Weatherworks TG
Level Q/40
Weatherworks Science
Teacher’s Guide Skills & Strategies
Anchor Comprehension Strategies
• Identify cause and effect Comprehension • Evaluate author's purpose and point of view • Identify sequence of events • Use graphic features to interpret information
Word Study/Vocabulary • Use context clues to determine word meaning
Science Big Idea • Weather is created by interactions among air, water, and the Sun.
B
e n c h m a r k
E
d u c a t i o n
C
o m p a n y
overview Related Resources Comprehension Strategy Posters (for Assessed Skills/Strategies) • Identifying Steps in a Process • Identifying Cause and Effect Thematic Poetry Connections (in Reading & Writing Poetic Forms) • “The Hurricane” (Pales Matos) Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook (Grade 5) • Ongoing Assessments #19 and #20 Notable Trade Books for Read Aloud • Gibbons, Gail. The Reasons for Seasons. Holiday House, Inc., 1995. • Vancleave, Janice. Janice Vancleave’s Weather: Mind Boggling Experiments You Can Turn into Science Fair Projects. Jossey-Bass, 1995. Web Site for Content Information • National Weather Service www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/owlie/ owlie.htm Learn about the hazards of severe weather and how to stay safe.
Weatherworks
skills and strategies This lesson teaches and/or reinforces the following skills and strategies:
• Identify Cause and Effect (pp. 3–7) Identify Steps in a Process (pp. 3–6, 8–9) • Evaluate Author’s Purpose (p. 4)
• Use Text Features to Locate Information (pp. 4–5) • Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning (p. 5) • Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information (p. 6) • Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning (p. 6)
This skill/strategy is the focus of the Ongoing Assessments for this title.
National contenT standards Science Science As Inquiry: a, b Physical Science: a, b, c History and the Nature of Science: a
table of contents
theme connections Weather Phenomena Hands-on Experiments Water Cycle
Before Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Chapters 1 & 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapters 4 & 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 After Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Writing Workshop and Writing Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9 Reproducible Graphic Organizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Content-Area Extension Activities (BLMs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Before Reading
Introduce the Book
Book Summary Everyone is affected by the weather, but do you know why weather happens? Author Jeri Cipriano gives readers the how and why of weather. Hands-on activities provide memorable lessons on the causes of certain weather phenomena, from making rain to measuring air pressure.
Draw students’ attention to the front cover of the book. Read the title together. Turn to the back of the book and read the blurb and author information. Examine the table of contents. Page through the book looking at the illustrations. While previewing, pose the following questions to encourage students to think about the text before reading. What does the title tell you about the subject of the book? What do you know about the weather in your area? Is the weather in your hometown exceptionally warm or cool, wet or dry? Have you ever wondered why it rains? What do you expect to learn from this book? What kinds of special vocabulary words do you think you’ll find in this book?
• • • • •
Set a Purpose for Reading
Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather CAUSE
CAUSE
EFFECT clouds
EFFECT weather vane points north
CAUSE
EFFECT hot summer weather
CAUSE
EFFECT
cloud-to-ground lightning
CAUSE
EFFECT
This text provides an excellent opportunity for students to focus on the strategies of identifying cause and effect and identifying steps in a process. Explain that as they read, students will learn about different types of weather conditions and how they happen. Through hands-on science experiments, readers will follow step-by-step instructions and become familiar with the factors that make up weather. Start by introducing the cause-and-effect pattern used in the text. Read aloud the sidebar information on temperature on page 2. Help students identify the relationship between Earth’s weather and the Sun by asking them to summarize the text. Then ask: Why do temperatures vary on Earth? What causes different weather conditions? Can you explain the relationship between these two ideas? What signal words in the text help you identify a cause-and-effect relationship?
Introduce the Graphic Organizer Provide each student with a copy of the Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather graphic organizer. Challenge students to identify related ideas representing cause and effect. During reading, students will identify the causes of the weather phenomena listed in the effect column on the right of the chart. Explain that the arrow going from the causes on the left to the effects on the right signifies that one must occur in order for the other to happen.
rainbow
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
3
Chapters 1&2
TEACHING TIPS Meaningful Activities for Rapid Readers
• Try the “Think it over!” activity on page 3.
Read the Text
pages 2–9 Use the following prompt to set a purpose for the reading: As you read, think about the information the author is presenting. What does she want you to know? What is the author’s purpose for writing this book? Ask students to read the chapters independently. Invite them to use sticky notes to flag sections of the text that support their ideas about the author’s purpose. Also ask them to highlight information for their graphic organizers, as well as any unfamiliar words they encounter. When the group has finished, use the activities below to focus on skills, strategies, and text and graphic features of the book.
Focus on comprehension Discuss the Author’s Purpose Invite students to share their ideas about the author’s purpose. Encourage them to point out examples from the text that helped them figure it out. If students have difficulty, use a think aloud to model how a good reader thinks through an author’s purpose. When I first started reading, I had a good idea that the book would be about weather because of the title. Then I realized that I would learn how weather happens and get to do activities that help explain the reasons. Flipping through the rest of the book tells me that the author is going to follow this pattern for explanation throughout the book.
