Strategic Teaching Plan Desert Biome Judy Ball EDU 742 ... · Desert Biome Strategic Teaching Plan...

Strategic Teaching Plan

Desert Biome

Judy Ball

EDU 742 Study Skills and Content Literacy

April 20, 2010

Desert Biome Strategic Teaching Plan Page 1

Introduction

Throughout the year my 18 second graders have been learning about biomes of the earth.

Previous to this Desert Biome Unit, the students have investigated the freshwater biome, the grasslands, the

Arctic regions, the tropical rainforest, and the temperate forests of the USA. The key Science concepts we have

concentrated on are the animals, plants, and climate within these biomes. In addition, we have been locating

where these biomes are in the world. These are the concepts I continued to focus on within this plan.

There is a wide range of reading abilities in this class. Two students are at DRA Level B and one

student is at DRA Level D. These students receive special education support. One student is at Level 12. He is

currently receiving Title I services and has been referred for special education testing. The other student who

struggles in reading is currently at Level 16. He also receives Title I reading services and is being referred for

testing. The other students range from DRA Levels 20 to 28. Data gained from January assessments shows that

all students have comprehension goals. There are a handful of students who are working on accuracy

strategies. Most read fluently in terms of phrasing and rate, but we continually work on showing

understanding by reading with appropriate expression. With this in mind, I feel the Content Literacy strategies I

have chosen to include in this plan will definitely help all students with comprehension. Flexible groupings

throughout the unit will allow for those students who struggle to be successful by working with those who are

strong. I wanted to organize for instruction by providing opportunities for students to work alone, with a

partner, in a small group, and with the whole class.

As I developed this unit it became quite difficult to leave out certain resources. However,

understanding my students’ interests, I felt they would be motivated by the materials chosen. I have included

big books, multiple copies of books, a video, and internet sites. Throughout the unit students will be exposed

to all content literary processes: Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Viewing. It is organized in such a

way that the Tools for Instruction can be easily found at the beginning of each lesson. I was able to include


more than six tools. The K-W-L tool is used throughout the unit. Some lessons are focused on Pre-reading

tools. Most lessons have Pre-reading, During Reading, and Post Reading activities built in. This unit contains

something the other previous biomes units have not, a rubric for the final Utilization project. I felt this was an

important piece to include as I am curious if it will help show clearer understanding of this biome compared to

the other biomes we have studied.

I hope this unit will be helpful to my second grade colleagues in developing similar units for

other biomes and other content area units. Developing this Strategic Teaching Plan certainly will help me next

year as I transition into the teaching of first grade curriculum.

Desert Biome Strategic Teaching Plan


Lesson 1 Introduction Learning Objective: Students will activate prior knowledge of what makes up a biome as well as what they think they already know about the desert by sharing with a partner and recording their ideas individually. Students will discuss and write about what they want to know about the desert.

Component: Initiating

Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, p. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Pairs, Individual, Whole Class Materials:

One Inquiry Chart (first page only) for each child (see attached document)

Large Inquiry Chart on chart paper with same information as student copy (What do we think we already know? What do we want to know?)

These charts already have questions related to the concepts of what makes up a biome. They will ask questions related to them. For example, for “What plants live in the desert?” they can write questions they have related to that topic. Plants, animals, climate, and regions are concepts they have worked on previously with other biomes.

Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Students will gather on the rug for Morning Meeting. We will review what makes up a biome. Ask the students to Turn and Talk. They will greet each other then share what they think they already know about the desert. They will be given as much time as needed. Then, they will individually greet everyone in the class and share one idea.

Step 2: Show the class the large Inquiry Chart and review the questions at the top of each heading. Instruct them to take an individual copy of the same chart and record their ideas. Tell them their responses will be copied and placed on the large classroom chart for all to see, so their work must be neat and legible, and they need to write their names in each box. Each child must have at least two questions. Step 3: Copy each child’s responses. Post what they know on the class chart. Give each student a copy of each of questions he or she had. Review all they know! Then have each student share with the class each question. Tape the questions onto the chart in the appropriate boxes. Record any other questions that may arise during the discussion.

Report Card

Reading Effort Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Science Makes and records observations Work/Social Habits Works and plays cooperatively Participates in class discussions


Name __________________________________

Inquiry Chart Strategy/Desert Biome In the first row, jot down what you already know about this topic. As you read or view information jot down information that answers the questions.

What are the plants like in the

desert?

What interesting animals live in the

desert?

What is the climate like in the

desert?

Where are the deserts?

What do I think I already know?

Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:

What do I want to know?

Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:



desert?


desert?


desert?


What is a Biome? Bobbie Kalman

Fiction Non-fiction

Alejandro’s Gift (book)

Richard E. Albert

Fiction Non-fiction



desert?


desert?


desert?


Gila Monsters Meets You at the

Airport (Reading Rainbow)

Fiction Non-fiction

A Saguaro Cactus Jen Green

Fiction Non-fiction

The Three Little Javelinas

Susan Lowell

Fiction Non-fiction



desert?


desert?


desert?


One Day in the Desert

Jean Craighead George

Fiction Non-fiction

Cactus Hotel Brenda Guiberson

Fiction Non-Fiction

The Desert Alphabet Book

Jerry Palotta

Fiction Non-fiction


Lesson 2 Introduction, Part 2 Learning Objective: Students will activate further background knowledge and build interest in the topic of the desert. Students will make predictions about genres. Students will discuss what they think they will learn about the desert by reviewing the resources that will be used in the unit.


Strategy: Resource Pass (based on Book Pass) (Allen, 2004) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Small Group, Whole Class Materials:

Large class chart with three columns: Resources, Comments, and Questions

Pages 2, 3, and 4 of Individual Inquiry Chart for each child. Each of the following resources are listed:

Alejandro’s Gift Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport

(Reading Rainbow Video) A Saguaro Cactus

The Three Little Javelinas One Day in the Desert

Cactus Hotel The Desert Alphabet Book

What is a Biome?

A copy of each of the above materials. Lesson for Pre-reading Step 1: Tell the students they are going to get to “examine” the materials found for them to help them answer their questions about the desert.

Step 2: Review with the whole class the large class chart. Introduce each of the resources by reading the title of each. Tell them they are going to work in a small group and do what is called a “Resource Pass”. They should look at each resource with their partners and think about what they might learn. They should examine titles, pictures, blurbs, text features, etc. Decide if it is fiction or non-fiction. They should be prepared to share with the class any comments or questions they have about one of the resources. Show them where their ideas will be recorded and assign each resource to a group. Step 3: Divide the class into eight groups. They should be sitting around in a circle. There will be 2 to 2 students per group. Tell the students that when you say “Resource Pass” they will pass the resource to the group sitting next to them. Allow 2 to 3 minutes for the “examination”. Continue until each group has had an opportunity to view all materials. Step 4: Take one of the resources and ask the assigned group to share their comments and questions. Record on the class chart. Ask if they think the resource is fiction or non-fiction and ask them to give reasons why they think so. Do this for all of the other resources. Conclusion: Are there any new questions we have about the desert? Are we adding to our background knowledge or our schema? Ask the students if they think they will have fun learning about the desert by investigating these resources. Tell them they will begin the next day with the story titled, Alejandro’s Gift by Richard E. Albert.


