FSTL TEKS FP Nature's Red Flags - Bring Back The Frogs

Lesson Plans

Activity card

Blackline master Small animals sending big messages

Protect my home

Use what you have learned about animals and their habitats to fill in the chart below.

Problem

Solution

What is affecting the habitats where these animals live?

Why are these animals sensitive to changes?

What did scientists find out?

What has been done to help these animals?

What action has been taken?

Choose an animal that is sensitive to changes in its habitat. Create a poster that encourages people to protect this animal’s home. Include information about why the animal is sensitive to changes and why we should protect it.

Poison frogs

Fluent Plus reading stage Level O (34)

Some animals are particularly sensitive to changes in their habitat, so a decrease in numbers can alert scientists that something might be wrong.

Running words: 1,356 Text type: Explanation

When Jordan visits his cousins’ farm, he notices there are no frogs.

He investigates and ends up facing a big dilemma.

Content vocabulary

absorb chemicals extinct factory gases global warming habitat investigate investigations larva monitoring nymphs pesticides pollinating pollutants pollution polluted polluting reproduce scientists species

Phonics

• Identifying the /k/ sound represented by “ch” as in chemicals • Exploring the suffix “ist” as in scientist

Dragonflies

Running words: 1,611 Text type: Narrative

Text structures and features Nature’s Red Flags

Bees Bring Back the Frogs!

Reading strategies

• • • • •

Fact boxes Diagram and labeled photographs Chapters with headings and sub-headings Third person narrative with dialogue Table of contents, chapters with headings, and epilogue

• Using context to understand the meaning of content words • Identifying and describing a character’s feelings

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

Pikas

Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans Nature’s Red Flags / Bring Back the Frogs! © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.

Assessment Does the student understand the main information and concepts presented in the text?

Can the student write about their new understandings?

Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans Nature’s Red Flags / Bring Back the Frogs! © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.

© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice.

All other rights reserved.

Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing

okapi educational publishing

Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com

Phonics 3(2) (A) (ii) Decode multisyllabic words with closed syllables.

3(2) (A) (vi) Decode words using knowledge of suffixes.

Reading 3(7) (G) Discuss specific ideas in the text that are important to the meaning.

3(9) (D) (ii) Recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding.

3(10) (B) Explain how the use of text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.

Writing 3(12) (C) Compose argumentative texts, including opinion essays, using genre characteristics and craft.

Speaking and Listening 3(1) (B) Follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a series of related sequences of action.

Lesson 1 Nature’s Red Flags

Lesson 2 Bring Back the Frogs!

Key concepts • Some animal species are particularly sensitive to changes in their habitat, such as pollution.

• Changes in the health or numbers of these species alert scientists to the possibility of a problem with their habitat.

Before reading

After reading

Getting ready to read

Talking about the book

Encourage students to activate their prior knowledge. Ask: Where do frogs live? What is their habitat like? Have students talk with a partner, then discuss their ideas as a group.

Say: Sometimes, natural habitats can become polluted. What might happen to frogs if their habitat is polluted? How would we know something was wrong?

Show images of healthy natural habitats. Say: When natural habitats become polluted, the animals living there can get sick and die.

Ask students to talk about the book. Encourage discussion by choosing questions that are appropriate for your students. Ask them to support their answers by referring to the photographs and the text.

Why have the number of bees declined? Why is a rise in temperature dangerous for pikas? (Literal) Why are frogs a good group of animals for scientists to monitor? Why are bees such an important animal? (Inferential) What can scientists do if they discover a change in the population numbers of a species? (Synthesizing) Do you think the author is concerned about the environment? Why do you think this? (Critical) Have students show what they have learned by filling in the Blackline master Small animals sending big messages.

Vocabulary building Ask: What things can damage a natural habitat? What makes it unhealthy? Use students’ responses to create a list of words (e.g. waste, pollution, pesticides, chemicals, gases, global warming, etc.). Introduce and add content vocabulary not suggested by the students, and discuss their meanings.

Introducing the book Give each student a copy of the book and have them read the title and the contents page. Ask: What does the title mean?

What is damaging the habitats of frogs, bees, and pikas?

Have students prepare for reading by thinking and talking about the book. Say: The animals in this book are sensitive to changes in their habitats. What might scientists learn by studying them?

During reading Ask each student to read the text independently. Monitor students as they read and support them where appropriate.

If necessary, ask them to stop reading and remind them to use the reading strategies you are focused on. Say: When you come across a new, challenging word, you can sometimes work out what it means by thinking about what the whole sentence means.

Where required, identify a content word and say: Reread the sentence. What does it mean? Now, think about what this word means.

Reviewing reading strategies Encourage students to identify what they did to help themselves as readers.

Ask: How does rereading a sentence help you to understand what a particular word in the sentence means? How else can you find out what a word means?

ELL support • Chapter headings and sub-headings signal content.

• Illustrations and diagrams reinforce information in the written text.

• The glossary explains specialized vocabulary.

Returning to the book

Key concepts • When a habitat such as a stream is polluted, frogs are often the first animals to be affected.

