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Unit Plan

Title Developing Meaning: It’s All in the Details!

Introduction The goal of this four-week exemplar is to clearly model the process of searching for and identifying explicit details in text and using details to support inferences and main ideas drawn from the text. Throughout the unit, students will examine a variety of literature and informational text, gathering evidence to support comprehension and draw deeper understanding of texts. Specific emphasis will be placed on selected academic vocabulary and phrases in selected texts. Additionally, a variety of discussions and writing exercises will engage students in digging deeper to synthesize learning.

Selected texts for the unit are centered on the theme of flight. The unit examines multiple meanings of flight through selected texts. Texts selected are as follows:

Anchor Text: A Bird Came Down by Emily Dickinson (NP) Supporting Texts: The Oriole by Andrew Downing (NP) Flute’s Journey by Lynne Cherry (1030L) Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration by Marianne Berkes (790L The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynne Cherry (590L) “How Do Birds Fly?” by Carrol Henderson and Michael Kallok (1060L)

Learning Outcomes

Reading Tasks: Students will engage in silent, small group, and whole group readings throughout the unit. Repeated readings of the same text with added discussions will assist students in developing an essential, literal understanding of text. Students will be expected to mark details within text as they re-read in small groups and independently. Repeated readings will provide students with multiple opportunities to interact with text. In addition, specific, text-dependent questions will guide students through these re-readings. The use of re-reading in this unit will serve to build fluency among less fluent readers and model the importance of returning to the text to gather important details and deepen understanding of the text.

Discussion/Language Tasks: Students will gather information through discussions and repeated readings. As the teacher models appropriate discussion formats, students will become more comfortable with the process. In addition, students will discuss the text readings in depth with partners, small groups, and whole groups throughout the unit. Students’ understanding of text will deepen through the multiple encounters with the text combined with activities stemming from discussions. Careful readings of the text will assist with discovering meaning of selected vocabulary words/phrases. Mini-lessons and discussions will be used to model and reinforce how to use context clues to uncover word/phrase meanings. Specific activities for use in building understanding of selected vocabulary are noted in daily plans.

Writing Tasks: Students will use details drawn from selected texts to create explanatory essays. Students will use text dependent questions to gather evidence from texts to support their analysis.

Curriculum Alignment

Standards provided encompass entire unit. Specific standards are listed with each lesson.

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.2; RL. 4.3; RL.4.4; RI.4.1; RI.4.2; RI.4.4; W.4.2; W.4.3; W.4.4; W.4.9; SL.4.1

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.6; RL.4.7; RI.4.3; RI.4.5; RI.4.7; RI.4.9; RI.4.10; W.4.5; W.4.7; W.4.8; SL.4.2

Supporting Science Standards: 4.L.1.1, 4.L.1.2, 4.L.1.3, 4.L.1.4

Community Engagement

One activity in the unit will involve students’ creation of explanatory essays. Essays will be based on supporting science standards. Students may use resources in the community to assist with gathering information for essays. Resources may include:

Local farmers Veterinarians Park rangers Environmentalists / conservationalists

Author Info Jennie McGuire, Ronda-Clingman Elementary School, Wilkes County School District

4th grade / All subjects

19 years teaching

B.S. Elementary Education; M.A. Curriculum Specialist; Ed.D. Educational Leadership; National Board Certification – Middle Childhood Generalist

Lesson 1

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.2; RL.4.4: SL.4.1

Supporting ELA Standards: W.4.8

Critical Vocabulary

Convenient - at hand; easy accessibleRapid - moving or acting with great speed; swift Abroad - from one place to another Cautious – careful

Definitions from www.dictionary.com

Classroom Time Required

40 minute session

Materials Needed

A Bird Came Down by Emily Dickinson (Exemplar Text)

A bird came down the walk: He did not know I saw; He bit an angle-worm in halves And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank a dew From a convenient grass, And then hopped sidewise to the wall To let a beetle pass.

He glanced with rapid eyes That hurried all abroad,-- They looked like frightened beads, I thought; He stirred his velvet head

Like one in danger; cautious, I offered him a crumb, And he unrolled his feathers And rowed him softer home

Than oars divide the ocean, Too silver for a seam, Or butterflies, off banks of noon, Leap, splashless, as they swim.

at hand; easy accessible

moving or acting with great speed; swift

from one place to another

careful

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with concept of close reading and should understand how to annotate text. Students should also understand the meaning of line, stanza, and free verse in relation to poetry. Students should also have practice reading poetry correctly, using punctuation to guide reading.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces poem with little commentary and students read it independently.

http://www.dictionary.com/

(5 minutes) Introduce poem and have students use title to predict topic of poem. Explain that this is an example of free verse poetry. Provide definitions to underlined vocabulary words (if requested from students). Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read poem independently. Students should focus on relying on the text for meaning.

2. Teacher guides students through re-reading of poem out loud. (5 minutes) Ask students to listen as you read the poem aloud with expression. This second reading exposes students to the rhythm and meaning of the poem and provides a model for improving fluency while allowing access to the text for all students.

3. Students annotate poem. (15 minutes) Students should annotate on the left side of the paper (beside the poem) to help make sense of the text. Text-dependent questions will be provided to assist students in creating annotations. Annotations should address the following:

Vocabulary: Students write their ideas on meanings of underlined vocabulary words as used in poem. Details: Students draw inferences from the poem using details from each stanza to support inferences.

4. Students discuss text-dependent questions, using annotated notes as appropriate. (15 minutes) Students work in groups (3-4) to discuss text-dependent questions. Students may use annotations to assist with discussion. Teacher should facilitate groups and monitor inferences drawn from each stanza and overall poem as students participate in discussions. Q1: Why does the poet describe the grass as convenient? (The grass is nearby and easily accessible to the bird.) Q2: Why can you assume the bird is not aware it is being watched? (The bird continues to perform its normal activities, i.e. eating, drinking.) Q3: Describe the movement of the bird’s eyes. (In the third stanza, the bird is described as having “rapid eyes that hurried all abroad.” The bird’s eyes were moving quickly from one place to another as it examined its surroundings.) Q4: What reason would the bird have for flying away? (The bird might assume the poet was planning to harm it and flew away to avoid danger).

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on responses to text-dependent questions. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions. Use the suggested responses to questions to evaluate student responses.

Modifications Teachers may choose to alter the first step in the lesson plan and read the poem aloud with students who are less fluent. This will provide students who are less skillful with correct pronunciations with an additional model of accurate reading.

Alternative Assessments Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step three of the lesson plan, assisting

with annotation of the poem to answer text-dependent questions.

Lesson 2

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.3; RL.4.6; RL.4.7

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.5; W.4.1; W.4.4; W.4.8; SL.4.1

Critical Vocabulary

Cautious – careful



50 minute session

Materials Needed










careful

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with the text A Bird Came Down from lesson 1 in the unit. Students should understand the meaning of line, stanza, and free verse in relation to poetry. Students should also have practice reading poetry correctly, using punctuation to guide reading. In addition, students should understand paraphrasing.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher reviews poem. (5 minutes) Review poem used in lesson 1 with read aloud. Teacher reads poem aloud fluently. Teacher asks student volunteer(s) to paraphrase poem.

2. Teacher guides students through re-reading of the last two stanzas. (10 minutes)


Use the “Zoom In” strategy to focus on the last two stanzas of the poem. Students should re-read the last two stanzas, looking closely at the text. Ask students to consider how the poet describes the flight of the bird in the stanzas. Students should read the stanzas independently, making any needed annotations on the left side of the paper (beside the poem) as needed to assist in interpretation.

3. Students discuss interpretations. (10 minutes) Students should discuss interpretations of the last two stanzas, first with a partner and then as a whole group. Display the following questions for students to consider in discussions with partner and whole group. Q1: What do you notice about the last two stanzas? What is being described? (Bird being scared by the speaker and taking flight) Q2: Is the bird’s flight being compared to any other type of movement? (Stanzas compare the bird’s flight to the speaker’s ideas of moving in or on water.)

4. Share video. (10 minutes) Share video comparing bird’s flight to movement on water. Following video, ask students to consider the following questions: Q1: Who is describing the movement of the bird in the video? In the poem (Narrator; poet) Q2: Are the descriptions in the video and poem the same? Why or why not? (No; video provides a scientific description of bird flight, poem provides a literary interpretation of bird flight) Q3: Do you think the descriptions would be different if the bird were describing the flight? (Responses will vary.)

