Making Our Cities Green

Activity card

Blackline Master: “Green cities” are great!

Name/s: Think about all the good things green spaces in cities give us. Think about why each thing is important and write your ideas next to each picture.

Being active

WorldWise

™

Lesson Plan

Content-based Learning

Xx

Level K (20)

Xxxxxxxxx

Making Our Cities Green explains why having parks, trees, gardens, and waterways in cities is important.

It discusses how green spaces in cities make the city cooler, clean the air, produce food, and provide spaces for people to socialize and be active.

Informational text types: Argument

Socializing

WorldWise

Content-based Learning

C3 Social Studies Curriculum links

• D2.Civ.14.K-2 Describe how people have tried to improve their communities over time • D2.Geo.6.K-2 Identify some cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places

Growing food

Key concepts

• Green spaces in cities give people places to gather socially, be active, and grow food.

• Plants in cities help to keep the city cool and reduce pollution in the air.

Content vocabulary barbecues, bays, bike paths, community gardens, concrete, oxygen, parks, picnics, playgrounds, pollution, rivers, rooftop gardens, socialize, vertical farms, water vapor

Cleaning the air

Text features

• Chapters with headings and sub-headings • Text boxes, speech bubbles, captioned photographs • Glossary and index Reading strategy

• Summarizing important information

Keeping cool

Correlations with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills WorldWise Lesson Plan Making Our Cities Green © 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. The trademark “WorldWise Content-based Learning” and Star device is owned by EC Licensing Pty Ltd. 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, Jenny Feely Consultants: Linda Hoyt, Lyn Reggett 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.worldwise-reading.com

Reading 2(6) (E) Make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society.

2(7) (D) Retell and paraphrase texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order.

2(10) (A) Discuss the author’s purpose for writing text.

Writing 2(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including procedural texts and reports.

Speaking and Listening 2(1) (D) Work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules for discussion, including listening to others, speaking when recognized, making appropriate contributions, and building on the ideas of others.

First reading session

Second reading session

Going beyond the book

Writing

Getting started

Building understanding

Speaking and listening

Introducing the book

Ask: Why is it important to have green spaces in cities? Discuss as a whole group.

Have students write an argument about why we should have green spaces in our cities. Provide the students with a template detailing the structure and elements of an argument.

Activate students’ prior knowledge. Say: Close your eyes and think about the word “city”. What do you see? Record students’ ideas on a chart.

Ask: Do cities have plants and trees? Do they have gardens and farms? Have students turn and talk about this with a partner.

Discuss as a whole group.

Provide each student with a copy of Making Our Cities Green.

Say: This book explains why it is important for cities to have parks, trees, gardens, and farms. Have students browse through the book.

Exploring vocabulary Ask: What words or phrases might be in this book? Have students work with a partner, then share with the group. List the words on a chart and invite students to make suggestions about what each word means. Where appropriate, have the students add a drawing (for example, a picture or a symbol) to the words on the chart to make the meaning clear. Discuss each word as you list them on the chart. If necessary, introduce the content vocabulary and add these words to the list.

Introducing the reading strategy Say: When we read information books, it’s important to be able to work out what the main bits of information are as you read. What are some good ways to do this? Have students talk with a partner.

Reading the text Have students turn to pages 4 and 5 and read the introduction independently. Ask: What sorts of green space can cities have?

Have students read chapter 1 independently. Say: After you have read each page, or section, stop and think about what the most important information was. This can help you to understand the text better.

Write out the following tasks onto separate strips of paper: Explain what a community garden is.

Have students read chapter 2 independently.

Explain what a vertical farm is.

Ask: What ideas have people come up with to be able to fit gardens and farms in cities? What are the benefits of being able to grow food in cities? Why is this so important? Have students turn and talk to a partner about their ideas.

Explain what a rooftop garden is.

Explain how trees and plants keep the air clean in cities.

Explain how trees and plants keep cities cool.

