Unit 1

What Does it Mean to Show Respect?

Lesson 10

Reader's Notebook

Going with the Flow

Imagine that you have moved to a new place where you don't know anyone. How would you feel? Now, imagine that you cannot hear and have to communicate with other people using sign language. Do you think this would make it harder to make friends in a new place?


Go to pages 46 to 59 of Literacy in Action 5.

The story Going with the Flow is about a boy named Mark who is deaf. He wasn't born deaf - he got an illness called meningitis when he was three years old and he lost his hearing as a result. Meningitis is a very rare but serious illness, and most people recover from it without any lasting problems. The best way to prevent getting any illness, including meningitis, is to wash your hands using warm, soapy water before you eat, after you use the washroom, after you sneeze or cough, and when your hands are dirty.

Mark moves to a new school where he doesn't know anyone. As you read through the story, you will see what problems Mark has to overcome and how he adjusts to his new school.
Click each coloured row for information about the activity.


Think About It


Write down your answers to these two questions:

  • How can you tell when other people want to include you?
  • If a boy or girl who is deaf moved to your area, how would you include him or her?

Begin reading the story. This is a longer story than the other texts in this unit.


Remember to pause frequently to check your understanding.

  1. Start reading on page 46 of Literacy in Action 5, but stop at the bottom of page 50. On the Reader's Notebook: Going with the Flow, answer these two questions:
      • What is the most important thing that happened in this section of the story? Why?
      • How can you connect this to your own life?

  2. Start reading on page 52, and stop at the bottom of page 54. Answer the same two questions as before.
  3. Read the last section of the story, pages 56 to 58. Answer the same two questions once again.
  4. We can learn about the people in the story, characters, by reading what they say.
    • Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people. In stories it brings characters to life and adds interest.
    • Dialogue must do more than just tell real speech. Dialogue must use the most dramatic, emotional, and interesting words.
    • Written conversations or dialogue follow rules.  What characters say is written inside of quotation marks (" ").

      Begin each quotation with a capital letter.

      Quotations often use a comma inside the end quotation.

      Each time a new person speaks, the sentence goes on a new line.

      Dialogue tags identify which character is talking.


    • "But I'm deaf!" I said. In this sentence I said is the dialogue tag.




Document: Reader's Notebook: Going with the Flow
Click here to download

Download PDF


  1. Download the document Reader's Notebook: Going with the Flow.
  2. IMPORTANT NOTE: When the download screen opens: 
      • Click the "Open with" button.
      • Select "Adobe Reader".
      • Click "OK".
      • You will then be able to view the document Reader's Notebook: Going with the Flow.

  3. Print the document.

When you have finished reading the story, answer the After Reading section of questions in the Reader's Notebook: Going with the Flow.


Websites

Websites

If you are interested in finding out more about American Sign Language, go to the website First 100 Signs.


Save

How to save a file:

  1. Scan the document to your computer.
  2. Have the file open and select Save As from the File menu.
  3. Name your Reader's Notebook: Going with the Flow file in this format: jsmith_goingwithflow and save the file to your Documents folder.
Compare your responses with those in the Key by clicking here.