A Review
Build Background
As a group, discuss the following:
Why do animals behave the way they do?
You may have seen dogs wag their tails, drop their tails between their legs, or pick up their ears. Why do dogs do these things?
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 1
A Activity
Leveled Reader: How does Echolocation Work?
Before Reading
Remember the Read Aloud “Sugar, Cross Country Traveler.” What remarkable thing did Sugar do? How did she do it? Today you will read a book about how dolphins and bats send and receive signals that help them locate things. Use the illustrations in the reader to predict what they will learn and set a purpose for reading.
During Reading
Read the book independently and answer the question:
How does vibration affect sound?
How does the melon function in echolocation?
How is the echolocation bats use similar to that of dolphins?
After Reading
Review the concept map and explain how this book helps answer the weekly question Why do animals behave the way they do?
Why do dolphins and bats use echolocation?
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 1
A Review
Compare and Contrast
Review the definitions of compare and contrast. When you contrast two things, you tell ways in which they are different. You can find contrasts by recording facts in a chart as you read.
Today, you will read about an unusual animal. Make a T-chart with one column labeled Ocean Animals. You will label the other column after you begin reading about the encantado.
Ocean Animals
Summarize
Mentally summarize main ideas as you read. Fill in your T-charts, and summarize the contrasts you find when you have finished.
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 2
A Activity
Reading Street Book: Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon
Revisit
Read Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon pp. 58-64 and use the comprehension skill and strategy as you read.
How would you prepare for a journey upriver on the Amazon?
What would you do in order to learn about the encantado on your journey?
Problem Solving:
Think about how to solve the challenge of studying animals in remote areas. What is the best way to study a newly discovered animal?
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 2
A Review
Multiple Meaning Words / Context Clues
Read a sentence with a multiple meaning word, such as this one:
“Off to you left, a big pink form has surfaced.” The word form can be a verb or a noun. In this sentence it is a noun, something that comes to the surface. As a noun, form can mean “shape,” “body,” “procedure,” or “document.” This sentence appears in the context of a canoe trip searching for river dolphins. The context tells me the best meaning is “shape” or “body.” I’ll try that in the sentence “Off to you left, a big pink shape, or body, has surfaced.” That makes sense.
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 3
A Activity
Reading Street Book: Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon
Revisit:
Read Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon on pp. 68-71. Use context clues as you finish reading with a partner.
Critical Thinking:
Like the encantado, the Amazonian manatee in the picture on p. 71 has relatives that live in the ocean. Most animals live where they can get what they need from their surroundings. Think of animals that are plentiful in your region.
What animal seems especially common around here?
What explains its ability to live so comfortably in this area?
Creative Thinking:
Would you like to live on the Amazon River? Why or why not?
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 3
A Activity
Reading Street Book: Mysterious Animals
Before Reading
Preview Mysterious Animals on pp. 76-79. Read the genre information about recipes. Set a purpose for reading.
During Reading
Why are these animals considered mysterious?
How do the sidebars and their information help readers better understand these animals?
After Reading
Discuss with your teacher Reading Across Texts. Then do Writing Across Texts independently.
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 4
A Activity
Leveled Reader: How does Echolocation Work?
Reread for Fluency
Silently reread passages from How does Echolocation Work? Then reread them aloud with a partner or individually.
Match your expression to the content.
Retell
Summarize the main idea and key details from each of the three titled sections of How does Echolocation Work?
What are the most important ideas in this selection?
What did you learn from reading this selection?
After Reading
Complete any unfinished projects. You may share them with your classmates with the teacher’s permission.
Unit 4 Week 2 Day 5