Your child is reading “Alejandro’s Gift,” a story about a lonely man named Alejandro,who digs a water hole for desert animals that live near his home. The animals stay away because the hole is too near Alejandro’s house,so he digs a second hole that is more sheltered.In the end,he is no longer lonely.You may wish to work with your child to complete these activities as a way to develop your child’s language skills.
Discuss Desert Details
Invite your child to describe what Alejandro’s life was like.Prompt your child with questions such as these: What kind of home did Alejandro live in? Where was it? What kinds of plants were around his house? How did Alejandro get water? You and your child might also enjoy reading other fiction and nonfiction books about the desert.
Retell the Story
Invite your child to retell “Alejandro’s Gift” in his or her own words.
Then ask your child what he or she thinks are the three most important parts of the story. Ask your child to draw three pictures to show the order of these events.Then help your child write a sentence telling about each picture. Suggest that he or she begin each sentence with a word that shows the order in which the events happened, such as first, next, and finally.
