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T E A C H I N G G U I D E

3rd Grade Reading Level

TEACHING

Classic Creatures

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T E A C H I N G C L A S S I C C R E A T U R E S2

Standards Science Understands biological evolution and the diversity of life.

Understands the structure and function of cells and organisms.

Language Arts Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Writing Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing.

Language Arts Gathers and uses information for research purposes.Reading Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of

informational texts.

Mathematics Uses basic and advanced procedures while performing the processes of compu

Multiple Intelligences Utilized Linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and natur

Copyright 2005 by Lerner Publications Company

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Student pages may bereproduced by the classroom teacher for classroom use only, not for commercialresale. No other part of this teaching guide may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior writtenpermission of Lerner Publications Company, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

LernerClassroom A division of Lerner Publishing Group241 First Avenue NorthMinneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.800-328-4929 Website address: www.lernerclassroom.com

Manufactured in the United States of America1 2 3 4 5 6 DP 10 09 08 07 06 05 ISBN 0-7613-0888-1 PMS Green 355U

Go to www.lernerclassroom.comfor a list of allClassic Creaturestitles.

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T E A C H I N G C L A S S I C C R E A T U R E S 3

Read(students) Read a book from theClassic Creatures series. Look for words from the list on the board and recothe page numbers on which they appear.

Model(teacher, students) Explain the purpose of a glossary. Show examples of glossaries from books and pointout their features.

Discuss what kinds of words are included in glossa Discuss which words from the class list were foundin the books.

Decide if those words should be included in aglossary for the book.

Demonstrate how to use a dictionary to find themeaning of words. Rewrite a definition in your own words. Explain directions for glossary project (below).

Practice(students) Choose ten words from the book and create aglossary page using those words.

Discuss(teacher, small group) If using different titles, group students by thebook they read.

Why did you choose these words? Was it harder to select the ten words or to writethe definitions in your own words? Why?

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate student glossaries for accuracy

and understanding.

Lesson 1 Make a Glossary

Purpose: Students will create a glossary for anonfiction book.

Objectives Recall the purpose of a glossary. Predict words that may be found in a book. Alphabetize words. Characterize words found in glossaries. Create a glossary for a nonfiction book. Justify the selection of words for a glossary.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher) Arrange to have a classroom set of dictionaries

(or Internet access) available during the lesson.

Pretest (teacher, students) Show students the cover of aClassic Creatures book. What are some words you would expect to find inthis book? Write these words on the board.

If students will be reading multiple titles from the

Classic Creatures series, repeat this procedure for each title.

Materials Classic Creaturesbooks

dictionaries

books with glossaries paper pencils chalk

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Read(students) Read aClassic Creatures book.

Model(teacher) Show students your sample Wheel of Knowledgepp. 1314.

Review what information is needed to complete Wheel of Knowledge pp. 1314.

Remind students to use the question and answer section at the end of theClassic Creatures book tofind more facts.

Demonstrate how to assemble Wheel of Knowledgepp. 13-14 using a brass fastener.

Practice(students) Find the information to complete your Wheel of Knowledge pp. 1314 in aClassic Creatures book.

Record the information on Wheel of Knowledgep. 14.

Draw a picture of the creature in its habitat onwheel cover p. 13.

Assemble the wheel with a brass fastener.

Discuss(small groups) Arrange groups of students according to the animalthey studied.

Share wheels with group members. Evaluate each others work for accuracy. Share one new fact you learned about the animal you researched.

Evaluate(teacher)

Evaluate Wheels of Knowledge for accuracyand completeness.

5

Lesson 3 Wheel of Knowledge

Purpose: Students will learn about animalsby locating and recording animal facts using agraphic organizer.

Objectives Read nonfiction sources. Summarize information from a text. Locate specific information. Choose which information to record. Construct a wheel of knowledge. Compare information gathered from texts.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher) Copy Wheel of Knowledge pp. 1314 for each

student. Construction paper may work best forthis project.