Report Card

Reading Effort Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Distinguishes between a variety of types of texts Makes predictions Science Makes and records observations Work/Social Habits Works and plays cooperatively Participates in class discussions Willing to try new activities Courteous in speech and actions Listens attentively


Lesson 3 One Day in the Desert Learning Objective: Students will use prior knowledge and textual clues to draw conclusions and form interpretations of text. Students will ask questions.

Component: Initiating/Constructing

Strategy: Artistic Response (Miller, 2002, pp. 80-81) Content Literary Process: Reading, Listening, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual, Whole Class, Pairs Strategy: Text Structures and Supports (Allen, 2004) Content Literary Process: Reading Materials:


Drawing paper divided into thirds

Crayons or pencil crayons

A copy of the index for each student

Chart paper Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Close your eyes. Think about yourself in the desert. What do you see? What do you feel? What do you hear? Do you smell anything? Turn and talk with a neighbor about the movie you made in your head. Today we will begin reading one person’s interpretation of one day in the desert. Let’s look at the title. Is the author the illustrator? What did the illustrator include in the cover picture? Why do you think he chose these images? Let’s preview the book together. Remember good readers ask questions before they read. Do you notice there are chapters but no chapter titles? Let’s look at the pictures. What are you wondering? Is this going to be a story or a factual book? Introduce Bibliography. Hand out the copies of the index and review its contents. Are there any words we know? Do these words give us any hint as to what this book might be about? What words are we curious

about? Step 2 (During Reading): As you listen to the first chapter today I would you like you to use your background knowledge to make pictures in your head. Listen carefully to the words the author uses to begin her story. You will stop two times to sketch your “movie”. Your pictures are sketches, so they don’t have to be perfect. Just try your best to show your thinking. Stop after the first two paragraphs. Ask students to sketch the desert. Stop after the next four paragraphs. Ask students to sketch the mountain lion in the desert. Read the rest of the chapter. In the last box, have the students write a question. Step 3 (Post-Reading): Turn and Talk with a neighbor. Share your sketches and questions. Record all of the questions on chart paper. The key information will be recorded on Inquiry Charts before the next chapter.

Animals: mountain lion, cactus wren, Gila woodpeckers, kit foxes, bats,

Plants: cactus (picture clue)

Climate: dry river (arroyo), dry, hot, still, hot air, 80 degrees F,

Location: Sonoran Desert of Arizona


Report Card Reading Uses text features to predict content and obtain information Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Writing Includes details/information relevant to topic Science Understands basic concepts Makes and records observations Work/Social Habits Participates in class discussions


Lesson 4 One Day in the Desert Learning Objective: Students will use text features to make predictions. Students will listen for and record facts about the desert.

Component: Constructing

Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual, Whole Class Strategy: Text Structures and Supports (Allen, 2004) Content Literary Process: Reading Materials:


Chart of Questions from Chapter 1

Inquiry Charts

Map of the United States

Copies of index Step 1 (Post-Reading): Let’s think back to yesterday’s chapter. What information could we include on our inquiry charts? Reread the chapter to make sure all ideas are recorded. Step 2 (Pre-Reading): Now let’s find out more about the desert by reading the next chapter. The author does something interesting. Are you wondering about the mountain lion? The chapter is on pages 6-11. Let’s look through the index and locate words we should be listening for. Arizona, 8 barrel cactus, 9 Canada, 6 cat, ring-tailed, 10, 11 (teach purpose of italics) Chiuhuahuan Desert, 8 cholla (teddy- bear cactus), 7, 7, 9 coyote, 11 deer, 11 in plants, 10-11

fox desert, 11 desert, adaptations to in animals, 10-11 Great Basin Desert, 7 Mexico, 8 mountain lion, 11 North American Desert, 9 Pacific Coast, 9, 10 prickly pear, 9, 9 raccoon, 11 rain, 9 rain shadow, 10 rat kangaroo, 10, 11 sagebrush, 7, 7 saguaro, 8, 9 Sonoran Desert, 8 yucca, 8, 8 What do you think today’s chapter is going to be about? Why do you think so? Step 3 (During Reading): As we read listen for animals, plants, climate, and location information we can add to our Inquiry charts. Do you think by previewing the index we will be adding a lot? Step 4 (Post Reading): Did any of our questions get answered? What new questions do we have? Report Card Reading Uses text features to predict content and obtain information Social Studies Geography


Lesson 5 Alejandro’s Gift, Part 1 Learning Objective: Students ask questions before, during, and after reading.


Strategy: I Wonder Notebook (Miller, 2002, p. 134) Content Literary Process: Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Individual Materials:

Premade notebooks. Covers to choose from with different desert clipart and the title, “Wondering about the Desert”.

Alejandro’s Gift by Richard E. Albert Step 1: Allow children to choose a cover for the Wonder Notebook. They write their names, color, and paste the cover onto the notebook. Explain that these special notebooks can be written in at anytime when they have a question about the desert or any of the material we read or view about the desert. The teacher will make a notebook, too.

Step 2 (Pre-reading): Review the cover and the title of Alejandro’s Gift. Make a prediction about the setting (where and when), main character, and possible problem. Ask each child to write one question in their notebooks BEFORE reading. Be sure to write a question, too, but do not share it until the children have written theirs. Step 3: Tell them as they go on a Picture Walk, they should write one more question BEFORE reading. Have the students share their questions. Step 4 (During Reading): Before reading it aloud, tell them to listen carefully to see if any of their questions get answered. Also, remind them that there may be information in this book that will help them add information to their Inquiry Charts. Remind them that good readers are always thinking and asking questions, so they are to write at least one question DURING the reading of the story. Stop at least twice during the story and jot down your own I wonder questions. Encourage them to save comments for later, but do encourage them to raise their hand to signal if one of their questions gets answered! Step 5 (Post Reading): AFTER the book is finished, ask the students to write one more question. Step 6: Turn and Talk with a partner and share the questions that were written. Review with the students what kind of questions they asked. Were some answered right in the text? Were some answers figured out because of our background knowledge? Report Card Reading Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Writing Includes details/information relevant to topic


___________’s

I Wonder Notebook

___________’s

I Wonder Notebook

___________’s

I Wonder Notebook

___________’s

I Wonder Notebook


Lesson 6 Alejandro’s Gift, Part 2

Learning Objective: Students will listen for and record key points about the desert.


Strategy: X Marks the Spot (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 115-116) Content Literary Process: Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class Materials:

Anchor Chart Two fingers crossed which stands for, “I have found some interesting, new information.” This can be added to later for, “This is confusing; I have a question about what this means.”

Alejandro’s Gift by Richard E. Albert

Desert Inquiry Charts (class and individual) Step 1: Demonstrate how students can show they have made a key discovery about the desert by crossing two fingers in the air. Encourage them to do this as you reread the book with a different purpose. Tell them that after reading the book they will be filling in their own Inquiry Charts with any information they may learn about plants, animals, climate, or regions.