• Think about the results of the
experiments in Chapter 2. What conclusions can you draw about Earth’s relationship to the Sun?
Prompts to Help Readers Monitor Comprehension
• If you come across an idea that
you do not fully understand, read on to see if the author explains it in the following sentences.
• Look for context clues to help you define unfamiliar words.
Analyze Information in Parentheses
Explain to students that parenthetical information is usually a restatement, clarification, definition, or expansion of text. Have students look at pages 8 and 9. Challenge them to locate the information in parentheses. Ask: What kind of information is provided? How does it help you understand the material? Is it essential to the text and/or your understanding?
Begin the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Cause and Effect Ask students to reread or skim and scan the text to locate information for the graphic organizer. Explain that in this book, the author gives reasons for scientific phenomena such as rain, snow, and sunshine. The reasons are explained as cause-and-effect relationships. The author shows how two ideas are related by using this format. Model how a reader can identify cause and effect while reading. Have students read the text on page 4 and ask: Can you summarize the information you read about the Sun’s rays hitting Earth at an angle? How does the angle of the rays affect the temperature on Earth? What causes hot summer weather on Earth? Write a sentence stating the cause of hot summer weather in the “Cause” column.
Identify Steps in a Process Draw students’ attention to the text structure of Chapter 2. Point out pages 8 and 9. Page 8 contains background information about thermometers. Page 9 identifies the step-by-step process for measuring temperature. Ask: How is the presentation of the text for the experiment different from the background information? How does the format of the text help you follow the steps in the experiment? Is the sequence of the steps important? 4
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Chapter 3
TEACHING TIPS Meaningful Activities for Rapid Readers
• How does weather affect your pages 10–19 Use the following prompt to set a purpose for the reading: As you read, think about the different text features the author uses to convey information. How do these features help you locate and interpret meaning about the concepts being explained? Ask students to read the chapter independently. Invite them to use sticky notes to write down their ideas about text features. Remind them to identify cause-and-effect relationships for the graphic organizer, as well as any unfamiliar words they encounter. When the group has finished, use the activities below to focus on skills, strategies, and text and graphic features of the book.
Focus on comprehension Discuss Using Text Features
Invite students to share their ideas about the text features in Chapter 3. Ask: How do the headings, side bars, and bold print help you locate information? Students should notice that: • The combination of text features organizes the information on the page. • The chapter and section headings help identify main ideas and supporting details. • The bold text for vocabulary identifies new words. • The fonts used for the “Weather Report” stand out so the result is easy to find.
Continue the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Cause and
Prompts to Help Readers Monitor Comprehension
• Long sentences can sometimes
make you lose the meaning. Reread the sentence and see if the punctuation helps you better understand the meaning.
• Try reading unfamiliar words aloud.
Use Context Clues
Have students look at the term gale force (page 16). The author defines the term in context by using sentence clues. Create a visual word web like the one below as an example. sentence clue
gentle breeze or gale-force winds
Read the Text
mood? Write about a memory you have in which the weather influenced you.
gale force
gale-force winds must be the opposite of gentle breeze
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Ask students to reread or skim and scan the text to locate information for the graphic organizer. Tell them to look for signal words that indicate cause-and-effect relationships. These include because, since, as a result, and for this reason. Knowing these cues and understanding what they signal will help students identify cause and effect.
Continue your discussion of text clues by discussing signal words for steps in a process, such as until, before, after, next, finally, lastly, first, last, then, on (a certain date) or at (a certain time). Have students reread the instructions for building a weather vane on pages 16 and 17. Say: Search for words that signal steps in a process and explain the purpose of using such words. Students should notice that the author uses them to help readers follow along when she lists multiple tasks in one step.
gentle breeze means light winds
conclusion
Effect
Identify Steps in a Process
sentence clue
definition howling wind
Tell students to apply this strategy to unfamiliar words they flagged. These might include: molecules, p. 13 carbon dioxide, p. 14 weather vane, p. 16 indicate, p. 17
Weatherworks
5
Chapters 4&5
TEACHING TIP S Meaningful Activities for Rapid Readers
• Have you ever flown a kite or
sailed a boat in a strong wind? Explain how the wind works with kites and sailboats.
Read the Text
pages 20–30 Use the following prompt to set a purpose for the reading: As you read, think about the graphic features included in each experiment. How do these features help you interpret information? How do they help you understand the concepts and instructions?
Prompts to Help Readers Monitor Comprehension
• If you lose the meaning, go back and reread the section where you lost concentration.
Ask students to read the chapters independently. Invite them to use sticky notes in the margins to write what they think about the graphic features. Remind them to highlight cause-and-effect relationships in the text, as well as any unfamiliar words they encounter. When the group has finished, use the activities below to focus on skills, strategies, and text and graphic features of the book.
