Grade: Grade 5 Subject: English Language Arts Created by: Jake Burklew Lesson Length: 1 hour Keywords/Tags: science vocabulary Lesson Description: The goal of this lesson is to have students develop associations between what is read in the text but also through their everyday experiences in life with various animals and insects. Students will learn new vocabulary words by answering contextual comprehension questions. After reading the story, student will be asked to reflect on the importance of scientists and animals.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1b: Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2d: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4a: Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.
Animal Studies
Animals are wonderful. If you look closely at how they live, you will find many surprises. It is hard to look closely at insects, because they are very small. Plus, many of them fly away when you come near. But if you have a chance to watch them, you will discover how they live. Watching animals is a job that scientists do, called making observations. They have learned a lot about animals.
Scientists learn about tiny animals, and they have studied insects. They found that insects have tools, and they use those tools to survive. For example, they learned about the sawfly. This is just one animal they have studied.
They call it the sawfly because it possesses a kind of saw. It's not a real saw, but it resembles one, and it works like one. It is actually a part of the sawfly’s anatomy. The sawfly uses the saw to make places where the eggs will be safe. It saws at plants in order to create a space where eggs can go. Afterward, the sawfly does something very special. It makes a sort of homemade glue that fastens the eggs where they are laid. We are not exactly sure how it does that, but if you can watch the sawfly you will see this happen.
Some insects have cutting instruments that work in a similar way as scissors. The poppy-bee is one of these insects. It is a bee that makes its home in wood. This bee has a boring tool, and it uses the tool to bore into old wood. It looks like a tool that a carpenter might use. Carpenters make things out of wood, and like carpenters, poppy-bees makes their nests out of wood.
In addition to insects, scientists observe birds, too. They have studied birds using their bills in order to get what they need. Some birds use their bills to cut into wood. They have sharp bills, and are able to cut a hole in a tree. So, they will use their sharp bills to drill a hole to get inside the tree where insects live, and then they eat the insects.
Every animal is amazing. Even dogs and cats can surprise you. The more you observe animals, the more you will learn. Nature is full of surprises. Every part of every animal has a purpose. Scientists learn more about them every day. Nature is a wonderful part of our world.
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity
(40 points)
Instructions: Please complete the following vocabulary activity by choosing the correct meaning of each word selected from the passage and use of each word correctly in a sentence.
Vocabulary Questions
Word/Phrase: Possesses | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q1
"They call it the sawfly because it possesses a kind of saw." What does the word "possesses" mean in this sentence?
A. has *
B. enjoys
C. give away
D. full
Which one of these sentences uses the word "possesses" correctly?
A. After going to the store, Sally possesses over all the items she bought.
B. Moutains have rocks, they are possesses of certain stones.
C. The weight lifter possesses great strength. *
D. Greg possesses that he is smarter than Jim.
Word/Phrase: It's not a real saw, but it resembles one, and it works like one. | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q2
"It's not a real saw, but it resembles one, and it works like one." What is meant by "resembles?"
A. to be different than
B. reflects
C. is the oppostie of
D. has similar features of *
Which sentence uses the word "resembles" correctly?
A. The shape of the door resembles the wall it is connected to.
B. The sun resembles earth, as they are both spherical. *
C. The animal kingdowm is full of animals that rememble humans.
D. Jill felt that her sister resembled her, so she suggested that they weren't related.
Word/Phrase: Watching animals is a job that scientists do, called making observations. They have learned a lot about animals. | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q3
"Watching animals is a job that scientists do, called making observations. They have learned a lot about animals." What is a "scientist" in this sentence?
A. A professional animal watcher
B. Someone who studies observations
C. A person who studies animals *
D. A professional observer
Which sentence uses "scientist" correctly?
A. Jim is a professional scientist and studies animals for a living. *
B. Jeff watches dogs on the weekend, he is a scientist.
C. Sarah is a scientist because she looks at the world around her every day.
D. Scientist do not have to observe the natural wolrd.
Word/Phrase: Anatomy | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q4
"It is actually a part of the sawfly’s anatomy." What does the word "anatomy" mean?
A. emotions
B. wardrobe
C. body *
D. behavior
Which sentence correctly uses "anatomy?"
A. The anatomy of the human body is unique. *
B. The anatomy of insects feelings is interesting.
C. I should have studied more, but it is not apart of my anatomy.
D. Ants do not have an anatomy because they are so small.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4a,
Task 2: Discussion Activity
(30 points)
Instructions: This discussion forum will have questions for students to respond. Read the posted questions, and respond to each. Students are responsible for posting one initial and and two peer responses for each topic.
Topic Title
Replies
Insects
Reread paragraph one. It talks about how wonderful and suprising they are when you take time to observe them. What kind of insects have you observed? Do you think insects are wonderful?
Sent on: Feb 16, 2018 by: Jake Burklew
0
Tools for Survival
Insects have various "tools" that they use to survive. After reading paragraph two and three, please give an example of a tool used by an animal in nature to surive. Explain how they use this "tool" and how they would not be able to survive without it.
Sent on: Feb 16, 2018 by: Jake Burklew
0
Favorite Animal
The last paragraph states that "every animal is amazing." Do you have a favorite animal? What makes this animal your favorite? Please be detailed and provide specific examples.
Sent on: Feb 16, 2018 by: Jake Burklew
0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1b,
Task 3: Writing Activity
(30 points)
Instructions: For this essay, reflect on the passage by thinking about the importance of animals and how they impact the world around us. Also, think about the scientists meantioned in the reading and their role in studying about how animals live and what that means for us. In 500 words, write about the importance of studying animals and why animals are an important part of our world.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2d, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.4,
