Since this is a chapter book, it is very important to stop and summarize what you’ve read after each page. Introduce the Somebody-Wanted-But So (SWBS) form of summarizing. 

Somebody - name one of the characters  
Wanted - tell what the character wanted 
But - what were the complications (what gets in the characters way of getting what he/she wants?);  
So - what did the character do or what happened as a result

Ch. 1, 1st paragraph opens with a daydream of the main character. Encourage the students to use the key words and prior knowledge to figure out the setting of his daydream.

P.4 — dialogue is introduced and it continues through page seven. Students will need to adjust the reading rate to make sure they accurately read what the characters are saying. They will also have to pay attention to the quotation marks and other punctuation to know when the dialogue begins and ends. The punctuation will also help them to read with the right kind of expression.

The story opens with a daydream of the character out at sea on a sailboat. Then the story goes to the actual setting, which is in his fourth grade classroom. Stay in beginning context and misread “We’re supposed to be “finishing” up a paragraph to hand in to Miss Jenkins”; and said “fishing.” Model that it doesn’t make sense, and back up and reread. Reading is thinking.

Some of the words used could be considered slang. For example, “stuffed” is used a little differently in this story.

P. 5 - 6 — "I wrote about being in the Knicks. Point guard. I get down low. Dribble in under the basket when no one’s looking. Sneak a shot. Score” 
“Oh yeah?” I say back. “How come no one’s looking? “How come no one’s stuffed you? 
We may have some basketball experts in the room who can teach us and if not, we can Google it!! (It means to “block someone’s shot”)

Lanyard (in the context that it’s used) and Venetian blinds may stand out to the students as interesting words. Students can turn to partners or small groups and reread the words in context and use context clues and prior knowledge to get an understanding. They can then check their definitions by using other sources like the dictionary etc.

• P. 3 “I’ve got the sail hauled in tight. Lanyard’s wrapped around my wrist. That sailboat leans over and just flies out of the water....”
• P. 3 “Truth is, I’m sitting in my seat, leaning my head against the wall of my fourth- grade class at Auburn Street School, by the windows. That lanyard is the cord from the venetian blinds”