• Pesticides can damage the environment if they aren’t used appropriately.

Provide multiple opportunities for students to read and interact with the book again – with teacher support, with a partner, and independently. Choose activities that are appropriate for your students.

Developing fluency Have students take turns to read a page with a partner.

Say: As you read, ensure that your voice is clear and smooth so that your partner can hear you and understand what you are reading.

Word work Phonics Have students turn to page 6. Ask: What words have the /k/ sound in them? List these on a chart (chemicals, can, make, sick, kill). Identify the letter or letters that make the /k/ sound.

Ask: In what other words does “ch” make the /k/ sound? Make a list (e.g. school, anchor, chorus, character, echo).

Exploring words Have students browse through the book to find words that contain the base word pollute (pollution, polluted, pollutants).

Make a list on a chart. Ask: What other words could we add to this list? (For example, polluting, pollutes.) Discuss how each suffix changes the meaning.

Writing Revisit chapter 2. Ask: What did we learn about bees? How do you feel about this? Discuss.

Say: My opinion is that we should stop using dangerous pesticides.

I am going to write about this. On a chart, model writing an opinion piece. For example, I think we should stop using dangerous pesticides because they can kill bees. This is a huge problem because we need bees to pollinate plants, so that new plants grow.

Discuss students’ opinions about what they have learned from reading Nature’s Red Flags. Have them write about this.

Encourage them to state their opinion and support it with logical reasons.

Sharing and presenting In small groups, have students take turns reading their opinion pieces. Encourage students to provide positive feedback to each other.

Returning to the book Provide multiple opportunities for students to read and interact with the book again – with teacher support, with a partner, and independently. Choose activities that are appropriate for your students.

Developing fluency Have students read the book in small groups. Have one student be the narrator and others read the dialogue of the various characters. Say: When you read dialogue, try to make your voice sound the way the character would speak if they were saying those words.

Before reading

After reading

Word work

Getting ready to read

Talking about the book

Phonics

Encourage students to activate their prior knowledge.

Ask: Have you ever explored a stream or fished in a stream? Invite students to share their experiences. Ask: What animals might you see in or near a stream? Discuss and draw out that frogs live in and around healthy streams.

Discuss differences between living in a city and living on a farm. Ask: What things do you think you would like about living on a farm?

Ask students to talk about the book. Encourage discussion by choosing questions that are appropriate for your students. Ask them to support their answers by referring to the illustrations and the text.

What did Jordan notice when he first visited the stream? (Literal) Why did Jordan suspect the factory was polluting the stream? Why did Seb get angry with Jordan? Why did Jordan think he had betrayed Seb? (Inferential) Was it good that Jordan spoke to the scientist about the lack of frogs?

Why do you think this? (Synthesizing) What else could Jordan have done when he noticed there were no frogs? Do you think he made the right decision? What would you have done if you were in Jordan’s shoes? (Critical)

Say: Natalie is a scientist. Write scientist on a chart. Ask: What sound do you hear at the end of this word? What other words end with “ist?” Have students brainstorm ideas with a partner and then share with the group. Create a list (e.g. artist, dentist, list, twist, wrist).

Reviewing reading strategies

Ask: Would you like to live on a farm like Seb’s? Have students discuss with a partner. Say: I am going to write my opinion on whether I’d like to live there or not. Model writing an opinion piece on a large chart; begin by stating your opinion and then provide reasons to support your view. Talk aloud as you write to explain your decisions.

Have students write a fictional story about Jordan’s next visit to Seb’s farm. Prompt students by asking: What might Jordan and Seb do? What might the stream be like? Will the frogs be back? Have students share their ideas with a partner before writing.

Vocabulary building Write the following words on a large chart: chemicals, water samples, scientist, pollution levels, pesticides, monitoring. Discuss the meaning of each word. Have students take turns saying a sentence to their partner that contains one or more of the listed words.

Introducing the book Give each student a copy of the book and have them read the title and the contents page. Ask: Why might this book be called Bring Back the Frogs!? What might happen to the frogs?

Have students prepare for reading by thinking and talking about the book. Ask: What might warn you that a stream is polluted? What would you do if you knew a stream was polluted?

During reading Ask each student to read the text independently. Monitor students as they read and support them where appropriate.

If necessary, ask them to stop reading and remind them to use the reading strategies you are focused on. Say: When you read a narrative with characters, it is important to know how the characters are feeling. This helps you to understand the book.

Prompt students to think about this by asking specific questions. For example, on page 20 ask: How is Jordan feeling?

What phrase tells you this?

Encourage students to identify what they did to help themselves as readers. Ask: How did Jordan’s feelings change throughout the story? Discuss. Say: Well done on identifying how Jordan was feeling at different times. This shows that you understand the plot of the story.

ELL support • Illustrations support the story.

• The first chapter clearly establishes the setting and introduces the main characters.

Exploring words Write the following words on a chart: surprised, worried, betrayed, relieved, shocked, confused, excited. Discuss the meaning of each word. Ask: What do these words have in common? Discuss and draw out that they all describe feelings. Ask: What words can we add to this list?

Writing

Sharing and presenting Compile students’ writing into a class book and read it aloud to the group.

