| I. Readiness
a. Motivation and Tapping Background of Experience:
Hold up a stuffed toy manatee. Does anyone know what this animal is
called? A manatee. Can you tell me anything
else about manatees using your own experiences or what you can see by
looking at the stuffed animal? Answers will vary: they live
in the water, I saw one at Sea World in Florida, they’re gray, etc.
Transition: Today we are going to learn about a specific ocean animal
called a manatee. I’m going to read a short part from the book Manatee
Winter. The part I am going to read is called the prologue. A prologue
is like an introduction. This prologue will introduce you to manatees.
Read Manatee Winter- prologue.
Did you hear anything about manatees you already knew? Answers
will vary: Yes, I knew manatees lived in Florida. What did
you learn about manatees that you did not know before I read the prologue?
Answers will vary: I didn’t know manatees used to be hunted
for their meat and hides.
Transition: Now we are going to look at some vocabulary words you
will need to know to understand the story.
b. Concept Development/Vocabulary:
The following are words the students may have trouble with. I would write
the words in one column on the board and the definitions in another column.
Then I would have the students match the word with the definition they
thought fit that word. Once everyone was done I would ask for volunteers
to choose a word and read the definition they think matches the word.
The definitions are found at the end of the book. The vocabulary word
is in bold print.
Bull: An adult male manatee.
Coastline: The boundary line that is formed where the
land meets the sea.
Gulf: A large area of ocean surrounded on three sides
by land.
Seagrass: Any variety of grasses that grow underwater.
Spring: A source of water coming from underground. This
water can be warmed by the natural heat deep within the earth’s
crust.
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 made them see a picture in their mind. Then I would provide
an example, such as seagrass makes me think of a prairie full of tall
grasses only underwater. Next, I would invite students to share their
mental images with the rest of the class.
c. Purpose for Reading:
Today you will be reading Manatee Winter, which is a narrative text.
You will be reading to be informed about manatees as well as for enjoyment.
You will use the thinking skill of description to learn about manatees.
II. Silent Reading: The students will read the text with a partner.
Discussion:
Reading Strategy Return
to Top
The students would read the story in pairs that I previously selected.
I would choose the pairs because this book is a little difficult; I would
make sure lower readers were paired with a student who could help him
or her understand the story. During reading each partner would read a
page and then the other person would tell what he or she pictured in their
mind as their partner was reading. Then the roles would switch for each
page read. Each pair would then use the GIST strategy they learned in
a prior mini lesson to write a summary of the story. After reading and
completion of their summary I would have the students discuss, as a class,
the description used in the story and how that helped them picture what
was happening in their mind. Then I would bring the class together and
ask the following questions.
QAR Questioning:
Discussion Strategy Return
to Top
(Text Implicit & Script Implicit) Do you think
manatees can breathe underwater? (No. The answer
is Author and Me because the text says, “They reach their noses
up above the choppy waves to take a breath...” and I know if manatees
need to lift their noses out of the water to breathe that they can’t
breathe underwater.)
(Text Explicit) Where do manatees live? (In
the ocean by Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The answer is Right
There because the answer is found in the text.)
(Text Implicit & Script Implicit) Are manatees
curious animals? (Yes, they investigate by nuzzling and rubbing
the boat. The answer is Author and Me because the text says;
“they investigate by nuzzling and rubbing the boat.” and I
know that investigating is being curious.)
(Text Implicit) What is a baby manatee called?
(A calf. The answer is Think & Search because the
answer is found in different sentences on different pages.)
(Text Explicit) What do manatees do with their friends?
(They tumble and play. The answer is
Right There because the story says, “they nibble each others’
backs in a friendly way, then they tumble and play.”)
(Script Implicit) Do you think you would like to
see a manatee? (Yes, or no. This answer is On My
Own because I don’t have to read the story to know the answer to
this question.)
IV. Rereading:
Now you will be rereading the story by yourself. Make sure you are
paying close attention to the detail used because you will need to include
detail in a story you will be writing later.
Differentiation: Return
to Top
Students who struggle with reading may listen to the story on tape and
follow along in their book instead of reading the story by themselves.
V. Follow-up:
Writing Strategy Return
to Top
Once you are done reading, you need to start brainstorming a list
of ideas about an adventure a manatee could have. Tomorrow you will write
your Manatee Adventure rough draft. Over the next few days you will be
going through the writing process and finally publishing your story into
a book shaped like a manatee.
The story structure link would be used here. Students could look
at the story structure while writing their rough drafts and throughout
the editing process to help them with the flow of their stories. The story
structure would also help students see if they included the important
elements of a story.
Differentiation: Return
to Top
Students may use the computer to type and revise their story instead of
writing it.
|