Step 2 (During Reading): Read the book. Encourage students to make Xs as you have demonstrated after each page is read. Step 3 (Post Reading): Because this is the first resource used in the unit, work as a whole class to decide what information should go into each box of the Inquiry Chart. Have them record information on their individual charts as it is filled in on the Class chart. Key information Animals: burro, ground squirrel, pocket gophers, jackrabbits, kangaroo rats, pocket mice, roadrunners, gila woodpeckers, thrashers, cactus wrens, sage sparrows, mourning doves, desert tortoise, coyote, desert gray fox, bobcat, skunk, badger, long-nosed coati, peccaries (javelinas), antlered mule deer, fawns. Plants: underbrush, mesquite bush, saguaro Climate: ”desert heat” Location: Southwestern region of US. See glossary at back of the book. Report Card Science Understands basic concepts Makes and records observations Social Studies Geography


Lesson 7

What is a Biome? Learning Objective: Students will listen for and record key points about the desert.

Component: Initiating and Constructing

Strategy: X Marks the Spot (Stephens & Brown, 2005, p. 59) Content Literary Process: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class Strategy: Text Structures and Supports (Allen, 2004) Content Literary Process: Reading Organizing for Instruction: Pairs, Whole Class Materials:

What is a Biome? By Bobbie Kalman

Inquiry Charts (class and individual) Initiating (Pre-Reading) Step 1: Hand out books. Partners will share. Review the cover and the title. Is this book fiction or non-fiction? How can you tell? Review the Table of Contents and locate the pages where information about the desert can be found. Also be sure to view the world map on page 4. Go to those pages and talk with your partner about the text features (photos, maps, captions, bold words, etc.).

Constructing (During Reading) Step 2: Ask them to show the “X Marks the Spot” signal as you read the book aloud when they hear facts about the desert. Record the information onto the Class Chart. Step 3 (Post Reading): Have students write the information onto their individual charts. Key Information Animals: kangaroo rats, rattlesnakes, camels, jackrabbits, desert tortoise, prairie dog, peccaries Plants: succulents, saguaro cactus, prickly pear, very few plants in sandy deserts, grasses that bloom but flowers quickly die Climate: less than ten inches of rain a year, hot and cold deserts Location: See map on page 4. Sonoran Desert in southwest US Report Card Reading Uses text features to predict content and obtain information Social Studies Geography Science Makes and records observations


Lesson 8 Where are the Deserts? Learning Objective: Students will locate deserts found on earth. Students will gain understanding that not all deserts are alike.


Strategy: Venn Diagram (Stephens & Brown, 2005, p. 121) Content Literacy Process: Reading, Writing, Viewing Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Individual, Pairs Materials:

Interactive White Board

Map of Deserts on Earth http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-desert-map.htm

Copy of map for each student http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/label/desert/ Scan this so it can be shown on the white board.

Website that describes Hot and Cold Deserts http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/types.htm

Website that shows photographs of specific deserts around the world

http://ag.arizona.edu/~lmilich/desert.html

Venn Diagram for each student

Scan this so it can be shown on the White Board

Step 1: (Before Viewing) Looking at the K-W-L chart, where are some of the deserts on earth? As we investigate this further today, we will be comparing and contrasting two different desert locations. Are there similarities? Are there differences? Step 2: Show Map of the Deserts on Earth on Interactive White Board. Give a few minutes to view the map. Talk and turn with a neighbor about what you observe. Do you have any questions?

Step 3: (During Viewing) What did you notice? Concepts to cover:

Title

Legend

What imaginary line isn’t shown? (equator)

Are countries or continents shown?

Which desert is the largest?

Which continent has all three kinds of deserts?

What kinds of deserts are in the US?

Are there any deserts on this map that are on our K-W-L chart?

What deserts might you like to know more about?

Step 4: Show Venn Diagram on white board. Provide students with their own copies. What ideas should we think about as we compare the Sonoran Desert with the Arabian Desert? The Venn Diagram will help us organize what is similar and what is different. Step 5: Go the site that describes hot and cold deserts. Review the physical features and special facts. Pay special attention to the two deserts being compared. Record observations. Step 6: Share the photographs of specific deserts using the ag.arizona.edu site. Record specific similarities and differences between the Sonoran and Arabian pictures. Step 7: Turn and talk with a neighbor. Tell which desert you would most like to visit. Give two reasons why.

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-desert-map.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/label/desert/

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/types.htm



Step 8: (Post Viewing): Show World Map on White Board. Pass out copies of the map from Enchanted Learning to each student. Students can work with a partner to label the deserts.

Report Card Reading Uses text features to predict content and obtain information Makes connections to what is read Science Observes, identifies, and describes patterns and relationships Social Studies Understands and applies basic concepts of Geography Work/Social Habits Works and plays cooperatively Participates in class discussions


Lesson 9 One Day in the Desert Learning Objective: Students will create images to clarify thinking and enhance understanding.


Strategy: Dramatic Response (Miller, 2002, pp. 81-82) Content Literary Process: Listening, Reading Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Individual, Partners, Small Groups Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, p. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Reading, Listening, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual, Whole Class Materials:

One Day in the Desert- Chapter 3

Inquiry Charts Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Are you still wondering what happened to the mountain lion? Today we will find out. Today you will need to listen to the words and make mental images in your mind. Volunteers will be asked to act out what they think is happening in the desert on this day, July 10th. Step 2 (During Reading): Stop after the following passages and ask for volunteers to show a dramatic interpretation. p. 12 He sought the shade of a giant saguaro cactus and lay down to rest. p. 13 The scent of lion reached the nose of a coyote who was cooling off under the dark embankment of the dry river not far from the Papago Indian hut. He lifted his ears nervously and got to his feet. He ran swiftly into his burrow beneath the roots of the ancient saguaro cactus that grew beside the hut.

p. 15 The scent of the lion reached the old boar. He lifted his head and watched the great beast. The lion turned away from the peccary family and limped toward the Indian hut. All the pigs, big and little, watched him. pp. 17-18 Act out the spider and beetle meeting. Step 3 (Post Reading): Have students write information gained about the desert onto Inquiry Charts. Key Information Animals: coyote, roadrunner, peccaries, tarantula, crickets, headstand beetle, Plants: prickly pear cactus, paloverde trees, ocotillo, grass, Climate: 112 degrees F, drying up in the heat, lack of moisture, dry desert, hot and cold air collided and exploded into a chain of white clouds picking up desert dust. Location: Mexico-Arizona border Report Card Reading Makes inferences Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Science Makes and records observations Social Studies Geography


Lesson 10 The Desert Alphabet Book, Part 1 Learning Objective: Students will practice thinking about what has been read by pausing.


Strategy: Link and Think (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 117-118)) Content Literary Process: Reading Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Partners Materials:

The Desert Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta

Anchor Chart – Have What is Link and Think? at top.

Step 1: Ask students describe what the word LINK makes them think or what picture they have in their minds. Explain that good readers pause and THINK about difficult material. They need to push the PAUSE button. Tell the students they will be watching the teacher Link and Think for the first and last part of the book, and then they will get a chance to do so for the middle part. Also, show them the Anchor Chart. Tell them examples of what PAUSE means will be recorded on the chart. Step 2 (Pre-Reading): Review the cover and the title of The Desert Alphabet Book. Discuss background knowledge of alphabet books. Are you wondering about any of the pictures on the cover? What is the purpose of reading this book?