Focus on comprehenSion Discuss Using Graphic Features
Invite students to share their ideas about the graphic features in the text. Ask: How does the author use graphic features with the text? What visuals did you find particularly helpful in the reading? Students should notice that: • Graphic features explain, compare, or show complicated concepts and ideas.
• Look for context clues to help you define unfamiliar words.
Use Root Words Have students look at the word moisture (page 20). Explain that readers can sometimes discern a word’s meaning by breaking it down and studying its parts. Create a word web like the one below as an example.
• Pictures and illustrations ensure that the process is followed accurately. • Graphic clues such as background colors and headings help readers identify types of information quickly.
ending -ure
synonym wet
ending changes adjective to noun
Explain to students that the author uses steps in a process in the text to give the reader instructions or tell about an event or course of events in a story. Ask students to find examples in the text where they noticed this pattern of writing.
Identify Steps in a Process
root word moist
Ask students to reread or skim and scan the text to locate information for the graphic organizer. Encourage them to paraphrase the information from the text. Writing concise statements will help them keep their responses brief and focus on the essence of the concept.
Complete the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Cause and Effect
moisture
definition wetness in the air
Then tell students to apply this strategy to the following words from the text: condensation, p. 20 classification, p. 21 droplets, p. 22 humidity, p. 24 electrical, p. 26
6
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
AFTER READING SYNTHESIZE AND ASSESS Retell and Summarize
As a group, generate an oral or written retelling of the book. Select the key points and create a summary.
The completed graphic organizer below can serve as a model for assessing students’ ability to identify cause and effect.
Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather
Respond
Ask students what they found most interesting about the book. What they did not like and why. What questions they still have. What additional information they might have included if they had been the author.
Identify Cause and Effect
Challenge students to explain the cause-and-effect relationships the author used throughout this book.
Make Judgments
Challenge students to think critically about the experiments they read about and/or tried in the book. Ask them to formulate judgment statements based on their reading. Record these ideas.
CAUSE
Sun’s rays strike directly
condensation of water vapor that has evaporated from Earth
CAUSE negatively charged particles in the bottom of a cloud are attracted to positively charged particles on the ground
EFFECT weather vane points north
EFFECT clouds
EFFECT cloud-to-ground lightning
EFFECT hot summer weather
CAUSE
CAUSE sunlight passes through raindrops, which act like prisms and separate white light into the visible spectrum
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
CAUSE
wind blows from north to south
EFFECT rainbow
Weatherworks
7
writing workshop
TEA CHI N G TI PS Process WrItINg Steps
1. Have students brainstorm a process that is of interest to them and create a word web that shows the steps in the process.
mini-lesson
Writing Focus: Identifying Steps in a Process Remind students that throughout the book Weatherworks, they read about different weather conditions and what causes them. Invite students to think about something they know how to work, such as a computer mouse, a kite, or a water sprinkler. On chart paper or the board, create a web like the one below summarizing how something works. Have students number the branches to indicate order of steps.
1. connect to computer with a cord
3. hold with your hand
5. must stay on the surface of your mouse pad
computer mouse
7. click on, drag, drop, and highlight
2. turn on computer
4. cursor moves around, guided by hand
2. Have students independently write a first draft. 3. After students complete their first draft, they should revise and edit it. 4. Conference with each student following the first revision and editing. 5. Have students make any additional changes and create a final copy of their paragraph. 6. Finally, invite students to share their paragraph with a group of other students.
6. select items by pressing the button
Use the reproducible Writing Model to demonstrate how information in the web can be used to write a paragraph identifying how to do something using steps in a process. Remind students to use signal words such as first, next, then, and finally.
writing ASSIgNmeNt Write a paragraph describing a process in a step-by-step way. Use your word web to help you.
8
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Writing Model: Identifying Steps in a Process
How to Use a Computer Mouse Have you ever tried to teach a friend how to use a computer mouse? First, you need to make sure your mouse cable is connected to your computer. Then, you need to turn on the computer. Next, place your hand on the mouse and then move it around until you see
signal words for steps in a process
the cursor on the screen mirror your movement. At this time, make sure the ball underneath the mouse is touching the surface of the mouse pad. If you see the cursor moving, then you know your mouse is working. Next, press your fingertip on the button near the top of the mouse to select items. Finally, use the mouse to click on, drag, drop, highlight, and move items.
writing tip Draw readers in by starting your paragraph with a question or interesting fact.
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather CAUSE
hot summer weather
CAUSE
EFFECT weather vane points north
CAUSE
EFFECT
EFFECT
clouds
CAUSE
EFFECT
CAUSE
Weatherworks
cloud-to-ground lightning
EFFECT rainbow
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
Charting the Weather Compare the weather in your hometown to the weather in other places in the country. Use the chart below to track the weather in your area and in two cities from other regions of the United States.
