Audience
Third grade students, 70% read at or above grade level. 20% read slightly below grade level and 10% read significantly below grade level (based on AR reading level test)
Anchor Text
Animals That Live in Groups by Kelsi Turner Tjernagel.
Purpose for the text set
Students will be able to:
The following Common Core standards are also addressed in the process of meeting the requirements of the NGSS:
ELA/Literacy --
RI.3.1
Description of Text Set
This set is anchored by a text which introduces the unit of study by examining a wide variety of examples of interdependence in animals. The supportive texts are then subdivided into three sections that explicate interdependence among the following: birds, insects, and mammals. The author intends that the set be used in the order given
Third grade students, 70% read at or above grade level. 20% read slightly below grade level and 10% read significantly below grade level (based on AR reading level test)
Anchor Text
Animals That Live in Groups by Kelsi Turner Tjernagel.
Purpose for the text set
Students will be able to:
- Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive
The following Common Core standards are also addressed in the process of meeting the requirements of the NGSS:
ELA/Literacy --
RI.3.1
- Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
- Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
- Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
Description of Text Set
This set is anchored by a text which introduces the unit of study by examining a wide variety of examples of interdependence in animals. The supportive texts are then subdivided into three sections that explicate interdependence among the following: birds, insects, and mammals. The author intends that the set be used in the order given
Anchor text: Animals that live in groups
Tjernagel, K. T. (2013). Animals that live in groups. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press
Page Count: 24
Lexile level: 640
ATOS level: 3.3
Description: A nonfiction book which looks at several different species of animal that live in groups of varying size. The book addresses several broad reasons animals cohabitate including: protection, care for young, acquiring food, and social well-being.
Tjernagel, K. T. (2013). Animals that live in groups. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press
Page Count: 24
Lexile level: 640
ATOS level: 3.3
Description: A nonfiction book which looks at several different species of animal that live in groups of varying size. The book addresses several broad reasons animals cohabitate including: protection, care for young, acquiring food, and social well-being.
The Emperor’s Egg
Jenkins, M., & Chapman, J. (2008). The emperor’s egg. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Page Count: 32
Lexile level: 670
ATOS level: 4.1
Description: A picture book that tells the story of a pair of emperor penguins incubating and hatching an egg and then raising a chick together. Beautiful full-page illustrations enhance the conversational text. Small footnotes on many pages add penguin facts and insights that further explicate the information in the story.
Jenkins, M., & Chapman, J. (2008). The emperor’s egg. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Page Count: 32
Lexile level: 670
ATOS level: 4.1
Description: A picture book that tells the story of a pair of emperor penguins incubating and hatching an egg and then raising a chick together. Beautiful full-page illustrations enhance the conversational text. Small footnotes on many pages add penguin facts and insights that further explicate the information in the story.
March of the Penguins
Barrett, J. (Producer). & Darondeau, Y. (Producer). & Lioud, C. (Producer). & Priou, E. (Producer). & Jaccquet, L. (Director). (2005). March of the penguins [Motion Picture]. United States: National Geographic Films
Running Time: 80 mins
Recommended age of viewer: 5 years and up
Description: This film documents the yearly journey of the emperor penguins of Antarctica, from the ocean to their ancestral breeding ground. It covers the penguin’s journey, courtship, egg incubation, hatching and care of chicks over the course of one year. This film shows the ways penguins work together as breeding pairs as well as an entire flock in order to survive and raise offspring.
Barrett, J. (Producer). & Darondeau, Y. (Producer). & Lioud, C. (Producer). & Priou, E. (Producer). & Jaccquet, L. (Director). (2005). March of the penguins [Motion Picture]. United States: National Geographic Films
Running Time: 80 mins
Recommended age of viewer: 5 years and up
Description: This film documents the yearly journey of the emperor penguins of Antarctica, from the ocean to their ancestral breeding ground. It covers the penguin’s journey, courtship, egg incubation, hatching and care of chicks over the course of one year. This film shows the ways penguins work together as breeding pairs as well as an entire flock in order to survive and raise offspring.