Step 3 (During Reading): Read aloud the pages for letters A through H. Pause on each page for the following reasons and record those reasons on the Anchor Chart. It means PAUSE and . . . A – Deserts are areas of earth that get hardly any rain. (. . . make a connection between what I am reading and something I already know.) Then it buries itself underground and secretes a protective coating around its skin and waits for it to rain again. (. . . ask myself questions about what I am reading.) B – Entire page. (. . . make video in my mind of what I am reading.) Words like shaggy, long and fuzzy fur, double-humped, can be in the “video”. Also, (. . . ask myself questions about what I am reading.) Where is China, Mongolia, and the Gobi Desert? C - If you think all desert creatures are dull-looking and ugly, you might be wrong. (. . . make a connection between what I reading and something I already know.) I remember that most of the animals in the tropical rainforest are colorful. I thought most desert animals were dull and ugly, too. (. . . ask yourself questions about what I am reading.) Are most desert animals dull-looking and ugly? If so, why? Will the rest of this book answer my question? D – After first paragraph. (. . . make a connection with something read in a previous sentence or paragraph.) I remember reading about the Bactrian Camel on the B page. It had two humps. This Dromedary Camel has only 1!


E – Elf Owls eat mostly insects, centipedes, and scorpions. (. . . talk about what I am reading with someone else and select something specific to discuss.) Boys and girls, this owl eats totally different food than Mr. Ocax from the book, Poppy. What do you think about that? F – F is for Fennec. (. . . look for clues from the picture.) I have never heard of a Fennec before. It looks like a fox but with longer ears. It has a long bush tail and its face looks like a fox. G – The Golden Wheel Spider curls itself into a ball and rolls down the sand dunes to escape anything that tries to bother it. (. . . make a video in my mind of what I am reading.) H – Can you do a cartwheel? Can you stand on your head? (. . . make a prediction about what will come next or happen next in the selection.) I can do a cartwheel, but I can’t do a headstand. It looks like this insect might be protecting itself by standing on its head. (This prediction is incorrect, but it gets the students to realize that’s okay.) Step 4: Have photocopied pages of pages I through Q ready. Show them the pages before assigning. Tell them they will work with a partner to practice LINK and THINK. For this part of the lesson, it would be a good idea for the partners to take reading sentences. After every sentence have them LINK and THINK. Tell them they will give a short report about the page when they have finished. Step 5: When partners share, ask if PAUSING helped them to understand the page in any way. Use the Anchor Chart if necessary to help them.

Step 6: Continue modeling LINK and THINK as the last pages of the book are read. Conclusion (Post Reading): Think about which reasons for pausing are easy for you. Which ones might you like to practice more? Why is this good strategy? Report Card Reading Makes connections to what is read Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Work/Social Habits Works and plays cooperatively Participates in class discussions Courteous in speech and actions


Lesson 11 The Desert Alphabet Book, Part 2 Learning Objective: Students will record facts about the desert.


Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Pairs, Individual, Whole Class Materials:

The Desert Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta

Inquiry Charts – Class chart and individual charts

Map of the World Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Ask what the purpose was for reading The Desert Alphabet Book the first time. It was to practice Checking for Understanding. Tell them that sometimes we revisit books for a different purpose. Today we will read the book to continue learning key facts about the desert biome. Tell them we will need a world map because this book will help us learn about where the deserts of the world are. Step 2 (During Reading): Read the A through H pages aloud to the whole class. Discuss and record information on the Class Chart. Step 3: Send the partners who read together for pages I through Q off to reread and record important information on their own individual charts. Tell them they will report the class any important information we can add to the Class Chart.

Step 4 (Post Reading): Bring the class back together, share, and record key facts. Step 5: Repeat Step 2 for the remaining pages. Conclusion: What was our purpose for reading today? Were we able to add any new information to our Charts today? Key Information Animals: Australian Water-holding frog, Bactrain Camel, Crimson Chat, Dromedary Camel, Elf Owl, Fennec, Golden Wheel Spider, Headstanding Beetle, Inland Taipan, Jird, Kulan, Meerkat, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Palmate Gecko, Quail Thrush, Red Racer, Desert Tortoise, Ursine Giant Skipper, Vaquira, Ground Squirrel, scorpions, centipedes Plants: Livingstone Cactus, Saguaro Cactus, prettiest wildflowers on earth, yucca plant, welwitschia, zaita Climate: Less than 10 inches of rain per year, hot days Location: Gobi Desert, northern China and Mongolia, Australia, Sonoran Desert of southwest US, northern Africa and Arabia, Namib Desert of Africa, Mojave Desert, Mexico, South America Landforms: column, pinnacle, spire, dunes, mesas, buttes, playas Report Card Writing Includes details/information relevant to topic


Lesson 12 One Day in the Desert Learning Objective: Students will create images to clarify thinking and enhance understanding.


Strategy: Dramatic Response (Miller, 2002, pp. 81-82) Content Literary Process: Listening, Reading Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Individual, Partners, Small Groups Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, p. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Reading, Listening, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual, Whole Class Materials:

One Day in the Desert- Chapters 4 and 5

Inquiry Charts

I Wonder Notebooks Step 1 (Pre-Reading): What has happened so far on this day in the desert? We will continue to practice showing understanding of text by acting out different parts of chapters 4 and 5. As always, continue asking questions. Today you can write them in your I Wonder Notebooks. Step 2 (During Reading): Stop after the following passages and ask for volunteers to show a dramatic interpretation. p. 21-22 (A tortoise walks to his burrow. Peccaries are hunched under paloverde bushes staring at the lion. Tortoise finds rabbit in the burrow. A lizard and a gecko try to get in the burrow to get away from the heat. p. 24-25 Peccaries squeal in fright as lion walks by. The run and hide. Lion climbs up to hut

Where Bird Wing and mother are sleeping. He crouches, slinks low, and drinks water from bucket. p. 15 The scent of the lion reached the old boar. He lifted his head and watched the great beast. The lion turned away from the peccary family and limped toward the Indian hut. All the pigs, big and little, watched him. Step 3 (Post Reading): Have students write information gained about the desert onto Inquiry Charts. Key Information Animals: desert tortoise, cottontail rabbit, spiny-tailed lizard, gecko, cactus wren, kangaroo rat, cicadas, elf owl Plants: mesquite tree Climate: 117 degrees F, 121 degrees F Report Card Reading Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Makes inferences


Lesson 13 A Saguaro Cactus Learning Objective: Students will practice using conventions of text and print to cue them into the content of the book.


Strategy: Text Structures and Supports (Allen, 2004) Content Literary Process: Reading Organizing for Instruction: Pairs, Whole Class Materials:

A Saguaro Cactus by Jen Green (multiple copies)

I Wonder Notebooks

Blank chart paper Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Ask the students what the purpose of reading this book could be? Is it fiction or non-fiction? How do you know? Do you have any background knowledge about this book? Step 2: Pass out books for partners to share. Go on a preview of the book pointing out the important text features they will be looking at with their partners. Conventions of Text – title of book, photographs, Table of Contents, titles of chapters, subheadings, captions for photographs, illustrations, and maps, diagrams, Words to Know, Index Conventions of Print – titles and subheadings are in bold type, key glossary words are in bold type, captions are in italics, interesting facts are bulleted Step 3: Send the partners off to preview the book. Remind them to share and write any “I wonder questions” as they do so. Be sure lower readers are paired up with at grade level or higher readers.