HomeTown
City 1
City 2
Date Time Temperature Humidity Wind speed Wind direction Air pressure Precipitation
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
How Rain Works Label the water cycle below by identifying clouds, land, water, rain, condensation, and evaporation. Then summarize the process in your own words.
Summary:
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
Weather Journal Have you ever been caught in some form of severe weather? Perhaps it was a howling storm, a tornado, a blizzard, or maybe a drought? Share your memories of the experience in the journal below. Remember to include observations you made about the temperature of the air, the wind (or lack of it), and other weather conditions that can help describe the experience.
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
Name:_ ____________________________________________
Date:______________
Collecting and Graphing Data For one day, track and record the temperature in Miami, Florida and in Phoenix, Arizona to see how the temperatures vary in the two different climates. Record several temperature readings throughout the day so you can see if there is a significant change from daytime to nighttime. After you collect your data, create a line graph to show the temperature changes in both cities over the course of the day. Use different color pens to record the temperature for each city. Time of Day 8:00 am
12:00 Noon
3:00 pm
9:00 pm
Temperature in Phoenix, AZ
Temperature
Temperature in Miami, FL
8:00 am
12:00 noon
3:00 pm
9:00 pm
Time of Day Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
A n swer
Ke y
Charting the Weather HomeTown
City 1
How Rain Works City 2
Date
Students’ charts will vary depending on
Time
location and time of year. Check for
Temperature
accuracy of the hometown measurements.
Humidity
For the other two locations, check to make
Wind speed
sure the charted measurements are
Wind direction
logical.
clouds
condensation
rain
evaporation
Air pressure
land
water
Precipitation Summary:
Students’ answers should accurately reflect an understanding of the water cycle.
Collecting and Graphing Data
Weather Journal
Time of Day
Temperature in Phoenix, AZ
8:00 am
Students’ answers will vary depending on time
12:00 Noon
of year data are collected. Check for reason-
3:00 pm
able entries. Make sure the line graph correctly
9:00 pm
reflects the data in the chart.
Temperature
Students’ entries will vary. Check for content accuracy, as well as writing skill and creativity.
Temperature in Miami, FL
8:00 am
12:00 noon
3:00 pm
Time of Day
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
9:00 pm
Weatherworks Navigators Teaching Guides provide flexible options to meet a variety of instructional needs…
Lesson-at-a-Glance
Sample Lesson Planning Guides
Before Reading (p. 3)
Introduce the Book Set a Purpose for Reading √ Introduce the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather*
5-Day Lesson Day for Assessed Skills & Strategies
During Reading (pp. 4–6)
Read the Text: Chapters 1 & 2 Focus on Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Discuss the Author’s Purpose* √ Begin the Graphic Organizer* √ Identify Steps in a Process* Analyze Information in Parentheses
1
Read the Text: Ch. 1 & 2 Focus on Comprehension: √ Begin the Graphic Organizer √ Identify Steps in a Process
Read the Text: Chapter 3 Focus on Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Discuss Using Text Features √ Continue the Graphic Organizer* √ Identify Steps in a Process* Use Context Clues* Read the Text: Chapters 4 & 5 Focus on Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Discuss Using Graphic Features √ Complete the Graphic Organizer* √ Identify Steps in a Process* Use Root Words*
2
After Reading (p. 7)
Synthesize and Assess Activities: Retell and Summarize* Respond √ Identify Cause and Effect* Make Judgments*
3
Content-Area Extension Activities on Blackline Masters (pp. 11–14) Charting the Weather How Rain Works Weather Journal Collecting and Graphing Data
Copyright © 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN: 978-1-59000-527-9
Introduce the Book Read the Text: Ch. 1 & 2 Select or create mini-lessons by using the comprehension pre-assessments to determine student needs.*
Read the Text: Ch. 3 Focus on Comprehension: √ Continue the Graphic Organizer √ Identify Steps in a Process
Read the Text: Ch. 3
Read the Text: Ch. 4 & 5 Focus on Comprehension: √ Complete the Graphic Organizer √ Identify Steps in a Process
Read the Text: Ch. 4 & 5 Select or create mini-lessons.*
Select or create mini-lessons.*
Accelerated 3-Day Lesson Introduce the Book Read the Text: Ch. 1 & 2
Read the Text: Ch. 3
Read the Text: Ch. 4 & 5 Synthesize and Assess
Synthesize and Assess
Writing Workshop (pp. 8–9)
Mini-Lesson √ Assignment: Identifying Steps in a Process*
Introduce the Book Set a Purpose for Reading √ Introduce the Graphic Organizer
5-Day Flexible Lesson
4
Writing Mini-Lesson Writing Assignment
Writing Mini-Lesson Writing Assignment
5
Writing Assignment
Writing Assignment
Content-Area Extension Activities (BLMs)
Content-Area Extension Activities (BLMs)
√
Checkmarked skills may be assessed by using the tests provided in the Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook. Preassessments are available in the Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook. *
Weatherworks Science
Teacher’s Guide Skills & Strategies
Anchor Comprehension Strategies
• Identify cause and effect Comprehension • Evaluate author's purpose and point of view • Identify sequence of events • Use graphic features to interpret information
Word Study/Vocabulary • Use context clues to determine word meaning
Science Big Idea • Weather is created by interactions among air, water, and the Sun.