Synthesizing: Talk about the pair After reading Nature’s Red Flags and Bring Back the Frogs! ask: What did you learn by reading these books? Have students discuss with a partner. Ask: Why are some animals extra sensitive to a change in their habitat? What can scientists learn by monitoring these animals?

Students can work further on the books by completing the Activity card.

Lesson Plans

Activity card

Blackline master Small animals sending big messages

Protect my home

Use what you have learned about animals and their habitats to fill in the chart below.

Problem

Solution

What is affecting the habitats where these animals live?

Why are these animals sensitive to changes?

What did scientists find out?

What has been done to help these animals?

What action has been taken?

Choose an animal that is sensitive to changes in its habitat. Create a poster that encourages people to protect this animal’s home. Include information about why the animal is sensitive to changes and why we should protect it.

Poison frogs

Fluent Plus reading stage Level O (34)

Some animals are particularly sensitive to changes in their habitat, so a decrease in numbers can alert scientists that something might be wrong.

Running words: 1,356 Text type: Explanation

When Jordan visits his cousins’ farm, he notices there are no frogs.

He investigates and ends up facing a big dilemma.

Content vocabulary

absorb chemicals extinct factory gases global warming habitat investigate investigations larva monitoring nymphs pesticides pollinating pollutants pollution polluted polluting reproduce scientists species

Phonics

• Identifying the /k/ sound represented by “ch” as in chemicals • Exploring the suffix “ist” as in scientist

Dragonflies

Running words: 1,611 Text type: Narrative

Text structures and features Nature’s Red Flags

Bees Bring Back the Frogs!

Reading strategies

• • • • •

Fact boxes Diagram and labeled photographs Chapters with headings and sub-headings Third person narrative with dialogue Table of contents, chapters with headings, and epilogue

• Using context to understand the meaning of content words • Identifying and describing a character’s feelings

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

Pikas

Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans Nature’s Red Flags / Bring Back the Frogs! © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.

Assessment Does the student understand the main information and concepts presented in the text?

Can the student write about their new understandings?

Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans Nature’s Red Flags / Bring Back the Frogs! © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.

© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice.

All other rights reserved.

Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing

okapi educational publishing

Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com

Phonics 3(2) (A) (ii) Decode multisyllabic words with closed syllables.

3(2) (A) (vi) Decode words using knowledge of suffixes.

Reading 3(7) (G) Discuss specific ideas in the text that are important to the meaning.

3(9) (D) (ii) Recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding.

3(10) (B) Explain how the use of text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.

Writing 3(12) (C) Compose argumentative texts, including opinion essays, using genre characteristics and craft.

Speaking and Listening 3(1) (B) Follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a series of related sequences of action.

Lesson Plans

Activity card

Blackline master Small animals sending big messages

Protect my home

Use what you have learned about animals and their habitats to fill in the chart below.

Problem

Solution

What is affecting the habitats where these animals live?

Why are these animals sensitive to changes?

What did scientists find out?

What has been done to help these animals?

What action has been taken?

Choose an animal that is sensitive to changes in its habitat. Create a poster that encourages people to protect this animal’s home. Include information about why the animal is sensitive to changes and why we should protect it.

Poison frogs

Fluent Plus reading stage Level O (34)

Some animals are particularly sensitive to changes in their habitat, so a decrease in numbers can alert scientists that something might be wrong.

Running words: 1,356 Text type: Explanation

When Jordan visits his cousins’ farm, he notices there are no frogs.

He investigates and ends up facing a big dilemma.

Content vocabulary

absorb chemicals extinct factory gases global warming habitat investigate investigations larva monitoring nymphs pesticides pollinating pollutants pollution polluted polluting reproduce scientists species

Phonics

• Identifying the /k/ sound represented by “ch” as in chemicals • Exploring the suffix “ist” as in scientist

Dragonflies

Running words: 1,611 Text type: Narrative

Text structures and features Nature’s Red Flags

Bees Bring Back the Frogs!

Reading strategies

• • • • •

Fact boxes Diagram and labeled photographs Chapters with headings and sub-headings Third person narrative with dialogue Table of contents, chapters with headings, and epilogue

• Using context to understand the meaning of content words • Identifying and describing a character’s feelings

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

Pikas

Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans Nature’s Red Flags / Bring Back the Frogs! © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.

Assessment Does the student understand the main information and concepts presented in the text?

Can the student write about their new understandings?

Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans Nature’s Red Flags / Bring Back the Frogs! © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.

© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice.

All other rights reserved.

Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing

okapi educational publishing

Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com

Phonics 3(2) (A) (ii) Decode multisyllabic words with closed syllables.

3(2) (A) (vi) Decode words using knowledge of suffixes.

Reading 3(7) (G) Discuss specific ideas in the text that are important to the meaning.

3(9) (D) (ii) Recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding.

3(10) (B) Explain how the use of text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.

Writing 3(12) (C) Compose argumentative texts, including opinion essays, using genre characteristics and craft.

Speaking and Listening 3(1) (B) Follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a series of related sequences of action.