5. Compare texts. (15 minutes) Students should use the Top Hat graphic organizer to compare poem to video, focusing on how each text compares bird flight to movement on water. Students should note differences between comparisons. Students will need access to video for reviewing. Ideally, students will each have laptops/tablets upon which to view video individually so that stops in the video can be made appropriately to provide time for note taking. Headphones are also suggested to minimize noise levels.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on completion of Top Hat graphic organizer. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions. Use the suggested responses to questions to evaluate student responses.

Modifications If class set of laptops/tablets are not available, teachers may set up step five of the lesson plan as a station activity during the literacy block.

Alternative Assessments Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step five of the lesson plan, providing

guidance with comparison of the video and poem and completion of the Top Hat graphic organizer.

Resources“Zoom In” strategy from Making Thinking Visible; Ritchhart, Church & Morrison “How Do Birds Fly?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3So7OMwNgy8 Top Hat graphic organizer, LiveBinder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3So7OMwNgy8

Lesson 3

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.3; RL.4.5; RL.4.6; SL.4.1

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.7; W.4.1; W.4.2; W.4.4

Critical Vocabulary

Mellow – soft and richRemote - far away; secludedToiler - workerEndowed - provided



55 minute session

Materials Needed







The Oriole by Andrew Downing (Supporting Text)

In robe of orange, and of black,With mellow music in his throat,Our fairest summer bird is backFrom southern woods and fields remote.




careful

soft and rich

far away; secluded


Beneath the shading, glossy leavesThe sunset gold upon his breast--The restless, little toiler weavesHis hanging wonder of a nest!

And, as I watch him, flashing there,My fancy deems the orioleA wand'ring blossom of the air,Endowed with wings, and voice, and soul!

worker

Provided

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with the text A Bird Came Down from lessons 1 & 2 in the unit. Students should understand how to compare texts. Students should have reading interactive notebooks or journals.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher reviews poem. (5 minutes) Review poem used in lessons 1& 2 with teacher read aloud.

2. Introduce point of view. (10 minutes) Have students consider the point of view of the poem (first person). Guide students through a discussion of point of view. Teacher should make an anchor chart comparing first, second, and third person point of view using a three column chart. Students should copy notes into interactive reading notebook. Consider including following information on anchor chart: First Person: Narrator is part of the text; Key Words: I, me, my, we; Example: I went to the movies with my grandmother. We enjoyed our time together. Second Person: Narrator is talking to the reader; Key Words: you, yours; Example: You scored the winning goal for your soccer team.Third Person: Narrator is outside the story; Key Words: she, he, they; Example: Michael loved to write stories. He liked writing mysteries most of all.

3. Review texts/graphic organizer from lesson 2. (5 minutes) Replay portion of video from lesson 2 (:54 to 1:20). Ask students to identify point of view of video (second person). Ask students to examine notes from lesson 2’s graphic organizer to note if they used any language within their notes that indicated first person or second person point of view was being used. (Responses will vary).

4. Introduce perspective. (10 minutes) Ask students to focus on the poem. Review that the poem is written in first person point of view. Ask students to identify who is telling the story (poet). Ask students to focus on the video. Review that the dialogue in the video is written in second person point of view. Ask students to identify who is telling the story in the video (narrator). Explain to students that this is the perspective of the story. Guide students to the understanding that perspective is who is telling the story and point of view is how they tell the story.

5. Introduce new text. (5 minutes) Provide students with copies of The Oriole by Andrew Downing and have students use title of poem to predict topic. Read-aloud poem fluently to students. This read-aloud will expose students to the rhythm and meaning of the poem and allow access to the text for all students. Provide definitions to underlined vocabulary words (if requested from students).

6. Students annotate poem. (10 minutes) Students should annotate on the left side of the paper (beside the poem) to help make sense of the text. Annotations should address the point of view and perspective of the poem.

7. Student discussion. (10 minutes) Students should provide explanations of how they identified point of view and perspective of the poem using evidence from the text. Teacher should facilitate groups and monitor identified point of view and perspective from poem as students participate in discussions.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on annotations to text. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student discussions.

Modifications If interactive reading notebooks or journals are not used, teachers may decide to create a three column chart cloze worksheet for students to complete during review of point of view.

Alternative Assessments Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step six of the lesson plan, assisting

with annotation of the poem to identify point of view and perspective. Resources

“How Do Birds Fly?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3So7OMwNgy8 Teacher-created Anchor Chart, Point of View

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3So7OMwNgy8

Lesson 4

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.5; RL.4.6; W.4.3

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.3; RL.4.6; RL.4.7; W.4.1; W.4.4; W.4.9; SL.4.1

Critical Vocabulary

Mellow – soft and richRemote - far away; secludedToiler - workerEndowed - provided



45 minute session

Materials Needed












careful

soft and rich

far away; secluded



And, as I watch him, flashing there,My fancy deems the orioleA wand'ring blossom of the air,Endowed with wings, and voice, and soul!

worker

Provided

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with the texts A Bird Came Down and The Oriole from previous lessons in the unit. Students should understand how to annotate text. In addition, students should have prior experience with narrative writing.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher reviews poems. (5 minutes) Review poems A Bird Came Down and The Oriole.

2. Introduce “Step Inside” strategy. (10 minutes) Review meanings of point of view and perspective. Review point of view and perspective of each poem. (A Bird Came Down- POV: poet, Perspective: poet; The Oriole- POV: poet, Perspective: poet). Ask students to select one of the poems and consider how the poem would change if the poem were written using the bird’s point and view and perspective.Tell students they are going to “step inside” the poem and examine it from the perspective of the bird. Ask students to consider the following questions for the poem they select:Q1: What can the bird see, observe, or notice?Q2: What might the bird know that the reader does not know?Q3: What might the bird care about?Q4: What might the bird wonder about or question?

Students should annotate on the right side of the paper (beside the poem) to answer the questions and help make sense of the text. Teacher may have students may use annotated poems from lessons 1 and 3 or clean copies of poems. Students should provide evidence from the text to substantiate their responses.

3. Students discuss questions, using annotated notes as appropriate. (15 minutes) Students work in groups (3-4) to discuss questions, using annotations to assist with discussion. Teacher should facilitate groups and monitor inferences drawn from each poem.

4. Pre-planning for narratives. (15 minutes)Teachers should explain to students they will now begin pre-planning for a narrative. Review components of narratives. (Students should have previous experience writing narratives. Anchor chart for narrative writing should be displayed for student reference).

Narratives will focus on their selected poem’s events using the bird’s point of view and perspective. Narratives should describe the imagined experiences of the bird, using descriptive details and support from the original text.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on annotations to text and completion of pre-planning steps. Teacher should facilitate groups and monitor student discussions.

Modifications Teachers may choose to provide clean copies of poems to students for annotations. In addition, teachers may have an established pre-planning organizer for students to use when planning narrative writing. A sample narrative planning organizer is provided.

Alternative Assessments

Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step four of the lesson plan, assisting with pre-planning of narrative.

Resources “Step Inside” strategy from Making Thinking Visible; Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, pp. 178-184

“Narrative Planning Organizer”, see attached

Narrative Planning OrganizerFocus: ______________________________________________

Setting & Character(s): Problem:

Goal:

Plot DevelopmentBeginning

Setting + Character(s) + Introduction of

Problem

MiddleAction (Main Events)

EndSolution

HOOK Your Reader! Details! Transition Words!

Change in characters?

Outcome

Resolution:

Lesson 5

Primary ELA Standards: W.4.3; W.4.4; W.4.5

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.3; W.4.9


Two 45 minute sessions

Materials Needed










And, as I watch him, flashing there,My fancy deems the oriole




careful

soft and rich

far away; secluded

worker

A wand'ring blossom of the air,Endowed with wings, and voice, and soul! Provided

Pre-activities Students should have pre-planning for narrative complete from lesson 4.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher reviews narrative focus. (5 minutes) Students should have pre-planning organizers from lesson 4 available for use with narrative writing. Teacher reviews focus of imaginative narratives, reminding students they are to describe the imagined experiences of the bird using the bird’s point of view and perspective.

2. Narrative writing. (30 minutes) Students work on creation of narratives using pre-planning narrative organizers for assistance. Narratives should use descriptive details and reference evidence from the original text. Teacher should monitor student progress with writing, providing support as needed.

3. Partner share. (10 minutes)Students should share completed and/or partially completed stories with a partner. Teacher should facilitate groups, asking clarifying questions as needed.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on completed narrative and adherence to focus for narrative. Teacher should facilitate student progress while writing.

Modifications Students with specific needs may need to type and/or dictate stories.

