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Penguins Export Lesson as PDF | Save As Favorite
Grade: Grade 4
Subject: English Language Arts
Created by: Carson Goehl
Lesson Length: 2 hours
Keywords/Tags: Penguin Lesson Plan
Lesson Description: This lesson plan is based on a short story about penguins. This lesson plan is first comprised of eight questions based on four different chosen vocabulary words that are derived from the story. The second part of the lesson is made up of three short answer questions and the last portion of this chosen lesson plan is a short essay question.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.7: Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.8: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
 
     
     
 
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.

Penguins

The penguin is a bird, but it does not fly. Penguins are not like other birds.They are unique birds, and although they do have feathers, even their feathers are unusual. Other birds have rows of feathers that grow in a specific pattern. A penguin’s feathers grow all over, like hair on a mammal. You will not see penguins in the air, and you will not see them in trees. You will see them in the water, in fact you will see them below the surface of the water if you have an underwater video camera.

The penguin is an ocean bird, living in and near the ocean. The penguin spends much time in the ocean, so much of its life is unknown. People only get to know penguins well when they are on land, and the penguin can be at sea for months at a time.

While the penguin is not a great flier as the eagle is, the penguin can out-swim most birds and probably out-swims some other aquatic animals. The penguin has thick strong wings and flippers instead of feet that it uses to push through the water. When the penguin is on land, it walks along slowly, and this limited mobility may be one reason the penguin spends more time in the water. The penguin’s food source is in the water, the fish it catches. They have solid bones, while other birds have bones that are not solid.
 
     
     
 
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: Unique | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q1 The author in our story says "Penguins are not like other birds. They are unique birds." What does the word "unique" mean in this sentence?
A. They are the only one of its kind *
B. They are like eagles
C. They are the same as one another
D. They are similar to hawks
Which of the sentences below uses "unique" correctly?
A. My red and orange hair color is very unique from anyone else. *
B. Both of the girls are wearing green shirts and look very unique from one another.
C. Those green plants are very unique from each other.
D. They both have blue eyes which makes them very unique from one another.
Word/Phrase: Unusual | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q2 The author in our story says "They are unique birds, and although they do have feathers, even their feathers are unusual." What does the word "unusual" mean in this sentence?
A. More common then normal
B. Very rare
C. Not very common *
D. Not normal at all
Which one of the sentences below uses the word "unusual" correctly?
A. The palm tree was very unusual to trees that she hadever seen.
B. The freckles on her face are very unusual to everyone she knew.
C. Her blonde hair color was very unusual to her other friends.
D. Her scarf was unusual compared to other scarves he had noticed. *
Word/Phrase: Aquatic | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q3 The author in the story says "The penguin can out-swim most birds and probably out-swims some other aquatic animals." What does the word "aquatic" mean in this sentence?
A. Small
B. Relating to water *
C. Different colored
D. Very big
Which one of the sentences below uses the word "aquatic" correctly?
A. A fish is an aquatic animal. *
B. An animal that lives on land is an aquatic animal.
C. A bird that lives on land is also known as an aquatic animal.
D. Tadpoles are not an aquatic living thing.
Word/Phrase: Specific | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q4 The author in our story says that "Other birds have rows of feathers that grow in a specific pattern." What does the word specific mean in this sentence?
A. Not very clear to recognize
B. Similar to something else
C. Very general
D. Clearly defined or recognized *
Which one of the sentence below uses the word "specific" correctly?
A. Her preferences were very specific, she did not care what she ate for dinner.
B. Her rules were not straightforward and very specific.
C. It is easy to recognize bees because of their specific coloring. *
D. She did not understand the assignment because the intructions were very specifc.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4,
 
     
     
 
Task 2: Discussion Activity (25 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
Message How penguins are similar to other birds
In the story the author talks about penguins and that they are birds, but then goes on to talk about how penguins are different from other types of birds. What characteristics do penguins have that are alike to other types of birds. Explain your answer.
Sent on: Feb 18, 2018 by: Carson Goehl		 0
Message The Purpose of the story
In this story the author talks about penguins and talks about how they are sigificantly different from other birds. Why do you think the author chose to write this short story? Explain your answer.
Sent on: Feb 18, 2018 by: Carson Goehl		 0
Message Other reasons why penguins are different
In what other ways are penguins different from other types of birds? Talk about their appearance and their distinct traits. Explain your answer.
Sent on: Feb 19, 2018 by: Carson Goehl		 0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.8,
 
     
     
 
Task 3: Writing Activity (35 points)
Instructions: Pick a topic from the short story that you thought was interesting and elaborate on it. In addition, explain why you think penguins should or shouldn't be considered birds. 
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.7,
 
     

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