B
e n c h m a r k
E
d u c a t i o n
C
o m p a n y
overview Related Resources Comprehension Strategy Posters (for Assessed Skills/Strategies) • Identifying Steps in a Process • Identifying Cause and Effect Thematic Poetry Connections (in Reading & Writing Poetic Forms) • “The Hurricane” (Pales Matos) Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook (Grade 5) • Ongoing Assessments #19 and #20 Notable Trade Books for Read Aloud • Gibbons, Gail. The Reasons for Seasons. Holiday House, Inc., 1995. • Vancleave, Janice. Janice Vancleave’s Weather: Mind Boggling Experiments You Can Turn into Science Fair Projects. Jossey-Bass, 1995. Web Site for Content Information • National Weather Service www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/owlie/ owlie.htm Learn about the hazards of severe weather and how to stay safe.
Weatherworks
skills and strategies This lesson teaches and/or reinforces the following skills and strategies:
• Identify Cause and Effect (pp. 3–7) Identify Steps in a Process (pp. 3–6, 8–9) • Evaluate Author’s Purpose (p. 4)
• Use Text Features to Locate Information (pp. 4–5) • Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning (p. 5) • Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information (p. 6) • Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning (p. 6)
This skill/strategy is the focus of the Ongoing Assessments for this title.
National contenT standards Science Science As Inquiry: a, b Physical Science: a, b, c History and the Nature of Science: a
table of contents
theme connections Weather Phenomena Hands-on Experiments Water Cycle
Before Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Chapters 1 & 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapters 4 & 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 After Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Writing Workshop and Writing Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9 Reproducible Graphic Organizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Content-Area Extension Activities (BLMs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Before Reading
Introduce the Book
Book Summary Everyone is affected by the weather, but do you know why weather happens? Author Jeri Cipriano gives readers the how and why of weather. Hands-on activities provide memorable lessons on the causes of certain weather phenomena, from making rain to measuring air pressure.
Draw students’ attention to the front cover of the book. Read the title together. Turn to the back of the book and read the blurb and author information. Examine the table of contents. Page through the book looking at the illustrations. While previewing, pose the following questions to encourage students to think about the text before reading. What does the title tell you about the subject of the book? What do you know about the weather in your area? Is the weather in your hometown exceptionally warm or cool, wet or dry? Have you ever wondered why it rains? What do you expect to learn from this book? What kinds of special vocabulary words do you think you’ll find in this book?
• • • • •
Set a Purpose for Reading
Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather CAUSE
CAUSE
EFFECT clouds
EFFECT weather vane points north
CAUSE
EFFECT hot summer weather
CAUSE
EFFECT
cloud-to-ground lightning
CAUSE
EFFECT
This text provides an excellent opportunity for students to focus on the strategies of identifying cause and effect and identifying steps in a process. Explain that as they read, students will learn about different types of weather conditions and how they happen. Through hands-on science experiments, readers will follow step-by-step instructions and become familiar with the factors that make up weather. Start by introducing the cause-and-effect pattern used in the text. Read aloud the sidebar information on temperature on page 2. Help students identify the relationship between Earth’s weather and the Sun by asking them to summarize the text. Then ask: Why do temperatures vary on Earth? What causes different weather conditions? Can you explain the relationship between these two ideas? What signal words in the text help you identify a cause-and-effect relationship?
Introduce the Graphic Organizer Provide each student with a copy of the Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather graphic organizer. Challenge students to identify related ideas representing cause and effect. During reading, students will identify the causes of the weather phenomena listed in the effect column on the right of the chart. Explain that the arrow going from the causes on the left to the effects on the right signifies that one must occur in order for the other to happen.
rainbow
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
3
Chapters 1&2
TEACHING TIPS Meaningful Activities for Rapid Readers
• Try the “Think it over!” activity on page 3.
Read the Text
pages 2–9 Use the following prompt to set a purpose for the reading: As you read, think about the information the author is presenting. What does she want you to know? What is the author’s purpose for writing this book? Ask students to read the chapters independently. Invite them to use sticky notes to flag sections of the text that support their ideas about the author’s purpose. Also ask them to highlight information for their graphic organizers, as well as any unfamiliar words they encounter. When the group has finished, use the activities below to focus on skills, strategies, and text and graphic features of the book.
Focus on comprehension Discuss the Author’s Purpose Invite students to share their ideas about the author’s purpose. Encourage them to point out examples from the text that helped them figure it out. If students have difficulty, use a think aloud to model how a good reader thinks through an author’s purpose. When I first started reading, I had a good idea that the book would be about weather because of the title. Then I realized that I would learn how weather happens and get to do activities that help explain the reasons. Flipping through the rest of the book tells me that the author is going to follow this pattern for explanation throughout the book.