Alternative Assessments Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step two of the lesson plan, assisting

with writing of narrative. Resources

“Narrative Planning Organizer”, see lesson 4

Lesson 6

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.4;

Supporting ELA Standards:

Critical Vocabulary

Migratory - Animals that migrate, or move, from one location to anotherThrush - One of several species of songbirds of the family Turdidae, often with spotted underbelliesExistence - The state of being, existing, or occurringEmerged - To come into viewFledged - Having the feathers necessary for flightLustrous - RadiantDwindling - Declining



50 minute session

Materials Needed

Flute’s Journey by Lynne Cherry

On a still, starry fall evening, if you listen carefully you may hear the calls of hundreds of migratory songbirds as they fly overhead on their journey south to the tropical rain forests. Again, in the spring, you may hear them way above, returning to their nesting sites in the cool woodlands of the North. Sheltered by the towering canopy, the bottom of these northern forests is called the understory. There, in small, young hardwood trees like beech, holly, dogwood, and tulip poplar, wood thrushes sing their rich, powerful, pure melody. Amid rushing streams, moss-covered rocks, and hundred-year-old trees that have fallen and are turning back into earth, the nesting wood thrushes face many dangers. This is the story of the life of one wood thrush whose existence depends upon the tropical rain forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica, the northern forest of the Belt Woods in Maryland, and all the places in between. Four lovely turquoise eggs lay in a nest in a small dogwood tree in a forest in Maryland. In this nest made of leaves, mud, and fine rootlets, the eggs were warmed all day and night under the breast of the mother bird. Inside the eggs, baby wood thrushes grew until one day in May, feeling tight and squeezed, they began to peck. Each pecked and pecked until it pecked apart its eggshell and emerged into the wide world. The baby birds were tiny, wet, and featherless, naked but for a bit of down. Their eyes were closed. The hungry wood thrush chicks let out shrill cries and reached with outstretched necks. The parents flew back and forth all day bringing meals of insects and soft, squishy worms. Eating heartily, the young birds thrived and grew. In three days, the chicks’ eyes opened. Gray pinfeathers covered their pink-and-gray skin. They began beating their small wings, strengthening them. Seven days later, feeling squeezed in the nest that was now too small for them, the chicks hopped to its edge and out onto the branches of the dogwood tree, beginning to explore their world. The chicks tried out their wings, fluttering from one branch to another, then to the ground and back again. They had left the nest; they had fledged. But still, whenever they were hungry, the chicks would call,

Animals that migrate, or move, from one location to another

One of several species of songbirds of the family Turdidae, often with spotted underbellies

The state of being, existing, or occurring

To come into view


and their parents would find and feed them. Deep in this ancient forest known as the Belt Woods, the young wood thrushes were safe from most dangers. Cats and raccoons would not bother them here. But they kept alert for hawks, black snakes, foxes, and people – particularly two children who came every day to watch them quietly. Three of the young wood thrushes and their parents kept their distance from the children. But one of the fledglings, who had a few unusual white feathers on his head, flew closer and closer to them each day. The children named this bold young wood thrush Flute, for they knew that when he grew up he would sing as beautifully as his father and that his song would echo through the forest like the clear, sweet music of a flute. For three weeks after he had fledged, Flute’s parents continued to feed him. During July and August, his baby feathers fell out and in their place grew the long and lustrous feathers of a handsome juvenile. Now whenever Flute or his siblings came around, they were chased off by their parents, who knew that their youngsters had learned to take care of themselves. September came and a cool breeze ruffled Flute’s feathers. Autumn leaves turned gold, red, and yellow. The shorter days and the dwindling light gave the birds the urge for going. Flute ate as many berries and insects as he could find and stored up fat – energy for the long flight ahead.

Then, one evening, as if a message was carried on the wind, Flute and many other wood thrushes lifted up from the forest and took to the air. The stream of songbirds flew south, joined along the way by other streams, until a river of migrating birds traveled together through the night, thousands of feet above the ground, protected from hawks by the darkness.

Having the feathers necessary for flight

Radiant

Declining

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with the use of “Word Stash” for vocabulary development.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces text with little commentary and students read it independently. (10 minutes) Introduce text and have students use title to predict topic of text. Explain that this is an example of realistic fiction. Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read text independently. Students should focus on relying on the text for meaning.

2. Teacher guides students through re-reading of text out loud. (10 minutes) Ask students to listen as you read the text aloud. This second reading exposes students to the meaning of the text and provides a model for improving fluency while allowing access to the text for all students.

3. Establish connections and contextualize selected vocabulary. (15 minutes) After re-reading text, ask students how this text connects with poems read in earlier lessons (all texts involve flight of birds). Then, teacher will guide students in contextualizing selected vocabulary within the story. Have students say the selected words out loud. Teacher provides a student-friendly definition of each word. Teacher presents examples of words in contexts

different from the text. Teacher may choose to display student-friendly definitions of each word on chart paper, white board, or Smart Board for student referral.

4. Students create vocabulary flash cards. (15 minutes) Students work with laptops, tablets, or desktop computers to create vocabulary flash cards using “Word Stash” www.flashcardstash.com. (Previous experience with this site will aid in ease of use for students). Students can add definitions, parts of speech, and pictures for each vocabulary. In addition, sample sentences of vocabulary words used in other contexts are provided. Following creation of flash cards, students can engage in activities provided on “Word Stash” that will allow them to interact with the vocabulary words and increase understanding of meanings as used in the context of the text. Activities include a matching game, waterfall game, and practice quizzes.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on creation of flash cards using “Word Stash.”

Modifications Teachers may choose to create paper flash cards using construction paper or index cards if computer access is not available.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step four of the lesson plan, assisting with creation of flash cards.

Resources Bringing Words to Life, Beck, McKeown & Kucan, pp. 60-66.

Lesson 7

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.3

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.7; SL.4.1

Critical Vocabulary

Migratory - Animals that migrate, or move, from one location to anotherThrush - One of several species of songbirds of the family Turdidae, often with spotted underbelliesExistence - The state of being, existing, or occurringEmerged - To come into viewFledged - Having the feathers necessary for flightLustrous - Radiant

http://www.flashcardstash.com/

Dwindling - Declining



35 minute session

Materials Needed

Flute’s Journey by Lynne Cherry

On a still, starry fall evening, if you listen carefully you may hear the calls of hundreds of migratory songbirds as they fly overhead on their journey south to the tropical rain forests. Again, in the spring, you may hear them way above, returning to their nesting sites in the cool woodlands of the North. Sheltered by the towering canopy, the bottom of these northern forests is called the understory. There, in small, young hardwood trees like beech, holly, dogwood, and tulip poplar, wood thrushes sing their rich, powerful, pure melody. Amid rushing streams, moss-covered rocks, and hundred-year-old trees that have fallen and are turning back into earth, the nesting wood thrushes face many dangers. This is the story of the life of one wood thrush whose existence depends upon the tropical rain forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica, the northern forest of the Belt Woods in Maryland, and all the places in between. Four lovely turquoise eggs lay in a nest in a small dogwood tree in a forest in Maryland. In this nest made of leaves, mud, and fine rootlets, the eggs were warmed all day and night under the breast of the mother bird. Inside the eggs, baby wood thrushes grew until one day in May, feeling tight and squeezed, they began to peck. Each pecked and pecked until it pecked apart its eggshell and emerged into the wide world. The baby birds were tiny, wet, and featherless, naked but for a bit of down. Their eyes were closed. The hungry wood thrush chicks let out shrill cries and reached with outstretched necks. The parents flew back and forth all day bringing meals of insects and soft, squishy worms. Eating heartily, the young birds thrived and grew. In three days, the chicks’ eyes opened. Gray pinfeathers covered their pink-and-gray skin. They began beating their small wings, strengthening them. Seven days later, feeling squeezed in the nest that was now too small for them, the chicks hopped to its edge and out onto the branches of the dogwood tree, beginning to explore their world. The chicks tried out their wings, fluttering from one branch to another, then to the ground and back again. They had left the nest; they had fledged. But still, whenever they were hungry, the chicks would call, and their parents would find and feed them. Deep in this ancient forest known as the Belt Woods, the young wood thrushes were safe from most dangers. Cats and raccoons would not bother them here. But they kept alert for hawks, black snakes, foxes, and people – particularly two children who came every day to watch them quietly. Three of the young wood thrushes and their parents kept their distance from the children. But one of the fledglings, who had a few unusual white feathers on his head, flew closer and closer to them each day. The children named this bold young wood thrush Flute, for they knew that when he grew up he would sing as beautifully as his father and that his song would echo through the forest like the clear, sweet

Animals that migrate, or move, from one location to another

One of several species of songbirds of the family Turdidae, often with spotted underbellies

The state of being, existing, or occurring

To come into view

Having the feathers necessary for flight


music of a flute. For three weeks after he had fledged, Flute’s parents continued to feed him. During July and August, his baby feathers fell out and in their place grew the long and lustrous feathers of a handsome juvenile. Now whenever Flute or his siblings came around, they were chased off by their parents, who knew that their youngsters had learned to take care of themselves. September came and a cool breeze ruffled Flute’s feathers. Autumn leaves turned gold, red, and yellow. The shorter days and the dwindling light gave the birds the urge for going. Flute ate as many berries and insects as he could find and stored up fat – energy for the long flight ahead.

