U



Grade 2

English Language Arts

Unit 4: Information Quest

Time Frame: Approximately three weeks

Unit Description

This unit focuses on locating, gathering, and interpreting information from a variety of sources. The unit also focuses on reading, organizing, and interpreting data from simple timelines, charts, diagrams, graphs, and maps. The skills acquired through this unit should be applied and strengthened throughout the year.

Student Understandings

The main goals of this unit are to have students gather, organize, and interpret information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources. Students locate information in magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and electronic sources. Students should be able to publish a simple research report, writing project, and book summary.

Guiding Questions

1. Can students locate and interpret information from a variety of sources?

2. Can students locate and read information on timelines, charts, graphs, diagrams, and maps found in newspapers?

3. Can students tell and write about the sources of information learned?

4. Can students use available technology to publish a variety of works?

Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

|Grade-Level Expectations |

|GLE # |GLE Text and Benchmarks |

|03. |Identify and explain common synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms |

| |(ELA-1-E1) |

|05. |Determine word meaning and appropriate word choices using reference aids, including dictionaries and thesauruses |

| |(ELA-1-E1) |

|17b. |Demonstrate understanding of information in texts using a variety of strategies, including predicting what will |

| |happen next in a story or a text (ELA-1-E7) |

|17c |Demonstrate understanding of information in texts using a variety of strategies, including making simple inferences |

| |about information in texts (ELA-7-E1) |

|17d. |Demonstrate understanding of information in texts using a variety of strategies, including self-monitoring |

| |consistently for comprehension using multiple strategies and set-correcting as appropriate (ELA-7-E1) |

|20a. |Apply basic reasoning skills, including discussing the relationship between cause-effect (ELA-7-E4) |

|20b. |Apply basic reasoning skills, including asking questions about texts read independently including why and how |

| |(ELA-7-E4) |

|21. |Write compositions of one or more paragraphs, organized with a central idea and coherent beginning, middle, and end |

| |(ELA-2-E1) |

|22. |Use a greater variety of action and descriptive words when writing for a specific purpose and/or audience (ELA-2-E2)|

|23a. |Develop compositions of one or more paragraphs using writing processes such as the following independently generated|

| |ideas for writing by using various strategies (e.g., listing, brainstorming, drawing). (ELA-2-E3) |

|23b. |Develop compositions of one or more paragraphs using writing processes such as the following: creating a plan (e.g.,|

| |graphic organizer, web) appropriate to the purpose of writing. (ELA-2-E3) |

|23c. |Develop compositions of one or more paragraphs using writing processes such as writing a first draft with a |

| |developed beginning, a middle, and an end |

| |(ELA-2-E3) |

|23d. |Develop compositions of one or more paragraphs using writing processes such as conferencing with a teacher or peers |

| |(ELA-2-E3) |

|23e. |Develop compositions of one or more paragraphs using writing processes such as revising for clarity, grammatical and|

| |mechanical correctness, and/or to include additional information (ELA-2-E3) |

|24a. |Develop grade-appropriate compositions, for example, friendly letters |

| |(ELA-2-E4) |

|24b. |Develop grade-appropriate compositions, for example, poems (ELA-2-E4) |

|24c. |Develop grade-appropriate compositions, for example, stories (ELA-2-E4) |

|24d. |Develop grade-appropriate compositions, for example, informational descriptions with some detail (ELA-2-E4) |

|25. |Use literary devices, including patterns of rhythm and simile in writing |

| |(ELA-2-E5) |

|49a. |Locate information using the organizational features of texts, including URL addresses from the Web (ELA-5-E1) |

|49c. |Locate information using the organizational features of texts, including glossaries (ELA-5-E1) |

|49d. |Locate information using the organizational features of texts, including indices (ELA-5-E1) |

|49e. |Locate information using the organizational features of texts, including tables of contents (ELA-5-E1) |

|49f. |Locate information using the organizational features of texts, including chapter headings (ELA-5-E1) |

|50. |Locate information about a topic from a variety of sources, including children’s magazines, children’s |

| |encyclopedias, and electronic references (ELA-5-E2) |

|51. |Gather and arrange information in a variety of organizational forms, including graphic organizers, simple outlines, |

| |notes, and summaries (ELA-5-E3) |

|52. |Use technology to publish a variety of works, including simple research reports and book summaries (ELA-5-E4) |

