Learning Activity

What Lives in a Pond and Desert?

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
English Language Arts
Science

Grade(s)

2

Overview

Students will use ReadWorks to read two articles and discuss that there are many different kinds of living things and that they exist in different places on land and in water. The students will create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast water and land animals.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 2

SC15.2.7

Obtain information from literature and other media to illustrate that there are many different kinds of living things and that they exist in different places on land and in water (e.g., woodland, tundra, desert, rainforest, ocean, river).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.2.7

Vocabulary

  • Literature
  • Media
  • Diversity
  • Habitats
  • Woodland
  • Tundra
  • Desert
  • Rainforest
  • Ocean
  • River

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Plants and animals are diverse within different habitats.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Obtain information from literature and other media.
  • Illustrate the different kinds of living things and the different habitats in which they can be found.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 2

ELA21.2.26

Compare and contrast important details presented by two texts on the same topic or theme.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.2.26

Vocabulary

  • Compare
  • Contrast
  • Topic
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Compare means tell how things are alike or similar.
  • Contrast means tell how things are different.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Compare and contrast important details after reading two texts that have a common theme or topic.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Texts about the same topic or theme will have similarities and differences.
  • Comparing and contrasting texts with the same topic or theme will improve their overall comprehension of the texts.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 2

DLCS18.2.R5

Locate and curate information from digital sources to answer research questions.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.2.R5

Vocabulary

  • video
  • text
  • image
  • webpage
  • ebook
  • search engine
  • key words
  • phrases

Knowledge

Students know:
  • search engines use key words and phrases to find specific information.
  • devices give access to many different forms of information.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • choose and type key words and phrases into a search engine that results in specific information pertaining to a topic when given support and guidance from an adult.
  • use + symbol which combines to words/phrases and quotation marks which tell the search engine to look for an entire phrase.
  • find information about a specific topic or to answer a specific question using a digital resource such as a webpage, ebook, and/or video.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • a search engine will find specific resources and information for you based on key words.
  • answers to questions can be found in many different digital resources such as a webpages, ebooks, and/or video.
  • one can focus a search by using the + symbol and quotation marks around words or phrases one wishes to search for as a whole.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

I can identify that there are many different kinds of animals and that they exist in different places on land and in water.

I can compare and contrast land and water animals by researching information from digital sources.

Attached Classroom Resources

What Lives in a Pond?
What Lives in the Desert?

Activity Details

The students will read and discuss two articles from ReadWorks.org: "What Lives in a Pond?" and "What Lives in the Desert?" The articles have questions at the end that can be used to guide a class discussion. The teacher will need to guide the class discussion to identify that there are many different kinds of animals and that they exist in different places on land and in water.

After reading and discussing the two articles, the teacher will draw a Venn diagram on chart paper or the board. The teacher will put water animals in one circle and land animals in the other circle. The students will copy the diagram in their science journals. Allow the students 5-7 minutes to discuss (with partners or groups) and list differences and similarities between the two animals on the Venn diagram. Make sure the students are listing differences in the outside circles and similarities in the overlapping section. The students should use information from the articles. After 5-7 minutes allow the students to share their responses and complete the class Venn diagram. 

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Students will identify that there are many different kinds of animals and that they exist in different places on land and in water through class discussions.

Students will use the Venn diagram to compare and contrast land and water animals using information from research.

Variation Tips

If students do not have access to a device with internet, then the teacher can use a classroom projector to display the articles or print and copy the articles for the students.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher and students will need ReadWorks.org accounts. ReadWorks is a free online resource that includes a variety of reading passages. Students can simply use their Google account to create a ReadWorks account. The teacher will need to create student accounts if the students do not have Google accounts. Once the teacher has created his or her account, simply create a class and give the class code to the students to join. The teacher can search for the two articles "What Lives in a Pond?" and "What Lives in the Desert?" and assign them to the class. 

Digital Tools / Resources

ReadWorks
http://www.readworks.org

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

scarver17
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