Then, one evening, as if a message was carried on the wind, Flute and many other wood thrushes lifted up from the forest and took to the air. The stream of songbirds flew south, joined along the way by other streams, until a river of migrating birds traveled together through the night, thousands of feet above the ground, protected from hawks by the darkness.

Radiant

Declining

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with providing evidence for text-dependent questions and making logical inferences based on the text.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Review text. (5 minutes) Teacher asks student volunteer(s) to paraphrase excerpt of text from Flute’s Journey read in lesson 6.2. Students discuss text-dependent questions. (15 minutes) Students work in groups (3-4) to discuss text-dependent questions. Students should refer to the text and use evidence from the text to assist with answering questions. Teacher should facilitate groups and monitor inferences drawn from the text as students participate in discussions. Copy of questions should be provided to students or displayed on chart paper, white board, or Smart Board. Q1: What is the main goal of the fledglings’ parents? (To prepare the fledglings to leave the nest and survive on their own.) Q2: Why did the response of the fledglings’ parents change as the fledglings grew? (The parents had to prepare the fledglings to find food and live independently.) Q3: How does the author show Flute’s independence? (His curiosity and braveness in moving closer to the children. His instinct to eat berries and insects before going on his long flight). Q4: Why would flying with a large group of migratory birds be safer than flying alone? (Flying with a large group would allow more protection from predators, such as hawks). Q5: How does migration help to ensure the existence of the wood thrush and other songbirds? (Migration will allow the birds to find food and live for a short time in areas where the climate is more suitable.) 3. Make predictions based on text using “Tentative Talk” strategy. (15 minutes)Teacher should ask students to consider where they believe Flute and the other migratory birds will travel. Provide students with map of western hemisphere and ask them to mark locations to which they predict the migratory birds may fly. Beside of marked locations, students should write why they predict the migratory birds may travel to selected locations. Following, students should discuss with groups (3-4 students) about their ideas, building on one another’s thoughts regarding migration. Teacher should facilitate student predictions on maps and scaffold discussions among students. Teacher may ask questions such as “Could you describe why you chose this location for a migration spot?” “Can you share more about why you think the migratory birds will fly to your chosen location?” “If the location you selected is correct, then what might prevent all migratory birds from flying to this area?”

Explain to students that they will refer to their maps to see if predictions are correct when they continue reading the text in the next lesson.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on responses to text-dependent questions. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions. Use the suggested responses to questions to evaluate student responses. In addition, students will be assessed on the predictions and supporting evidence used for selected locations on migration maps.

Modifications Teachers may choose to provide paper copy of text-dependent questions to each student, to student groups, or display in classroom.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step three of the lesson plan, assisting with selection of migration spots.

Resources “Tentative Talk” strategy from Teaching Students to Read Like Detectives, p. 19-20.

Lesson 8


Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.4; W.4.9; SL.4.1

Critical Vocabulary

Gorged – to stuff with foodAncestors – someone from whom another is directly descendedCongregated – to come togetherIndigenous –originating in a particular region or countryPreserve - to keep safe from harm or injury



35 minute session

Materials Needed

Flute’s Journey by Lynne Cherry (continued)

As morning light made the birds visible to predators, Flute looked down at the land. He saw thick woods below him and flew down to find cover and to feed upon insects, snails, and slugs on the forest floor. He gorged on spicebush and dogwood berries and rested for three days, then continued at night on his long journey. The following dawn, Flute flew low, looking for a woods with berry

to stuff with food


bushes. But where there had once been forest, for miles he saw only paved roads and suburban development. Finally he saw below him a spicebush grove planted around a school by children who wanted to help migratory songbirds. He flew down and fed to his heart’s content. Flute took to the air again, and in several days he reached High Island, off the coast of Texas. There he joined throngs of other birds. The thicket rang with birdcalls as the birds feasted to store up energy for their flight across the Gulf of Mexico. One night, in a huge burst, Flute left land and flew in the same direction as the winds. He flew for twenty straight hours, for six hundred miles over the water, until he arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, where he rested and fed. Many of the migrating birds stopped in Mexico to spend the winter. But for another week, Flute continued south through the forests of Central America, feeding along the way. Finally he arrived in the Monteverde rain forest in Costa Rica, where his ancestors had come every winter for generations. Migratory songbirds from all over North America congregated on this green mountain while others just passed through the Monteverde forest on their way to their wintering grounds farther south. Some of the birds were Flute’s neighbors from home in the Belt Woods. Other migrants had come from different parts of North America and were unfamiliar to Flute. In Monteverde, while Flute was trying to find a suitable place to live, he joined flocks of tropical birds that live in Costa Rica year-round. These indigenous birds never fly north. But here in the tropical rain forest there was enough food for all. After searching for several days, Flute found an unoccupied tree at the edge of the forest. He made sounds like chur chur chur and a bold rat-tat-tat to warn other wood thrushes to keep away from the territory he had claimed as his own. From October through March, as snow fell in the cold north, Flute was warm and well fed in the Monteverde forest. In the cool mornings, Flute tossed dry leaves to find the tasty insects underneath. In the heat of the day, he took a siesta – a rest. Each afternoon, at precisely four o’clock, he visited a birdbath in a yard at the edge of the forest preserve. This forest is called the Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (the Eternal Forest of the Children). Many forests in Costa Rica are being cut down, but children from all over the world have raised funds to help preserve this one as a home for the songbirds and the other forest creatures. Soon after Flute’s arrival, another wood thrush came to the Monteverde forest. He had arrived late in Costa Rica and found his former winter home gone – cut down for pastures. The newcomer flew at Flute and tried to chase him out of the forest. But he was not able to drive Flute away. This would be only the first time that Flute had to fight to stay where he was. Many birds were searching, flying from fruiting tree to fruiting tree, wandering around the edges of forests, trying to find a new home. But Flute, though young, was bold and able to defend his winter territory.

someone from whom another is directly descended

to come together

originating in a particular region or country

To keep safe from harm or injury

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with developing questions as they read a text closely.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces text with little commentary and students read it independently. (10 minutes) Introduce text and explain that this is the continued story of Flute. Provide definitions to underlined vocabulary words (if requested from students). Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read text independently. Students should focus on relying on the text for meaning.

2.Teacher guides students through re-reading of text out loud. (10 minutes) Ask students to listen as you read the text aloud. This second reading exposes students to the meaning of the text and provides a model for improving fluency while allowing access to the text for all students.

3. Compare predictions with facts. (10 minutes) Ask students to skim the text to find names of specific migration locations. Compare these locations with those predicted by students in previous lesson. Display map of wood thrush migration areas on Smart Board. Compare map to areas mentioned in text.

4. Students generate comprehension questions. (15 minutes) Ask students to return to the text for a close reading. As students read, they should mark spots (using sticky notes) where they are confused, have a question, or wonder about something. Then, students should reread the selection, stopping at the marked spots to create questions. Questions should be written on sticky notes used to mark spots in text.

5. Question discussion. (15 minutes). Teacher displays student generated questions around the classroom. Working in pairs, students should examine questions and identify the ones they believe are most important for understanding the text. Each pair of students should share one question, followed by a whole group discussion around the questions.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on generated comprehension questions and responses during discussion. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions.

Modifications Teachers may choose to provide paper copy of migration map to students if Smart Board display is not an option.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step four of the lesson plan, assisting with creation of text-dependent questions.

