May 06, 2016 3 min read
Big Al, written by Andrew Clements and illustrated by Yoshi, was always one of my key books when working collaboratively with teachers as we implemented the SGM in classroom settings. There was so much to do with this picture book including mapping the story out as a Complete Episode using the SGM® map,
retelling the story with partners, doing a written retelling using the completed map, working on character description using the SGM® Character Map, sequencing of events in the story, and using sequence words for story cohesion. Big Al is analyzed extensively in The Story Grammar Marker® Teachers’ Manual, pages 62-68.
Students and teachers alike were delighted to learn that Clements and Yoshi had teamed up in 2002 for another book featuring Big Al…Big Al and Shrimpy. Both stories begin with the same wording which created a natural segue to compare/contrast activities. Both selections share similar themes of friendship and loyalty. The two main characters, Big Al and Shrimpy, have a lot in common, but are also different. Below are some activities we used with the whole class.
These two books were a hit with our students and were sought after long after we moved on to other reading selections! The scaffolding with the SGM® icons is a powerful tool in supporting literacy success for all students.
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