The purpose of this study was to investigate what effect providing supplemental background knowledge in the form of a book talk would have on first graders' listening comprehension following a read aloud. Research shows that providing background knowledge creates a foundation and/or builds upon previously set schema on which further information can be placed. This study asked whether specifically addressing information contained within a read-aloud trade book during a pre-reading book talk would create significant short-term schema that would later become activated during listening comprehension. From a class of 20 first grade students (all of whom heard all treatment titles read), 6 students, representing a cross section of the class population, were post-tested after the readings. Six titles were delivered, the initial three were read with no book talk, while the second set of three were accompanied by a book talk, props, and theatrics. The post-test for each of the titles consisted of two vocabulary words gleaned from the book text as well as two literal and two inferential questions. The post-test showed significant improvement in the students' listening comprehension using the treatment conditions over the control conditions. (Contains 60 references and 4 tables of data. Appendixes contain: the survey instrument keys and book talks; literature used in the session; rubric instruments used to score post-tests; survey instruments; and full transcription.) (Author/RS)