Resources Wood thrush migration areas map, http://birds.audubon.org/wood-thrush-range-map“Student Generated Comprehension Questions” strategy from Notice and Note, Beers & Probst.

http://birds.audubon.org/wood-thrush-range-map

Lesson 9


Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.4; W.4.4; W.4.8; SL.4.1

Critical Vocabulary

Arduous –hard to endureLethargic – sluggishIntermittently –stopping or ceasing for a timePunctured –to make a hole inThrived – to grow or flourishPerils – dangers or risks



65 minute session

Materials Needed


In the North, longer days heralded spring’s arrival. Flute, now full grown, felt an urge to return to his Maryland forest. So one day in March, with hundreds of other birds, he took to the sky. He flew along the Yucatan and, again, made the arduous crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. After resting in Texas, Flute headed northeast through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Plants and flowers, responding to the increased light, were opening

Hard to endure


their buds after a winter’s dormancy. Caterpillar eggs hatched and their larvae began to eat the tender young leaves. Insects, hiding under dead leaves, came out of their winter sleep. The migrating birds followed the leafing-out of the trees and plants and ate caterpillars, grubs, and other insects along their way. For generations the migrating wood thrushes had stopped to feed in a forest of mature beech, poplar, and oak trees in South Carolina. But now much of this forest was being logged. Instead of being hidden deep in woodlands, Flute had to forage at the edge of clear-cuts. As he fed, Flute noticed a dark shadow growing larger and larger around him. A hawk swooped toward him. Flute flew up only seconds before the hawk’s sharp talons hit the ground. At Flute’s stopover in North Carolina, he found a new road and houses being built in what had been acres of untouched forest only a few months before. Flute foraged for beetles, snails, slugs, and spiders in the leaf litter on the edge of a green lawn. But chemicals sprayed on the lawn had washed into the leaves and onto the insects that hid under them. That night, when it came time to rise up into the sky, Flute felt ill and lethargic. He could not lift his wings to fly. Instead he sat shivering on the forest floor throughout the night and all the next day. It was not until the following night that Flute felt well enough to eat again. As he ate, gaining back his strength, he noticed a sudden movement in the underbrush. Then a cat pounced! Flute burst into the air just in time, and the cat caught only tail feathers. Flute arrived in the Belt Woods in late April. But upon approaching this old-growth forest where he was hatched, he became confused. Many of the landmarks he knew were gone. Most of the forest along one side of the Belt Woods had been cut down, and many homes were being built. A road snaked through a new development. Flute flew down and found the dogwood tree where he had once been a turquoise egg in a nest. He was about to alight on a branch when another, older wood thrush swooped down and chased him off. Flute tried to claim several other nesting sites, but other birds, already defending them, chased him away. Flute finally found his own spot in a small tulip poplar. He sat quite erect and effortlessly emitted the wonderful notes of his song. “E-olee!” he sang, and rested; then he sang a trill. The powerful, pure melody followed, vibrating intermittently like a bell throughout the forest. The song rose and fell, swelled and died away, until night had fallen. It was the most beautiful sound in the forest. At daybreak Flute again began singing. The two children had been waiting for the return of their friend, and when they heard the beautiful song echoing through the woods, they followed it to the foot of the tulip poplar. There Flute was singing to attract a female wood thrush with whom to mate and build a nest. And soon she appeared. The children named her Feather, for she sat before Flute, fluffed her feathers, raised her wings, and then took off in a rapid circular flight. In swift pursuit Flute followed Feather’s twisting and turning through the forest shadows. Flute and Feather fed together, and then with weeds, grass, leaves, mud, and fine rootlets, they built a nest in the tulip poplar sapling. Several days later it held three blue eggs. That night, while Flute and Feather were sleeping, a big black snake

Sluggish

Stopping or ceasing for a time

slithered up the tree and ate one of their eggs. The next night a raccoon climbed the tree, and although they tried, Flute and Feather could not chase the intruder away. Holding the last two eggs in its small paws, the raccoon cracked and ate them while the nest fell, in pieces, to the forest floor. Several days late Flute followed Feather again, flying wildly through the forest. In a small beech tree close to the forest’s edge, they built a new nest. A week later Feather laid four turquoise eggs. As Flute flew in and out of the beech tree, a female brown-headed cowbird watched. She waited for a moment when both wood thrushes were away. Then she flew to their nest, punctured one of their eggs, and carried it away. Early the next morning, when Flute and Feather were again away from the nest, the cowbird deposited her own white egg with brown speckles in its place. Eleven days later a gray chick emerged from the brown-speckled egg. The next day three wood thrushes hatched from the turquoise eggs. During the following days the four chicks cheeped to attract the attention of Flute and Feather. But the cowbird chirped loudest and stuck its neck out longest. More of the food brought by Flute and Feather went into its mouth, while the wood thrushes got less and less. Two of the wood thrushes grew, fledged, and flew as their father had the year before, but one was too weak to survive because most of the food meant for it had been fed to the loud cowbird chick. When Flute’s nestlings were grown and old enough to care for themselves, he and Feather chased them away. The young cowbird flew off to join the flock of cowbirds that lived in the open area next to the forest. There they thrived on the insects that lived in the suburban lawns. The two wood thrush chicks stayed in the woods and practiced flipping over the dead leaves on the forest floor to find the insects underneath. Every day the children watched Flute, Feather, and their brood flourishing in the Belt Woods. They listened, enchanted, as Flute’s haunting flutelike music rose and fell, swelled and died away, harmonizing with the songs of the ovenbirds and the vireos, the chattering of chipmunks, and the breeze whispering through the leaves of this summer forest.

When the days grew shorter and cooler again, the children watched Flute and his family leave on their journey south. They hoped that the wood thrushes would avoid all perils and make it safely back to the Belt Woods the next spring – and for many springs to come.

to make a hole in

To grow or flourish

Dangers or risks

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with developing questions as they read a text closely.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces text with little commentary and students read it independently. (10 minutes) Introduce text and explain that this is the continued story of Flute. Provide definitions to underlined vocabulary words (if requested from students). Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read text independently. Students should focus on relying on the text for meaning.

2.Teacher guides students through re-reading of text out loud. (10 minutes) Ask students to listen as you read the text aloud. This second reading exposes students to the meaning of the text and provides a model for improving fluency while allowing access to the text for all students.

3. “Interview Me” strategy. (20 minutes) Ask students to return to the text for a third reading. During this reading, students will generate questions for Flute to explore his feelings about events in the text. Questions should explore what Flute is not able to say in the text. As students complete this close reading, they should annotate the text as they read, noting questions they may have about specific circumstances or situations that might provide an emotional response from Flute. Once students have finished reading, they should pair with another student, share their annotations, and jointly create 5 interview questions for Flute.

4. Question discussion (15 minutes) Following creation of interview questions, teachers should create small groups (4-6 students) from student pairs to share interview questions and justify their choices.

5. Question response (10 minutes). Students should select two interview questions from those discussed in the group and answer the question assuming the role of Flute. Answers should be based on evidence from the text.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on generated interview questions and responses during discussion. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions. In addition, student responses to interview questions will be assessed for textual support.

Modifications Teachers may choose to have students create flash cards for critical vocabulary using “Word Stash” or construction paper to reinforce meanings of words in context.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step three of the lesson plan, assisting with creation of interview questions.

Resources “Interview Me” strategy from What’s the Big Idea, Jim Burke.

Lesson 10

Primary ELA Standards: RL.4.1; RL.4.3; W.4.9

Supporting ELA Standards: RL.4.7; W.4.3; W.4.8

Critical Vocabulary




55 minute session

Materials Needed


In the North, longer days heralded spring’s arrival. Flute, now full grown, felt an urge to return to his Maryland forest. So one day in March, with hundreds of other birds, he took to the sky. He flew along the Yucatan and, again, made the arduous crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. After resting in Texas, Flute headed northeast through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Plants and flowers, responding to the increased light, were opening their buds after a winter’s dormancy. Caterpillar eggs hatched and their larvae began to eat the tender young leaves. Insects, hiding under dead