Prepare a sample Wheel of Knowledge pp. 1314.

Pretest (teacher, students) Preview theClassic Creatures books. What do you know about these animals?


Wheel of Knowledgepp. 1314

pencils scissors brass fasteners

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Read(students) Each group member should read a different title frothe Classic Creatures series. If class time is short, usethe research from Lesson 3 and Wheel of Knowledg

pp. 1314.

Model(teacher) Explain the purpose of a chart to students. Demonstrate how to fill out Creature Comparisonsp. 15.

Practice(small groups) Find required information about each animal in

Classic Creatures books. Record the information for each animal on CreatureComparisons p. 15.

Discuss(teacher, students) What do these animals have in common? Why are charts used to organize information? How else could we organize this information?

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate Creature Comparisons p. 15 for accuracy and completeness.


Lesson 4 Creature Comparisons Purpose: Students will create a chart to compareanimal facts.

Objectives Recall information. Articulate facts about an animal. Classify facts by topic. Compare facts about various animals. Compile information about various animals on a

chart. Recommend other graphic organizers.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher) Copy Creature Comparisons p. 15 for each student

or small group. Arrange students into groups of four. Assign a different animal to each student.

Pretest (teacher, students) How could we show information about four different

animals at the same time?


Wheel of Knowledgepp. 1314 fromLesson 3

CreatureComparisons p. 15

pencils

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Read(students) Read a book from theClassic Creatures series.

Model(teacher) Describe the book project:

The book should have at least six pages, withone or two sentences per page.

Each page needs to be supported by a fact about your animal. For example: On the way to the ground, Susan Spider paused to swing from a branch. Fact: A spider leaves a draglinthread of web.

Each page needs an illustration to match thetext.

On the last page, list each page number andthe fact that supports the text. Demonstrate how to bind the pages together.

Practice(students) Write a simple story about a chosen animal. Find facts in aClassic Creatures book to support theanimal characters actions. Students may want tofind facts first.

If necessary, edit the story to fit with the factslearned about the animal.

Create a fact page that lists each page number andthe fact that supports the text.

Discuss(small groups) Present stories to a small group. Compliment and critique each story. Which came first for youfinding facts or makingthe story? Why did you choose that order?

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate student books for completeness andwriting skills.

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Lesson 5 Fiction and Nonfiction Book Purpose: Students will write a story about an animalbased on factual information.

Objectives Read information about an animal. Visualize an animal as a fictional character. Select important facts about an animal. Correlate facts to fictional events. Create a fictional text based on fact. Evaluate personal writing and the writing of others.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher) Create an example of the book project.

Pretest (teacher, students) What is the difference between a fiction and a

nonfiction book? Explain that students will write an animal story that is

both fiction and nonfiction.


paper

pencils colored pencils stapler

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Model(teacher) Explain how to select four distinguishing facts aboutanimal. You want people to solve the riddle easily.

Demonstrate how to fold a piece of paper in half

width-wise. Write this form on the board: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3: Fact 4: What am I?

Instruct students to write their facts in completesentences and to follow this form.

Tell students to write the riddle on the front of thefolded paper and draw a picture of their animal

on the inside. Challenge students to make the last word of eachline rhyme.

Practice(students) Create an animal riddle.

Discuss(teacher, students) Share riddles with the class. What did you do to make your riddle easy to solve What can you do to make your riddle more difficulto solve?

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate each riddle for completeness and creativit

Extension Students select a different animal and write a riddle

which is difficult to solve.


Lesson 6 Animal Riddles

Purpose: Students will compose riddles usinganimal facts.

Objectives Read information about animals. Summarize the information read. Determine essential facts about an animal. Compare facts to select the most specific ones. Create a riddle using specific facts. Recommend ways to make a riddle harder to solve.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher) Create an example animal riddle.

Pretest (teacher, students) What is a riddle? Read your riddle to the class, and have students guess

what animal it describes.