• Think about the results of the
experiments in Chapter 2. What conclusions can you draw about Earth’s relationship to the Sun?
Prompts to Help Readers Monitor Comprehension
• If you come across an idea that
you do not fully understand, read on to see if the author explains it in the following sentences.
• Look for context clues to help you define unfamiliar words.
Analyze Information in Parentheses
Explain to students that parenthetical information is usually a restatement, clarification, definition, or expansion of text. Have students look at pages 8 and 9. Challenge them to locate the information in parentheses. Ask: What kind of information is provided? How does it help you understand the material? Is it essential to the text and/or your understanding?
Begin the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Cause and Effect Ask students to reread or skim and scan the text to locate information for the graphic organizer. Explain that in this book, the author gives reasons for scientific phenomena such as rain, snow, and sunshine. The reasons are explained as cause-and-effect relationships. The author shows how two ideas are related by using this format. Model how a reader can identify cause and effect while reading. Have students read the text on page 4 and ask: Can you summarize the information you read about the Sun’s rays hitting Earth at an angle? How does the angle of the rays affect the temperature on Earth? What causes hot summer weather on Earth? Write a sentence stating the cause of hot summer weather in the “Cause” column.
Identify Steps in a Process Draw students’ attention to the text structure of Chapter 2. Point out pages 8 and 9. Page 8 contains background information about thermometers. Page 9 identifies the step-by-step process for measuring temperature. Ask: How is the presentation of the text for the experiment different from the background information? How does the format of the text help you follow the steps in the experiment? Is the sequence of the steps important? 4
Weatherworks
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Chapter 3
TEACHING TIPS Meaningful Activities for Rapid Readers
• How does weather affect your pages 10–19 Use the following prompt to set a purpose for the reading: As you read, think about the different text features the author uses to convey information. How do these features help you locate and interpret meaning about the concepts being explained? Ask students to read the chapter independently. Invite them to use sticky notes to write down their ideas about text features. Remind them to identify cause-and-effect relationships for the graphic organizer, as well as any unfamiliar words they encounter. When the group has finished, use the activities below to focus on skills, strategies, and text and graphic features of the book.
Focus on comprehension Discuss Using Text Features
Invite students to share their ideas about the text features in Chapter 3. Ask: How do the headings, side bars, and bold print help you locate information? Students should notice that: • The combination of text features organizes the information on the page. • The chapter and section headings help identify main ideas and supporting details. • The bold text for vocabulary identifies new words. • The fonts used for the “Weather Report” stand out so the result is easy to find.
Continue the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Cause and
Prompts to Help Readers Monitor Comprehension
• Long sentences can sometimes
make you lose the meaning. Reread the sentence and see if the punctuation helps you better understand the meaning.
• Try reading unfamiliar words aloud.
Use Context Clues
Have students look at the term gale force (page 16). The author defines the term in context by using sentence clues. Create a visual word web like the one below as an example. sentence clue
gentle breeze or gale-force winds
Read the Text
mood? Write about a memory you have in which the weather influenced you.
gale force
gale-force winds must be the opposite of gentle breeze
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Ask students to reread or skim and scan the text to locate information for the graphic organizer. Tell them to look for signal words that indicate cause-and-effect relationships. These include because, since, as a result, and for this reason. Knowing these cues and understanding what they signal will help students identify cause and effect.
Continue your discussion of text clues by discussing signal words for steps in a process, such as until, before, after, next, finally, lastly, first, last, then, on (a certain date) or at (a certain time). Have students reread the instructions for building a weather vane on pages 16 and 17. Say: Search for words that signal steps in a process and explain the purpose of using such words. Students should notice that the author uses them to help readers follow along when she lists multiple tasks in one step.
gentle breeze means light winds
conclusion
Effect
Identify Steps in a Process
sentence clue
definition howling wind
Tell students to apply this strategy to unfamiliar words they flagged. These might include: molecules, p. 13 carbon dioxide, p. 14 weather vane, p. 16 indicate, p. 17
Weatherworks
5
Chapters 4&5
TEACHING TIP S Meaningful Activities for Rapid Readers
• Have you ever flown a kite or
sailed a boat in a strong wind? Explain how the wind works with kites and sailboats.
Read the Text
pages 20–30 Use the following prompt to set a purpose for the reading: As you read, think about the graphic features included in each experiment. How do these features help you interpret information? How do they help you understand the concepts and instructions?
Prompts to Help Readers Monitor Comprehension
• If you lose the meaning, go back and reread the section where you lost concentration.
Ask students to read the chapters independently. Invite them to use sticky notes in the margins to write what they think about the graphic features. Remind them to highlight cause-and-effect relationships in the text, as well as any unfamiliar words they encounter. When the group has finished, use the activities below to focus on skills, strategies, and text and graphic features of the book.
