Reading Aloud Lesson Essay

“2030: A day in the Life of Tomorrow’s” is a book by Amy Zuckerman and James Daly that explores how new technology can transform how we live. The book is nonfiction and has illustrations making it an easy read for children in the 3rd grade. The story follows a day in the life of a boy living in 2030. In the book, it is typical for a boy his age to have a talking dog, a robot that cleans the house, and a data orb that gives him information about general things (Zuckerman & Daly, 2009). The cartoon illustrations help bring to life the idea and the many interesting aspects of this future world.

A data orb is a floating spherical object that follows the boy and answers his questions. A hologram is an image representation that uses lights and lasers to create three-dimensional figures that can look lifelike. An eco-village is a community set up to live a life that has minimal effect on the environment. Engineering is the skillful and deliberate arrangements made to alter naturally occurring state to enhance performance.

The purpose of this read-aloud is to determine the focus skills by understanding the comprehension strategy. For the first read, I will test the reading skills by involving the class in an interactive Q&A where I will be able to understand their word solving strategies. The book uses some scientific diction that may not be easy for some 3rd graders to understand. All in all, their responses and questions will shed light on what they think some of the words meant. This way I will be able to tell their comprehension strategy.

Before
I would shift the children’s focus to the apparent changes that occur over time. I would use the example of how 2020 has changed from how things previously were. Then I would point out how science and technology have helped improve our living conditions. This would be followed by introducing them to the vocabularies that are in the book and allowing them to speak about the meanings they derive from the book. Finally, I would let the children predict what the book is about after reading the title out to them. These preparations activate background knowledge and schema of the children and help them anticipate what the book is all about.

During
As I read the book, I would keep eye contact with the entire class to keep them engaged and confirm whether our comprehension and inferences are synchronized. Once we get to the pages where the discussed vocabularies are first mentioned, I would stop and remind them what they mean. Both the hologram and data orb are mentioned on the first page. I would stop and act out the parts of the book where there are hints of hyperbole. For example, on the third page, the book mentions that there are over half a billion people in America.

After
A quick overview of the book’s summary will help consolidate the information the kids have learned. I would engage the children in a suggestion game where they would idealize the future themselves. This exercise is important in demonstrating the level of comprehension the children have. I would draw a few illustrations of how people use technology to improve living standards and help preserve the environment. I would conclude the read-aloud lesson by inspiring the kids to appreciate the technology around them.

Reference
Zuckerman, A., & Daly, J. (2009). 2030: A Day in the Life of Tomorrow’s Kids. New York: Dutton Books for Young Readers.