Read(students) Read aClassic Creatures book.


paper

pencils crayons chalk

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Read(students) ReadClassic Creatures books.

Model(teacher) Explain the directions for Creature Calculationsp. 16.

Complete the first problem together.

Practice(students) Find numerical facts in theClassic Creatures books. Solve the problems as directed by the teacher. Write two word problems using other animal facts.

Discuss(teacher, students) Which was hardersolving word problems or creaword problems? Explain your opinion.

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate Creature Calculations p. 16 for accuracy and completeness.

Extension Compile the student-created math problems tomake a worksheet for the class.

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Lesson 7 Creature Calculations

Purpose: Students will write and solve multiplicationproblems.

Objectives Read mathematical word problems. Visualize mathematical word problems. Acquire information missing from mathematical

word problems. Identify information necessary to solving

mathematical word problems. Formulate mathematical word problems. Compare the difficulty between solving and creating

mathematical word problems.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher) Copy Creature Calculations p. 16 for each student.

Pretest (teacher, students) Answer this problem: If there are eight butterflies,

how many total antennae are there? Can this problem be solved?

What information do you need to know to solve it? If we drew a picture of this problem, what wouldit look like?

Where can we find the missing information?


CreatureCalculations p. 16

pencils

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Practice(students) Write a paragraph to explain the criteria the author used when choosing animals for theClassic Creaturesseries.

Recommend two additional animals for the series aexplain why they meet the criteria.

Discuss(small groups, teacher, students) In small groups, share each students paragraph. Did anyone create the same criteria? Compare the suggestions for other animals. With the class, share the similarities discussed in easmall group. Look for common thoughts between thgroups.

Combine thoughts to create a classroom rationale foselecting animals for theClassic Creatures series.

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate student paragraphs for content and writingskills.

Extension Students can write letters to author Linda Glaser toinquire why she chose the animals for this series.Students may also suggest their ideas for additionalanimals or even titles (see Lesson 2). Students maywrite to Linda Glaser at:

Linda Glaser c/o Lerner Publishing Group241 First Avenue NorthMinneapolis, MN 55401


Lesson 8 More ClassicCreaturesPurpose: Students will investigate why particular animals were chosen for this series.

Objectives Read information about an animal. Summarize information about an animal. Group information about various animals. Compare information about various animals. Formulate criteria to select animals for future books. Predict which animals might be added to theClassic

Creatures series.

Activity Procedures

Pretest (teacher, students) How do you think authors choose topics for their

books?

Read(students) ReadClassic Creatures books.

Model(teacher, students) List the animals presented in theClassic Creatures

series. Discuss similarities between the animals and how the

books are organized. Explain the writing activity (below).


paper pencils

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Read(students) Read theClassic Creatures series.

Model(teacher, students) Discuss whether their predictions about the bookswere correct.

List reasons they may or may not have been correc Explain what teachers look for when choosing nonfiction books.

Ask students what they think of the illustrations.

Practice(students) List five reasons the illustrations are effective. List five reasons the illustrations are not effective. Write a paragraph expressing your opinion on the uof drawings in theClassic Creatures series.

Discuss(teacher, students, small groups) Share the students lists of reasons. Form small groups of students with similar opinionon the illustrations.

Select the best argument for why the groupsopinion is correct.

Present these statements to the class.

Evaluate(teacher) Evaluate paragraphs based on well-developedcontent and writing skills.

Observe students participation during discussion.

11

Lesson 9 Animals Illustrated

Purpose: Students will critique the use of illustrationsin a nonfiction text.

Objectives

Predict a books content by viewing its cover. Discuss the features of nonfiction books. Examine illustrations in a nonfiction book. Support or criticize the use of illustrations. Compile a list of reasons to support your opinion. Select the best reason.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher)

Hide the titles on the covers ofMagnificent Monarchs and Beautiful Bats. (Any titles from theseries would work.)

