Reading Informational Texts: Asking and Answering Questions about Frogs | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade 3 › ELA G3:M2 › ELA G3:M2:U2 ›

ELA G3:M2:U2:L1

Reading Informational Texts: Asking and Answering Questions about Frogs

In this Lesson

You are here:

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
  • RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
  • RI.3.5: Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
  • W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
  • W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
  • L.3.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
  • SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • SL.3.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can use text features to find information about tadpoles efficiently in Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. (RI.3.1, RI.3.5)
  • I can find the gist of an excerpt from Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. (RI.3.4, L.3.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • KWEL chart (RI.3.1, RI.3.10, W.3.7, W.3.8)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Reader (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Performance Task and Learning Targets (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Exploring the Text: Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures (5 minutes)

B. Mini Lesson: Using Informational Text Features (15 minutes)

C. Reading for Gist: Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. KWEL Chart: Frogs (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson serves as a bridge from Unit 1 to Unit 2, revisiting the "why" questions generated in Unit 1 and reframing these questions as their purpose for research in Unit 2.
  • Students consider the module's guiding questions and performance task prompt to help focus their work (SL.3.1b, W.3.7, W.3.8).
  • In Work Times A and B, students are introduced to one of the module anchor texts, Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. They compare this text to the narrative texts they read in Unit 1 and use it to build an understanding of how text features can help a reader to find information efficiently. They practice this by using the text features to find information related to one of the "why" questions developed in Unit 1 (RI.3.5).
  • To build schema and foster diversity and inclusion, consider displaying informational books written in different languages. Discuss how the same genre and format is common to other places and cultures. Note that they also have the same kinds of text features.
  • In Work Time B, students find the gist of an excerpt taken from Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures (RI.3.1). Since students are unable to mark the actual text, consider using the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary note-catcher or having students record the gist and unfamiliar vocabulary on sticky notes.
  • In the Closing, students construct a KWEL chart (RI.3.1, W.3.7, W.3.8). Allow them to generate an initial list in the K, or knowledge column. Students may make statements that you know to be untrue, but these should still be added to the chart. As the class continues to read and learn about frogs, these items can then be confirmed as true or untrue.
  • This lesson is the first in a series of three that include built out instruction for the use of Goal 3 Conversation Cues. Conversation Cues are questions teachers can ask students to promote productive and equitable conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O'Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer. Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2012. Based on Chapin, S., O'Connor, C., and Anderson, N. [2009]. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K-6. Second Edition. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications). Goal 3 Conversation Cues encourage students to deepen their thinking. Continue drawing on Goals 1 and 2 Conversation Cues, introduced in Module 1, and add Goal 3 Conversation Cues to more strategically promote productive and equitable conversation. In Module 3, Goal 4 Conversation Cues are introduced. See the Tools page for additional information on Conversation Cues. Consider providing students with a thinking journal or scrap paper. Examples of the Goal 3 Conversation Cues you will see in the next two units are (with expected responses):
    • To encourage students to provide reasoning or evidence:

"Why do you think that?"

"Because _____."

"What, in the _____ (sentence/text), makes you think so?"

"If you look at _____, it says _____, which means _____."

    • To challenge students:

"What if _____ (that word were removed/the main character had done something different/we didn't write an introduction)? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner."

"If we did that, then _____."

"Can you figure out why _____ (the author used this phrase/we used that strategy/there's an -ly added to that word)? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner."

"I think it's because _____."

    • To encourage students to think about their thinking (metacognition):

 "What strategies/habits helped you succeed? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner."

 "_____ helped me a lot."

"How does our discussion add to your understanding of _____ (previously discussed topic/text/language)? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner."

"I used to think that _____, and now I think that _____.