|53. |Tell and write about the sources of learned information (ELA-5-E5) |

|ELA CCSS |

|CCSS # |CCSS TEXT |

|Reading Standards for Literature |

|RL.2.1 |Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in|

| |a text. |

|RL.2.7 |Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of |

| |its characters, setting, or plot. |

|Reading Standards for Informational Text |

|RI.2.1 |Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in|

| |a text. |

|RI.2.4 |Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area. |

|RI.2.5 |Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, |

| |icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently. |

|RI.2.8 |Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text. |

|RI.2.10 |By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and |

| |technical texts, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently with scaffolding as needed at the high end of |

| |the range. |

|Reading Standards: Foundational Skills |

|RF.2.3a, b, c, |Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. |

|d, e, f |a. Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one- |

| |syllable words. |

| |b. Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams. |

| |c. Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels. |

| |d. Decode words with common prefixes and prefixes. |

| |e. Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound |

| |correspondences. |

| |f. Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. |

|RF.2.4a, b, c |Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. |

| |a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. |

| |b. Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and |

| |expression on successive readings |

| |c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and |

| |understanding, rereading as necessary. |

|Writing Standards |

|W.2.2 |Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, |

| |and provide a concluding statement or section. |

|W.2.7 |Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a |

| |report; record science observations). |

|Speaking and Listening Standards |

|SL.2.4 |Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in |

| |coherent sentences. |

|SL.2.6 |Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or |

| |clarification. |

|Language Standards |

|L.2.4a, b, c, |Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and |

|d, e |content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. |

| |a. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. |

| |b. Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known prefix is |

| |added to a known word (e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell). |

| |c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with |

| |the same root (e.g., addition, additional). |

| |d. Use knowledge of the meaning of individual words to predict the |

| |meaning of compound words (e.g., birdhouse, lighthouse, housefly, |

| |bookshelf, notebook, bookmark). |

| |e. Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to |

| |determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases. |

|L.2.5a, b |Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings. |

| |a. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe |

| |foods that are spicy or juicy). |

| |b. Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, |

| |throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, |

| |scrawny). |

|L.2.6 |Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including |

| |using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny). |

Sample Activities

Activity 1: Independent Reading (Ongoing) (CCSS: RF.2.4a, RF.2.4b, RF.2.4c)

Materials List: classroom library and books from the school library as needed

Independent reading is any time a student reads grade-level text alone with purpose and understanding. Independent reading may take place at various times of the day but should be included as a daily activity. Drop Everything And Read is a way to make this part of the daily schedule. D.E.A.R. is a designated time reserved in the classroom schedule for both students and teachers to “drop everything and read.” As D.E.A.R. time approaches, have students put away content materials and take out their reading material. Direct students to read silently or softly to a partner for a designated time. Independent reading supplements the standard reading program by encouraging students to read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. D.E.A.R. time provides an opportunity for students to read with purpose and expression and to use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding with rereading as necessary. Note: Although students should be given freedom to make their selections for independent reading, monitor to ensure that students have made choices within their readability level.

Activity 2: Vocabulary Development (Ongoing) (GLEs: 05, CCSS: L.2.4a, L.2.4b, L.2.4c, L.2.4d, L.2.4e, RL.2.7, RF.2.3a, RF.2.3b, RF.2.3c, RF.2.3d, RF.2.3e, RF.2.3f, SL.2.6)

Materials List: read-aloud book, chart paper, word wall, paper for vocabulary cards, pencils/markers, dictionaries, alphabet chart, word list, board/overhead, transparencies, Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart BLM

Before reading the basal story or listening to a read-aloud, students receive a list of vocabulary words chosen by the teacher. Read the words aloud for the students so that all are familiar with the correct pronunciation and understand any applicable phonics rules. Using a Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart BLM, have students complete a vocabulary self-awareness (view literacy strategy descriptions) checklist to indicate their level of familiarity or knowledge of the listed words. Direct the students to complete this activity independently, filling in the words and rating their understanding of each one with either a “+” (understand well), a “√” (limited understanding or unsure), or a “—” (don’t know). Instruct students to supply a definition or an example for each word. For less familiar words, have students make guesses by applying grade-level phonics and word analysis in decoding words. Have students determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases using context, known words, root words, and compound words. When the chart is complete, have students read or listen to the story. If the session is a read-aloud, be sure to pause as the new words are encountered within the context of the story and allow students time to look at illustrations to gain additional understanding of the text. Discuss the meaning of each word, using a glossary or dictionary if needed to determine and clarify the meaning of words and phrases, and allow students to return to their charts to update and add new information. The goal is to replace all check marks and minus signs with plus signs. Allow students opportunities to revisit their vocabulary charts to revise their entries. Example: words selected from Eric Carle’s The Tiny Seed which is also a story in the second grade Treasures reader (Macmillan/McGraw-Hill).

Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart

|Word |+ |√ |-- |Example |Definition |

|rays |+ | | |sun rays |Streams of light from the sun |

|looms | | |-- |used for weaving? |Looks large and dangerous |

|giant |+ | | |giant trees |Enormous, huge |

|petals |+ | | |flower petals |Parts of the flower |

|sways | |√ | |sway in the wind |Moves from side to side |

This activity is appropriate for repeated use throughout the year. Not only does using this chart help students to learn new material, but they also become more aware of what they may already know about words, and their understanding and knowledge increase. In addition to the completion of the Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart:

• Record vocabulary words on a special word wall for use during writing.

• Have students create complete sentences during shared and independent writing to provide detail and clarification of word meaning.

• Have students maintain a personal or class dictionary that can be referred to easily.

Activity 3: Writer’s Workshop (Ongoing) (GLEs: 21, 22, 23a, 23b, 23c; CCSS: W.2.2)

Materials List: word wall, classroom dictionaries, paper, BLM Writing Rubric, learning logs

Conduct writing/grammar lessons daily. The instruction of writing/grammar takes many different forms that enable teachers to address the conventions of writing (spacing, directionality, and letter formation), grammatical features of writing (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammatical choices, such as subject/verb agreement and descriptive language, etc.), as well as writing for various purposes (how-to, descriptive, narrative, expository, or persuasive).

• Guided writing is designed to teach a specific skill or strategy to the whole class, small groups, or the individual. Lead students through the writing process in which the student completes his/her own writing of one or more paragraphs. Begin with directing students to brainstorm ideas for a chosen topic, creating a plan and purpose for their writing (a central idea), organizing their ideas with a coherent beginning, middle, and end and developing them with specific details. Then direct them to draft, proofread, revise and publish their work, including sharing it with fellow students. Provide scaffolding support through mini-lessons that address areas in which all students are having difficulty and have conferences with individuals and groups as needed. Encourage students to write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement.

• The “weekend story” is a powerful guided writing activity and is usually conducted on the first day of each week. Lead the students in a discussion about their weekend experiences. Ask questions to help students decide what they will write. Help students formulate a beginning, middle, and ending for their story. Encourage students to use a variety of action and descriptive words and spell grade-appropriate words correctly using word walls, word lists, dictionaries, or glossaries. Instruct students to record their stories in a learning log (view literacy strategy descriptions). This notebook or binder can be used regularly for students to record ideas, questions, reactions, and reflections. The learning log provides a place for students to collect their writings for review, revision, or extension. Students will be able to see progress as their writing skills develop. As the year progresses, have students extend their tasks to include writing simple, complete sentences to give the steps of a how-to paragraph or writing a descriptive, narrative, expository, or persuasive paragraph. Topics for mini-workshops could include focus skills; such as, stating the main idea using a title, creating a web to organize thinking, incorporating descriptive language, indention of first lines of paragraphs, capital letters, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, past and present verb tenses, noun and pronoun antecedent agreement, transitional words, and conjunctions. Encourage the inclusion of facts and definitions to develop points in students’ writing. Monitor student writing, and allow time for students to share their writings through classroom discussion. Conduct weekly mini-workshops to help students improve writing skills. Create a rubric specific to the workshop focus for both teacher and students to monitor progress. See Writing Rubric BLM from Unit 1.

• Independent writing is any time students write without receiving assistance from others. Have students select topics and be in charge of their own writing. A Writer’s Workshop approach provides the opportunity for students to practice writing skills and strategies that support reading development and builds confidence as students’ writing develops and matures. During Writer’s Workshop, meet with individuals or small groups as needed to instruct or encourage students’ thinking and writing.

Activity 4: Parts of a Book (GLEs: 49c, 49d, 49e, 49f, CCSS: RI. 2.1, RI.2.4, RI.2.5)

Materials List: the second grade science and/or social studies textbook, a copy of the textbook for each student, Directed-Learning-Thinking (DL-TA) Activity for Science Textbook Table of Contents BLM, Science Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart BLM

Hold up, or display on a document camera, a copy of an informational text that includes a table of contents, an index, and a glossary. Show students where to look to find each of these parts of the book. To verify that students understand the locations and purposes of key parts of the informational text, have students answer questions, such as “Where do I find the table of contents in this book?” and “What differences do you see between the index and the glossary?” Call attention to examples of timelines, charts, diagrams, graphs, maps, captions, bold print, and subheadings found in the book. Have students respond to guiding questions about the book.