Focus on comprehenSion Discuss Using Graphic Features
Invite students to share their ideas about the graphic features in the text. Ask: How does the author use graphic features with the text? What visuals did you find particularly helpful in the reading? Students should notice that: • Graphic features explain, compare, or show complicated concepts and ideas.
• Look for context clues to help you define unfamiliar words.
Use Root Words Have students look at the word moisture (page 20). Explain that readers can sometimes discern a word’s meaning by breaking it down and studying its parts. Create a word web like the one below as an example.
• Pictures and illustrations ensure that the process is followed accurately. • Graphic clues such as background colors and headings help readers identify types of information quickly.
ending -ure
synonym wet
ending changes adjective to noun
Explain to students that the author uses steps in a process in the text to give the reader instructions or tell about an event or course of events in a story. Ask students to find examples in the text where they noticed this pattern of writing.
Identify Steps in a Process
root word moist
Ask students to reread or skim and scan the text to locate information for the graphic organizer. Encourage them to paraphrase the information from the text. Writing concise statements will help them keep their responses brief and focus on the essence of the concept.
Complete the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Cause and Effect
moisture
definition wetness in the air
Then tell students to apply this strategy to the following words from the text: condensation, p. 20 classification, p. 21 droplets, p. 22 humidity, p. 24 electrical, p. 26
6
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
AFTER READING SYNTHESIZE AND ASSESS Retell and Summarize
As a group, generate an oral or written retelling of the book. Select the key points and create a summary.
The completed graphic organizer below can serve as a model for assessing students’ ability to identify cause and effect.
Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather
Respond
Ask students what they found most interesting about the book. What they did not like and why. What questions they still have. What additional information they might have included if they had been the author.
Identify Cause and Effect
Challenge students to explain the cause-and-effect relationships the author used throughout this book.
Make Judgments
Challenge students to think critically about the experiments they read about and/or tried in the book. Ask them to formulate judgment statements based on their reading. Record these ideas.
CAUSE
Sun’s rays strike directly
condensation of water vapor that has evaporated from Earth
CAUSE negatively charged particles in the bottom of a cloud are attracted to positively charged particles on the ground
EFFECT weather vane points north
EFFECT clouds
EFFECT cloud-to-ground lightning
EFFECT hot summer weather
CAUSE
CAUSE sunlight passes through raindrops, which act like prisms and separate white light into the visible spectrum
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CAUSE
wind blows from north to south
EFFECT rainbow
Weatherworks
7
writing workshop
TEA CHI N G TI PS Process WrItINg Steps
1. Have students brainstorm a process that is of interest to them and create a word web that shows the steps in the process.
mini-lesson
Writing Focus: Identifying Steps in a Process Remind students that throughout the book Weatherworks, they read about different weather conditions and what causes them. Invite students to think about something they know how to work, such as a computer mouse, a kite, or a water sprinkler. On chart paper or the board, create a web like the one below summarizing how something works. Have students number the branches to indicate order of steps.
1. connect to computer with a cord
3. hold with your hand
5. must stay on the surface of your mouse pad
computer mouse
7. click on, drag, drop, and highlight
2. turn on computer
4. cursor moves around, guided by hand
2. Have students independently write a first draft. 3. After students complete their first draft, they should revise and edit it. 4. Conference with each student following the first revision and editing. 5. Have students make any additional changes and create a final copy of their paragraph. 6. Finally, invite students to share their paragraph with a group of other students.
6. select items by pressing the button
Use the reproducible Writing Model to demonstrate how information in the web can be used to write a paragraph identifying how to do something using steps in a process. Remind students to use signal words such as first, next, then, and finally.
writing ASSIgNmeNt Write a paragraph describing a process in a step-by-step way. Use your word web to help you.
8
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Writing Model: Identifying Steps in a Process
How to Use a Computer Mouse Have you ever tried to teach a friend how to use a computer mouse? First, you need to make sure your mouse cable is connected to your computer. Then, you need to turn on the computer. Next, place your hand on the mouse and then move it around until you see
signal words for steps in a process
the cursor on the screen mirror your movement. At this time, make sure the ball underneath the mouse is touching the surface of the mouse pad. If you see the cursor moving, then you know your mouse is working. Next, press your fingertip on the button near the top of the mouse to select items. Finally, use the mouse to click on, drag, drop, highlight, and move items.
writing tip Draw readers in by starting your paragraph with a question or interesting fact.
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather CAUSE
hot summer weather
CAUSE
EFFECT weather vane points north
CAUSE
EFFECT
EFFECT
clouds
CAUSE
EFFECT
CAUSE
Weatherworks
cloud-to-ground lightning
EFFECT rainbow
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
Charting the Weather Compare the weather in your hometown to the weather in other places in the country. Use the chart below to track the weather in your area and in two cities from other regions of the United States.
HomeTown
City 1
City 2
Date Time Temperature Humidity Wind speed Wind direction Air pressure Precipitation
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
How Rain Works Label the water cycle below by identifying clouds, land, water, rain, condensation, and evaporation. Then summarize the process in your own words.
