Bears and Beans
Text Type: Fiction • Word Count: 229

READ-ALOUD LESSON
Bears and Beans
Consonant Bb /b/

Other Resources
Decodable Book
Big Bad Bat

• Introduce and expose students to the /b/ sound represented by the letter b.
• Build oral comprehension skills.
• Model fluent reading.

Story Summary
Two bears find and plant some beans. They compete to see whose beans will grow into the biggest tree. The trees end up being exactly the same size. Delicious fruit grows on both trees, which the bears end up sharing.

Build Background
Ask students if they have ever read a story about bears. Have them share their knowledge of bears, such as what they look like, where they live, and what they eat. Ask students what bears would do with beans. 

Preview the Book
Read the title and ask students to identify the sound at the beginning of the words bears and beans. Explain that you will read a story aloud that has many words with the /b/ sound. Have students say the /b/ sound. 

Write bears and beans on the board. Read each word aloud to students. Have volunteers come to the board and take turns circling the letter that stands for the /b/ sound in the words. 

Open the book and show students the illustrations on each page. Ask them to identify any words with the /b/ sound from the pictures. Invite students to predict what the story might be about. 

During Reading
Read the story aloud with expression, emphasizing the /b/ sound in the words. Ask students to clap their hands each time they hear the /b/ sound. 

Allow students to ask questions during reading. Pause occasionally to ask students to predict what might happen next. 

After Reading
Reader Response
Have students explain whether the book is fiction or nonfiction. Invite them to summarize the story and/or describe their favorite part. 

Comprehension
Ask specific questions that allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the book.

• Who were the main characters?
• Where did the story take place?
• What happened first? Next? Last?