• Distribute a Directed-Learning-Thinking (DL-TA) for Science Textbook Table of Contents BLM to each student and direct them to open their copies of the science textbook to the table of contents. Using the DL-TA-directed learning-thinking activity (view literacy strategy descriptions), prompt students to use their prior knowledge to make predictions about the contents of the textbook based on the section titles and/or chapter headings listed in the table of contents. Have students record predictions on their BLMs. Then direct students to read the informational text and return to their charts to make revisions to any predictions that were inaccurate. Then in a class discussion, have students explain how and where they found the information to support or correct their predictions. Ask students to explain the value of the table of contents as a resource for reading. In future lessons, the students will have a better understanding of how the table of contents can give them an overview of the material they will be reading. Following is an example of the strategy taken from FOSS Science Resources, published by Delta Education, Insects and Plants.

Example: DL-TA for Science Textbook Table of Contents

|Section Title |Page # |Prediction |

|So Many Kinds, So Many Places |3 |I think this chapter will tell about lots of different insects. |

|Environment |8 |This will probably be about where bugs live. |

|Flowers and Seeds |15 |I think this will talk about plants that grow from seeds. |

|Variation |20 |I’m not sure what this word means, but I think it has to do with |

| | |differences. |

|Insect Shapes and Colors |26 |This chapter will tell me about all the colors and shapes that bugs can |

| | |be. |

• To give students practice in locating information quickly in an index, prepare a chart of several topics from the listings in the back of the text. Tell students to keep the books on their desks closed. Call out a term from the index, and have students search quickly to locate the entry. Direct students to signal when they locate the correct page numbers by putting their thumbs up. Then have volunteers record the correct page numbers on the chart. Be sure to discuss sub-topics if this applies to the particular text students are using. Example: Using the index from Insects and Plants, conduct the activity using words such as antennae, marsh, abdomen, nymph, cocoon, organism, silk worm, environment, mosquito, and thorax.

• Have students employ a vocabulary self-awareness chart activity (view literacy strategy descriptions) to give them practice in using the glossary of the information textbook. Assessing the students’ knowledge and understanding of vocabulary words is important, especially in the content areas of science and social studies. Instruct students to complete this activity independently, filling in the words and rating their understanding of each one with either a “+” (understand well), a “√” (limited understanding or unsure), or a “—” (don’t know). Encourage students to supply a definition or an example for each word. Monitor as the students use the glossary to supply the correct definition for each word on their chart. The completed charts will give students practice in using the glossary and will serve as a study tool as students prepare for a science/social studies quiz. Use Science Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart BLM to complete this activity.

Ex. Science Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart for Glossary Practice

|Word |+ |√ |-- |Example |Definition |

|antennae |+ | | |wiggly feelers on a grasshopper | |

|environment |+ | | |where you live | |

|inherit | |√ | |get from your parents | |

|life cycle | |√ | |a baby grows up to be an adult | |

|organism | |√ | |something alive | |

Activity 5: Digging in the Dictionary (GLEs: 05, CCSS: RI.2.4, L.2.4)

Materials List: enough student dictionaries for students to share, list of content vocabulary words, vocabulary self-awareness checklists from Activity 2, index cards

Prior to conducting independent research, instruct students in the use of a dictionary, and provide multiple occasions to practice using guide words to locate definitions with ease. First, display a dictionary and give an overview of how a dictionary is organized with words in alphabetical order. Give partners time to examine a student copy of a dictionary. Lead students in a discussion of how words are organized in a dictionary. Point out the guide words at the top of each page, and lead students to discover their importance by using questions, such as “Why do you think guide words are used?” and “What information can they give you?” Make the connection that just as a guide can show people where to go by giving directions, drawing a map, or leading the way, so too a dictionary has guide words that tell the reader where to look for a specific word. Allow partners additional time to explore the dictionary. Monitor as students make discoveries about the words that fall between the guide words. Ask students to draw conclusions about the importance of guide words and explain those conclusions in a class discussion.

