Centerfield Ballhawk

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Centerfield Ballhawk By Matt Christopher
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• Journal Response
• Directions Answer the questions below in the
  Reading section of your journal. Be sure to
  write complete sentences. Check spelling,
  capitalization, and punctuation.
• What are some activities you are good at? What
  are some activities that you need more practice
  doing?
• What could you tell someone who is disappointed
  that he or she isnt very good at something?

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Prior Knowledge/Building Knowledge
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Vocabulary Power Centerfield Ballhawk is about
a boy named Jose who wants his father to be proud
of him. People are usually happy when they get
along well with family members. Look at how this
family gets along. Lance Wow! Great catch!
The game is over! Kayla I thought that ball
would . It looked as if
it would disappear over the fence. Lance If
I were a baseball player, Id want to be an
. When you play in
the outfield, its up to you to catch the fly
balls that go far back in the field. Kayla To
be a great outfielder, you have to be a
. A ___________
always seems to be able to catch the ball
wherever it goes.
v
an
ish
out
f
ield
er
b
all
h
awk
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Mother OK, you two, the game is
over. Now its time to
on your homework.
You need to pay close attention to that project
youre working on, Lance. Lance Oh, Mom, you
know you can
on me to get it done. Mother Yes, I can
always trust you to do your work on time,
Lance. Kayla Remember the time I forgot to do
my math? It was mostly my
, but Lance was a little bit to blame, too. He
had me so busy helping him with his joke book
that I forgot my own work!
c
on
c
en
tr
ate
d
e
p
end
ault
f
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Genre
Realistic Fiction
Realistic fiction tells about characters and
events that are like people and events in real
life.
Look for

• problems that could happen in real life.

• special words about baseball.

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Preview and Predict

• Examine the illustrations on pages 332 and 333.
• Read page 333.
• Carefully study the pictures on pages 334-348.
• Write three to four sentences predicting what you
  think will happen in the story. Include what
  will happen in the beginning, middle, and end.

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During Reading (Three Ring Circus)

• You may choose to read the story in one of the
  following ways
• with a partner
• with your teacher
• by yourself

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During Reading
While you read, do the following 1. Discuss the
meaning of each vocabulary word as you come to
it. If reading alone, think about the meaning of
each word. Be ready to discuss with the
class. 2. Be on the look out for words and
phrases that are specific and clear and paint
a picture in your mind. Mark these with small
Post-It notes. Share with your partner or group.
If reading alone, be ready to share during our
whole group discussion. 3. Reread for better
understanding and to build fluency.
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After Reading Sequence Chart
After disappointing his father by breaking a car
window, Jose decides his dad will be proud of him
if he becomes a better batter.
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
4.
After the game, Jose tells his father he wishes
he could hit as well as he did.