Loretta Cruz 3,4,5 Teacher Chelsea Public School
Genre: Report Unit: Desert Animals
Content: Where an animal lives (the desert) influences both its physical and behavioral adaptations it needs to survive in that environment.
Reading: When closely reading complex text, we reread, paraphrase and draw conclusions to gather and evaluate information.
Writing: In responding to a focusing question about a text, we should generate a clear and coherent focus statement, that is supported and explained by evidence. The end product should demonstrate an ability to think critically about the topic.
Focus Question
What physical and behavioral adaptations are needed for the ____________ to survive in the desert?
Focus
The _____________ of the _______________ desert has many adaptations which help it to survive the ___________ conditions.
Building Content Knowledge
- Vocabulary Activities
- Guided Readings
- Summarizing
- Note Taking
- Oral Presentations on their animals
- Discussions following movies, readings and internet clips.
Structures
- Painted Essay Model
- Graphic Organizers
- Teacher-Student written models
- Student models of polar animals or animals of Vermont report
Writing/Revising
Supported Writing
- Review teacher created model
- Write in parts, sharing sections aloud
- Edit and revise with teacher assistance
- Share with full group for critique and revision
Independent Writing
- Review models
- Write full piece independently
- Share and revise in partners
- Proofread in partners
- Conference with teacher
- Share with full group
- Map work identify deserts around the world
- Group discussion : What do we know about deserts? Conditions, plants, animals and the people that live there.
- Watch Planet Earth video on deserts. Use the I notice, I wonder worksheet and have small group discussions.
- Read National Geographic Explorer (NGE) March 2007 article Earth Extremes and complete the graphic organizer to learn about how the conditions of different habitats around the world effect the adaptations that animals need to survive in those conditions.
- Vocabulary work- Define key terms such as desert, adaptations, physical and behavioral adaptations, survival, nocturnal, mimicry, camouflage, migration, echolocation and autonomy. Use terminology graphic organizer with on going unit activities.
- Introduce terminology worksheet and model how to use with the word desert.
- Read NGE January/February 2008 article Lizards: Great Escape Artists. Key terms covered and to be put on terminology worksheet include adaptation, physical and behaviorial adaptation and autonomy.
- Read NGE September 2009 article Fooled You! Key terms to be covered and to be put on the terminology worksheet include mimicry.
- Read NGE October 2008 article Living Lights. Key terms to be covered and to be put on the the terminology worksheet include camouflage.
- Read NGE October 2004 article Night Shift. Key terms to be covered and to be put on the terminology worksheet include nocturnal and echolocation.
- Read NGE November/December 2010 article Great Migrations. Key terms to be covered to be put on terminology worksheet include migration.
*An archive of National Geographic Explorer magazines can be found online.
Writing
- Group students in supportive partnerships to select and research a desert animal. Follow up with sharing, group discussions and oral presentations.
- Break up into three groups based on the level of support needed by those students. Teacher with structure and support the students on an individual basis.
Assessment
- Student self assesses against a report rubric
- Teacher assesses looking for patterns. Then gives suggestions for improvement in G.U.M and rhetorical effectiveness.
Next Steps
Each year in a three year cycle students gain more responsibility and writing independence as they become more familiar with the process of gathering information and constructing a response specifically related to physical and behavioral adaptations that an animal needs to survive.