Next, select a content-area vocabulary word to write on the board. Lead students to determine where to begin when looking for the word in the dictionary. For example, if the word is rays, say something such as the following: “The word begins with r, so should you look toward the front, middle, or back of your dictionary? The second letter is a, so will this word be early in the r section or later? Look for the appropriate guide words. Raise your hand when you can tell the page number you need. Who can say the guide words at the top of the page? (Record the words on the board next to the word ray.) Put your thumbs up when you have found the word.” Then have a student read the definition of the word. Discuss the word meaning and have a student use the word correctly in a complete sentence. Repeat the exercise with the word looms using the same type questioning techniques and recording the guide words on the board. Write the word giant on the board and direct pairs of students to use the same set of questions to help locate the word. Let pairs locate the words petals and sways. Be sure to record the guide words for each word on the board. After all words have been located, conduct a class review of how to make connections between each word and the guide words, having students raise questions and give explanations. This activity may be repeated regularly with different sets of words.

Then, instruct students in using their newly acquired dictionary skills to create vocabulary cards (view literacy strategy descriptions). Distribute index cards to students and instruct them to include for each assigned word an illustration, a definition found in the dictionary, and a sentence using the word. Have students quiz each other with the completed cards in preparation for other class activities. See example below:

Activity 6: Thesaurus (GLE: 03, 05, 23e, 24b, 24c, 25; CCSS: L.2.4a, L.2.4b, L.2.4c, L.2.4d, L.2.4e, L.2.5a, L.2.5b, L.2.6)

Materials List: enough student thesauruses for students to share, Thesaurus Practice BLM, writing from learning logs

Hold up a copy of a thesaurus or place one on the document camera, and explain how to use the book to find synonyms for a given word. Make students aware that a thesaurus is set up in much the same way that a dictionary is but does not give the definition of words. Explain to students that a thesaurus can be used to help determine and clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and that a thesaurus can be used to demonstrate word relationships and meanings. Students will use the thesaurus to gain anunderstanding of words acquired through conversations, reading , being read to, and in response to words in text.

Provide a copy of a thesaurus for each student or student pair. Allow time for students to explore the thesaurus and discuss discoveries with the teacher and/or class. Provide each student a copy of the Nursery Rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and a copy of the Thesaurus Practice BLM. Listed on the BLM are the words twinkle, little, star, wonder, up, above, world, high, diamond, and sky. Have students or student pairs use the thesaurus to find three synonyms for each word and record the findings on their BLMs. Using the synonyms, have students rewrite “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” replacing each word on the list with a synonym. Be sure to explain that not every word found will be a good replacement, so students will need to choose words that still make the poem make sense. Then have students recite their new poems. (This activity by Angela Kleinow was taken from Primary School @ suite101.) As a follow-up activity, direct students to select a writing sample—a paragraph, poem, short story, or informative paragraph—from their learning logs (view literacy strategy descriptions). Direct students to use the thesaurus to locate synonyms for words from their writing sample in order to make the work more descriptive, clearer, or more exciting. Then have students rewrite their original works using synonyms they have located and literary devices, such as similes to strengthen their writing and make their work more interesting. If students choose to revise a previously-written poem, require them to focus attention on including patterns of rhythm and to identify the pattern. Once students have become familiar with using the thesaurus, require them to use this valuable tool throughout the year to improve writing.

Activity 7: Using the Encyclopedia (GLEs: 50, 53; CCSS: W.2.2, W.2.7)

Materials List: encyclopedia sets, List of Topics BLM (current content vocabulary or topics), Encyclopedia Rubric BLM, PowerPoint software if available, paper bags, construction and regular paper, art supplies

Prior to beginning the activity, select topics for students to research. To review and reinforce alphabetizing skills, hand each student a volume from the encyclopedia set. Have students come to the front of the room and arrange the volumes in alphabetical order. Remind students that the entries inside each encyclopedia are arranged in alphabetical order and that there are guide words on each page just as in a dictionary.

Have students work collaboratively in small groups to locate content-area articles on the pre-selected topics. Direct students to take turns choosing the appropriate encyclopedia and locating an article on the topic. Provide a place on the list where students indicate the correct volume in which they located the article, the page number, and a short informational description from the encyclopedia text. After this practice time, assist students in selecting a topic to research, developing a project that will convey their information in a clear and interesting manner and making preparations for a class presentation. The following are suggested projects:

• An advertisement using a poster to display information

• A PowerPoint presentation prepared with adult guidance

• A flip book

• A short play or skit using paper bags to create puppet(s) and scenery

• A diorama

Using the Encyclopedia Rubric BLM, establish the guidelines of accuracy, neatness, and organization set forth in the rubric. Set clear expectations and allow sufficient time for students to complete their projects. Provide an opportunity for each group to present their project to the class. Use the Encyclopedia Rubric BLM to assess the projects.

