Saving the Park 6-pack Author: Sarah Wilson ISBN: 9780478122640 Copyright Date: 1999 Lesson Plan Blackline Master Grade Level: 5 Reading Level: T Strategy/Skill: Character study, Forming opinions, making judgements, Making connections, Point of view, Prior knowledge Genre: Realistic Fiction Theme/Topic: Different Views, Environment, Neighborhood Classification: Fiction

Book Summary

Carlos is usually too busy skateboarding to notice what’s happening around him until one day he finds out that the council wants to build a new road through the local skateboarding park.  A meeting in the community hall gives Carlos and his friends the opportunity to help save the park for everyone to use.

Features of the Book

• First person point of view
• The energy and movement in the illustrations
• The narrative structure – orientation, problem, development, climax, resolution, conclusion
• The development of the main character
• Colloquial vocabulary – skunk, turtle, wise guy, No time, Awesome
• Specialized vocabulary – move, tricky, handplant, boarding, rides the ramp
• The environmental theme

Purpose

Saving the Park can be used to introduce and reinforce the following skills:

• recognizing point of view
• relating ideas in a text to students’ own experiences
• exploring the development of characters and the consequences of their actions
• using persuasive language to present an argument
• using research and interview skills

For more information please see our Lesson Plan