  • Note that the student version of the "Challenge thinking" Goal 3 Conversation Cues (and expected student responses) are built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart in Closing and Assessment A. The "Provide reasoning and evidence" Goal 3 Conversation Cues are built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart in the next lesson. The "Think about thinking" Goal 3 Conversation Cues are not built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart, as these cues are best suited for teachers to prompt students. Conversation Cues and Discussion Norms are similar in that they seek to foster productive and collaborative conversation. Furthermore, Conversation Cues aim to ensure equitable conversation by gradually building student capacity to become productive, collaborative participants. Goal 1 Conversation Cues focus on the fundamentals of encouraging students to talk and be understood, whereas Goal 2 encourages students to listen carefully to one another and seek to understand. Goals 3-4 take students to deeper levels of conversation, from deepening their thinking to thinking with others.
  • As an extension, students could choose an additional "why" question from Unit 1 to research, using text features in Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures to find information related to the question and reading sections of the text for gist.
  • The general name for students' notebooks used in Unit 2 is the Freaky Frog research notebook. These notebooks contain note-catchers and graphic organizers tailored for research about frogs and how they survive. Consider having students create research folders to store their notebooks and other notes, texts, and writing gathered throughout the module.
  • The materials list references the complete Freaky Frog research notebook as well as the specific material(s) used in the lesson.
  • In this unit, the habit of character focus is working to contributing to a better world. The characteristic they are reminded of in this lesson is: apply my learning as they discuss what experts do.
  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to frogs and specifically frog adaptations. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.
  • Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads aloud from Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures in Work Time C.

How it builds on previous work:

  • Students begin to research the answer to one of the "why" questions developed in Unit 1.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Throughout Lessons 1-2 and 4-5, students should work with a reading partner. Strategically partner students so they can support one another well as they read this complex text.
  • Students may struggle with using the glossary and index in Work Time B. Consider spending some time before this lesson reviewing how these are structured and how to look up a word or topics in a text.

Assessment Guidance:

  • For more context on the performance task, see the full prompt in the Performance Task Overview.
  • Answer keys are not provided for the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary note-catcher because this material is optional.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 2, students will closely reread the excerpt from Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures used in this lesson. Then, in Lesson 3, students will use the information they have learned and gathered in the close read to write an informational paragraph in response to the "why" question generated in Unit 1: "Why do polliwogs wiggle?"
  • Students will repeat this cycle of reading for gist, then closely reading the text, and then writing about it in Lessons 4 through 6.
  • Students will refer to the Informational Texts handout throughout this unit and Unit 3.

In Advance

  • Prepare the Freaky Frog research notebook, where students will record their research notes and thinking throughout this unit and Unit 3. Consider stapling these notebooks into packets for students before this lesson. You may have each student create a research folder for storing their notebooks and other notes, texts, and writing throughout the module.
  • Locate the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart or re-create this chart to display. See Work Time C.
  • Post: Performance Task anchor chart, the learning targets.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time C: Consider using a text-to-speech reader like Natural Reader or students to hear the text read aloud as many times as they require.
  • Work Time C: Consider creating a Google Doc for pages 6-7 from the text so that students can use web browser readers such as SpeakIt! for Google Chromeor the Safari reader to hear the text read aloud and to annotate the gist online using the comments feature.
  • Work Time C: For students who will benefit from hearing the text read aloud multiple times to find the gist, consider using a text-to-speech tool such as Google Chrome Speak.
  • Closing and Assessment A: Student Freaky Frog research notebooks could be completed by students online, for example on Google Docs in a folder for each student.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.B.6, 3.II.A.1.

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to identify and discuss the benefits of informational text features.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to process a lot of information in a brief time, as this lesson sets the stage for the rest of the unit. If some students are overwhelmed, reassure them that if they do not fully understand everything during this lesson, they will have plenty of time to practice with the new concepts throughout the unit. The text, Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures, has so much variation in print style that it might be difficult for some students to notice how text features help information stand out. Consider focusing their investigation of text features into manageable pieces. For example, have students practice noticing subject headings first.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Invite students to discuss their experiences with frogs with their families and then share stories and cultural values with the class.
  • Encourage students to notice how text features like the Table of Contents set the stage for reading information text versus the narrative poetry and pourquoi tales they read in Unit 1. Example: The Table of Contents tells us there will be a lot of information in this book, and that we may use it to help us locate specific types of information.