Activity 8: Newspapers (GLEs: 50; CCSS: RI.2.8)

Materials List: several days’ collection of newspapers, writing notebooks or paper

Place students in small groups and give each team a newspaper. Explain to students that they will use the index to locate information in the newspaper. Give each small group a specific task such as the following:

• Locate the sports page and find three different sports articles. See if you can find one about football, one about baseball, and one about golf.

• Locate a picture on the sports page, read the caption below the picture, and note the key facts.

• Locate the sports page and find scores for five or six area school teams.

• Locate the movies/amusement page and find starting times for three movies you would like to see.

• Locate the weather page and record the temperatures of four major cities.

• Locate the weather page and write down the forecast for your area for the rest of the week.

Once the students have gathered the information, ask them to demonstrate their understanding by writing a RAFT (view literacy strategy descriptions). For this content, this RAFT puts them in the role of the newspaper weather forecaster. Model how to implement the RAFT using the following example or one of your own.

R – Role (role of the writer – weather forecaster)

A – Audience (to whom the RAFT is being written – local viewers)

F – Form (the type of writing – TV weather report)

T – Topic (the focus of the writing – the upcoming week’s weather)

Additional RAFTs could be developed from the point of view of a sportscaster using a scoreboard format that gives the weekend football scores. In the role of a sports writer, have students select several sports photographs and write captions that give a brief description, facts, or key information relating to the photo. Another approach could be to have students take the point of view of a local movie reviewer and use the RAFT strategy to guide in writing a movie review to persuade readers to see the latest movie releases. Once writings are completed, have student pairs give oral presentations of their work. RAFTs can be creative but must include accurate and logical information.

Activity 9: Computers as Tools (GLEs: 49a, 50)

Materials List: computers with Internet access, Computer Checklist BLM

Model using the computer as a tool for gathering information for a project. Give students specific instructions on correctly typing URL addresses. Be careful to select safe URLs for student use. Adult supervision is imperative to ensure that unknown URLs are not visited. Appropriate sites for students include the following:

• (science),

• (social studies and science),

• (science),

• (social studies),

• (social studies).

Google® to find additional websites by entering “science (or social studies) websites for kids” in the search line. Instruct students to use the websites to locate information about a topic of interest or a specific topic assigned by the teacher. With adult guidance, have students gather information to print and use as shared research for a later writing project, such as a report, study guide, science experiment, or social studies project. Use the Computer Checklist BLM as a guide for assessing the students’ competence in use of the computer.

Activity 10: How to Get to the Important Information (GLEs: 50, 51; CCSS: W.2.7)

Materials List: document camera, reference materials such as magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias found in the classroom or school library; computer with Internet access, highlighters, sticky notes, chart paper

Choose a topic and select an article to use in a demonstration of how to locate information. Place the selected informational source on the document camera, and use the think-aloud strategy to demonstrate how to use headings or words in bold print or key words and phrases to locate information about the chosen topic. Model ways to keep track of where details are found in print (highlighting, if possible, or placing sticky notes on borrowed materials). Write down brief supporting notes from information found on an Internet search on chart paper for the entire class to see. Orally review the recorded notes with the class, and engage students in a discussion to help them determine which statements give the most valuable information and details and which information is not relevant and does not need to be included. Encourage student input in helping decide what information should be included in a report on the topic. Tell students that they will all research the selected topic and produce a shared writing.

Next, distribute magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and/or printed samples from electronic sources with content related to the selected topic. Direct students to use the Think Pair Square Share (view literacy strategy descriptions) strategy to explore their informational source, and highlight or take notes about text information (i.e., captions, bold print, or subheadings) that they feel would contribute to the shared writing. Monitor to assist those who need help in locating, reading, or paraphrasing information. Then have students join a partner to compare their thoughts, ideas and facts. Next, direct the pairs of students to form groups of four and briefly discuss their findings. Monitor discussions to be sure that all students are participating and demonstrating their understanding of the procedure and information recorded. Encourage students to remain independent thinkers rather than automatically adopting the answers of their partners. Tell groups to select the most important details to submit to the shared writing. Have group members report their selected details and record statements randomly on the chart. Once all groups have reported, collaborate with the entire class to organize the statements in a sensible order, using a graphic organizer such as a web. Then model writing a paragraph that incorporates the ideas from the class chart. As a follow-up, have students record the paragraph in their learning logs (view literacy strategy descriptions).

