Book Study “The Widow’s Broom” Comprehension Skills Tasks

These tasks would be easy to integrate with work on tolerance, differences and acceptance. This is an integrated unit of text dependent Reading and Writing tasks based on Chris Van Allsburg’s picture book, “The Widow’s Broom.” These are great independent centre activities for elementary students. The theme of this story is acceptance of differences and tolerance: ideal for Harmony Week!

This resource includes:

• A poster for being a clever reader ( explaining Close Skills)
• 24 task cards: 4 for each of theses skills;
• Cards with a QR Code for a safeYouTube read aloud of the book
• Flip books for 4 characters
• Foldable petal worksheet about feeling of characters in book
• A cut, sort, paste sequence tasks
• A poster about Themes in books in general
• 4 vocabulary matching worksheets (matching words and meanings)
• Explanation and worksheet on use of this figurative language in the book:
• Alliteration and Personification
• There are 13 writing tasks, 6 of these are dependent upon students having read the book.
  • The other tasks are general tasks on magic, Chris Van Allburg, personification. magic and witches.
  • 2 tasks rely on a QR Code: one safeYouTube author interview, the other the author’s website

  The tasks require students to delve deeply into the book, illustrations and think about fear and tolerance.

  The goals are for students to improve their comprehension skills by making connections with the characters and events in the story.

  The code doesn’t take the place of the physical book, so please read the book and share the striking illustrations.

  After you have read and shared the books, the codes allow students to listen again and replay as needed to complete the responses.