Hard to endure


leaves, came out of their winter sleep. The migrating birds followed the leafing-out of the trees and plants and ate caterpillars, grubs, and other insects along their way. For generations the migrating wood thrushes had stopped to feed in a forest of mature beech, poplar, and oak trees in South Carolina. But now much of this forest was being logged. Instead of being hidden deep in woodlands, Flute had to forage at the edge of clear-cuts. As he fed, Flute noticed a dark shadow growing larger and larger around him. A hawk swooped toward him. Flute flew up only seconds before the hawk’s sharp talons hit the ground. At Flute’s stopover in North Carolina, he found a new road and houses being built in what had been acres of untouched forest only a few months before. Flute foraged for beetles, snails, slugs, and spiders in the leaf litter on the edge of a green lawn. But chemicals sprayed on the lawn had washed into the leaves and onto the insects that hid under them. That night, when it came time to rise up into the sky, Flute felt ill and lethargic. He could not lift his wings to fly. Instead he sat shivering on the forest floor throughout the night and all the next day. It was not until the following night that Flute felt well enough to eat again. As he ate, gaining back his strength, he noticed a sudden movement in the underbrush. Then a cat pounced! Flute burst into the air just in time, and the cat caught only tail feathers. Flute arrived in the Belt Woods in late April. But upon approaching this old-growth forest where he was hatched, he became confused. Many of the landmarks he knew were gone. Most of the forest along one side of the Belt Woods had been cut down, and many homes were being built. A road snaked through a new development. Flute flew down and found the dogwood tree where he had once been a turquoise egg in a nest. He was about to alight on a branch when another, older wood thrush swooped down and chased him off. Flute tried to claim several other nesting sites, but other birds, already defending them, chased him away. Flute finally found his own spot in a small tulip poplar. He sat quite erect and effortlessly emitted the wonderful notes of his song. “E-olee!” he sang, and rested; then he sang a trill. The powerful, pure melody followed, vibrating intermittently like a bell throughout the forest. The song rose and fell, swelled and died away, until night had fallen. It was the most beautiful sound in the forest. At daybreak Flute again began singing. The two children had been waiting for the return of their friend, and when they heard the beautiful song echoing through the woods, they followed it to the foot of the tulip poplar. There Flute was singing to attract a female wood thrush with whom to mate and build a nest. And soon she appeared. The children named her Feather, for she sat before Flute, fluffed her feathers, raised her wings, and then took off in a rapid circular flight. In swift pursuit Flute followed Feather’s twisting and turning through the forest shadows. Flute and Feather fed together, and then with weeds, grass, leaves, mud, and fine rootlets, they built a nest in the tulip poplar sapling. Several days later it held three blue eggs. That night, while Flute and Feather were sleeping, a big black snake slithered up the tree and ate one of their eggs. The next night a raccoon climbed the tree, and although they tried, Flute and Feather could not

Sluggish


chase the intruder away. Holding the last two eggs in its small paws, the raccoon cracked and ate them while the nest fell, in pieces, to the forest floor. Several days late Flute followed Feather again, flying wildly through the forest. In a small beech tree close to the forest’s edge, they built a new nest. A week later Feather laid four turquoise eggs. As Flute flew in and out of the beech tree, a female brown-headed cowbird watched. She waited for a moment when both wood thrushes were away. Then she flew to their nest, punctured one of their eggs, and carried it away. Early the next morning, when Flute and Feather were again away from the nest, the cowbird deposited her own white egg with brown speckles in its place. Eleven days later a gray chick emerged from the brown-speckled egg. The next day three wood thrushes hatched from the turquoise eggs. During the following days the four chicks cheeped to attract the attention of Flute and Feather. But the cowbird chirped loudest and stuck its neck out longest. More of the food brought by Flute and Feather went into its mouth, while the wood thrushes got less and less. Two of the wood thrushes grew, fledged, and flew as their father had the year before, but one was too weak to survive because most of the food meant for it had been fed to the loud cowbird chick. When Flute’s nestlings were grown and old enough to care for themselves, he and Feather chased them away. The young cowbird flew off to join the flock of cowbirds that lived in the open area next to the forest. There they thrived on the insects that lived in the suburban lawns. The two wood thrush chicks stayed in the woods and practiced flipping over the dead leaves on the forest floor to find the insects underneath. Every day the children watched Flute, Feather, and their brood flourishing in the Belt Woods. They listened, enchanted, as Flute’s haunting flutelike music rose and fell, swelled and died away, harmonizing with the songs of the ovenbirds and the vireos, the chattering of chipmunks, and the breeze whispering through the leaves of this summer forest.


to make a hole in

To grow or flourish

Dangers or risks

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with use of “Quikmaps.”

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Review text. (5 minutes) Teacher asks student volunteer(s) to paraphrase excerpt of text from Flute’s Journey read in lesson 9.

2. Identify migratory pattern. (10 minutes) Ask students to return to the text for a close read and identify the migratory pattern of Flute on his journey back to the Belt Woods. Students should annotate text to identify specific path Flute took during his flight back to the Belt Woods.

3. “Step Inside” character and create an annotated map. (40 minutes) Students should use “Quikmaps” to create an annotated map of Flute’s journey, using evidence from the text. Students should pinpoint locations showing Flute’s journey from the Yucatan back to Maryland. The map should be annotated with descriptions of Flute’s experiences during his return home. Instruct students to treat the annotations like a diary, using textual evidence along with ideas about Flute’s experiences. Students should consider the following questions when writing annotations:

1) What can Flute see, observe, or notice at this location? 2) What might Flute care deeply about at this location? 3) What might Flute wonder about or question at this location?

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on annotated maps.

Modifications Teachers may choose to have students pre-write annotations on paper before typing into “Quikmaps.”


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on steps two and three of the lesson plan, assisting with identification of migratory path and creation of annotated maps.

Resources “Step Inside” strategy from Making Thinking Visible, Ritchhart, Church, & Morrison. “Quikmaps” www.quikmaps.com

http://www.quikmaps.com/

Lesson 11

Primary ELA Standards: W.4.2; W.4.7; W.4.8; W.4.9


Critical Vocabulary





Materials Needed


In the North, longer days heralded spring’s arrival. Flute, now full grown, felt an urge to return to his Maryland forest. So one day in March, with hundreds of other birds, he took to the sky. He flew along the Yucatan and, again, made the arduous crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. After resting in Texas, Flute headed northeast through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Plants and flowers, responding to the increased light, were opening their buds after a winter’s dormancy. Caterpillar eggs hatched and their larvae began to eat the tender young leaves. Insects, hiding under dead leaves, came out of their winter sleep. The migrating birds followed the

Hard to endure


leafing-out of the trees and plants and ate caterpillars, grubs, and other insects along their way. For generations the migrating wood thrushes had stopped to feed in a forest of mature beech, poplar, and oak trees in South Carolina. But now much of this forest was being logged. Instead of being hidden deep in woodlands, Flute had to forage at the edge of clear-cuts. As he fed, Flute noticed a dark shadow growing larger and larger around him. A hawk swooped toward him. Flute flew up only seconds before the hawk’s sharp talons hit the ground. At Flute’s stopover in North Carolina, he found a new road and houses being built in what had been acres of untouched forest only a few months before. Flute foraged for beetles, snails, slugs, and spiders in the leaf litter on the edge of a green lawn. But chemicals sprayed on the lawn had washed into the leaves and onto the insects that hid under them. That night, when it came time to rise up into the sky, Flute felt ill and lethargic. He could not lift his wings to fly. Instead he sat shivering on the forest floor throughout the night and all the next day. It was not until the following night that Flute felt well enough to eat again. As he ate, gaining back his strength, he noticed a sudden movement in the underbrush. Then a cat pounced! Flute burst into the air just in time, and the cat caught only tail feathers. Flute arrived in the Belt Woods in late April. But upon approaching this old-growth forest where he was hatched, he became confused. Many of the landmarks he knew were gone. Most of the forest along one side of the Belt Woods had been cut down, and many homes were being built. A road snaked through a new development. Flute flew down and found the dogwood tree where he had once been a turquoise egg in a nest. He was about to alight on a branch when another, older wood thrush swooped down and chased him off. Flute tried to claim several other nesting sites, but other birds, already defending them, chased him away. Flute finally found his own spot in a small tulip poplar. He sat quite erect and effortlessly emitted the wonderful notes of his song. “E-olee!” he sang, and rested; then he sang a trill. The powerful, pure melody followed, vibrating intermittently like a bell throughout the forest. The song rose and fell, swelled and died away, until night had fallen. It was the most beautiful sound in the forest. At daybreak Flute again began singing. The two children had been waiting for the return of their friend, and when they heard the beautiful song echoing through the woods, they followed it to the foot of the tulip poplar. There Flute was singing to attract a female wood thrush with whom to mate and build a nest. And soon she appeared. The children named her Feather, for she sat before Flute, fluffed her feathers, raised her wings, and then took off in a rapid circular flight. In swift pursuit Flute followed Feather’s twisting and turning through the forest shadows. Flute and Feather fed together, and then with weeds, grass, leaves, mud, and fine rootlets, they built a nest in the tulip poplar sapling. Several days later it held three blue eggs. That night, while Flute and Feather were sleeping, a big black snake slithered up the tree and ate one of their eggs. The next night a raccoon climbed the tree, and although they tried, Flute and Feather could not chase the intruder away. Holding the last two eggs in its small paws, the