Activity 11: How to Find Important Information (GLE: 17b, 17c, 17d, 20a, 20b; CCSS: W.2.7, RL.2.1, RI.2.1)

Materials List: reference materials such as magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias found in the classroom or school library, computer access with internet, index cards, highlighters, Cause and Effect BLM

Select an article from an Internet website or a magazine, newspaper, encyclopedia, or book that lends itself to support a purposeful activity. Make duplicate copies of the selection so each student has a copy. Discuss what strategies to use before, during, and after reading to accomplish the lesson focus and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in the text. Strategies might include the following: comparing and contrasting, predicting what is next, making simple inferences, self-monitoring, or looking for cause and effect.

For this sample lesson, a magazine article about Hurricane Katrina will be used to help students focus on cause and effect. Any grade-appropriate article about a current event may be used. Before reading the article aloud, have students discuss what they know about the hurricane. Establish that the “cause” in this activity will be Hurricane Katrina. Place a copy of the Cause and Effect BLM on the document camera and record Hurricane Katrina as the cause. Read the article aloud and encourage students to listen carefully to find and highlight sentences that state the effects of the storm. Use who, what, where, when, why, and how questions to lead students in discovering the key details of the text. As the class discusses what they have learned, have volunteers come to the document camera and fill in “effects.” Instruct students to refer to the Cause and Effect BLM chart as an outline for writing an informative report that uses facts and definitions to develop points, show cause and effect as related to the topic, and provide a concluding statement or section.

To extend this lesson, provide additional materials related to the topic, and have individuals or pairs look for extra information to add to the class chart. Have students cite the source of their information on index cards, including the source title, the name of the article, page number, and the author if applicable. In a follow-up activity, the index cards can be sorted into categories (magazine article, newspaper story, encyclopedia entry) to help students see the importance of using a variety of informational sources.

Activity 12: Focus Lessons (GLEs: 50, 51; CCSS: RI.2.10, W.2.2, W.2.7, SL.2.4)

Materials List: reference books, computer access with Internet, notebooks or paper, Split-Page Notes BLM, Accordion Fold Organizer BLM

Develop a shared or guided reading activity by allowing students to further examine a topic selected from a previous lesson or exploration; such as an author study, a content area study, a real-world issue, or a problem. Lead students in a discussion to activate prior knowledge of the topic. Direct students to brainstorm information they would like to clarify or questions they would like to have answered. Note these on a class chart, overhead, or active board. Edit unclear questions, combine similar questions, and direct the focus by having students determine one or two key questions they wish to investigate further. Provide grade-appropriate resource materials, such as informational texts from the library, encyclopedias, children’s magazines, and electronic references. Instruct students to use split-page notetaking (view literacy strategy descriptions) to record answers discovered through their research. Split-page notetaking gives students a simple way to organize and record information about informational text. Using the two column format, the students fill in details in the right column that answer the questions asked on the left side of the paper. Use the Split-Page Notes BLM to help students stay organized. Have students research and make summary notes, using key words from the source. For example, after studying American symbols, students may have questions about the American eagle. An example of split-page notes follows:

|Question #1: Why was the American eagle chosen as our national |Source: The Bald Eagle by Nancy Harris |

|bird? |Page: 20 |

| |Key Words: regal, magnificent, massive bird, 6 to 8 foot |

| |wingspan, strong |

| |Summary Notes: Became national bird when Washington became |

| |president in 1789. |

|Question #2: Do American eagles live in our area? |Source: Newspaper: The Times |

| |Page: 6A |

| |Key Words: soaring, bird watchers, game warden, nests, spotted |

| |Summary Notes: Sighted soaring over Cypress lake and nesting in |

| |trees there |

|Question #3: Are American eagles on the endangered species list?|Source: Internet: |

| |Page: |

| |Key Words: threatened, endangered, future |

| |Summary Notes: Not endangered at this time, but likely to become |

| |endangered in the future |

Next, instruct students to use their notes to write an Accordion Fold paragraph (see unit 3, Activity 13 and Accordion Fold Organizer BLM) to extend the opening statement: “In my reading, I have learned a lot about the bald eagle, including why the eagle is our national bird, whether eagles live in my area, and whether eagles are endangered.” Students will use facts and definitions to develop points and provide a concluding statement or section for this informative/explanatory text. Remind students to use the conventions of standard grammar and usage including capitalization, punctuation, spacing, indenting, spelling, and to include descriptive language. Allow time for

proofreading and editing before having students read their paragraphs to classmates to present appropriate/relevant facts and descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.

