“The title of our story is No Jumping On the Bed and the first page of the story shows Walter’s father pointing at him while he is jumping on his bed. His father looks angry. What do you predict his father might be saying? Why? Why would he not want Walter to jump on the bed? What could happen?”

P. 6 shows Walter’s bed starting to break through the floor. Revisit student predictions at this point. Ask students if they have any other predictions.

P. 11 shows Mr. Matty watching TV and a meatball bounces off of his head. Ask students where they think the meatball came from? What do they think is going to happen next?

Continue to predict and use text to confirm and adjust predictions throughout the story.

At the end of the story, students may also predict what will happen next.

This story follows a specific sequence of Walter falling through each floor of the apartment building and taking residents of the complex with him as he falls through. Revisiting the sequence of events in the story can be done through retelling, drawing, mapping, or even acting.

Many quotes in this story should be read with expression.

P.2 ~ “If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a million times....” 
P.7 ~ “I was not expecting company for dinner!” 
P.18 ~ “Excuse us, we won’t be staying long!”

In addition to the quoted text, emphasis can be given to certain words as Walter and the other residents fall through each floor. As you read these words, model for students why you placed emphasis on these words and how using this strategy aids in both fluency and comprehension of the story.

Encourage students to pull out words that are unfamiliar and use the dictionary to help with meaning. Words that might be chosen include: mouthful, collection, studio, maestro, quartet, and practice.

Encourage the use of the thesaurus when discussing certain words in the story:

P.2 — plopped, squeezed 
P.3 — thump 
P.7 — surprised, landed 
P.10 — smashed 
P.24 — astonished