Fire Ants Make a Living Raft
Nat Geo Wild: World's Weirdest
Running time: 1 min 54 seconds
Link: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/weirdest-fire-ant-raft
Description: This video shows a colony of fire ants working together to survive a flood. Images show the ants forming a raft made of ants, helping the queen and young onto the raft, traveling along the flooded river to safer ground and finally helping the queen and young off the raft.
Nat Geo Wild: World's Weirdest
Running time: 1 min 54 seconds
Link: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/weirdest-fire-ant-raft
Description: This video shows a colony of fire ants working together to survive a flood. Images show the ants forming a raft made of ants, helping the queen and young onto the raft, traveling along the flooded river to safer ground and finally helping the queen and young off the raft.
Ant Cities
Dorros, A. (2013). Ant cities. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Page Count: 32
Lexile level: 600
ATOS level: 3.2
Description: A non-fiction book describing the ways ants work and live together in colonies. Topics covered include the division of labor, raising of young, foraging for food and communication between members of the colony.
Dorros, A. (2013). Ant cities. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Page Count: 32
Lexile level: 600
ATOS level: 3.2
Description: A non-fiction book describing the ways ants work and live together in colonies. Topics covered include the division of labor, raising of young, foraging for food and communication between members of the colony.
Fire Ants Are Yet Another Hazard In Houston’s Flooded Streets
Hauser, C. (2017, August 30). Fire Ants Are Yet Another Hazard In Houston’s Flooded Streets. The New York TImes. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/us/fire-ants-harvey-hurricane-storm.html
Page count: 2
Lexile level: Not available
ATOS level: Not available
Description: An article about colonies of fire ants forming the rafts seen in the above video in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey and the problems that such activity creates for humans.
Hauser, C. (2017, August 30). Fire Ants Are Yet Another Hazard In Houston’s Flooded Streets. The New York TImes. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/us/fire-ants-harvey-hurricane-storm.html
Page count: 2
Lexile level: Not available
ATOS level: Not available
Description: An article about colonies of fire ants forming the rafts seen in the above video in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey and the problems that such activity creates for humans.
Meerkat Manor: A Family Affair. Season 1 Episode 1
Hawkins, C. (Writer and Director). (2005). A Family Affair [Television series episode]. Kaczorowski, M. (Executive producer. Meerkat Manor. London, United Kingdom: Oxford Scientific Films.
Running time: 20 mins (recommend viewing only minutes 1-12)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q664cyqDc8
Description: This is episode 1 of a television show that follows the day to day life of one family of meerkats, nicknamed the Whiskers family. It shows the family foraging for food, standing watch for predators, maintaining burrows and taking care of young. The clip includes a detailed discussion of each member’s role in the group and great footage of cooperation between members of the family.
Hawkins, C. (Writer and Director). (2005). A Family Affair [Television series episode]. Kaczorowski, M. (Executive producer. Meerkat Manor. London, United Kingdom: Oxford Scientific Films.
Running time: 20 mins (recommend viewing only minutes 1-12)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q664cyqDc8
Description: This is episode 1 of a television show that follows the day to day life of one family of meerkats, nicknamed the Whiskers family. It shows the family foraging for food, standing watch for predators, maintaining burrows and taking care of young. The clip includes a detailed discussion of each member’s role in the group and great footage of cooperation between members of the family.
Meerkats
Ciovacco, J. (2009). Meerkats. Pleasantville, NY: Gareth Stevens Publications.
Page Count: 48
Lexile level: 830
ATOS level: not available
Description: Non-fiction text that details the life and habits of meerkats. Topics include how the family group works together to care for young, find food and defend against predators.
Ciovacco, J. (2009). Meerkats. Pleasantville, NY: Gareth Stevens Publications.
Page Count: 48
Lexile level: 830
ATOS level: not available
Description: Non-fiction text that details the life and habits of meerkats. Topics include how the family group works together to care for young, find food and defend against predators.