Activity 13: Self-Selected or Group Interest (GLEs: 23d, 23e; CCSS: W.2.2, W.2.7, SL.2.4)

Materials List: reference materials such as magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias found in the classroom or school library, computers with Internet access, KWL Chart BLM, notebooks or paper

Prepare a list of appropriate class topics related to the reading theme or the social studies unit’s being studied. Promote a classroom discussion of the topics to generate interest. Lead students through the process of selecting a single, preferred topic to be used for the activity. Collaborate with students to generate and record questions on the class chart. Then provide each student with a copy of the KWL Chart BLM and give instructions on how to complete the graphic organizer (view literacy strategy descriptions) chart. First, have students record facts, concepts, and information they already know about the topic (K). Using the class chart, instruct students to list some information they want to learn or questions they want to have answered (W). Provide sufficient resources such as encyclopedias, magazines, books, and electronic media (Internet), giving small groups materials to use for their research. As students find answers to their questions, these answers are recorded as things they have learned (L) on the KWL chart. To further knowledge and understanding, have students engage in an Inside-Outside Circle discussion (view literacy strategy descriptions). Carrying the KWL chart for reference, have students stand and face each other in two concentric circles (the inside circle faces out and the outside circle faces in). Ask one of the questions from the class chart and allow students to discuss their answers with the person standing most directly in front of them. Play music or give some other signal and have the circles rotate. When the signal is given to “stop,” the discussion can resume on the same question or a new question may be posed. After several rotations, ask students to share their ideas or those of their partner. The advantage of Inside-Outside Circles is the variety of answers that can be shared simply by rotating the circles of students. Once the students have returned to their seats, allow an opportunity for them to note additional information in the “L” column that was gained during discussions with classmates. Require students to use this KWL chart as a resource for writing an informative/explanatory composition of one or more paragraphs detailing the facts and information they gained through researching and reading to develop points about their selected topic. Provide opportunities to conference with students to revise and edit writing for clarity and correctness and/or to include additional information.

Activity 14: Drafting and Presenting (GLEs: 24a, 24d, 26a, 52; CCSS: W.2.2)

Materials List: notes and information gathered in Activity 13, computers with publishing software, paper for letter writing, Research Project Rubric BLM

Using information gathered in Activity 13, have students draft an informative/explanatory paragraph to introduce a topic, using facts and definitions to develop points and providing a concluding statement or section. With adult guidance and support, assist students in using technology such as Kidspiration®, Appleworks®, Kid Pix® or similar digital tools, to produce and publish a final copy to use in a presentation. Assess the project using the Research Project Rubric BLM. As a follow-up activity, have the students draw the name of a classmate and write a friendly letter to congratulate him/her for giving an interesting presentation. Monitor to be sure students are using the correct format for a friendly letter. Have students deliver the finished letters to their classmate or place them in the classroom mailbox.

Sample Assessments

Documentation of student understanding is recommended to be in the form of portfolio assessment. Teacher observations and records, as well as student-generated products may be included in the portfolio. All items should be dated and clearly labeled to show effectively student growth over time.

General Assessments

• The student can locate information using the table of contents and index. The student may record this as a written assignment or as an oral report. The teacher will assess student understanding with a checklist developed by students and teacher.

• The teacher will observe the students using the computer, including the URL address and search. The teacher will use a checklist to document a student’s ability to use the computer. (See Computer Checklist BLM)

• The student’s completed notes and outlines on information found in reference materials will be kept in his/her writer’s notebook for the teacher to check.

Activity Specific Assessments

• Activity 5: The student will demonstrate ability to locate vocabulary words in a dictionary using guide words and complete a written assignment that records the following:

➢ The vocabulary word and definition

➢ The page number where the word is found in the dictionary

➢ The guide words on that page

The assignment will be assessed for accuracy.

• Activity 7: The student will be able to prepare a project in a content area, such as science or social studies, using information gathered from an encyclopedia. Students may choose to create an informational poster or a collage that includes the information researched, or prepare and present an oral presentation and/or a written report. The project will be assessed using an appropriate checklist or rubric developed by teacher and students. (See Encyclopedia Rubric BLM)

• Activity 14: The student will complete a research project with an electronic presentation using technology, such as Kid Pix® or PowerPoint®. The project and the presentation will be assessed with an appropriate checklist. (See Research Project Rubric BLM)

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rays

Sentence:

The rays of the sun felt warm on my skin.

Illustration:

Definition: beams of light coming from the sun

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