Grade 2: Animal Habitat Unit - Explain Everything
This unit is a collaboration between classroom teachers and the Library Media Specialist. Classroom teachers are responsible for introducting the Science content about animal habitats and animal adaptations, as well as the writing an information text essay. This is done using a variety of nonfiction text, videos, and other resources for mentoring the process with whole class instruction.
Essential Questions
What adaptations do animals need to survive in their habitat?
How do reader's get information from non-fiction text?
How do reader's get information from non-fiction text?
Studying Craft in Digital Mentor Text
Targets
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.5
Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.7 Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.7
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5 Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.6 Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. |
Background Knowledge for Reading Informational Text
Whole Group Modeling - Lesson 1
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Whole Group Modeling - Lesson 2
- The teacher or LMS will model taking notes using the Polar Bear ebook from the previous lesson. They will use the text features to answer questions about the animals body, habitat, world location, diet, special features for adaptation, and offspring.
- Paraphrasing will be modeled with an emphasis on not copying the text. Model "say it in your own words now write it"
- The Animal Research 4-Square will be introduced.
Student Research
Individual Student Work Using Books - Lesson 3
- Students will choose the animal they would like to research from a variety of habitats that have been studied during science classes.
- Teacher/LMS will review and model the basics of taking notes versus copying.
- Nonfiction text features will be reviewed.
- Students will use the research 4 square to take notes from a variety of nonfiction animal book.
Individual Student Work Using Digital Resources - Lesson 4
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Ongoing Classroom Work
- The classroom teacher will be responsible for having the students create an essay about their animal based on the information they have gathered through the note taking process.
Explain Everything
Introduction to Explain Everything - Lesson 5
Students will create an ebook based on a summary of their animal research. They will use the iPad app Explain Everything.
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Explain Everything - Lesson 6
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Explain Everything - Lesson 7
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