1. Context:
Introduction of unit exploring whales through literature, writing, science and math.
A. Activities will be for the class as a whole.
B. Students understanding of the world they live in and other life forms will help them appreciate the need to protect the environments of the world. Whales are mammals living in the oceans, are part of the ecological systems of our oceans, and are harmed by water pollutants. Using fiction, non-fiction, and poetry books are helpful to understand a subject and discover different genres. Appreciating literature and recognizing its many forms enables students to learn and respond to ideas, issues, perspectives and actions of others. Individuals must also be capable of writing for a variety of audiences in different styles. This lesson also requires students to be good listeners, will include a writing activity, demand listening skills, and provide an introduction to our science unit discovering whales.
C. Illinois State Standards Addressed:
Language Arts 1.B.1b. - Identify genres of fiction and non-fiction...
1.C.1a. - Use information to form questions and verify predictions.
1.C.1a - Identify themes and topics.
2. Objective:
A. Students will learn facts about whales, connect writing to a specific topic and learn how books can be found on a specific topic in both fiction and non-fiction books.
B. Students will be expected to express their existing knowledge in writing.
C. Students will be expected to be good listeners, participate in discussion, and follow oral instructions.
3. Method
A. Materials needed
1) Students will need a sharpened pencil and scissors.
2) I will need the book: Whales of The World by June Behrens and 10 Things I Know About Whales by Wendy Wax to read to students, materials to create whale journals (two sheets of gray, blue, brown or white construction paper with a whale outline on each, whale fact sheets, and fives sheets of writing paper for each student), a stapler, what is a whale booklet sheets, chart paper and a marker.
B. Students are arranged at tables with up to eight students at each set of tables and a couple of individual desks for seat work. During shared reading, students sit on the carpet.
C. A.) I will first introduce the topic of whales as our focus in science for the next two weeks. The first project will be to create individual whale journals to write about our topic. Show students two gray sheets of construction paper with a whale outline on them. These will make the cover for their journals. Show students the papers that will be stapled inside to make their journals. Explain that students are to cut along the whale outline only of both sheets of construction paper with their scissors. When students have finished, they are to add their pages and complete their journals. Each journal will have five sheets of writing paper and a few worksheets.
2.) When the journals have been completed, students will be given their first assignment to writing everything they already know about whales (3-4minutes) and then what they want to learn about whales (2-3-minutes). Spelling is not expected to be exact, students are expected to sound out words and write to best of their ability. Explain to students that this will help them to see how much they know about whales and later to see what they have learned.
3.) After students write, call students to the carpet to make a group KWL chart on chart paper about whales. Then read Whales of the World by June Behrens and 10 Things I Know About Whales by Wendy Wax to students. Talk about facts that were included on our KWL chart.
4.) Students will return to their seats. Hand students "What Is A Whale" sheets. This sheet is to be folded into a booklet with whale facts, comparisions, and drawings of a variety of whales. Following directions, students will create and read their booklets.
5.) Finally, close with a review of facts about whales.
4. Evaluation: Students will be assesses on following directions, if they write on topic in their journals, and listening and participating.
A. I will use the following rubric to assess student's progress:
4 = Child has followed instructions, written on topic, and participated in discussion.
3 = Child followed most directions, written something in their journal and participated in discussion.
2 = Child has followed some directions, wrote off topic, and contributed little to discussion.
1 = Child did not follow directions, wrote nothing, did not participate in discussion.
B. I will record student progress in each area according to the above rubric. The journals will serve as evidence of their writing, listening and following directions. Observations will also be taken into account.
C. As this lesson is an introduction to our unit, I intend to continue with additional books and activities to support existing knowledge and explore new facts. Several science experiments will allow students to actively participate in their learning. Creating charts and graphs, mapping whale migration and measuring two different whales will involve students in using math skills connected with this unit and demonstrate the importants of math skills in really life situations. There are also opportunities to use art and musical skills as we create visual works and sing whale related tunes to reinforce whale facts.
Bibliography
Behrens, June., Whales of the World. Childrens Press, Chicago, 1987.
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