Explain how green spaces encourage people to be active.

Final reading session

Explain how green spaces encourage people to socialize.

Have students read chapter 3 and the conclusion independently. Say: As you read, think about what the most important information is in each section.

Place students in small groups and give each group one of the written tasks. Give the groups ten minutes to plan an oral presentation on the topic they need to explain. Groups then present to the class.

Bringing it all together Ask: What have you learned about the importance of having green spaces in cities? Have students turn and talk with a partner.

Invite students to share their knowledge and create a group chart by recording their responses.

Ask: What are the advantages of having trees, gardens, and farms in cities? Discuss as a whole group.

Students could complete the Blackline Master about the importance of green spaces in cities, and all the advantages they bring.

Reflecting on the reading strategy With a partner, have students turn and talk about what the most important information was on each double-page spread. Ask: What were the key points in each section? Invite pairs to share their ideas.

Ask: How does being able to summarize the information you read help you as a reader? Discuss as a whole group.

Vocabulary Write “Green city spaces” in the center of a chart. Ask: What words can describe green city spaces? Create a semantic web by recording the words students suggest (such as cool, green, happy, clean, fresh, healthy, beautiful, attractive, and open) around the central words.

Say: The words we have used to describe green city spaces are called adjectives. Adjectives describe what something is like.

Visual literacy Brainstorm a list of all the different types of green spaces a city can have (parks, wetlands, rooftop gardens, etc.). Have students choose one of these places to draw.

Students can then create a display of their pictures with the heading “Green city spaces.”

Download the template at www.worldwise-reading.com/teacherresources Say: Reread information in the book about the reasons why green spaces in cities are important. Students can also use research skills to find out extra information.

Encourage students to share their ideas with a partner. Say: Talk about all the good things that green spaces in cities bring to people and discuss what information you will include.

Use the template to remind the students about the structure of an argument. Say: Follow the template when you write. Begin by clearly stating your opinion. Then write about your reasons for having this opinion.

Activity card

Blackline Master: “Green cities” are great!

Name/s: Think about all the good things green spaces in cities give us. Think about why each thing is important and write your ideas next to each picture.

Being active

WorldWise

™

Lesson Plan

Content-based Learning

Xx

Level K (20)

Xxxxxxxxx

Making Our Cities Green explains why having parks, trees, gardens, and waterways in cities is important.

It discusses how green spaces in cities make the city cooler, clean the air, produce food, and provide spaces for people to socialize and be active.

Informational text types: Argument

Socializing

WorldWise

Content-based Learning

C3 Social Studies Curriculum links

• D2.Civ.14.K-2 Describe how people have tried to improve their communities over time • D2.Geo.6.K-2 Identify some cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places

Growing food

Key concepts

• Green spaces in cities give people places to gather socially, be active, and grow food.

• Plants in cities help to keep the city cool and reduce pollution in the air.

Content vocabulary barbecues, bays, bike paths, community gardens, concrete, oxygen, parks, picnics, playgrounds, pollution, rivers, rooftop gardens, socialize, vertical farms, water vapor

Cleaning the air

Text features

• Chapters with headings and sub-headings • Text boxes, speech bubbles, captioned photographs • Glossary and index Reading strategy

• Summarizing important information

Keeping cool

Correlations with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills WorldWise Lesson Plan Making Our Cities Green © 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. The trademark “WorldWise Content-based Learning” and Star device is owned by EC Licensing Pty Ltd. 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, Jenny Feely Consultants: Linda Hoyt, Lyn Reggett 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.worldwise-reading.com

Reading 2(6) (E) Make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society.

2(7) (D) Retell and paraphrase texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order.

2(10) (A) Discuss the author’s purpose for writing text.

Writing 2(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including procedural texts and reports.

Speaking and Listening 2(1) (D) Work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules for discussion, including listening to others, speaking when recognized, making appropriate contributions, and building on the ideas of others.