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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Informational Text Features: Analyzing “Hawaii’s Endangered Happy Face Spider”

For Teachers 5th Standards
Some things are better the second time around. Scholars reread an article about Hawaii's happy face spider, answering text-dependent questions as they read. Then, they use a Venn diagram to compare the text features of interviews and...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: On-Demand Note-Taking about Howler Monkeys

For Teachers 5th Standards
Get the facts straight. Scholars complete their mid-unit assessment by reading a text, watching a video, and observing a picture about howler monkeys. They take notes about the facts they discover to use in future lessons.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Structuring The Search: Categorizing Our Research

For Teachers 5th Standards
What can you contribute? Scholars read text to determine how ants contribute to the rainforest. First, they categorize and sort facts gathered from reading. Next, readers focus on specific terms in each paragraphs of the text Ants by...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Close Read: Epiphytes of the Rainforest and the Creatures That Call Them Home (Pages 24–26)

For Teachers 5th Standards
It's all connected. Scholars use pages 24-26 of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World to identify the relationship between the plants and animals in the rainforest. They answer and discuss questions about the relationship with a group....
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: Writing a Rainforest Field Journal Entry about Howler Monkeys

For Teachers 5th Standards
Give me more details. Scholars complete an end of unit assessment by creating an information text box to go with their field journal entries about howler monkeys. Learners use the class time to work independently.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Revising and Polishing Our Final Products

For Teachers 5th Standards
One, two, three go!  Scholars work independently to finalize the three components of their final task. They complete a science journal entry, scientific text box, and scientific drawing. While working, learners sign up for an appointment...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Revision and Illustration: Strengthening the Writing in my Rainforest Field Journal and Adding a Labeled Drawing

For Teachers 5th Standards
Let me draw you a picture. Scholars read a quote from Roger Tory Peterson and discuss his views on drawings. They then create their own drawings of an ant or butterfly to add to their science journals. 
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Using Peer Feedback and Summarizing Our Research In Informational Text Boxes

For Teachers 5th Standards
Insert text box here. Learners use index cards to create their own informational text boxes. The text box includes information about an insect in the rainforest. Scholars also complete the draft of their research science journal entries.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing and Revising Our Texts: Using Peer Critique to Improve First Drafts

For Teachers 5th Standards
Mail me a postcard. Individuals design a postcard to show what Meg Lowman from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World might have written to her friends at home. They then continue to work on writing a science journal entry.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Blending Informative and Narrative Writing: Transforming Research Notes into Field Journal Entries

For Teachers 5th Standards
The fabulous four. Scholars learn the four key components for creating an excellent journal entry. They then work to create a journal entry rubric and participate in a mini lesson about organizing and outlining journal entries. 
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Making Inferences About Informational Text: Science Talk on How My Insect Contributes to the Rainforest Ecosystem

For Teachers 5th Standards
We need to talk. Learners participate in a science talk by discussing the idea of how insects are important to the rainforest. They record notes about their conversations as they talk. For homework, pupils add to their field journals.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Conducting Research: Analyzing a Variety of Sources to Capture Information about My Insect

For Teachers 5th Standards
From picture to words. Scholars analyze a picture of an ant and then list two facts they observed and any questions that may arise. Expert groups from the previous instructional activity then look at a diagram about either an ant or...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Conducting Research: Asking and Answering our Questions about Rainforest Arthropods

For Teachers 5th Standards
Let's ask an expert. Scholars divide into groups to research and become experts on either ants or butterflies. Learners use task cards and text on their topic to complete a note catcher. At the end, they share their information with a...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Taking Notes and Citing Quotes from Text: Gathering Information on our Rainforest Insects

For Teachers 5th Standards
In other words. Scholars practice using paraphrasing and quotes. They partner in pairs to write a paraphrase for an information text strip. Individuals then use their skills to paraphrase information from the text Fire Ants.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing Narratives from First Person Point of View: Imagining Meg Lowman’s Rainforest Journal

For Teachers 5th Standards
I spy with my little eye! Learners observe page 23 in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World and practice what they would add to a field journal. They discuss how details from the text help add to their thoughts. To finish, readers use...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Learning to Observe Closely and Record Accurately: How to Create a Field Journal

For Teachers 5th Standards
Look carefully. Scholars practice observing and recording the natural world around them by looking out a window or viewing an image. Learners discuss how their experience compares to that of Meg Lowman in The Most Beautiful Roof in the...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

How to Write Like a Scientist in the Field: Introduction to the Elements of Field Journals

For Teachers 5th Standards
It's time to start journaling. Scholars look at examples of science field journals. They work in pairs to examine and complete a note catcher about a field journal. They then add to an anchor chart by discussing the different features...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: On-Demand Analysis of Meg Lowman’s Research in the Rainforest

For Teachers 5th Standards
Come explore with me. Scholars complete an end of the unit assessment in which they write an essay describing how Meg Lowman explored the rainforest canopy. Pupils fill in an outline organizer before beginning their writing.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing How Rainforest Scientists Communicate Their Research (Pages 39–42)

For Teachers 5th Standards
How do you say that? Learners read pages 39-42 of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World to analyze how the rainforest scientists communicate their research. They record their ideas in a KWL chart and then work in groups to explain...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Interviewing Meg Lowman: What Does it Mean to be a Responsible Scientist? (Pages 37–39)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Can I ask you something? Scholars read about the night walk on pages 37-39 of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World. After discussing the text with their group, they work together to create interview questions they would ask Meg Lowman....
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Comparing Two Main Ideas in an Informational Text: Meg Lowman’s Methods for Researching the Rainforest (Pages 35–36)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Alike or different? Scholars compare and contrast the research methods used by Meg in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World. They record information about her research in a three column note catcher before answering text-dependent...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Reading for Fluency: Readers Theater about the Rainforest (Page 33)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Lights, camera, action. Scholars use page 33 of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World to create a readers theater. They work in triads and use sticky notes to mark and create their own speaking parts from sections of the text. They then...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Reading for Details: Taking an Inventory in the Rainforest (Pages 28–31)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Take inventory. Scholars analyze pages 28-31 of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World and use a note catcher to model how Meg Lowman took inventory of the species in the rainforest. Learners then take a close look at the vocabulary in the...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

A Rainforest Folktale: Determining the Message of “The Wings of the Butterfly,” a Tukuna People Tale

For Teachers 5th Standards
Did you the message? Scholars listen to a read aloud of The Wings of the Butterfly to summarize and determine the message of the text. They discuss the folktale and vocabulary in groups, then use a double bubble map to compare the story...