What Lives in a Pond and Desert?

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

English Language Arts

Science

Grade(s)

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.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain

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).

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

ELA21.2.26

DLCS18.2.R5

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

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 / 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.

ReadWorks

http://www.readworks.org

Approved Date

2018-06-14

Owner (Author)

scarver17

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