Sluggish


raccoon cracked and ate them while the nest fell, in pieces, to the forest floor. Several days late Flute followed Feather again, flying wildly through the forest. In a small beech tree close to the forest’s edge, they built a new nest. A week later Feather laid four turquoise eggs. As Flute flew in and out of the beech tree, a female brown-headed cowbird watched. She waited for a moment when both wood thrushes were away. Then she flew to their nest, punctured one of their eggs, and carried it away. Early the next morning, when Flute and Feather were again away from the nest, the cowbird deposited her own white egg with brown speckles in its place. Eleven days later a gray chick emerged from the brown-speckled egg. The next day three wood thrushes hatched from the turquoise eggs. During the following days the four chicks cheeped to attract the attention of Flute and Feather. But the cowbird chirped loudest and stuck its neck out longest. More of the food brought by Flute and Feather went into its mouth, while the wood thrushes got less and less. Two of the wood thrushes grew, fledged, and flew as their father had the year before, but one was too weak to survive because most of the food meant for it had been fed to the loud cowbird chick. When Flute’s nestlings were grown and old enough to care for themselves, he and Feather chased them away. The young cowbird flew off to join the flock of cowbirds that lived in the open area next to the forest. There they thrived on the insects that lived in the suburban lawns. The two wood thrush chicks stayed in the woods and practiced flipping over the dead leaves on the forest floor to find the insects underneath. Every day the children watched Flute, Feather, and their brood flourishing in the Belt Woods. They listened, enchanted, as Flute’s haunting flutelike music rose and fell, swelled and died away, harmonizing with the songs of the ovenbirds and the vireos, the chattering of chipmunks, and the breeze whispering through the leaves of this summer forest.


to make a hole in

To grow or flourish

Dangers or risks

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with use of Power Point or Prezi.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Review text. (5 minutes) Teacher asks student volunteer(s) to paraphrase excerpt of text from Flute’s Journey read in lesson 9.

2. Consider human-environmental impact. (10 minutes) Ask students to consider how humans have impacted Flute’s migratory area. Have students refer to the text to find evidence of human impact on wood thrush habitats (logging/clear-cuts, pesticides, housing developments). Show the video “Wood Thrush Need Your Help.” Identify any additional areas of human impact on wood thrush habitats from video.

3. “Present It” strategy. (40 minutes) Ask students to select one of the human actions noted in the text or video that impacts habitats of wood thrushes and other organisms. Instruct students to use text, video, and other resources to prepare a five-minute presentation in which they explain their topic, synthesize information taken from resources, and offer their point of view on topic. Students should use a minimum of three resources to create presentation, using Power Point or Prezi.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on created presentations discussing human impact on wood thrush habitats.

Modifications Teachers may choose to have students pre-plan presentations using paper storyboards.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step three of the lesson plan, assisting with research, synthesis of information, and/or creation of presentations.

Resources “Present It” strategy from Well Spoken: Teaching Speaking to All Students, Erik Palmer.www.prezi.com

http://www.prezi.com/

Lesson 12




50 minute session

Materials Needed

The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynne Cherry

An armadillo from Texas wondered, “Where in the world am I? What’s out beyond these tangled woods? What’s out beyond the sky?” So Armadillo packed up his things and left his home behind. He headed off on a northeast course to seek what he could find.He traveled to the nearby city of San Antonio, and from the top of the highest tower, he saw where he might go.But Armadillo still wondered, “Where? Where in the world am I? What’s out beyond the prairie grass? What’s out beyond the sky?”He followed the river past twisted oaks, through ancient juniper trees shared by warblers and vireos and Carolina chickadees.The landscape changed dramatically through woodland, towns, and plains. Armadillo explored canyons and walked through heavy rains.He walked for weeks and came to Austin, continued west and north, to Abilene and Lubbock, he hiked and sallied forth.Armadillo often along the way climbed up to higher ground. He scurried up the canyon walls and stopped to look around.How different were the plains above – flowers went on for a mile! Armadillo decided to settle down and stay there for a while.But Armadillo still wondered, “Where? Where in the world am I? Perhaps I’d have a better idea if I could somehow fly.”One day he asked the golden eagle as she came breezing by, “What can I

do for a bird’s-eye view from up in the big blue sky?”“Hop on my back,” said the eagle. “I’ll fly you wide and far. And then you’ll see, eventually, where in the world we are.”Upward and upward the eagle flew. Armadillo held on tight. “With my tail-tip curled I’ll explore the world from morning until night!”

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with the use of the Think-Aloud strategy for prediction and monitoring comprehension.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces text with little commentary and students read it independently. (5 minutes) Introduce text and have students use title to predict topic of text. Explain that this is an example of fiction written in prose. Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read text independently. Students should focus on relying on the text for meaning.


3. Establish connections and activate prior knowledge. (10 minutes) After re-reading text, ask students to note the postcards found on each page of the text. Ask for a volunteer to describe the use of postcards and situations when postcards may be used. Go back into the text and have volunteers read orally the text found on the postcards in the selected section of the text. Have students identify who is writing the postcards (Armadillo, the main character) and predict why the postcards are being written.

4. Students annotate text using text-dependent questions. (15 minutes) Provide students with a copy of the text for annotation purposes. Have students underline the words and phrases in the text that help them identify answers to the provided text-dependent questions. Q1: What is Armadillo’s primary goal? (To determine where he is in the world.) Q2: What is the purpose of Armadillo asking numerous questions throughout the text? (He is trying to figure out where he is in the world and what exists in the world beyond what he can see.) Q3: What is the purpose of the postcards found throughout the text? (The postcards show Armadillo’s communication with his cousin Brillo). Q4: What information does Armadillo provide on the postcards? (Where he has visited, things he sees during his travels, his opinions on many different topics). Q5: Why do you believe Armadillo decided to ask the golden eagle for help? (He knew the eagle could help him see the world from a bird’s-eye view and better determine his location.)

5. Students discuss text-dependent questions. (15 minutes) Students work in groups (3-4) to discuss text-dependent questions. Students should refer to the text and use evidence from the text to assist with answering questions. Teacher should facilitate groups and monitor inferences drawn from the text as students participate in discussions. Copy of questions should be provided to students or displayed on chart paper, white board, or Smart Board.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on responses to text-dependent questions. Teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions. Use the suggested responses to questions to evaluate student responses.

Modifications Teachers may choose to provide paper copy of text-dependent questions to each student, to student groups, or display in classroom.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step four of the lesson plan, assisting with annotation of text.

Resources “Think Aloud” strategy from Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies by Jeffrey Wilhelm.

Lesson 13




One or two 65 minute session(s) *See Modifications section

Materials Needed

The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynne Cherry (continued)

Armadillo looked down below and asked, “Where in the world are we?” “We’re over a prairie, and in the distance, that’s Amarillo you see.”“We’ve flown over the prairie. We’ve flown over a town. Amarillo means yellow, my dear little fellow, and the prairie’s all yellow and brown!”“I see Amarillo,” said Armadillo. “Could we see all Texas, though? And if we fly higher up into the sky, could we see New Mexico?”“Or if we fly higher up into the sky, could we see the entire earth?” “Well certainly, surely, if you hold on securely, we’ll try!” cried the eagle with mirth.“Amarillo’s a city?” asked Armadillo. To this the eagle replied. “Yes, Amarillo’s a city in Texas, the state where we reside.”And Texas is in the United States, our country wide and dear, on the North American continent, which is on the earth, a sphere.This sphere is called a planet, of nine we are just one, and as we converse, in the universe, these planets turn round the sun.”Armadillo held tightly to Eagle’s neck, afraid of a long, long fall. From over his shoulder, with the air getting colder, this is what he saw.They flew so high up into the sky that Texas they saw below – the part they call the Panhandle – and the state of New Mexico.“With my tail-tip curled I’ll explore the world!” Armadillo said to his friend. Through the clouds they twirled, in the wind they whirled, and up they were hurled again!And when they looked up they could see into space. They’d flown up into thin air. “It’s hard to breathe here! I’d like to leave here! Eagle, homeward let’s repair!”“We’re very high now,” said Eagle, “on the edge of air and space. The atmosphere’s ending, we should be descending, but what a remarkable place!”“There must be a way to fly higher up, bringing some air aboard. Perhaps we should travel to Cape Canaveral,” Eagle said as she soared.As they spoke of Cape Canaveral – the rocket launching place – a shuttle