For heavier support:

  • This lesson requires independent think time with what may be new concepts to some students. Consider assigning students a mentor or buddy, preferably with the same home language, who has advanced or native language proficiency for support throughout the lesson.
  • The mid-unit and end-of-unit assessments contain several multiple choice questions that require students to identify relationships between ideas. To prepare students for these assessments, offer distractor options when asking questions. Have students come to the board to circle the correct answer and think aloud thought processes for determining the answer.
  • There are different points in the lesson at which students will be asking questions and generating wonders. If necessary, briefly review question words, syntax, and intonation.
  • This lesson makes use of the Turn and Talk and Think-Pair-Share protocols. Review protocols as necessary.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, support comprehension by activating prior knowledge. Consider a brief review of Unit 1 to highlight relevance and scaffold connections for students.  Additionally, provide questions visually as well as verbally. For example, display questions on chart or board during discussions.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): It is important to support self-monitoring and executive function skills. In this lesson, you can facilitate student management of information and resources by allowing them to identify unknown words and record them in their vocabulary log. Provide copies of the anchor charts in advance so they can maintain focus, sketch or take notes about their thinking, and access important information as they work independently.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Throughout this unit, sustained engagement and effort is essential for student achievement. Some students may need support to remember the goal for the work they are doing with the domain-specific vocabulary. These students benefit from consistent reminders of learning goals and their value or relevance. Students who may struggle with sustained effort and concentration are supported when these reminders are built into the learning environment.

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

  • experts, build expertise, survive, informational, text features, polliwogs (L)
  • table of contents, glossary, index, tadpole (T)

Materials

  • Why? anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 2)
  • Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (from Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; see Performance Task Overview)
  • Freaky Frog research notebook (new; one per student and one to display)
    • KWEL Chart: Frogs (page 1 of Freaky Frog research notebook)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to with students during Closing and Assessment A)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures (one per student and one to display)
  • Informational Texts handout (one per student and one to display)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary note-catcher (optional; one per student; see Teaching Notes)
  • Sticky notes (optional; one per student; see Teaching Notes)
  • Vocabulary logs (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Academic Word Wall (started in Module 1)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (started in Unit 1, Lesson 1)

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Engaging the Reader (5 minutes)

  • Display the Why? anchor chart and remind students that they began this anchor chart in Unit 1 when reading poems and stories about frogs. Read it aloud as students chorally read it with you.
  • Tell students they will investigate these questions throughout Unit 2 as they build expertise about frogs.
  • Invite students to form a circle.
  • Give them a minute to reread the anchor chart and choose a phrase or question that stands out to them.
  • Explain that in a moment, students will take turns reading their chosen phrase or question to the group. Explain that as each classmate shares, they should look for a phrase or question that matches or connects in some way with what they've just heard.
  • Invite students to begin sharing. Continue until there are no more phrases or questions students want to share aloud.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with language: Think aloud the process of identifying a phrase or question that stands out and that connects with another phrase. Example: "I'm not sure what this word means, so I think I'll share this" and "I see that this question is also about the frog's skin, so it connects." (MMR)
  • For students who may need support with reading or auditory processing: Consider adding simple sketches to the Why? anchor chart to support their understanding of the phrases and questions.  (MMR)

B. Reviewing Performance Task and Learning Targets (10 minutes)

  • Display the Guiding Questions anchor chart. Invite students to chorally read each question aloud with you.
  • Invite students to focus on the first two questions: "What do experts do?" and "How do I build expertise about a topic?"
  • Ask students to turn and talk with an elbow partner, and then cold call students to share out:

"What does it mean to be an expert?" (someone who knows a lot about something)

  • "What is the translation of expert in our home languages?" (Biseajna in Bengali) Invite all students to repeat the translation in a different home language.
  • Tell students that people become experts by studying a topic. They read books and articles, develop and research questions about the topic, and look to books and other sources to answer their questions.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you think it means to build expertise in the second guiding question?" (to learn a lot about something)

"What topic do you think we will build expertise about in this unit?" (frogs)

"How can we build expertise about frogs?" (ask questions about frogs like experts do and read texts to find the answers to our questions)

  • Invite students to focus on the third question: "How do frogs survive?" Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What specifically will we be learning about frogs?" (how they survive)

"What does the word survive mean?" (to continue to live and grow; to continue to live after something dangerous has happened)

  • Focus students on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart and remind them of the habit of character already recorded, apply my learning. Remind students that experts apply their learning to help improve their community.
  • Draw students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart and read the prompt aloud. Remind them that they are working toward creating an informational book and trading card about frogs, and this is one way they are applying what they have learned to help improve their community. By creating a book and trading card about frogs, they are building awareness in their community about frogs. Remind students that in Unit 1 they wrote a pourquoi tale for their books. Point out the added bullet point below the performance task prompt. Explain that students may not understand this component now, but that these things will be a focus of class learning.
  • Point to the second bullet point of the prompt under "Your book will include" ("Several short informational pieces ...") on the Performance Task anchor chart and ask for a volunteer to read it aloud:

"Several short informational pieces to educate your readers about how those unusual characteristics help frogs survive."

  • Tell students they will work on this part of the performance task in this unit. Remind them of the questions they brainstormed throughout Unit 1. Explain that these questions will guide their reading and writing in this unit.
  • Distribute the Freaky Frog research notebooks. Invite students to look through their notebooks and think about what they notice and wonder about them. Invite students to share out.
  • Validate student responses and summarize what they noticed. This may sound something like: "Great observations! I heard several of you say that you noticed there were several graphic organizers repeated throughout the notebook."
  • Explain that students will use the research notebook during this unit and in Unit 3 to collect their research and write paragraphs about frogs.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to a partner, sharing what they wonder about the research notebook. Answer any clarifying questions students may have about it and say that other things they are wondering about it will be answered as they use the notebook.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and invite a volunteer to read them aloud:

"I can use text features to find information about tadpoles efficiently in Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures."

"I can find the gist of an excerpt from Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures."

  •  Explain that today students will begin to explore a text and collect information in their research notebooks about what they have learned.
  • For students who may need support organizing their ideas for verbal expression: Provide discussion questions in advance to allow them ample processing time. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may benefit from visual supports: Provide the opportunity to draw or sketch definitions, act them out, or list synonyms for key terms in learning targets, such as information, facts and details, synthesize, develop, accurate, supported, and research. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with vocabulary: Focus on the words expert and expertise. Ask: "Look closely at the words expert and expertise. What do you notice that is similar about these two words?" (Both contain the word expert. They are both nouns.) "What other words do you know that have the same root?" (experience) (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with background knowledge: To build schema, discuss the difference between an informative book and an article. Consider showing examples of articles in magazines and newspapers. Example: "A book is longer and has more information about a topic. Articles are shorter and usually have more recent, specific information about a topic." (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of the chunks of a key sentence from the Performance Task anchor chart: Your book will include several short informational pieces to educate your readers about how those unusual characteristics help frogs survive. Write and display student responses next to the chunks. Examples:

"What does the word several mean?" (some; more than two, less than 10)

"What other words are used to describe the pieces?" (short; informational) "How do you know the words describe the pieces?" (They come before the noun in the sentences, and they are descriptive words.)

"In this sentence, what are pieces?" (the writing we do about frogs; essays; pieces is another way of saying an article or sample of work)

"Why is to used in this sentence?" (To tells us the purpose of the writing--educating the readers.)

