Berta 6-pack Author: Donna Malane ISBN: 9780176360122 Copyright Date: 2003 Lesson Plan Blackline Master Grade Level: 3 Reading Level: M Strategy/Skill: Dialogue Genre: Recount Theme/Topic: Animals, Birds, and Insects, Humor, Pets, Responsibility Classification: Nonfiction

Book Summary

Berta is a hippo who lives in an animal orphanage in Africa with her human “mother,” Ana.  This nonfiction book uses photographs, illlustrations, maps, and diagrams as well as text to describe Berta and her life.

Features of the Book

• Nonfiction text features – recuento, mapas, gráficas, índice, glosario, índice alfabético
• Descriptive language – enorme, muy grande, forma de barril, bastante corto
• Interactive text that asks questions of the reader
• Comparisons to convey meaning
• Punctuation – question marks, exclamation points
• Accent rules – palabras esdrújulas: hipopótamo, doméstico, África, huérfanos, rápido

Purpose

Berta can be used to introduce and reinforce the following skills:

• making connections between children’s experiences and the text
• recognizing the features of nonfiction texts
• extending vocabulary by using a glossary
• forming and supporting opinions about texts
• using descriptive language.