Explore a clever Thanksgiving tale with this engaging Rooted in Reading companion for Turk and Runt by Lisa Wheeler! This week-long resource helps students read between the lines and think carefully about characters while strengthening comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar skills.

Over the course of 5 days, students will describe the characters Turk and Runt and compare how they act, then practice making inferences by combining what the text says with what they already know. Students will also make predictions and write to the characters with suggestions of their own.

Students will extend their learning with the paired nonfiction reader Turkey Talk, building background knowledge about turkeys and connecting the fictional story to real-world information. Two versions of the reader are included, one slightly more challenging than the other, so you can choose the best fit for your students.

Vocabulary instruction focuses on the words feasted, strut, orchard, deserve, graceful, maniac, basted, sputtered, grinned, and brave. Students interact with these words throughout the week to build vocabulary and strengthen their understanding of the story.

Each day includes a Daily Deep Dive featuring a mentor sentence. Students use these sentences to practice close reading, editing, grammar, comprehension, and noticing the choices authors make when constructing sentences.

The week's grammar focus is adverbs, with practice telling adjectives and adverbs apart and using adverbs and verbs together in sentences.

This resource includes:

• 5 days of detailed lesson plans for comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar
• Describing characters lessons and activities
• Making inferences instruction and responses
• Paired nonfiction reader about turkeys in two levels
• Comprehension focus posters, anchor chart templates, and discussion questions
• Reading response activities, printables, and assessments
• Grammar and language lessons focused on adverbs and adjectives
• Directed drawing, informational writing, and a turkey craft
• Vocabulary instruction featuring the week's targeted words
• Daily Deep Dive mentor sentence activities