Lesson 1
Title: Science
Topic: Ocean Animals

Strategies:
Reading- Matrix
Writing- Write a paragraph about an ocean animal
Discussion-QAR Questioning
Differentiation1- Reading
Differentiation2- Matrix
Differentiation3- Follow-up
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Lesson Objectives:
1. After reading Into the A, B, Sea, SWAT compare and contrast four ocean animals by using a matrix.
2. After a review of mammals, SWBAT classify various ocean animals as a mammal or not a mammal.
Performance Assessment:
1. Fill out matrix about animals as you read
2. As a class we will fill out a chart classifying the animals as a mammal or not a mammal.
Macrostructure Thinking Skills:
Description
Materials:
Pallotta, J. (2000). Dory story. USA: Talewinds. (Narrative)
Rose, D.L. (2000). Into the A, B, Sea. New York: Scholastic Press. (Expository)
Readability:
The students will be reading Into the A, B, Sea. The Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level is 3.6. Although this is a little below fourth grade, the book is still appropriate for fourth graders as there is a lot of new information for them to learn.

I. Readiness
a. Motivation and Tapping Background of Experience:

Today, I am going to start out by showing you some pictures of a vacation I took to Florida. (Show several pictures of the ocean and animals, such as dolphins and manatees).

Transition: Today we are going to learn about different ocean animals, but first I want to read a story about a little boy and his adventure in the ocean. Pay close attention to the different animals he meets.

Read Dory Story

Transition: Dory Story was about a little boy pretending to be in the ocean.

Tapping and building background:
Has anyone ever been to the ocean? Answers will vary: Yes, we went to Florida last summer, and I swam in the ocean. No, but we are going to go to California in June, etc. What did you see there? Answers will vary: lots of sand, ships, fish, a lighthouse, etc. Did you see any ocean animals? Yes, I saw fish, a whale, seals, seagulls, etc. Has anyone ever been to the zoo and saw animals that live in the ocean? Yes/No What kinds of animals did you see? Otters, whales, dolphins, manatees, fish, sharks, sting rays, etc. Students will share other experiences they have had with ocean animals and the ocean.

Transition: Before we begin our reading about ocean animals there are a few vocabulary words I want to go over with you so that you will understand your reading better. Let’s start by looking at the following words.

b. Concept Development/Vocabulary:
The following words are terms the students may have trouble with. I would prime each of these words by having the students look at the pictures of the book and write down their own definition. Then I would have them compare with a partner and have volunteers share their answers.
The definition is found at the end of the book. The vocabulary word is in bold print.

Anemones sting- anemones are also called a windflower, lives in the sea and looks like a plant
Barnacles cling- a sea animal that has a shell, attaches itself to underwater objects such as rocks and ships’ bottoms
Kelp forests sway- kelp are large brown/green seaweeds, sometimes eaten in China and Japan
Manatees lumber- to walk or move with heavy clumsiness
Narwhals slumber- Arctic whale that is spotted, males have a long twisted ivory tusk that sticks out from the left side of its head
Umbrellamouths dine- a type of fish with a large mouth like an umbrella
Zooplankton thrive- consists of corals, sea anemones and jellyfish

Once students had their definitions of the words, I would guide them through visualization and imagery strategies. I would ask the students if any of these words sparked a mental image in their mind. Then, I would provide an example such as Kelp makes me think of spinach because it’s greenish, it is also eaten, it looks mushy, and I can picture mushy spinach swaying. Next, I would invite students to share their mental images with the rest of the class.

c. Purpose for Reading:
Reading Strategy
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Today you will be reading Into the A, B, Sea. You will be reading to be informed about various ocean animals. You will use the thinking skill of description to learn about the different animals. You will need to complete a matrix, which we have talked about before, about the similarities and differences of the ocean animals. Each student needs to choose four animals to compare and contrast on their matrix. Later, as a class, we will combine all of the animals and categories students chose. The next day I would have the class matrix copied onto chart paper and posted on the wall.

Example of a matrix.

II. Silent Reading: The students will read the text silently while filling out their Matrix.

Differentiation
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Students may listen to the book on tape and follow along instead of silently reading the story.

Discussion Strategy
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Discussion:
I would start out using Think, Pair, Share with students in dyads for discussion. Students would talk about the description used in the book such as how they pictured the animals because of what was written. They would also discuss how different animals move, what they do, and how they look. After talking about this for a while we would discuss their matrix, create a class matrix, and fill out a chart classifying the animals as a mammal or not a mammal. Then I would bring the class together and ask the following questions.

QAR Questioning

(Text Implicit & Script Implicit) What was this book about? (Ocean animals. The answer is Author and Me because the text says, “Swim the ocean waves with me...” and I know the animals in the book live in the ocean.)

(Text Explicit) How does a manatee move? (A manatee lumbers. The answer is Right There because the answer is found in the text.)

(Script Implicit) What does lumber mean? (It is how it moves; it moves slowly and floats along. This answer is On My Own because I don’t have to read the story to know the answer to this question.)

(Text Explicit) Barnacles do what? (They cling. The answer is Right There because the answer is found in the text.)

(Text Implicit & Script Implicit) What would a barnacle cling to? (They cling to rocks, boats, or other animals. The answer is Author and Me because the text tells me the barnacle clings and I have to think about what it could cling to in the ocean.)

(Text Implicit) What animals in the book might be predators? (Answers may vary; one example would be a Tiger shark. The answer is Think and Search because there are various answers on different pages.)

(Script Implicit) Do you think some animals in this book depend on others to live? (Yes, some fish hide in the Kelp forests. The answer is On My Own because I know that fish hide in Kelp to keep away from other fish that eat them like in Finding Nemo.)

Differentiation Return to Top
Students may be given a matrix with half of the answers filled in. This would provide them with a guide as well as a more manageable amount of work.

I would end the discussion by talking about what the students wrote on their matrix. I would draw a large matrix on the board to combine the students' answers. The next day I would have the matrix transferred to tag board to hang on the wall as a reminder of what we learned. I would also have the class complete a chart defining the animal as a mammal or not a mammal at this time.

Transition: Now that we have a clear understanding of what the ocean animals are and a little description about them, let’s take a closer look.

IV. Rereading:
Now you will be rereading the story with a partner. You need to pay close attention to the different animals you read about. While you read keep a list of the animals you would like to learn more about. Once everyone is done you are going to choose an animal to learn more about.

V. Follow-up:
Writing Strategy Return to Top
Tonight or tomorrow in media class you need to find out more information about the animal from the book you chose by looking on the internet, reading other books, talking to your parents, or any other means to find out about it. If you choose to use the internet, remember to use the search techniques you were taught in media class. You need to organize your new information into a paragraph. Remember that a paragraph should have four to six sentences. Check to make sure you have punctuation at the end of each sentence, and make sure each sentence starts with a capital letter. Once we have read everyone’s paragraphs we will put them together to form our own book.

Differentiation Return to Top
Provide materials for the student to use for researching their animal. Students may type their paragraph on the computer or orally record their paragraph using a tape recorder.

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Lesson2
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