Lessons & Units :: Explicit Information 3rd Grade Unit

Lesson 1: Conducting Research

Lesson Plan

Reptiles | 810L

Reptiles
Learning Goal
Create questions about a nonfiction topic.
Use nonfiction text features and evidence to answer questions.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Example Chart, Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: Reptiles by Melissa Stewart, chart paper, markers, variety of nonfiction books at students’ reading levels

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that good researchers use nonfiction books to answer questions. I will model identifying questions I have about reptiles. (Direct Teaching and Guided Practice Example Chart provided below in Teacher and Student Materials.) I will model how to use the Table of Contents in the book Reptiles by Melissa Stewart to decide where the answers to my questions may be located in the book. I will read pages 5–9 aloud. I will write the answer to my first question on the chart.

  • Think Check

    Ask: How did I learn information from the text? Students should respond that you first thought of a question you had about the topic. Then, you used the Table of Contents to find where the answer to the question was. Finally, you read the text and identified information that answered your question.

  • Guided Practice

    will read the next question and use the Table of Contents to decide where the answer may be in the book. We will continue reading pages 14–39 and chart the answers to the rest of our questions as we read.

    TIP: Ask students point out specific text features such as captions and the Index. Model how to use these text features and discuss their purpose.

  • Independent Practice

    will write five questions you have about an assigned topic. You will read a variety of books on the topic and answer your questions. You will write the title of the book and page number where you found the answer. (Student Independent Practice is provided below.) Note: You will need to choose a topic for each student, group of students, or for the class. You will need a variety of books at multiple reading levels for each topic, for students to choose from.

    TIP: To ensure that the questions students will write for the Independent Practice can be found explicitly in the text, you may want to prescribe the questions. (Animals: where they live, what they eat, what they look like, etc.)

Build Student Vocabulary avoiding

Tier 2 Word: avoiding
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story “Lizards have different ways of avoiding their enemies.”
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Avoid means to keep away from. When you are avoiding someone, you are keeping away from them. When lizards avoid their enemies, it means that they stay away from their enemies.
Students repeat the word Say the word avoiding with me: avoiding.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts I avoided the hole in the sidewalk because I did not want to fall into it. I avoid getting caught up with the wrong crowd of kids.
Students provide examples What is something that you avoid? Why do you avoid it? Start by saying, “I avoid ___________________ because _____________________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? avoiding
Additional Vocabulary Words dart (verb), warn

Build Student Background Knowledge

Pause while reading page 10 and tell your students that someone who studies dinosaurs is called a Paleontologist. Paleontologists find fossils, or remains from ancient animal life, and analyze them to figure out how animals lived, interacted, looked, and died.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

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