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Summarizing Informational Text: “Hawaii’s Endangered Happy Face Spider”
Put on a happy face. Using an interesting resource, pupils read an informational text about Hawaii's endangered Happy Face Spider. Next, they participate in a jigsaw discussion to find the gist of the article.
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Continued Close Read of “Sloth Canopy Researcher: Bryson Voirin”
Let's explore the rainforest by studying its inhabitants. Pupils continue reading an interview with a sloth scientist and answer text-dependent questions. Next, they engage in a class discussion to share the new facts they learned about...
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Reading an Interview: “Sloth Canopy Researcher: Bryson Voirin”
It's time to slow down and learn about sloths! Scholars read the first few questions of an interview with a sloth canopy researcher, looking for the gist. Next, they create a glossary in the back of their journals to add new scientific...
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Building Background Knowledge: Examining the Unique Living Things of the Rainforests and the Scientists Who Study Them
Gorillas, tigers, and tree frogs ... welcome to the rainforest! Scholars complete a KWL chart to determine what they already know—and what they want to find out—about the rainforest. Next, they participate in a gallery walk, viewing...
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Performance Task: Readers Theater Second Rehearsal and Performance
Prepare, practice, perform. Using the resource, actors first revise their conclusions for their readers theater scripts. Then, groups perform their scripts in front of the class, while peers evaluate each performance using a rubric.
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Our Group Readers Theater: Revision, Conclusion, and First Rehearsal
Revision is the key to great writing. Individuals revise their readers theater scripts and write a group conclusion. Scholars then perform their scripts for another group and receive feedback.
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Our Group Readers Theater: Managing the Sequence of Events in Our Group Script
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Working in small groups, class members combine their independent readers theater scripts into part of a larger group script. They complete a storyboard to determine the best sequence for...
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End of Unit Assessment: Individual Sections of Readers Theater Script
Let's play! Pupils create titles for their readers theater scripts and act them out in a fun game of charades. Next, as part of their end of unit assessment, they write final copies of their individual scripts.
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Drafting Individual Readers Theater Scripts for a Specific Scene: Rephrasing, Narrator Introduction, and Identifying Characters
Read, revise, refine! Scholars refine their readers theater scripts by rephrasing some of the lines. Next, they write drafts of their narrator introductions and share their work with peers to give and receive feedback.
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Drafting Individual Readers Theater Scripts for a Specific Scene: Narrowing Text for our Readers Theater Scripts
Let's focus. In small groups, writers narrow text selections to produce a narrative script based on the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Next, pupils plan their reader's theater scripts based on the text.
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Identifying Theme: Connecting Passages from Esperanza Rising to Human Rights
Even fictional characters have rights. Scholars read selected passages from Pam Muñoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising and consider which of the five categories from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the text relates to. They glue each...
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Mid-Unit Assessment: Evaluating a Novel Versus a Script
How are novels and scripts alike and different? As part of the mid-unit assessment, scholars complete a Venn diagram to compare two types of writing: a novel and a script. Next, they respond to short-answer questions, evaluating passages...
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Readers Theater and the UDHR
Let's make connections! Using the resource, class members make connections between the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and their readers theater scripts. To finish, they complete a worksheet to evaluate the role of narration in...
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Narratives as Theater: Esperanza Rising, from Novel to Script
Calling all thespians! Working in small groups, pupils practice reading and performing a readers theater script for the novel Esperanza Rising. Next, they read aloud passages from the novel and use an anchor chart to compare the script...
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Narratives as Theater, Part I: What is Readers Theater?
Discover the exciting world of readers theater! Scholars learn all about the reading strategy, reading a script about American heroes and completing an I Notice/I Wonder chart. Next, pupils participate in readers theater using the script.
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Reading and Writing About How to Perform a Process: How Meg Lowman Studies the Rainforest (Pages 4–8)
It's a process. Scholars read to understand the process Meg Lowman uses for pressing specimens. Learners work in groups to define vocabulary and create a list of the steps used. They then carry out the steps using provided materials.
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Comparing an Author’s Presentation of Ideas: “Rachel Carson: Sounding the Alarm on Pollution”
It's all in the presentation. Readers take a look at author's presentation in the article Rachel Carson: Sounding the Alarm on Pollution. Scholars work together to complete a Comparing
and Contrasting Authors’ Presentation graphic...
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End of Unit Assessment: Fishbowl Discussion
Is it worth it? Scholars complete the end of unit assessment by participating in a fishbowl discussion to consider if the benefits of DDT outweigh the consequences. They reflect on their discussions by completing an exit ticket.
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Interpreting, Integrating, and Sharing Information about DDT: Using Cascading Consequences and Fishbowl Protocol
What is your interpretation? Scholars look at their Cascading Consequences Charts and interpret the information they have gathered. Learners match claims with evidence and then watch a video. At the end, they carry out a fishbowl...
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Using Multiple Resources of Information: Creating a Cascading Consequences Chart about DDT and Practicing a Fishbowl Discussion
For every action there is a consequence. Scholars continue their work on creating a cascading consequence chart about DDT using Welcome Back, The Exterminator, Rachel Carson: Sounding the Alarm on Pollution along with graphic organizers...
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Identifying How Text Features Support Arguments: “The Exterminator"
Half and half. Split the class in half to gain a full understanding of sidebars. Pupils work in groups to discuss sidebars in text. Half of the groups read Seriously Sick, and the other half reads Killer Genes. They read using...
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Launching Frightful’s Mountain: Building Background Knowledge and Establishing Reading Routines
Welcome to Frightful's Mountain. The teacher introduces scholars to the text Frightful’s Mountain by reading the first chapter aloud. Learners then talk with a partner about the text. The instructor models answering focus questions as...
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Performance Task: Hosted Gallery Walk of Scientific Posters
The guests have arrived. Scholars participate in a hosted gallery walk, using their scientific posters to share their research about DDT with their classmates. Then, using sticky notes, individuals leave positive feedback on their peers'...
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Finishing Poster and Preparing for Gallery Walk
Practice makes progress! Using their drafts and resources from the previous instructional activity, pupils complete scientific posters for an upcoming gallery walk. Next, they practice presenting their posters to assigned partners.