DODO Learning
Think Once. In Both Languages.
Lesson 35
Little DODO · Phase 3
Amelia Bedelia Wins the Day
Amelia Bedelia Means Business
Fluency · Poetry
Children practice fluent, rhythmic reading through a playful poem about bubble gum mishaps.
Vocabulary Exploration· 5 min
Target words
- chaos 77: “Ir you've ever wondered what utter chaos and confusion, mass mayhem,”
- excitement 80: “So I can safely say that this town has seen more excitement in the past fifteen minutes than it has in the past fifty years.”
- admire 80: “However, I've come to admire her spirit.”
- damages 83: “My mom told me that I'm going to have to help pay for the damages.”
Today Amelia Bedelia causes big chaos at the parade, but the mayor says it's exciting! Let's learn four words from her story. Watch my hands — we'll act them out together.
Exploration steps
- Show the word card and matching picture together
- Students chorus each word three times with rhythm
- Act out the word with gestures — chaos is wild arms, admire is thumbs up
Expected responses
- chaos means messy
- excitement is when something fun happens
- admire means you like someone
Differentiation
Fast finishers: make up a sentence using two target words together.
Transition cue
Clap twice — Picture Time.
Anticipated pitfalls
Don't skip gestures — abstract words need body anchors for this age.
Why this matters: Gesture anchors help kids remember abstract words like chaos and admire.
Reading in Class· 10 min
Opening move: Point to the parade chaos on page 77 — dogs running, bikes swerving, everyone honking.
Let's walk through these pages together. First we see the parade — total chaos! Then the mayor calls Amelia Bedelia up. What will he say? Listen for his big line about excitement.
Read-aloud steps
- Picture-walk pages 77-83: parade chaos, mayor's speech, Wild Bill's surprise, Suzanne's bike wreck
- Read aloud once at storytelling pace
- Read again with students chorusing the mayor's line on page 80
Call-and-response refrains
- What does the mayor say about Amelia Bedelia? 80: “When it comes to excitement, Amelia Bedelia means business!”
Expected responses
- Amelia Bedelia means business
- the mayor says she brings excitement
- he says chaos is good
Differentiation
Quiet kids: pair with chorus partner for the mayor's refrain.
Transition cue
Tap nose three times — Questions Time.
Anticipated pitfalls
Don't rush the picture-walk — the chaos details set up the mayor's surprise.
Why this matters: Chorus the mayor's line protects kids who can't yet read independently.
Questions Time· 7 min
Comprehension questions
- Why does Amelia Bedelia think she's in trouble when the mayor calls her name? 79: “When Amelia Bedelia heard the mayor say her name, she wanted to climb into the glove compartment and curl up into a little ball.”
- How does Wild Bill surprise everyone at the end? 80: “I declare her to be the winner of the bicycle contest!”
Extension
Draw a time you caused chaos by accident.
77: “Ir you've ever wondered what utter chaos and confusion, mass mayhem,”
What students produce: Students draw their own chaos moment and share one sentence about it.
Amelia Bedelia thought she was in big trouble. But the mayor surprised her! Now think about a time you made a mess by accident. What happened? Turn and tell your partner, then draw it.
Expected responses
- she thinks the mayor is mad about the parade mess
- Wild Bill gives her the bike prize
- Wild Bill eats her lemon tart and says it's good
Differentiation
Struggling drawers: start with one object from their chaos story — a spilled cup, a broken toy.
Transition cue
Hold up drawing — Show and Tell circle.
Anticipated pitfalls
Don't let one loud answerer dominate — count to three before accepting.
Why this matters: Talk-first protects kids who freeze at a blank page.
Conclusion· 3 min
Student-facing prompts
Recap: I connect to Amelia Bedelia when...
Take-home: Tell someone about a time you made a mess by accident.
Take-home: Tell someone about a time you made a mess by accident.
Today Amelia Bedelia caused chaos but the mayor said it was exciting. Sometimes our mistakes turn into good surprises. Let's connect to her story. Finish this sentence: I connect to Amelia Bedelia when...
Expected responses
- I connect to Amelia Bedelia when I make a mess
- when I try hard and something goes wrong
- when grown-ups surprise me by not being mad
Differentiation
Quiet kids: write their connection sentence instead of saying it aloud.
Anticipated pitfalls
Don't rush the connection — let kids sit with the feeling before sharing.
Why this matters: Same shape every day so kids own the close.