Want to create interactive content? It’s easy in Genially!

Get started free

RSRT Y3 L1 Hello, Universe

Literacy Counts

Created on January 30, 2026

Start designing with a free template

Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:

Essential Business Proposal

Project Roadmap Timeline

Step-by-Step Timeline: How to Develop an Idea

Artificial Intelligence History Timeline

Mind Map: The 4 Pillars of Success

Big Data: The Data That Drives the World

Momentum: Onboarding Presentation

Transcript

Ready Steady Read Together

Hello, Universe: Fiction Lesson 1

What do you think you know?

What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?

Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.

Explore

What do you know and think?

Some people are just born defective…

How might this extract link to the illustration?

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Today's Question(s)

A) What can you infer about Chet’s feelings about the girl who is deaf?

B) What impression do you get of Mr Bullens and his attitudes towards other people?

Explore

Let me read today's text

Explore

There was something weird about being deaf. It wasn’t natural. That girl had a lotta nerve. Chet kind of suspected she wasn’t really deaf, anyway. He wondered if she was just faking so she could spy on everyone. If she was deaf, how come she could talk? Even if it sounded like her mouth was full of marbles. She was probably faking that, too. Plus, she knew how to read lips, and that was just plain creepy. She probably read all their lips and kept a diary of their secrets. She probably knew everything, like who stole from the vending machine or carved curse words into the desks. And that made Chet’s skin crawl, considering he was the one who did both of those things. Chet looked up at his father. His dad had his ‘after-work look’, as his mom called it – no tie, dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar, black slacks. Chet wasn’t one hundred percent sure what his dad did at work, but whatever it was, Chet wanted to do it too. Something about corporate sales, whatever that was. Something that made Mr Bullens an important person who sometimes had to travel to faraway places like Europe or Seattle.

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Mr Bullens liked to say that a smart man had an answer for every question. That’s how you get respect – you know more than anyone else and you teach people who aren’t as smart as you. Respect came in two flavours, Mr Bullens said: fear or admiration. Sometimes both. Otherwise you’re just a weakling at the bottom of the food chain, ready to get crushed under someone else’s boot. That’s why Chet liked asking his dad questions. He always got an answer. Learned something new. “What makes people deaf?” Chet asked. “Don’t know. Lots of things, I guess,” Mr Bullens said, tossing the Doritos in the cart. “Some people are just born defective. Why? Do you see one?” Chet casually glanced behind him. Valencia was gone. But he could still feel her glare. There was definitely something wrong with that girl. Deaf people were just weird, that’s all. “Nah,” Chet said. “I was just wondering.” “They’ve got a few working here. Sometimes the grocery store gives jobs to those kind of people. Like a favour, you know? Disabled people don’t have it all going on upstairs” – Mr. Bullens tapped his forehead – “but they can figure out how to bag groceries.” Chet nodded.

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Vocabulary

Explore

Hover for definitions!

a lotta nerve

read lips

mouth was full of marbles

weakling at the bottom of the food chain

defective

disabled

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

I will model the first.

Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner

a lotta nerve

Explore

Find Read Talk

There was something weird about being deaf. It wasn’t natural. That girl had a lotta nerve.

Reveal Vocabulary

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

a lotta nerve

Your turn

mouth was full of marbles

Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner

read lips

weakling at the bottom of the food chain

defective

disabled

Use your text

Explore

Vocabulary Check & Re-read

Explore

Reveal Vocabulary

There was something weird about being deaf. It wasn’t natural. That girl had a lotta nerve. Chet kind of suspected she wasn’t really deaf, anyway. He wondered if she was just faking so she could spy on everyone. If she was deaf, how come she could talk? Even if it sounded like her mouth was full of marbles. She was probably faking that, too. Plus, she knew how to read lips, and that was just plain creepy. She probably read all their lips and kept a diary of their secrets. She probably knew everything, like who stole from the vending machine or carved curse words into the desks. And that made Chet’s skin crawl, considering he was the one who did both of those things. Chet looked up at his father. His dad had his ‘after-work look’, as his mom called it – no tie, dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar, black slacks. Chet wasn’t one hundred percent sure what his dad did at work, but whatever it was, Chet wanted to do it too. Something about corporate sales, whatever that was. Something that made Mr Bullens an important person who sometimes had to travel to faraway places like Europe or Seattle.

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Reveal Vocabulary

Mr Bullens liked to say that a smart man had an answer for every question. That’s how you get respect – you know more than anyone else and you teach people who aren’t as smart as you. Respect came in two flavours, Mr Bullens said: fear or admiration. Sometimes both. Otherwise you’re just a weakling at the bottom of the food chain, ready to get crushed under someone else’s boot. That’s why Chet liked asking his dad questions. He always got an answer. Learned something new. “What makes people deaf?” Chet asked. “Don’t know. Lots of things, I guess,” Mr Bullens said, tossing the Doritos in the cart. “Some people are just born defective. Why? Do you see one?” Chet casually glanced behind him. Valencia was gone. But he could still feel her glare. There was definitely something wrong with that girl. Deaf people were just weird, that’s all. “Nah,” Chet said. “I was just wondering.” “They’ve got a few working here. Sometimes the grocery store gives jobs to those kind of people. Like a favour, you know? Disabled people don’t have it all going on upstairs” – Mr. Bullens tapped his forehead – “but they can figure out how to bag groceries.” Chet nodded.

