Teacher Resources

These activities were designed to be an independent center or anchor activity for students to do after completing their Guided Reading work. Our primary goal was to incorporate technology and use of the classroom computer. We designed the activities around the Writers Workshop for Theme 4, Animal Habitats, writing a research paper. The research paper is also a portfolio requirement for grade 3.

Program Indicators:

2.3 Comprehension of Informational Text

2.3.A.1.a Read, use and identify the characteristics of nonfiction materials to gain information and content knowledge.

2.3.A.1.c Select and read to gain information from personal interest materials such as web sites.

2.3.A.2.e Use online features.

4.3 Writing

4.3.A.1.a-g Use the writing process to plan/pre-write, draft, revise, edit and publish.

4.3.A.3.d Write a simple research report that follows an organizational structure.

Houghton Mifflin English Research Report -A sample of a student's report

5.3.A Grammar

5.3.A.2.a Identify and use parts of speech, such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives including articles.

1.3.D Vocabulary

1.3.D.3.c Use resources to determine meanings of words.

Technology
Students will use electronic reference/resources to: locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of resources to enhance learning through a focused web page and Internet sites.

Web site links for selecting and learning about animals:

http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/index.htm

Sponsored by Sea World, at this web site students can select various animals listed and learn information about habitats, what they eat and more. Also if a question is not answered on the page, there is a link to ask an expert their animal question.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm

Sponsored by the Smithsonian National Zoo, at this web site students can explore various animals and learn interesting facts.

http://enature.com/

Sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, at this web site students choose a category from the Online Field Trip Guides to find descriptions, habitat, breeding, and interesting facts about animals.

http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/content/animals/

Choose a category from the Ranger Rick Field Guides to locate information about many animals, fish, insects, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

Download the worksheets and power point documents

Click to download a printable version of the Find the Facts Organizer.pdf

Click to download an editable version of the Find the Facts Organizer.doc

Click to download the GO for Animal Research.ppt for the students to use. This should be saved to the users documents folder.

Click to download the sample AnimalBabiesLoggerhead.ppt

Click to download the sample AnimalFactsLoggerhead.ppt

Go to these links to download board games you can edit or use right away.

Reading Games to Print Out for Class or Home

The Magnetic Fishing Game - CVC & Magic E Rule together

Gurgling Gargoyle Reading game with oi & oy focus