As they work observe and record for assessment purposes.

Step 4: Bring the class back together. Find a different partner and share “I Wonder” questions. Step 5: Ask each student to share one important and meaningful question to share with the whole class. Record each question on a chart. Conclusion: What was our purpose for pre-reading today? Do you think if we read the book some of our questions will get answered? Report Card Reading Uses text features to predict content and obtain information Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Work/Social Habits Demonstrates positive attitude toward learning


Lesson 14 A Saguaro Cactus, Part 2 Learning Objective: Students will read for factual information and record it.


Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Small Flexible Group, Individual, Whole Class Materials:

A Saguaro Cactus by Jen Green (multiple copies)

Inquiry Charts (whole class and individual) Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Today we will read the book in order to learn new information. Thinking back about your preview, what do you think you will be learning about? There are five sections of the book, so four groups will take one section each to read, gain and record information, and share with the rest of the class. Model how to share the book, take turns reading and recording information by doing the first section together (Deserts Around the World). Step 2: Ask four students to volunteer to be part of the modeling group. Ask them what the purpose of the activity is. What kinds of behaviors should classmates have in order for that to happen? Model how to share the books, take turns reading, and recording information on individual Inquiry Charts. Review with the class what went well. For fun, you could have another group model what the activity shouldn’t look like. Record the behaviors on a small chart to be the anchor for what is expected.

Step 3 (During Reading): Share the titles of the four sections to be read. Have each child choose a first and second choice. Assign the chapters and groups and give plenty of time for the activity. As they work in their groups observe the following for assessment purposes: Step 4 (Post Reading): Gather groups together. Students within each group will take turns sharing what they learned. This information will go on the Class Chart. As information is shared, encourage others to ask clarifying questions. Conclusion: Is there any new information we learned about the desert today? Are there any new questions we have? Report Card Reading Effort

Monitors for meaning and asks questions

Writing Effort Includes details/information relevant to topic

Science

Effort Makes and records observations

Social/Work Habits

Willing to try new activities Follows directions Listens attentively Positive attitude toward learning Works/plays cooperatively


Key Information Animals: fennec fox, diamondback rattlesnake, kangaroo rat, roadrunner, desert scorpion, kit fox, burrowing owl, ground squirrel, monarch butterfly, cactus wren, elf owl, gila woodpecker, jackrabbit, gila monster, tarantula, sidewinder, Harris hawk, long-nosed bats, lizards, beetles, grubs, spiders, wood rats, desert tortoise, jewel wasp, spadefoot toad, ant lion, Plants: Saguaro Cactus (lives up to 200 years, up to 56 feet tall, world’s largest cacti, weigh as much as an elephant, provides food, moisture, and shelter for animals), cholla, soft grasses, many plants have short lives, bright flowers, flowers of Saguaro bloom in spring, flowers of Saguaro open at night and wither next day Climate: some are very hot, some are very cold, in hot deserts temperatures can be as high as 122 degrees F, no clouds in hot deserts, intense daytime heat, sun’s scorching heat, Location: either side of the Equator, southeastern Arizona, African Sahara desert, southwestern USA, Sonoran Desert, Mexico,


Lesson 15 One Day in the Desert Learning Objective: Students will determine meanings of unknown words by using schema, using textual clues, thinking, making mental images, and rereading.


Strategy: What Can You Do to Figure Out Word Meanings? (Miller, 2002, pp. 108 and 109) Content Literary Process: Reading Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class Materials:

One Day in the Desert – Chapters 6 and 7

Chart paper with three columns: Word, What we infer it means, What helped us?

Inquiry Charts Step 1 (Pre-Reading): What are some strategies we have been practicing to help us figure out the meanings of words we are not sure of? Today we will continue to think out loud. We will also record our thinking on the chart. If you hear a word you don’t understand, raise your hand and we will write it on the chart and discuss it. Also, be thinking about what more we can learn about the desert. Step 2 (During Reading): The following words are words to focus on. Chapter 6 The kangaroo rat felt the earth tremble. Lightning flashed around them like horsewhips. The rain fell in such torrents . . . The woodpecker stayed where he was, bracing himself with his stiff tail.

Chapter 7 . . . and the waterfalls cascaded out of the sky . . . . . . climbed onto an uprooted mass of prickly pears. Stunned, he shook himself and looked around. Recovering his wits, the coyote pounced upon him. Step 3 (Post-Reading): Review the strategies used to infer the meanings of the words. Discuss what needs to be added to the Inquiry charts.

Key Information

Animals: tortoise, kangaroo rat, coyote, peccaries, roadrunner, elf owl, mountain lion

Plants: saguaro cactus, paloverde bushes, prickly pears

Climate: torrential rain,

Location: mountain, riverbed, valley,

Report Card

Reading Uses vocabulary features to unlock word meaning Makes inferences


Lesson 16 Cactus Hotel, Part 1

Learning Objective: Students will practice making text-to-text connections. The will practice asking meaningful questions before and after reading. Students will practice being part of a discussion.


Strategy: Questions Game (Allen, 2004) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Partners, Whole Class This may require two sessions. Materials:

Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson (big book)

Copies of A Saguaro Cactus

I Wonder Notebooks

Post-it Notes

Blank chart paper Step 1: Tell the students today that they will practice understanding what they read by using the strategy of making text-to-text connections. Their questions today will be written on post-it notes so they can be exchanged among students. When the activity is done, the post-it notes can be pasted into individual I Wonder Notebooks. Step 2 (Pre-Reading): Introduce the book by showing the cover and reading the title, author, and illustrator. Ask if the title or illustration reminds them of another text we have read (A Saguaro Cactus). Have each student write one question on a post-it note about the book before going on a Picture Walk. Ask the students to go on a Picture Walk with you but do not write a question until you have reached the middle of the book. Continue on the Picture Walk and have each student write one more question.

Step 3: Each student will choose a partner with the same colored post-it notes to trade questions with. They trade the notes and read each other’s questions. On the back they can jot down notes. Then, the partners sit down together and discuss the before reading ideas. Step 4: Time Out. Ask each pair to create three questions that came out of the discussion. They can be unanswered questions or new ones prompted from the discussion. Step 5: Each pair then exchanges questions with another pair of students. The two students in each pair discuss the new questions and try to answer them. The two paired teams then sit together and discuss the preview using their six questions as prompts. Then, ask each team of four to create one new question that is still unanswered or is interesting enough for a whole class discussion. Step 6: Chart questions and group the common elements. Talk about how much we already know and we haven’t even read the book yet! Thinking about our background knowledge, asking questions, and making connections are effective strategies for understanding!! Step 7 (During Reading): Read and enjoy the book together. Ask them to wait to write down three questions until after reading the book. Step 8: Repeat Steps 3 through 6. Conclusion (Post Reading): Were we able to make any text-to-text connections today to help us understand the desert better? . Report Card Reading Uses vocabulary features to unlock word meaning Makes inferences Makes connections to what is read


Lesson 17 Cactus Hotel, Part 2 Learning Objective: Students will read text for the purpose of gaining information. They will record facts.


Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual, Whole Class Materials:

Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson (big book)

Inquiry Charts (whole class, individual) Step 1: Ask the students if they think they have learned a lot about the desert so far. Remind them that they recorded many important facts after reading A Saguaro Cactus. After yesterdays, Question Game, do they think there will be a lot of the same information or a lot of new information? Tell them that today they are going to practice recording information on their own since they have done it previously with the class and with a partner. Step 2 (Post Reading): Provide each student with a clipboard so they can record as the book Cactus Hotel is reread out loud. Tell them that to make it easier to record their thinking; they can circle any information that is already on their charts for the book, A Saguaro Cactus. If there is any new information, they can write it.

Step 3: After the book is done, record any new information gathered on the Whole Class chart. Conclusion: We are becoming desert experts. Are there any questions we still want to find out the answers to? A follow-up activity might be for each student to choose which book they liked best and write about the reasons why. Another follow-up activity might be creating a Venn Diagram comparing this book with Once There Was a Tree read during the Forest Biome Unit. Key Information (text-to-text connections are in bold type) Animals: ground squirrel, house finch, pack rat, jackrabbit, coyote, bees, bats, birds, gila woodpecker, insects, white-winged dove, elf owl, ants, mice, lizards, snakes, foxes, scorpion, millipede, termites, collared lizard, ground lizard Plants: saguaro cactus, paloverde tree, white and yellow flowers on saguaro, bright red fruit on saguaro, saguaro lives for two hundred years, saguaro provides food, moisture, and shelter for animals Climate: “hot dry day”, hot summer sun, cold winter nights, some rain, hot days, frosty nights, can be windy Location: Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona and northern Mexico


Report Card Reading Makes connections to what is read Science Observes, identifies, and describes patterns and relationships Work/Social Habits Is able to work independently


Lesson 18 One Day in the Desert Learning Objective: Students will make a prediction and then confirm or contradict the predictions as they read on.


Strategy: Making Predictions (Miller, 2002, pp. 109-111) Content Literary Process: Reading, Listening, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Individual Materials:

One Day in the Desert – Chapters 7 and 8

Two Column note form (see Miller, p. 8.4)

Step 1 (Pre-Reading): Discuss what happened in Chapter 7. Reread important passages to jog memories. Think about what will happen next and write your prediction on the left. Draw a picture to go along with your prediction. Explain what the thinking is behind your prediction in the right column. Ask volunteers to share. Step 2 (During Reading): As you listen to the last chapter, listen for any words that confirm your prediction. When you hear them make a C with your thumb and pointer finger and hold it up in the air, so you can share your thinking out loud.

Step 3 (Post-Reading): Did this book end like you thought it would? What do you think the most important event was? Turn and talk with your neighbor about the event you think was important and explain why you think it was. Report Card Reading Makes predictions Work/Social Habits Is able to work independently


Lesson 19 The Three Little Javelinas, Part 1 Learning Objective: Students will read the author’s note on the story to gain information about the desert. Students will use metacognitive skills, think inferentially, draw on prior knowledge, and think aloud.


Strategy: Missing Words (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 137-138) Content Literary Process: Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual, Whole Class Materials:

The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

The Three Little Pigs (big book)

Text rewritten and copied for each student. Key words are deleted. Scan this and present it using the Interactive Whiteboard. Also have a copy for each student.

Step 1 (Pre-Reading): To draw upon prior knowledge read the big book, The Three Little Pigs. Have them read the story along with you. Step 2: Draw upon prior knowledge and remind them of the different versions of The Gingerbread Man we have read. Also, remind them of the versions of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Tell them today they will be reading another author’s version The Three Little Pigs.

Step 3: Discuss the title and the cover of The Three Little Javelinas. Looking at the cover illustration, why might I have chosen this version to read? What questions do you have? Tell them that before reading the real book, they are going to use strategies to complete the story with missing words. What strategies on our CAFÉ menu might help with this? (Cross-checking, monitor and fix up, background knowledge, text-to-text connections, skip and read ahead, reread, make inferences, etc,). Step 4 (During Reading): Show the text on the interactive white board. As words are figured out call individuals up to write in the missing letters. Finish reading the story together and as words are figured out discuss how words are determined. Emphasize that good readers are always thinking about their reading. Emphasize that through previous readings they have learned a lot about the desert which helps them read new text. Step 5 (Post Reading): What pictures or “videos” were you making in your minds? Reread the first page. Have the students draw an illustration to show the picture the words created in their heads. (Visualizing Strategy) Step 6: Share the pictures. Are there similarities? Are there differences? Why? Conclusion: What did you learn from today’s lesson? Read the book aloud to the students asking them to join in! Report Card Reading Makes inferences Makes connections to what is read


Name _______________________________________ Date ____________________________

The Three Little Javelinas Written by Susan Lowell Illustrated by Jim Harris Use Cross-Checking to figure out the missing words. Does the word you think it is sound right? Does it look right? Does it fit or make sense? What other strategies can you use?

Once upon a time, way out in the d__ __ __ __ __, there

were three little javelinas. Javelinas (ha-ve-LEE-nas) are wild,

hairy, southwestern cousins of p__ __ __.

Their heads were hairy, their backs were hairy, and their

bony legs – all the way down to their little hooves – were very

h__ __ __ __. But their snouts were soft and pink.

One day, the three little javelinas trotted away to seek

their fortunes. In this h__ __, dr__ land, the sky was almost

always blue. Steep p__ __ __ __ __ mountains looked down

below on the d__ __ __ __ __, where the c__ __ __ __ __

forests grew.

Soon the little javelinas came to a spot where the path

divided, and each one went a d__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ way.

The first little javelina wandered lazily along. He didn‟t

see a dust storm whirling across the d__ __ __ __ __ - until

it caught him.

The whirlwind blew away and left the first little javelina

sitting in a heap of tumble__ __ __ __s. Brushing himself

off, he said, “I‟ll build a h__ __ __ __ with them!” And in no

time at all, he did.


Then along came a c__ __ __ __ __. He ran through the

desert so quickly and so quietly that he was almost invisible.

In fact, this was only one of C__ __ __ __ __ „s many magical

tricks. He laughed when he saw the tumbleweed house and

smelled the javelina inside.

“Mmm! A tender juicy piggy!” he th__ __ __ __ __.

Coyote was tired of eating m __ __ __ and

r__ __ __ __ __s.

He called out sweetly. “Little pig, little pig, l__ __ m __

c__ __ __ i__.”

“N__ __ b__ the h__ __ __ of my ch__ __ __ __ -

ch__ __ - ch__ __!” sh__ __ __ed the first javelina (who had

a lot of hair on his chinny-chin-chin!)

“Then I‟ll __ __ __ __ , and I‟ll __ __ __ __, and I‟ll

__ __ __ __ your house in!” said Coyote.

And he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the little

tumbleweed house away.

But in all the hullabaloo, the first little javelina escaped –

and went looking for his br__ __ __ __ __ and

s__ __ __ __ __.

Coyote, who was very sn__ __ __ __, tiptoed along

behind.