Summary:
Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name:_ ________________________________________
Date:_ _________________
Weather Journal Have you ever been caught in some form of severe weather? Perhaps it was a howling storm, a tornado, a blizzard, or maybe a drought? Share your memories of the experience in the journal below. Remember to include observations you made about the temperature of the air, the wind (or lack of it), and other weather conditions that can help describe the experience.
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
Name:_ ____________________________________________
Date:______________
Collecting and Graphing Data For one day, track and record the temperature in Miami, Florida and in Phoenix, Arizona to see how the temperatures vary in the two different climates. Record several temperature readings throughout the day so you can see if there is a significant change from daytime to nighttime. After you collect your data, create a line graph to show the temperature changes in both cities over the course of the day. Use different color pens to record the temperature for each city. Time of Day 8:00 am
12:00 Noon
3:00 pm
9:00 pm
Temperature in Phoenix, AZ
Temperature
Temperature in Miami, FL
8:00 am
12:00 noon
3:00 pm
9:00 pm
Time of Day Weatherworks
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
A n swer
Ke y
Charting the Weather HomeTown
City 1
How Rain Works City 2
Date
Students’ charts will vary depending on
Time
location and time of year. Check for
Temperature
accuracy of the hometown measurements.
Humidity
For the other two locations, check to make
Wind speed
sure the charted measurements are
Wind direction
logical.
clouds
condensation
rain
evaporation
Air pressure
land
water
Precipitation Summary:
Students’ answers should accurately reflect an understanding of the water cycle.
Collecting and Graphing Data
Weather Journal
Time of Day
Temperature in Phoenix, AZ
8:00 am
Students’ answers will vary depending on time
12:00 Noon
of year data are collected. Check for reason-
3:00 pm
able entries. Make sure the line graph correctly
9:00 pm
reflects the data in the chart.
Temperature
Students’ entries will vary. Check for content accuracy, as well as writing skill and creativity.
Temperature in Miami, FL
8:00 am
12:00 noon
3:00 pm
Time of Day
© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Weatherworks
9:00 pm
Weatherworks Navigators Teaching Guides provide flexible options to meet a variety of instructional needs…
Lesson-at-a-Glance
Sample Lesson Planning Guides
Before Reading (p. 3)
Introduce the Book Set a Purpose for Reading √ Introduce the Graphic Organizer: Identifying Causes and Effects in Weather*
5-Day Lesson Day for Assessed Skills & Strategies
During Reading (pp. 4–6)
Read the Text: Chapters 1 & 2 Focus on Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Discuss the Author’s Purpose* √ Begin the Graphic Organizer* √ Identify Steps in a Process* Analyze Information in Parentheses
1
Read the Text: Ch. 1 & 2 Focus on Comprehension: √ Begin the Graphic Organizer √ Identify Steps in a Process
Read the Text: Chapter 3 Focus on Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Discuss Using Text Features √ Continue the Graphic Organizer* √ Identify Steps in a Process* Use Context Clues* Read the Text: Chapters 4 & 5 Focus on Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Discuss Using Graphic Features √ Complete the Graphic Organizer* √ Identify Steps in a Process* Use Root Words*
2
After Reading (p. 7)
Synthesize and Assess Activities: Retell and Summarize* Respond √ Identify Cause and Effect* Make Judgments*
3
Content-Area Extension Activities on Blackline Masters (pp. 11–14) Charting the Weather How Rain Works Weather Journal Collecting and Graphing Data
Copyright © 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN: 978-1-59000-527-9
Introduce the Book Read the Text: Ch. 1 & 2 Select or create mini-lessons by using the comprehension pre-assessments to determine student needs.*
Read the Text: Ch. 3 Focus on Comprehension: √ Continue the Graphic Organizer √ Identify Steps in a Process
Read the Text: Ch. 3
Read the Text: Ch. 4 & 5 Focus on Comprehension: √ Complete the Graphic Organizer √ Identify Steps in a Process
Read the Text: Ch. 4 & 5 Select or create mini-lessons.*
Select or create mini-lessons.*
Accelerated 3-Day Lesson Introduce the Book Read the Text: Ch. 1 & 2
Read the Text: Ch. 3
Read the Text: Ch. 4 & 5 Synthesize and Assess
Synthesize and Assess
Writing Workshop (pp. 8–9)
Mini-Lesson √ Assignment: Identifying Steps in a Process*
Introduce the Book Set a Purpose for Reading √ Introduce the Graphic Organizer
5-Day Flexible Lesson
4
Writing Mini-Lesson Writing Assignment
Writing Mini-Lesson Writing Assignment
5
Writing Assignment
Writing Assignment
Content-Area Extension Activities (BLMs)
Content-Area Extension Activities (BLMs)
√
Checkmarked skills may be assessed by using the tests provided in the Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook. Preassessments are available in the Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook. *
