LESSON 11 TEACHER’S GUIDE The Amazing Octopus by Cindy Baker Fountas-Pinnell Level L Informational Text Selection Summary The octopus uses its eight arms to crawl along the ocean floor. It can also speed through the water by pushing water out of its body. Suction cups on its arms help the octopus grip food. Octopuses have the amazing abilities to change colors, squeeze their soft bodies into tiny places, and squirt ink at enemies. Number of Words: 346 Characteristics of the Text Genre Text Structure Content Themes and Ideas Language and Literary Features Sentence Complexity Vocabulary Words Illustrations Book and Print Features Informational Text Organized by topic, such as movement, food, size, colors Paragraphs with main idea and supporting details Third-person exposition, with occasional direct address to reader Characteristics of octopuses The octopus has unusual and fascinating characteristics that make it unique. Like all living things, an octopus has ways to find food and stay safe. Introductory question and answer Enthusiasm conveyed with examples and punctuation: They are smart enough to open jars! Vivid comparison: A really tiny baby is no bigger than a freckle. Simple, compound, and complex sentences, with phrases Sentences of 14 words or fewer Marine animals: octopus, crabs, sharks, lobsters, clams Possibly challenging vocabulary: amazing, ocean floor, suction cups, grip, beak, enemy, attacks, squirt Measurement terms: miles an hour, six feet long One- and two-syllable words with varied spelling/sound and syllable patterns Three- and four-syllable words: amazing, octopuses, animals, enemy Words with suffixes: really, quickly, scary Photos and drawing support text; some with labels Photo above text on each of eight pages; drawing on one page Section headings on six pages; one to two paragraphs on a page © 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.