The second little javelina walked for miles among the

giant c__ __ __ __ __ plants called s__ __ __ __ __ __ __

(sa-WA-ros). They held their r__ __ ripe fruit high in the

sky. But they made almost no sh__ __ __, and the little

javelina grew hot.

Then he came upon a Native American woman who was

gathering sticks from inside a dried-up cactus. She planned

to use these long sticks, called saguaro ribs, to knock down

the sweet cactus fruit.

The second little javelina said, “Please, may I have some

st__ __ __ __ to build a house?”

“Ha‟u,” (Ha-ou) she said, which means “yes” in the

language of the Desert People.

When he was finished building his house, he lay down in

the sh__ __ __. Then his brother arrived, panting from the

h__ __ __, and the second little javelina moved over and made

a place for him.


Pretty soon, Coyote found the saguaro rib house. He

used his m__ __ __ __ to make his voice sound just like

another javelina‟s.

“L__ __ __ __ __ p__ __, l__ __ __ __ __ p__ __,

l__ __ me c__ __ __ in!” he called.

But the little javelinas were

s__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __. The second one cried, “No!

Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!”

“Bah!” thought Coyote. “I am not going to eat your

h __ __ __.”

Then Coyote smiled, showing all his sharp teeth: “I‟ll

__ __ __ __ , and I‟ll __ __ __ __, and I‟ll __ __ __ __ your

house in!”

So he huffed, and he puffed, and all the saguaro ribs

came t__ __ __ __ __ __ __ down.

But the two little javelinas escaped into the

d__ __ __ __ __.

Still not discouraged, Coyote followed. Sometimes his

magic did fail, but then he usually came up with another

tr__ __ __.


The third little javelina trotted through the beautiful

p__ __ __ v__ __ __ __ trees, with green trunks and yellow

flowers. She saw a s__ __ __ __ sliding by, smooth as oil. A

h__ __ __ floated round and round above her. The she came

to a place where a man was making adobe (a-DOE-be) bricks

from mud and str__ __. The bricks lay on the ground, baking

in the h__ __ s__ __.

The third little javelina thought for a moment, and said,

“May I please have a few adobes to b__ __ __ __ a

h __ __ __ __?”

“Si,” answered the man, which means “yes” in Spanish, the

brick-maker‟s language.

So the third javelina built herself a s__ __ __ __ little

adobe house, cool in summer and warm in winter. When her

brothers found her, she welcomed them in and locked the

d__ __ __ behind them.

Coyote f__ __ __ __ __ __ __ their trail.


“L__ __ __ __ __ p__ __, l__ __ __ __ __ p__ __,

l__ __ me c__ __ __ in!” he called.

The three little javelinas looked out the window. This

time Coyote pretended to be very o__ __ and w__ __ __, with

no teeth and a sore paw. But they were not fooled.

“No! N__ __ b__ the h__ __ __ of my

ch__ __ __ __ - ch__ __ - ch__ __,” called back the third

little javelina.

“Then I‟ll huff, and I‟ll puff, and I‟ll blow your house in!”

said Coyote. He grinned, thinking of the wild pig dinner to

come.

“Just try it!” sh__ __ __ __ __ the third little javelina.

So Coyote huffed and puffed, but the adobe bricks did

not b__ __ __ __.

Again, Coyote tried, “I‟LL HUFF . . . AND I‟LL PUFF . . .

AND I‟LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE IN!”

The three little javelinas covered their hairy ears. But

nothing happened. The javelinas peeked out the window.


The tip of Coyote‟s raggedy t__ __ __ whisked right

past their noses. He was climbing upon the tin roof. Next,

Coyote used his magic to make himself very sk__ __ __ __.

“The stove pipe!” g__ __ __ __ __ the third little

javelina. Quickly she lighted a f__ __ __ inside her wood

stove.

“What a feast it will be!” Coyote said to himself. He

squ __ __ __ __ __ into the stove pipe. “I think I‟ll eat them

with red hot chile sauce!”

Whoosh. S-s-sizzle!

Then the three little javelinas heard an amazing noise. It

was not a bark. It was not a cackle. It was not a h__ __ __.

It was not a scream. It was all of those sounds together.

“Yip

yap

yeep

YEE-OWW-OOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Away ran a puff of smoke shaped like a

c__ __ __ __ __ __.


The three little javelinas lived h__ __ __ __ __

e__ __ __ a__ __ __ __ in the adobe house.

And if you ever hear Coyote‟s voice, way out in the

d__ __ __ __ __ at night . . . well, you know what he‟s

remembering!


Lesson 20 The Three Little Javelinas, Part 2 Learning Objective: Students will look for desert facts within a fictional text and record them on an Inquiry chart.


Strategy: K-W-L (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 84-85) Content Literary Process: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Partners, Whole Class, Individual Materials:

Copies of the Missing Words activity for The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

Inquiry Charts (individual and whole class)

Highlighters Step 1 (Post Reading): What information about the desert did we learn by reading The Three Little Javelinas? Look through your copy of the story and find words and phrases that show you this story takes place in the desert. Look for facts we can record on our inquiry charts. Work with a partner to locate this information and highlight any information you find. When you are sure you have found as much information as you can, record it onto your individual inquiry charts. Be ready to share your findings with the whole class. Step 2: Gather whole class together and take turns sharing findings. Teacher or students can record on the whole class chart.

Key Information Animals: javelinas (wild, hairy pigs), coyote, mice, rabbits, snake, hawk Plants: cactus forests, tumbleweeds, saguaros, paloverde trees Climate: “hot, dry land”, purple mountains, blue sky, dust storm, no shade, panting from the heat Location: southwest, Native American woman, Desert People, adobe brick houses, red hot chile sauce, southern Arizona, northern Mexico, Texas, New Mexico, California Report Card Reading Monitors for meaning and asks clarifying questions Science Observes, identifies, and describes patterns and relationships


Lesson 21 Reading Rainbow – Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport Learning Objective: Students will practice writing questions as way of understanding what life in a desert

biome would be like. Students will practice communicating ideas through discussion.


Strategy: Key Questions (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 109-110) Content Literary Process: Thinking, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Viewing Organizing for Instruction: Whole Class, Partners Strategy: K-W-L Materials:

I Wonder Desert Notebooks

Reading Rainbow – Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport

Inquiry Charts Session 1 Step 1 (Pre-viewing): Talk about what words many of our questions begin with. Tell them today they will be asking questions that begin with Who, What, When, Where, and How. Step 2: Imagine your family has decided to move to the desert in a state in the US. Before watching the video, write one idea for each key question. Share your questions with a partner. Step 3: There will be two more opportunities for you to write Key Questions in your notebooks. One will be after the field trip through the Arizona desert. The other will be after the story Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport is read.

Step 4 (During Viewing): View each section of the video and stop after each so the students can write their Key Questions. Sharing takes place with the partner after each section. Did your questions change? If so, why? Conclusion: Look through your notebook. Put a star next to any question in which the answer would make you want to live in the desert. Put an X next to any question in which the answer would make you not want to live in the desert. Session 2 Work together as a class to record information on the whole class inquiry chart after students have worked with a partner to record information they remember on their own charts. Assessment Reading Makes connections to what is read Writing Expresses self using the writing process Includes details/information relevant to topic Work/Social Habits Works and plays cooperatively Participates in class discussions Courteous in speech and actions


Culminating Lesson Learning Objective: Students will utilize what they have learned about the desert by creating paintings and

writing a poem. Students will engage in a meaningful, extended writing activity in which they will communicate with others their ideas and insights into the knowledge they have developed and the connections they have made throughout the entire desert biome unit.

