Mini-Lesson

Word Play

Mini-Lesson: Grades 2-3

Objective: Students will discuss the craft of writing.

1. Before sharing with your students the timefokids.com news story, The Remote Controls start a discussion about its title. For example:

I went on the TIME FOR KIDS website and I found this story that I thought you might be interested in. The title of the story is "The Remote controls." If you just read the title of the story, and nothing else, what would you think the story is about?

Allow time for students to respond, then share with them the story╒s subtitle. Ask: Does the subtitle help you to better understand the title? Explain.

2. Tell students that when writers try to come up with a title for a story they often look for clever ways to play with words. Sometimes writers come up with titles that mean more than one thing. In this case, the title "The Remote Controls" gives readers the idea that the story is about TV, since it mentions the remote controls that people use to change channels. But when we move past the title and start to read the story we understand the title in a different way. Now the title takes on a new meaning. It╒s not just about television remote controls anymore. The title hints at a bigger idea. What do you think is the big idea that the writer is trying to share with us by choosing this title? Do you think this is a good title for the story? Why?