"Why is about used in this sentence?" (to tell the topic of the essays)

 "I see the word how at the beginning of this next clause. Is it a question?" (No, it is an embedded question. It talks about the answer of a question but does not ask a question.) "What is a synonym for how in this case?" (different ways that ...)

"I see the prefix un-. Why is it used here?" (Un- means "not." So it is there to change the meaning of the word usual to not usual.)

"Whose characteristics is the sentence talking about? How do you know?" (the frog's; because it is the frog's own traits and adaptations that help it survive)

"Can you say this sentence in your own words?" (The book will have writing in it that tells how frogs survive.)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Exploring the Text: Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures (5 minutes)

  • Gather students and display the cover of Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures.
  • Tell students that they will each receive a special copy of this book to use throughout the unit to learn about frogs and what makes them unique.
  • Explain that students are going to spend the next few minutes looking through this book to get an idea of some of the information they might find in it. They might choose to look at the pictures or read some of the words.
  • Distribute Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. Invite students to take 3 minutes to flip through the pages to see what they notice.
  • Invite students to notice where the frogs in this book are from. Ask: "Do any of these frogs live in our home countries?"
  • Then invite students to Think-Pair-Share one interesting photograph or idea they read in the text. Cold call a few students to share their responses with the class.
  • For ELLs and students who may need support organizing their ideas for verbal expression: When students are flipping through their books, invite them to use sticky notes to mark pages, words, or photographs that they found interesting. They can use their sticky notes as quick reference points and reminders when they Think-Pair-Share. (MMAE)

B. Mini Lesson: Using Informational Text Features (15 minutes)

  • Remind students of the narrative texts they read and wrote in Unit 1. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is similar about the texts we read and wrote in Unit 1 and Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures? What is different?" (The texts are about frogs; the narratives we read and wrote were made up or fictional; the pictures and ideas we've seen so far from Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures are real or true.)

  • Display and distribute the Informational Texts handout and explain that Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures is an informational text--it is writing that gives facts or information about something. Tell students the purpose of informational texts is to inform, or teach, a reader about a topic.
  • Select a volunteer to read the three bullet points on the Informational Texts handout:

"Informational texts inform or teach a reader about a topic."

"Informational texts often have text features that the author uses to help the reader understand and find information in the text."

"Informational texts are based on research the author does before writing and list sources used in research."

  • Display pages 20-21 of Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. Point out that these pages look different from the texts they read in Unit 1. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you notice about these pages of the text? What is different about the way they look?" (Responses will vary; students should point out specific text features, such as headings or bolded words, but will likely not know the correct names of these features.)

  • Explain that many informational texts include text features, or signals the author uses to help the reader understand and find information in the text.
  • Display pages 2-3 and use a total participation technique to invite responses from the group:

"What do you notice about these pages?" (Responses will vary; emphasize the title of page 3, "Table of Contents.")

  • Tell students that the table of contents helps the reader identify key topics in the book in the order they are presented. Model using it to find information about the life cycle of a frog.
  • Display pages 78-79 and use a total participation technique to invite responses from the group:

"What do you notice about these pages?" (Responses will vary; emphasize the title of page 78, "Glossary," and page 79, "Index.")

  • Tell students that the glossary is like a mini dictionary that helps the reader learn the definition, or meaning, of important words in the text. Model using it to find the meaning of a word.
  • Tell students that the index is an alphabetical list of important information in a text, with page numbers. Model using it to find information about the life cycle of a frog.
  • Point out the terms table of contents, glossary, and index under the second bullet of the Informational Texts handout.
  • Direct students' attention back to the Why? anchor chart and remind them that they will be researching the answers to some of these questions throughout this unit. Invite a volunteer to read the question on the chart:

"Why do polliwogs wiggle?"