Component: Utilizing

Strategy: Writing for Publication (Stephens & Brown, 2005, pp. 206-208) Content Literary Process: Reading, Writing Organizing for Instruction: Individual Materials:

Desert Inquiry Charts

Picturing Writing paper, crayons, watercolor paints

Writing Journals

Presentation Paper

Rubric

Writing Menus Step 1: What does reviewing the inquiry charts you have created show you? You have learned a great deal about this biome! Now it’s time to create a painting and a poem to show what you have learned. Remember how you have created a painting and a poem for each of the other biomes we have studied? That’s what you will be doing but this time there will be what is called a rubric to complete when your project is complete. Step 2: What kind of poems have you written to combine informational writing with imaginative writing? Two-Worders (grasslands), If It Weren’t For . . . (forests), If I Were . . . (tropical rainforests), Five Senses (Arctic regions), Parts of Speech (fresh water). Look through your Writing Journal and think back to the process you went through to create each one. Review your published pieces.

Step 2: You will be given the choice as to which poem form you would like to use to show what you know about the desert. Let’s look at the Writing Menu and review what you need to do to create a plan. Your audience will be your parents, book buddies, and others who will be invited to our Poetry Pageant in June. Step 3: Because you have had experiences with this before, this time there will be something called a rubric for you to think about as you go about your project. This tool will help you and me to know if you can show excellent understanding of what is expected. Review the rubric. Step 4: Choose your poem form and begin your plan. Place your star on the board that shows this is where you are in the writing process. When you think the plan on paper is done, you may create two paintings. Remember, the first one must show what plants there are in the desert and what the climate is. In the second one you must show plants, climate, and at least one animal. Be sure the picture of the animal is large enough so your viewer can see all of its unique characteristics! Use our resources if you need to.

Name on back

Ground lines, plants, and animals with crayon

Wet the paper before you paint

Paint the sky Step 5: Check to make sure you have completed everything under the Planning column of the Writing Menu. Move onto Drafting. Be sure you skip every other line.


Step 6: As you draft each day, remember to write the date where you begin and reread what you wrote the day before. Always check your plan and rubric. Step 7: Review all of the steps for Drafting before you move on to Improving. Remember when you have a peer conference to share one example of an element of good writing and to ask your classmate about something more you want to know or something that is unclear. Think about the comments your classmate made about your piece and take time to go back and make your piece the best piece it can be. What tool comes in handy when trying to paint pictures in people’s minds? Try using the Word Collector in our class or a thesaurus. Step 8: After you have made your improvements, be sure to meet with the teacher. You can read a book from the Ocean Biome basket while you wait. Before you meet with the teacher, complete your part of the rubric. Step 9: After your content conference with the teacher, proofread your piece. Use the Writing Menu to help you to remember what to look for. Make corrections with a colored pencil. Underline words you think don’t look right. Check your personal dictionary to see if you can find the correct spellings. Step 10: Fill out the last part of the rubric. Meet with your teacher. Read a book from the Ocean Biome while you wait. Step 11: After you meet with the teacher, copy your piece onto presentation paper. Reread it carefully before you turn it in.

Conclusion: Share your piece with the class! Report Card Writing Demonstrates best effort Expresses self using the writing process Includes details/information relevant to topic Uses appropriate punctuation/capitalization Isolates sounds; uses appropriate letters to spell Uses knowledge of spelling patterns to spell words Correctly spells sight words

Social Studies Understands and applies basic concepts of Geography Science Understands basic concepts Observes, identifies, and describes patterns and relationships


Name _______________________________________________

Desert Biome Final Project Rubric

Painting

Outstanding Good Needs Work

Animal I included a desert animal. I showed all of its unique characteristics and showed how it would act in the desert and where in the desert it lives.

I included a desert animal. I showed some of its unique characteristics.

I included a desert animal. I did not show its unique characteristics. It is not doing anything in my picture.

Plants I included more than one desert plant. I showed all of the unique characteristics of the plants.

I included one desert plant. I showed some of its unique characteristics.

I included one desert plant. I did not show any of its unique characteristics.

Climate My painting shows the climate of the desert in more than one way.

My painting shows the climate in one way.

My painting does not show the climate of the desert.

Effort I took my time. I looked over my Inquiry chart. I looked through our resources. I tried my absolute best. This is the best painting I have done this year.

I took my time. I tried my best.

I could try harder on this next time.


Writing - Content

Outstanding Good Needs Work

Animal My words show how the animal acts, what it eats, what it looks like, and where in the desert it lives.

My words show two of the ideas in the first column.

My words do not show understanding of the desert animal in my picture.

Plants My words show what the plant looks like and how it is important to the desert.

My words show what the plant looks like.

My words do not show understanding of the desert plant in my picture.

Climate My words show three or more ideas about the desert climate.

My words show two ideas about the desert climate.

My words do not show understanding of the desert climate.

Location My words show where this desert is and names a specific desert.

My words show where this desert is.

My words do not show I understand where the desert in my picture is.

Effort I took my time and worked hard. I looked over my Inquiry chart. I looked through our resources. I tried my absolute best to follow the steps on the Writing Menu.

I tried hard. There may be some things I could have done to make my piece of writing better.

I need to try harder to be the best writer I can be.


References Student Resources Albert, R. (1994). Alejandro’s gift. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC. Burton, L. (Producer). (1983). Gila monsters meet you at the airport: Reading Rainbow (TV Episode). United States: GPN/WNED-TV. EnchantedLearning.com (2001-2002). Label map of deserts. Retrieved April 18, 2010 http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/label/ George, J. (1983). One day in the desert. New York: Scholastic Inc. Green, J. (1999). A saguaro cactus, New York, NY: Crabtree Publishing Co. Guiberson, B. (1991). Cactus hotel. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Kalman, B. (1997). What is a biome? New York: Crabtree Publishing Company. Lowell, S. (1992). The three little javelinas. New York: Scholastic, Inc. MapXL, Inc. (1991). World desert map. Retrieved April 18, 2010, http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-desert-map.htm Missouri Botanical Garden (2002). Types of deserts. Retrieved April 18, 2010, http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/types.htm Pallotta, J. (1994). The desert alphabet book. Watertown: Charlesbridge Publishing. Van Sant, T. (1990). Deserts of the world. Retrieved April 18, 2010, http://ag.arizona.edu/~lmilich/desert.html

Professional Resources

Allen, J. (2004). Tools for teaching content literacy. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers.

Miller, D. (2002). Reading with meaning. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers.

Stephens, E. & Brown, J. (2005). A handbook of content literacy strategies: 125 practical reading and writing ideas (2nd ed.). Norwood: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/label/



http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/types.htm


Strategic Teaching Plan Desert Biome Judy Ball EDU 742 ... · Desert Biome Strategic Teaching Plan...

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