A Chair for My Mother Belonging in Books™ Reading Comprehension Week-Long Unit

Belonging in Books | PreK–2nd Reading Comprehension Curriculum for Close Read and Read-Alouds

If you’re looking for a low-prep, high-impact way to bring purposeful comprehension instruction into your PreK–2 classroom or homeschool, this resource is for you! Part of the Belonging in Books curriculum, this unit supports deep thinking, joyful reading, and inclusive discussion using a powerful anchor text:

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

This week, students will read and explore A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams as they follow Rosa and her family as they work together to save money after a house fire. Through discussion, vocabulary, and story analysis, students will focus on summarizing key events and identifying the problem and solution in the story. Learners will explore themes of perseverance, community support, and gratitude while recognizing how everyday people can make a difference in the lives of others. Students will also read The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern as a connected text, comparing how both stories highlight compassion and caring within a community.

Each Belonging in Books unit is built around a high-quality read-aloud and carefully designed to:
✔️ Teach comprehension through rich, age-appropriate conversations
✔️ Build vocabulary and language skills in context
✔️ Explore story elements and text structures
✔️ Practice key comprehension strategies
✔️ Support synthesis using a paired companion text
✔️ Center student voices and diverse perspectives

What’s Included:
5-day lesson arc (20–30 minutes/day):

• Day 1: Connect & First Read
• Day 2: Vocabulary Exploration
• Day 3: Story Elements or Text Structure
• Day 4: Comprehension Skill
• Day 5: Paired Text & Synthesis Discussion

+Semi-Scripted daily lesson plans
+Thoughtful discussion questions
+Printable graphic organizers
+Visual Vocabulary and child-friendly definitions
+No Prep student practice sheets
+Anchor chart templates
+CCSS Alignment
+Student “I Can” statements
+Lesson plans for a culminating project or hands-on response
+Companion text suggestion and extension ideas

Each book in Belonging in Books can be a stand alone week of learning, or you can dive into an entire thematic unit of quality mentor texts that connect through themes, character experiences, comprehension strategies, and text structures.

Check out the rest of the Belonging in Books Curriculum!

This unit is part of the Unit 6 Bundle.