Title: Endangered Planet (Burnie, D. (2004). Endangered
planet. Boston: Kingfisher).
Author: David
Burnie
Copyright: Kingfisher
Publications Plc 2004
Published by: Kingfisher,
Massachusetts
Reading level: Lexile:
8.5, Accelerated Reader AR-ATOS
Suggested delivery:
Independent, guided reading, or read aloud
Description:
non-fiction
Informative,
Descriptive, Fundamental, Motivational, Resourceful
Electronic resources to support reading:
a. This is a wonderful website for students and
the teacher to engage in cross-curricular language arts, geography, and science
to help increase awareness of the continually changing environment and
worldwide environmental issues. Students
can take a virtual tour to explore new locations and increase their knowledge
of conservation.
a. This website offers a dynamic education plan
with lessons for teachers to provide students the opportunity to develop their
skills in language arts and math through raising awareness of the need to
recycle. This website includes lesson
plans, materials, and resources to accompany the lesson plans to engage students
in their learning.
Teaching suggestions:
1.
Vocabulary:
a. Fragile
b. Adapted
c. Dominate
d. Evolved
e. Development
f. Atmosphere
2.
Teaching strategies
a. Before
reading: Students should create a KWL
chart concerning the importance of recycling and what it means to conserve. This will help the students connect their
prior knowledge of conservation efforts in their own homes to understand the
importance of conservation for our environment.
Once students read the text they can re-visit their KWL charts to
complete the “L” section.
b. During
reading: Throughout the text there are several
author recommended ideas to further engage students in the presented concepts
such as the current condition of our fragile Earth. Teachers should include one or more of these activities
after each main concept. For example, after
chapter 1, students can visit www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html
through
the use of the computers in the classroom to take a trip through the Earths
history by visiting this online time machine.
This will help students add a visual component to their learning of the environment
and our surrounding world, which will increase overall comprehension by
providing a better understanding of conditions of the environment.
c. After
reading: If school allows, the whole
class can take a fieldtrip to the local nature center or aquarium to collect
information from the experts who works with the animals themselves. Students can prepare interview questions and interview
trainers or zoologists to find out what they can do locally to help preserve and
protect our environment and minimize habitat destruction. Students can also record at least three
concerns for the environment specific to animals housed in facility visited.
3. Writing
activity: Students can write a letter to
the Center for Alternative Technology- Europe’s leading Eco center- to see
demonstrations of all types of environment- friendly inventions.
Center
for Alternative Technology
Machynlleth, Powys SY20 9AZ
Wales
Student’s letter should include:
a. Introduction
(name, grade attending, school)
b. Reason
for writing (to collect information regarding environment friendly suggestions
for everyday use in their lives as a student)
c. An
idea or suggestion they may have about a new invention that will help conserve
the environment
d. Closure
including return address for correspondence
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ReplyDeleteBecky,
DeleteI thought the before, during and after reading activities were well thought out. Your choice of activities scaffolds the information for students as they are reading this book which fully prepares them for the writing activity. Having students write a letter to the Center for Alternative Technology is a constructive way to relate English language arts to the real world. This is beneficial for students because they can use the K-W-L chart, their research and experiences on the field trip to write their letter. Teaching students to incorporate prior knowledge and new knowledge into a formal letter is a higher level thinking skill and is necessary for promoting effective research skills.