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Fluency

Explore

Let me use my reader's voice...

Mr Bullens liked to say that a smart man had an answer for every question. That’s how you get respect – you know more than anyone else and you teach people who aren’t as smart as you. Respect came in two flavours, Mr Bullens said: fear or admiration. Sometimes both.

What did you notice?

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

My Turn
Your Turn

Echo Read

Mr Bullens liked to say that a smart man had an answer for every question.

That’s how you get respect –

you know more than anyone else

and you teach people who aren’t as smart as you.

Respect came in two flavours, Mr Bullens said: fear or admiration.

Sometimes both.

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Sound like a reader!
Stand up!

Choral Read

Mr Bullens liked to say that a smart man had an answer for every question. That’s how you get respect – you know more than anyone else and you teach people who aren’t as smart as you. Respect came in two flavours, Mr Bullens said: fear or admiration. Sometimes both.

Explore

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Focus

Explore

Strategy: Read Between the Lines

A) What can you infer about Chet’s feelings about the girl who is deaf?

Be a detective and look for clues!

Teach

Let me show you

Reveal Text Marks

There was something weird about being deaf. It wasn’t natural. That girl had a lotta nerve. Chet kind of suspected she wasn’t really deaf, anyway. He wondered if she was just faking so she could spy on everyone.

A) What can you infer about Chet’s feelings about the girl who is deaf?

Reveal Explainer

The words ‘weird’ and ‘wasn’t natural’ show that Chet is not accepting of people who are different. His language suggests that being deaf is ‘strange’ or ‘wrong’, which shows that Chet is being unfair and judgemental to the girl just because she is different.

Teach

From: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Stop

What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?

Teach

Your Turn

A) What can you infer about Chet’s feelings about the girl who is deaf?

B) What impression do you get of Mr Bullens and his attitudes towards other people?

Find the answers
Text mark

Explore

Text Mark Evidence that girl had a lotta nerve

feels annoyed or bothered by her presence

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence - Chet kind of suspected she wasn’t really deaf - he wondered if she was just faking (deafness) - if she was deaf, how come she could talk - she was probably faking that (speaking), too

suspicious of her / does not trust her / thinks she’s pretending to be deaf

A) What can you infer about Chet’s feelings about the girl who is deaf?

Text Mark Evidence - she knew how to read lips, and that was just plain creepy - that (lip reading) made Chet’s skin crawl

feels uncomfortable / unsettled

Text Mark Evidence - he wondered if she was just faking so she can spy on everyone - she probably read all their lips and kept a diary of their secrets

feels threatened or worries she is watching him

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence - it sounded like her mouth was full of marbles - there was definitely something wrong with that girl - deaf people were just weird

he is critical or judgemental of her

Practise & Apply

Text Mark Evidence - Chet wasn’t one hundred percent sure what his dad did at work, but whatever it was, Chet wanted to do it too - something that made Mr Bullens an important person

Chet views him as having status, being important or powerful

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence - Mr Bullens liked to say that a smart man had an answer for every question - that’s how you get respect – you know more than anyone else - that’s why Chet liked asking his dad questions…he always got an answer

views himself as clever or superior to others

B) What impression do you get of Mr Bullens and his attitudes towards other people?

Text Mark Evidence - respect came in two flavours, Mr Bullens said: fear or admiration - otherwise you’re just a weakling at the bottom of the food chain, ready to get crushed under someone else’s boot

gains power through intimidation / judges people by their strength

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence - some people are just born defective - sometimes the grocery store gives jobs to those kind of people…like a favour, you know

unkind, judgemental and prejudiced

Practise & Apply

Quiz Time

Start

Picture Me

Which image is the best match for ‘read lips’?

Which One's Right?

“Disabled people don’t have it all going on upstairs…” Which answer best completes the sentence? Mr Bullens is (incorrectly and unkindly) suggesting that people with disabilities...

B) only like certain jobs like bagging groceries.

A) should only work upstairs instead of in the store.

D) are veryproductive workers.

C) are not very cleveror intelligent.

True or False?

Chet carved rude words into the desks at school.

False
True

Tick Me

Why might the author have included characters who are unkind and prejudiced towards people who are deaf?

Tick two:

A) To help the reader notice that characters’ views are unfair or wrong.

B) To make the story more exciting by adding secrets and drama.

Check

C) To share that character’s ideas and thoughts are always correct.

Click if correct

D) To show how some people misunderstand deafness and difference.

Feedback: Who did what well?

FindRead Talk

EchoRead

ChoralRead

ReadingStrategy

Answers & Text Marks

Other...

To be a book lover, you could...

visit libraries.

Reveal

Libraries are treasure troves for finding new and exciting reads.

Copyright Notice

This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly © 2017 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.