Why There Are Shooting Stars? Level 19-20

Why There Are Shooting Stars? is a beautifully told folktale in which a series of coyotes ambitiously attempt to dance with the stars. Each one insists they are capable, but one by one they fall from the sky-appearing to people on Earth as shooting stars. This imaginative narrative blends elements of mythology with natural phenomena, inviting readers to reflect on cultural storytelling. The text features paragraphing to indicate shifts in time, place or speaker, as well as grammatical features such as contractions (e.g., can't, couldn't) and various forms of the word dance. Time is measured with poetic references like œmoons and œsnows, enhancing the folktale's lyrical quality. Framed illustrations enrich comprehension and support visual literacy. This story is ideal for guided reading to explore genre, narrative voice, and comparative texts.

Educational Benefits:

• Supports genre identification through folktale structure and language.
• Develops vocabulary with verb tense variations and poetic time references.
• Enhances grammatical understanding of contractions and verb endings.
• Encourages comparative thinking between author intent and reader response.

Classroom Ideas:

• Create a class discussion about cultural explanations for natural events.
• Write a modern folktale using animals and natural phenomena.
• Use the text to practise identifying verb forms and contractions.
• Explore framed illustration techniques in students' own story art.

Information:

• Reading Level: 19-20 (Purple)
• Theme: Maths, Animals, Birds and Insects
• Suitable for ages: 8-10 years
• Format: Paperback reader