Pretest (teacher, students) Show students the covers from the

Classic Creatures series. What do you think these books are about? Are the books fiction or nonfiction? Ask the students to explain their answers.


paper pencils

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WEBSITES Animal Diversity Web

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.htmlGeneral information from the University of Michigans Museum of Zoology is available forall genres of the animal kingdomfrom mammto reptiles.

Frogland http://allaboutfrogs.org/froglnd.shtmlDiscover general frog and toad information,including species care sheets, pet careinformation, and environmental issues. Alsoinvestigate fun activities, jokes, printable pages,pictures, and clip art.

Into the Bat Cavehttp://www.torstar.com/rom/batcave/

cave/index.html This site by the Royal Ontario Museum gives visitors a glimpse into a bat cave. View photosand learn facts about a variety of bats.

Monarchs and Migrationhttp://www.smm.org/sln/monarchs/Kids can investigate butterflies on this site fromthe Science Museum of Minnesota. It alsoincludes photos and stories.

Nova Online: Tales from the Hivehttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/Produced in conjunction with the NOVAtelevision program,Tales from the Hive, visitorscan watch how the show was made, learn beefacts, and view clips of bee dances. Test your ability to understand bee dancing with aninteractive activity.

Spidershttp://www.entomology.cornell.edu/Faculty_Staff/Rayor/Spiders/Welcome.htmlDoctor Linda Raynor from Cornell University designed this site to provide referenceinformation, activity ideas, resources, and answ

to frequently asked questions about spiders andtheir biology.Yucky Worm World

http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/worm/index.html This highly entertaining site informs kids aboutbasic worm science. Directions are provided focrafts, experiments, and even recipes.


Additional ResourcesBOOKSBerman, Ruth.Spinning Spiders. Minneapolis: Lerner

Publishing Group, 1998.

___. Squeaking Bats. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group, 1998. These books are two titles from the Pull Ahead Animals series. Each book introduces scientificterminology while keeping the text easy for younger readers to understand. The seriescontains books on a variety of animal species.

Brimner, Larry Dane.Bees. New York: ChildrensPress, 1999. The author thoroughly describes the physicalcharacteristics and behavior of bees.

Colvin, Leslie, and Emma Speare, eds.Usborne Living World Encyclopedia. Tulsa, OK: EDC Publishing,1999.Readers are introduced to the amazing world of nature and learn about the ways animals interact in their environments.

Kalman, Bobbie.Life Cycle of an Earthworm. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 2004. This book explains the life cycle of anearthworm. A glossary and index are included, aswell as a listing of websites.

Markle, Sandra.Outside and Inside Bats. New York:

Walker & Company, 2004.Children learn all about these unique andfascinating creatures with this book.

Nelson, Robin.From Flower to Honey. Minneapolis:Lerner Publishing Group, 2003. The process of making honeyfrom a beescollection of nectar to honey production on abeekeepers farmis covered in this book.

Squire, Ann O.101 Questions and Answers about Backyard Wildlife. New York: Walker, 1996.Information about various birds, insects,mammals, and reptiles is presented in a question-and-answer format.

Zemlicka, Shannon.From Egg to Butterfly.Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group, 2003.

___. From Tadpole to Frog. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group, 2003. These books follow the development of abutterfly and a frog. Each stage of the life cycleis presented in colorful photographs.

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1

Teaching Classic Creatures

Wheel Cover

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Teaching Classic Creatures

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Creature Calculations

Name ________________________

Directions: Using facts from theClassic Creatures series, write the multiplicationproblem and its answer.

1. How many eggs would four monarchbutterflies lay during their lifetime?

2. There are five insects and five spiders.How many legs are there all together?

3. In thirty days, how many insects willa spider usually eat?

4. If a frog is seven inches long, how far can it jump in one leap?

5. Eight bats are in a cave, how many wings will you find?

6. If eleven bats had babies this year,how many babies were born?

7. If you have nine bees for each job,how many bees do you have altogether?

8. How many flowers can a bee visit insix days?

Create two word problems from facts found in aClassic Creatures book.

9. 10.

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