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Lessons & Units :: Naturally Wild Musicians: The Wondrous World of Animal Song 4th Grade Unit
Read-Aloud Lesson: Naturally Wild Musicians: The Wondrous World of Animal Song
Lesson Plan
Naturally Wild Musicians: The Wondrous World of Animal Song
- Learning Goal
- Identify and explain the primary purposes of animal song in order to demonstrate understanding of the main ideas of the Introduction and Chapters 1-3.
- Necessary Materials
- Provided:
- Detailed lesson plan
- Graphic organizer for guided practice
- Independent student worksheet
Not Provided:
Naturally Wild Musicians: The Wondrous World of Animal Song
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This lesson is a close reading of the entire text. So it’s important to engage students often, to enhance their learning. Here are two tips:
- When you ask the more complex questions from the lesson, ask students to “turn-and-talk” or “buddy-talk” before answering.
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Once you are deep into the lesson, instead of asking students every question provided, ask them to share with you what questions they should be asking themselves at that point in the text. This is also a great opportunity to use "turn-and-talk."
- Suggested teacher language is included in the lesson.
- We recommend you read the book once to your students, either the day or morning before teaching the lesson.
- This research-based, read-aloud lesson may seem long. Why do students need the lesson to be this way?
Part 1: Teacher Modeling and Questioning
Write the following student-friendly learning goal on the board, then read the learning goal aloud with the class:
We will explain why animals sing and make music.
Prepare Students for the Lesson
- Remind students that all living things reproduce in order to make new organisms.
- Remind students that most living animals, including birds, fish, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects reproduce when a male animal and a female animal mate.
Transition Students into the Text
Teacher says: What do you see on the cover of this book? (Call on students to describe the cover of the book.) You can see a monkey. You can also see music notes. The title of this book is Naturally Wild Musicians: The Wondrous World of Animal Song. Today we're going to think about the reasons different kinds of animals make songs and the different ways they create their music.
Read the table of contents aloud.
Teacher says: Today we are going to closely read the Introduction and Chapters 1, 2, and 3.
Read page 4 aloud. First, read the title; then read the primary text. Read the caption for the photograph last.
1.
Teacher says: The author tells us that the famous composer Mozart arranged a funeral when his roommate died. Let’s make sure we understand what all the words in that sentence mean. A composer is someone who writes music. A roommate is someone who lives in the same apartment, house, or room as you.
The author also tells us that Mozart's roommate was a European starling. In the caption for this photograph, the author writes, “After his pet starling died, Mozart composed music that many believe mimics the bird's style.”
The author also tells us that Mozart's roommate was a European starling. In the caption for this photograph, the author writes, “After his pet starling died, Mozart composed music that many believe mimics the bird's style.”
2.
Teacher asks: What kind of animal is a European starling?
Students answer: A bird.
3.
Teacher says (models thinking): The word “mimic” means “to imitate” or “to copy.” I'm thinking that if the author tells us that Mozart composed music that copied the European starling's style, then Mozart's music must have had some similarities to the songs his bird sang.
4.
Teacher asks: If Mozart's music and the European starling's music were similar, would Mozart's music have sounded like the songs of all other birds? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the text. For example:
- No, the author only tells us that Mozart's music was similar to the European starling's style.
- It depends on whether the songs of other birds are similar to the songs of the European starling. If they are, then Mozart’s music would have sounded like the songs of all other birds.
5.
Teacher says: Let’s see whether the book tells us anything about the songs of different birds as we read on.
Read the first two paragraphs of page 5 aloud. First, read the primary text; then read the caption for the photograph.
6.
Teacher asks: Are males or females usually the music-makers in the animal world?
Students answer: Males are usually the music-makers in the animal world.
7.
Teacher asks: When do male animals usually perform their songs?
Students answer: Male animals usually perform their songs during the breeding season.
8.
Teacher says: The breeding season is the time of year when animals mate in order to reproduce.
9.
Teacher asks: What are the purposes of the males' tunes?
Students answer (make sure both of the following responses are given):
- The males' tunes let females know where to find a good mate.
- The males' tunes warn other males to stay away.
Part 2: Guided Practice and Discussion
For this oral lesson, it is suggested to have the completed graphic organizer on the board with the answers concealed. After students provide a correct answer, reveal the corresponding answer on the graphic organizer. For some fields, there is more than one correct answer. In the “Animals That Use Song for This Purpose” column, the sample answers comprise all possible responses. In the “Example” column, the sample answers are only one example of many possible responses.
1.
Teacher asks: What is the purpose of animal song described in Chapter 1: Chords of Courtship?
Students answer: The purpose is to attract a mate.
2.
Teacher asks: What are some animals that use song to attract mates?
Students answer (elicit as many of the following as possible): Cicadas, European red deer, Hermann's tortoises, plainfin midshipman fish, and great reed warblers are animals that use song to attract mates.
3.
Teacher asks: Look at the list of animals that use song to attract mates. Now pick one and explain how it uses song to attract its mate.
Students answer (may vary and include the following): The male plainfin midshipman fish sings to attract the female to his nest to lay eggs.
4.
Teacher asks: What is the purpose of animal song described in Chapter 2: Singing Duels and Territorial Tunes?
Students answer: The purpose is to establish or defend territory.
5.
Teacher asks: What are some animals that use song to establish or defend territory?
Students answer (elicit as many of the following as possible): Black-capped chickadees, Coqui frogs, Tokay geckos, song sparrows, and Atlantic walruses are animals that use song to establish or defend territory.
6.
Teacher asks: Look at the list of animals that use song to establish or defend territory. Now pick one and explain how it uses song to establish or defend territory.
Students answer (may vary and include the following): Male Coqui frogs’ loud singing warns other males to keep their distance.
Part 3: Student Independent Practice
Both the student question set and teacher answer sheet are provided in the 'Text & Materials' section.
Texts & Materials
Standards Alignment
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