Classroom Resource

How Glaciers Change the World

Subject Area

English Language Arts
Science

Grade(s)

4

Overview

The teacher will present an informational text from the website, ReadWorks. Students will interact with this non-fiction text by annotating the text digitally. The students will answer the questions associated with the article as an assessment. This learning activity can introduce students to the concept of constructive and destructive forces on Earth's surface, serve as reinforcement after students have already learned this concept, or be used as an assessment at the conclusion of a lesson. 

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.20

Use details and examples from a text to indicate what the text explicitly states.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.4.20

Vocabulary

  • Details
  • Examples
  • Explicitly

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Explicit means directly stated within the text.
  • Specific details and examples from the text an be used to demonstrate an understanding of the text's explicit meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify details and examples from a text that demonstrates comprehension of the text's explicit meaning.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Explicit meanings are directly stated in text, and they can use specific details and examples from the text to show they understood the text's explicit meaning.
Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.14

Explore information to support the claim that landforms are the result of a combination of constructive forces, including crustal deformation, volcanic eruptions, and sediment deposition as well as a result of destructive forces, including erosion and weathering.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.14

Vocabulary

  • landform
  • crustal deformation
  • sediment
  • deposition
  • erosion
  • weathering
  • topography
  • volcanoes
  • earthquakes
  • continental boundaries
  • trenches
  • ocean floor structures
  • constructive forces
  • destructive forces
  • eruption
  • geological processes

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Continents and other landforms are continually being shaped and reshaped by competing constructive and destructive geological processes.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Compare and/or combine information across complex texts and/or other reliable sources to support the claim that landforms are the result of both constructive and destructive forces.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Changes in Earth's surface are caused by both constructive and destructive forces.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.20

Use details and examples from a text to indicate what the text explicitly states.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.4.20

Vocabulary

  • Details
  • Examples
  • Explicitly

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Explicit means directly stated within the text.
  • Specific details and examples from the text an be used to demonstrate an understanding of the text's explicit meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify details and examples from a text that demonstrates comprehension of the text's explicit meaning.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Explicit meanings are directly stated in text, and they can use specific details and examples from the text to show they understood the text's explicit meaning.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.20a

Interpret facts from an informational article, using details and examples from the text to explain the interpretation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.4.20a

Vocabulary

  • Interpret
  • Facts
  • Details
  • Examples
  • Informational article

Knowledge

  • Facts gathered from an informational article can be explained using details and examples from the text.

Skills

  • Explain facts sourced from an informational text, using text evidence to support the explanation.

Understanding

  • To demonstrate comprehension of an informational article, they can explain the facts using specific details and examples from the text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.20b

List the main questions answered by an informational article.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.4.20b

Vocabulary

  • List
  • Main questions
  • Informational article

Knowledge

  • Informational text is often written with the purpose of answering questions.

Skills

  • Identify the main questions answered by an informational text.

Understanding

  • Informational articles often answer questions and identifying these questions can improve comprehension.
Link to Resource
https://www.readworks.org/article/How-Glaciers-Change-the-World/2fc03150-4c8f-4…

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

ReadWorks.org
Accessibility

Accessibility

Audio resources: includes a transcript or subtitles
Text Resources: Content is organized under headings and subheadings
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

https://about.readworks.org/terms-of-use.html

Comments or Notes

ReadWorks is a website that provides K-12 teachers with free literacy resources (About ReadWorks). ReadWorks has literary and informational texts on a variety of subjects and reading skills. You may narrow your search using grade level or Lexile level, making this website a wonderful tool for differentiation. Students will complete their work digitally, and you will provide their score and feedback digitally. This makes it easy to go paperless for this activity.

Prior to implementing this activity, you will need to sign up for an Educator Account on ReadWorks. After setting up an account, create a class from the Class Admin tab, this will provide you with a Class Code to give to students. Next, use the Find Content tab to search for the informational article that will be used during this activity, "How Glaciers Change the World." After navigating to the article, click on the blue Assign button to assign it to your class.

Each student will need access to a digital device, such as a tablet or laptop. The first time students enter the website they will need to enter the Class Code that is listed on your Class Admin page. Alternatively, you can print the article and corresponding questions for students, if digital devices are not available. 

Approved Date

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