict what the differences between a vet, an animal caregiver, and a volunteer helper could be. Then have them examine the photographs to page 11 for further information. (Forming and testing hypotheses)	
•	Start a group summary chart with the headings vet, caregiver, and volunteer so that you (or they) can record points about the role of the SPCA personnel as they read. (Summarising)	
•	Draw out the idea that even though their level of expertise may differ, all of the SPCA workers are driven by the same goal. Review the students’ ideas about the author’s purpose. They should be starting to realise that his purpose is more to provide information and present a point of view than merely to entertain by telling a story “As you read, look for clues to how the author feels about the work of the SPCA.” (Identifying the author’s purpose and point of view)	
•	Have the students read pages 6–9 and use the information to review their predictions about the role of a vet and a caregiver. Add these points to the summary chart. (Testing hypotheses; summarising)	
•	Have the students read pages 10–12. Draw out the idea that the animals that stay at the SPCA need ongoing affection and contact so that they stay (or become) used to people and can adapt to a life with a new owner. (Inferring)	
•	Have your students review their predictions about the role of a volunteer and add any new points to their summaries. “Do you think the age restriction for volunteers (mentioned on page 6) is a good idea? Why or why not?” (Testing hypotheses; summarising; evaluating)	
•	This would be a good stopping point if you plan to read the text over two sessions.	
•	Explain that the next section is a report that provides further information about the work of the SPCA. Review what the students have learned from reading the recount, referring to their summaries. (Making connections; summarising)	
•	Introduce and discuss some of the more challenging vocabulary (for example, “humane”, “cruelty”, “battery farming”, “mistreat”, “prosecute”) during the discussion but be careful not to overload the students. Encourage them to note any words they don’t understand while they read, by marking them with sticky notes. (Making connections; building vocabulary)	
•	Have the students read page 13. If you find they need more support, you could use a shared reading approach or read chunks to them.	
•	Encourage the students to make links to your school’s mission or motto to help them with the meaning of “mission”. You could brainstorm simpler ways to express the SPCA’s mission (for example, “to encourage people to be nice to animals”). (Making connections)	
•	In the second paragraph, prompt the students to use the first sentence to help them infer the meaning of “battery farming” and the “confining” of pigs. You may need to explain what euthanasia is (Making connections; inferring; building vocabulary)	
•	Continue your discussion of the author’s purpose by asking the students why they think the text has changed in form, from a personal recount to a report. (Identifying the author’s purpose)	
•	Continue with pages 14 and 15. Examine the Wall of Adoption and discuss which pets the students would choose. You could briefly consider the strategies that the SPCA uses to market its animals, for example, giving them cute names and using cute photos. (Making connections; evaluating)	
•	Add another heading to the summary chart to record information about the role of the SPCA in general (pages 13–15). Also add to the notes about what a volunteer does (end of page 15). (Summarising)	
•	As necessary, discuss any unfamiliar or unclear vocabulary, for example, the use of “fuss” to mean “attention” in a positive sense. (Building vocabulary)	
•	Have the students read “Gypsy’s Story”. If necessary, clarify terms such as “embedded”, “infested”, and “convicted”, first encouraging your students to look for clues to the meanings in the text. “Why might it be hard to find an old animal a home?” (Inferring; building vocabulary)	
•	Discuss the overall text structure (recount, report, recount) and why the author has done this. Draw out the idea of including both factual information and personal experiences to help the reader make connections to their own experiences and create an emotional response. Review the earlier discussions about the author’s point of view. “What do you think he wants to achieve with this text? Do you think he achieves this purpose?” Have the students talk with a partner about an aspect of the text that they have found that supports their thinking about the author’s point of view? For example,
- having Perez as the main character in the first recount which encourages the reader to identify with him and his enthusiasm about the SPCA;
- creating a positive picture of the SPCA by showing how friendly the staff are;
- using personal stories which prompts the reader to make connections to their own experiences of animals;
- encouraging an emotional response by focusing on animals that are common as pets, using the story of Gypsy, and including references to the pets’ feelings in the final sentences of both recounts.	
•	(Identifying the author’s purpose and point of view; evaluating; analysing and synthesising)	
After reading
•	Revisit the summary chart. Unpack the roles of vet, caregiver, and volunteer by exploring the qualities that these people might need. (Summarising; inferring)	
•	Discuss any words or phrases that the students found difficult and the strategies they used (or could have used) to work them out. (Building vocabulary).	
•	Explore some of the topic-specific vocabulary:
- Clarify the meanings of “desex” and “de-flea” (in the context of the article) and draw out the idea that the prefix “de” means “to take away”. Together, list other examples, (“deduct, “detract”, “desist”, “deactivate”, “decontaminate”, “decrease”.) Point out that “de” doesn’t always have this meaning so if the students come across a “de” word, they would also need to check the context to confirm the meaning.
- Have the students identify the root words within some of the words from the text, for example, “mistreat” (and “treatment”), “Prevention”, “injection”, “medication”, “information”, “inspectors”.
- You could demonstrate how the addition of “tion” can change the form of some verbs to a noun, for example, “prevent”, “promote”, “prosecute”, “adopt”.
- Discuss “vet” as a shortened form of “veterinarian” and get the students to use this information to infer what “veterinary care” is (on page 13)
- Discuss the meaning of “humane” and explore the meanings of related words, for example, “human”, “humanity”, “inhuman”, “inhumane”
- Explore the difference in the meanings of “adopt” and “foster” (pages 14 and 15) and “temporary” and “permanent” (page 15). Discuss the implications in the context of this text.
(Building vocabulary)	
•	Review the learning outcome and success criteria and reflect with the students on how well the learning outcome has been achieved. “What clues did you find to help you come to a conclusion about the author’s point of view?” Note any teaching points for future sessions.	
Links to Further Learning
What follow-up tasks will help my students to consolidate and/or extend their new learning?
•	The students could use their summaries to create a pamphlet promoting the SPCA and/or calling for volunteers. They could even rename the society in plainer English (for example, the “Be Kind to Animals Group”) and give it a simpler mission statement. (Summarising)	
•	Have the students write an application to be a volunteer at the SPCA. (Making connections; summarising)	
•	Read other texts about caring for animals or animal rescues, for example, the School Journal texts “Dusty” (about an abandoned sparrow) and “Caring for Birds” in SJ 2.4.06, or “On the Mend” (about an injured kiwi) in SJ 3.2.05. (Making connections)	
ISBN: 978 0 7903 2359 6