Maddi’s Fridge 

Common Core Curriculum Guide Grades K - 3 

Reading and Writing 

 

Maddi’s Fridge is a story about two young girls who find that the power of friendship can overcome any obstacle. Using Common Core standards, this curriculum guide helps teachers explore with their students the concepts of friendship and overcoming challenges. Students also have the opportunity to write or draw their own nonfiction stories. 

 

Reading 

 

1. Explore what makes a good friend. 

• Prior to reading: With students, brainstorm the qualities of a good friend. 

• Make a list on the board. 

• Encourage students to keep these qualities in mind as they meet Sofia, Maddi, Luis, Ryan, and Pepito. 

• After reading, ask students to come up and check off one of the friendship qualities they saw in one of the characters. 

• Encourage students to provide evidence from the book to show that the character has this quality. 

• Ask students, “What message do you think the author wanted us to learn from this story?

 

Common Core Standards Addressed: RLK.1, RL1.1, RL2.1, RL3.1, RL1.2, RL2.2, RL3.2, RLK.10 

 

2. Discuss how the characters handle challenges. 

 

• Prior to reading: Tell students, “One thing I know about this story is that one or more of the characters faces a challenge (define challenge if necessary). I want you to listen carefully and see if you can figure out who faces the challenge. As we read, be thinking about a challenge a character faces and how they responds to it.” 

• After reading: Ask students, “Who faced a challenge in this story?” 

• Ask students, “What actions did he or she take?” 

• Ask students, “How did their feelings help the characters decide what to do?” 

• Breaking a promise is a pretty big decision. Ask students, “When would you break a promise?” 

 

Common Core Standards Addressed: RL1.3, RL2.3, RL3.3, RL1.7, RL2.7, RL3.7, RLK.10 

 

3. Examine how words and phrases are used in the text. 

 

• Reread several pages to demonstrate one or two places where words or phrases were repeated in the story. Examples include: 

  • Sofia ran home past the grocery store… 

  • Luis saying “I want Cheesy Pizza Bombs” 

  • “___ may be good for kids, but ___ is not good for backpacks.” 

  • Maddi and Ryan still had an empty refrigerator 

  • “Yuck” and “Double Yuck” 

• Ask students to work in groups and come up with other pages or scenes that show repetition. You can project on an overhead or document camera so students can read along and see the words. 

• Write their answers on the board. 

• Ask students, “How does repetition help the structure of the story?” Answers might include: 

  • Sofia ran home past the grocery store… (to show change) 

  • Luis saying “I want Cheesy Pizza Bombs” (to show change/humor) 

  • “___ may be good for kids, but ___ is not good for backpacks.” (to show change/humor) 

  • Maddi and Ryan still had an empty refrigerator (show lack of change/ hint at character frustration) 

  • “Yuck” and “Double Yuck”; “Always” and “Double always” (show emotion, set up for a twist) 

 

Common Core Standards Addressed: RLK.4, RL1.4, RL2.4, RL3.4, RLK.10 

 

Writing 

 

1. Write About Friends Helping Friends 

 

• Divide your class in two. 

• Have half the class write about a time someone helped them. 

• Have the other half write about a time they helped someone. 

• Depending on grade, have students peer edit stories. 

• Let your students share their stories. 

 

Common Core Standards Addressed: WK.3, W1.3, W1.6, W2.3, W2.6, W3.3