  • Tell students they will focus on this question as they begin their research. If necessary, remind students that polliwog is another word for tadpole. Invite them to work with an elbow partner and use the table of contents and index to find information about tadpoles in Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which pages have information about tadpoles? What text features did you use to help you find this information?" (table of contents: page 14, Life Cycle of a Frog; index: page 7, 14-15, 21, 33)

  • Validate student responses and invite them to turn to pages 6-7 and skim the text for information about tadpoles on these pages. Cold call students to share out:

"What did you learn about tadpoles on these pages? What in or about the text helped you find that information?" (Responses will vary: The picture on page 7 showed me that tadpoles are black and yellow; the words in bold or printed darker than the rest in the box on the middle of page 7 explained that tadpoles swim like fish, etc.)

  • As students share, formally name the text features that they notice, pointing them out under the second bullet on the Informational Texts handout.
  • Tell students they will continue to learn about other text features throughout this unit as they read Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures.
  • For students who struggle with oral language and processing: Allow ample wait time throughout the mini lesson. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with fluency: Invite them to practice reading the bullet points on the Informational Texts handout in advance and then call on them to read aloud to the class during this lesson. Giving these students an opportunity for public success will build their confidence and internal motivation. (MMAE)
  • For students with auditory processing needs: Consider posting discussion questions or giving them to these students before the discussion. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Look up some other words for tadpole in students' home languages and share the translations. If students know it, ask them to share it. (Example: sharghuf farkh alddafde in Arabic)
  • For ELLs and students who may be having trouble retaining the different characteristics of informative texts: Prepare illustrated sticky notes with the different characteristics (table of contents, text features, index, etc.) that students can post in their books next to examples of those characteristics. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: To encourage participation, ask more guided and focused questions about information and features found within the texts. Examples: "Raise your hand if you can find an illustration that tells me where tadpoles hatch" or "Who can find a text feature that will tell me where to find information about what tadpoles eat?" If necessary, remind students of the meaning of terms like illustration and text feature while posing the questions.

C. Reading for Gist: Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures (15 minutes)

  • Partner students and direct their attention back to pages 6-7 in Everything You Need to Know Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. Explain that over the next several lessons, they will use these pages to find information and write a paragraph answering the question "Why do polliwogs wiggle?"
  • Explain that today they will read these pages for the gist, and in Lesson 2 they will reread sections from these pages more closely. In Lesson 3, they will use what they have learned to write a paragraph answering the question.
  • Ask students to look over these pages and put their finger by the part of the text they think the author meant for the reader to read first. (the blue column on the left side of page 6)
  • Read pages 6 and 7 aloud for students without stopping, as they read along silently in their heads.
  • Use a total participation technique to invite responses from the group:

"What is the text about?" (Student responses may vary, but could include it's describing amphibians.)

  • Post and review the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
  • Tell students that the text they will read is challenging and may have unfamiliar words. Reassure them that just like when they read other texts this year, they are not expected to understand all of it the first time they read it. Remind them that one key to being a strong reader of difficult text is being willing to struggle.
  • Distribute the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary note-catcher or sticky notes. Display a copy to model what students should record in each column. Tell them that they can draw or write in the gist column or on the sticky notes. These are just notes to help them remember what their excerpt is mostly about.
  • Display page 6 of Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. Read the text in the blue column on the left of the page aloud and invite students chorally read it with you.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of this part of the text? What is it mostly about?" (amphibians and reptiles)

"Are you unsure of the meaning of any words? What are they?" (Responses will vary.)