took off with a roar of fire and headed out toward space.Eagle had a brilliant thought and whistled a happy tune. “Let’s hitch a trip on this rocket ship and fly up to the moon!”With a burst of speed the eagle flew in the path of the rocket ship. It took her and Armadillo aboard and continued on its trip.The higher they flew, the farther they saw – Louisiana and Arkansas! And there were some other countries below – they could see Cuba and Mexico!The spaceship then zoomed so high up that Armadillo could not tell where a country began or ended, or where its borders fell.The earth was now so far away – so very, very far. “I’m wondering,” said Armadillo, “where in the world we are.”“We’re out of this world,” said the eagle to the armadillo, her friend. “Ten miles from earth starts the universe right at the atmosphere’s end.”From space the earth was a big round ball, with swirling clouds of white against a deep-blue background, like the blue-black sky at night.Planets shone around them, reflecting starlike light. In that silent room floating in the dark, they traveled through the night.Before them was earth’s silver moon – a white and glowing sphere. They hovered there, floating in thin air, over craters, with no fear.And as they watched in wonder, the earth rose on the horizon. They sat and gazed at their far-off home – watched earth-set and earth-risin’.Armadillo said, “I’m homesick. Hey, Eagle, let’s go back. Let’s go back down to our yellow town, away from this blue and black,”The rocket began a downward arc, then flew over land and sea. The adventurous pair flew through the air to their home by the yellow prairie.He’d wondered where in the world he was, and now Armadillo knew. He said, “I know where, in the scheme of things, I am, Eagle, thanks to you!”“I now live near Amarillo, a city that’s rather small, which is in the state of Texas, one of fifty states in all, in the United States of America, the country of my birth, on the North American continent, in the world, on planet earth.”

“In all, there are nine planets, and earth is only one, and as we converse, in the universe, eight planets besides this one warmly, hotly, coldly, coolly, revolve around the sun.”

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with the use of the “Discuss It” strategy.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces text with little commentary and students read it independently. (10 minutes) Introduce text and have students use title to predict topic of text. Explain that this is an example of fiction written in prose. Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read text independently. Students should focus on relying on the text for meaning.

2. Teacher guides students through re-reading of text out loud. (10 minutes) Ask students to listen as you read the text aloud. This second reading exposes students to the meaning of the text and provides a model for improving fluency while allowing access to the text

for all students.

3. Students participate in discussion based on teacher-generated questions. (30 minutes) After re-reading text, ask students to consider the teacher-generated questions. Consider displaying the questions individually, on a Smart Board or document camera. By displaying the questions individually, students will be required to focus on a single question for a sustained period, rather than trying to interpret several questions at once. Discussion questions are not “right answer” questions, but rather require students to consider various interpretations, rationales, and/or inferences before answering.

Q1: How can eagle be considered a good friend and a poor friend to Armadillo? Q2: What character traits might be used to describe Armadillo at the beginning of the story compared to the end of the story?Q3: What elements of fantasy contributed to the story? Q4: How was Armadillo’s question answered? Q5: Why do you think Armadillo began to feel homesick?Q6: How could you begin to answer the question “Where in the world am I?” about yourself?

4. Students answer questions using textual evidence. (15 minutes) Following the discussion, students should select one of the discussion questions and provide a written response, using evidence from the text to support their answer.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on written responses to the selected discussion question. In addition, teacher should facilitate group discussions and monitor student responses to questions.

Modifications Teachers may choose to provide paper copy of the discussion questions to each student, to student groups, or display in classroom. Teachers may also choose to split this lesson into two separate days, using three discussion questions each day, to give students another close read of the text.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step four of the lesson plan, assisting with answering questions with textual evidence for support.

Resources “Discuss It” strategy from Discussion-based approaches to developing understanding: Classroom instruction and student performance in middle and high school English, American Educational Research Journal, Applebee, Langer, Nystrand, & Gamoran.

Lesson 14




Three 60 minute sessions

Materials Needed The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynne Cherry

Internet access for the following websites: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/armadillo/ http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/armadillo http://a-z-animals.com/animals/armadillo/ Ipad, tablet or flip camera

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with making multimedia presentations and explaining their argument using support from text.

Activities Summary of Activities:

http://a-z-animals.com/animals/armadillo/

http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/armadillo

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/armadillo/

1. Review text. (5 minutes) Teacher asks student volunteer(s) to paraphrase text The Armadillo from Amarillo read in lessons 12 and 13.

2. Consider credibility of text (15 minutes) Ask students to consider if an armadillo would physically be able to perform the tasks described in the text. Specifically, focus students’ attention on the distance the armadillo traveled alone. Ask students if it would be plausible for a real armadillo to travel that distance alone. Use Google Maps to display a map of Texas and identify specific towns/locations mentioned in the text.

3. “Present It” strategy. (40 minutes) Direct students to use the text as well as the suggested websites to locate information about armadillos. Students should prepare a five minute presentation about armadillos in which they explain whether an armadillo would physically be able to travel across Texas. Students should use information from at least three of the suggest resources to create materials for a paper-slide video. Students should use Ipads, tablets, or flip cameras to film paper-slide videos.

*The first day of this lesson should be spent gathering information through research. Day two of the lesson should be spent preparing materials for the paper-slide video. Day three of the lesson should be spent recording and editing paper-slide videos and presenting to the class.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on created paper slide videos in which they synthesize information from a variety of sources to present their argument.

Modifications Teachers may choose to allow students to work in pairs to complete the research and paper-slide videos.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step three of the lesson plan, assisting with the location of relevant information.

Resources “Present It” strategy from Well Spoken: Teaching Speaking to All Students, Erik Palmer.

Lesson 15





Materials Needed Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration by Marianne Berkes

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with comparing information using attribute charts.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Teacher introduces text with little commentary and students read it independently. (10 minutes) Introduce text and have students use title to predict topic of text. Avoid giving any additional background context or instructional guidance before students read text independently. Students

should focus on relying on the text for meaning.


3. Identify relevant information about each migrating animal. (20 minutes) After re-reading text, ask students to create an attribute chart to compare the migrating animals in the book. Display a pre-created attribute chart on the Smart Board or white board and have students create their own on paper. Students should re-read the text a third time to identify specific facts used as category headings on the attribute chart. Consider how the animals travel (land, sea, or air); reason for travel; and length of trip as category headings. Students should identify the ten migrating animals mentioned in the text and find the required information for each.

4. Discussion. (10 minutes)In a whole group setting, discuss the correct information to fill in the grid spaces for each animal on the attribute chart. Teacher should fill in the class chart while student volunteers provide correct information.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on completed attribute chart.

Modifications Teachers may choose to allow students to discuss correct answers for spaces on attribute chart in small groups first before having whole group discussion.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on step three of the lesson plan, assisting with the location of relevant information.

Resources Attribute chart for display on Smart Board or white board.

Lesson 16




Two 60 minute sessions; one 30 minute session

Materials Needed A Bird Came Down by Emily Dickinson

The Oriole by Andrew Downing Flute’s Journey by Lynne Cherry Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration by Marianne Berkes The Armadillo from Amarillo by Lynne Cherry “How Do Birds Fly?” by Carrol Henderson and Michael Kallok

Pre-activities Students should be familiar with transforming text from one genre to a different genre.

Activities Summary of Activities: 1. Review of texts. (10 minutes)

As teacher displays various texts used throughout unit, ask student volunteers to summarize each text and identify animals featured in each text.

2. Selection of text. (10 minutes) Explain to students that they will be responsible for recasting one of the texts read during this unit. Students will have to choose one text and rewrite the text as a comic book, while still maintaining the main idea, theme, correct sequence, and inferences found in the original text.

3. Creation of re-casted text (40 minutes) After selecting text, students will begin planning storyboards for comic books of their re-casted text. Students will need to return to the original text and complete another close read to identify the main idea of the text, consider what is most important to relay from the text and rewrite the text in a comic book style.

*Day one of the lesson should be spent selecting text and planning the storyboard for the comic book of the re-casted text. Day two of the lesson (60 minutes) should be spent creating the re-casted text in comic book genre. Day three of the lesson (30 minutes) should be spent sharing their re-casted text with partners.

Assessment Students will be formatively assessed on completed re-casted comic books.

Modifications Teachers may choose to allow students to work as partners to recast the text. Partners may be used for the planning stage only or for the entire creative process.


Teachers may select to work with less fluent students on steps two and three of the lesson plan, assisting with the selection of text, identification of necessary elements for re-casting text, and planning storyboards for the comic books.

Resources “Recast Your Text” strategy, When Students Can’t Read, Kylene Beers.

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