"Choose a word you are unsure about the meaning of. Which strategy would be most effective in determining the meaning of that word?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Repeat this process for the remainder of pages 6 and 7 of the text.
  • Invite students to share any new words, adding any unfamiliar words to their vocabulary logs. Add any new words to the academic word wall and domain-specific word wall and invite students to add translations in native languages.
  • If productive, use a Goal 3 Conversation Cue to encourage students to think about their thinking:

"What strategies helped you most when determining the meaning of the words? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)
  • For students who may need additional support with reading: Prepare copies of Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures in advance, starring the place the author meant for the reader to read first, underlining phrases that will highlight the gist for students, circling important unfamiliar words, etc. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support recording their ideas in writing: Provide a partially filled-in Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary note-catcher to help them know what to record in each column. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Offer clues for determining gist. Examples: If there are pictures, look at the pictures for clues for what the text is mostly about. Read the very first sentence on the page or read the heading. If you see a word again and again, usually the gist has something to do with that word.
  • For ELLs: Think aloud determining what the text is mostly about. Example: "Hmmm ... I see pictures of frogs. But it talks about other animals, too. I see lots of words here that say amphibians, and it's also talking about another kind of animal. What else? Ah, reptiles! So this seems like it is mostly about reptiles and amphibians."

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. KWEL Chart: Frogs (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to open to page 1 in their Freaky Frog research notebook, the KWEL Chart: Frogs page. Focus them on the question at the top of the chart and read it aloud as they read it silently in their heads:

"How do frogs survive?"

  • Explain the KWEL table to students if they are unfamiliar with it.
  • Tell students that for the next several days, they will record their knowledge, questions, and learning using this chart. Invite them to take several minutes to list all they already know about frogs in the K column.
  • Cold call several students to share out. Record students' comments (both accurate and inaccurate) in the K column. For example, a student may share correct information such as: "Frogs are amphibians." Or a student might inaccurately say: "All frogs are poisonous."
  • Tell students that during this unit, they will continue to learn about frogs and look for evidence from various texts to either confirm or revise their current knowledge. This chart will grow throughout this unit as a way to document growth in their knowledge about frogs.
  • Introduce students to the student version of two new cues that will help them be curious and "Challenge thinking" (Goal 3 Conversation Cues) as they discuss frogs and other topics in Grade 3 and beyond:

"What if _____?"

"I wonder why _____."

  • Tell students that these two new cues will be added to the Discussion Norms anchor chart today. Focus student attention on the Discussion Norms anchor chart and add the "Challenge thinking" cues. See the Discussion Norms anchor chart (example, for teacher reference). Ensure students understand how to use these cues.
  • Tell students that they will now think about what they are curious about regarding frogs. What do they want to learn about frogs and how they survive? Explain that this is questioning process that scientists go through as they research and discover new things in the world of science. Without a deep sense of curiosity, scientists wouldn't have any motivation to conduct experiments or research a topic. Scientists often ask "why?" or "how come?" or "what if?" Scientists always ask questions as part of scientific research.
  • Invite students to independently record at least three questions about what they want to know about frogs in the middle W column of the KWEL Chart: Frogs page. Remind them to try to use the new cues added to the Discussion Norms anchor chart. If students do not have much background knowledge about this topic, they may not have many questions at this time. This is okay, because they will revisit and record more on this chart as they read other texts. Reiterate that students will be looking for answers to these questions as they continue learning about frogs during this unit.
  • Focus students on the learning targets. Read each one aloud, pausing after each to use a checking for understanding protocol for students to reflect on their comfort level with or show how close they are to meeting each target. Make note of students who may need additional support with each of the learning targets moving forward.
  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they applied their learning in this lesson.
  • For students who may need background knowledge support: Consider allowing them to discuss what they already know about frogs before giving them time to record their ideas in the K column. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Ask students about any knowledge they may have about frogs or any experiences with them at home or in other countries.
  • For ELLs and students who may need support generating questions: Think aloud questions to ask and provide question frames. Example: "What do frogs _______? Why do frogs ______? How do frogs _______?" (MMAE)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing fluency: For all homework assignments in this unit, read the prompts aloud. Students can discuss and respond to prompts orally, either with you, a partner, family member, or student from Grades 1 or 2, or record an audio response. If students have trouble writing sentences, they can begin by writing words. Consider providing a sentence starter or inviting students who need lighter support to provide sentence starters. (MMAE)

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback