Which Would You Want to Cuddle? Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will evaluate reasons why strange-looking endangered animals should be protected.

 

Science Focus:

endangered animals

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, opinion writing, persuasive writing

 

Page 4 Skill:

RI.2.7 read a chart

 

Vocabulary:

endangered, conservation, survive, protect

 

CCSS:

SL.2.3, RI.2.1, RI.2.4, RI.2.10, W.2.1

 

Guided Reading Level:

L

 

Lexile Level:

540L

Download TEKS Standards
Download California State Standards
Download Common Core Standards

Provide students with some background on endangered animals.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video “What Are Endangered Animals?” After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following questions:

  • What does endangered mean? (in danger of dying out forever)
  • Name one way animals become endangered. (Answers include: hunting, cutting down trees, pollution.)
  • What endangered animal would you like to see up close and why? (Answers will vary.)

Preview vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are endangered, conservation, survive, and protect.

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue, and discuss the cover. Take a vote on the title question! Then invite volunteers to tell why they voted the way they did.
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 2: “Think about why people should want to save strange animals.” Encourage children to think about this prompt as they read.

Read together (20 min.)

  • Pass out the Read and Think printable. Use it to check comprehension as you read the issue together, pausing to ask the questions.

Assessment: Reading Checkpoint (15 min.)

  • Pass out the Reading Checkpoint to review key concepts from the issue and assess students’ proficiency on key nonfiction reading skills.
  • Use the online game show to gauge comprehension and reinforce the issue’s content. Students can play by themselves or in teams. For each question they answer correctly, they win a point.

You can use our printable worksheets to focus on important ELA skills. Here’s how.

ELA Focus: Vocabulary (15 min.)

  • Use the Word Work printable to deepen students’ understanding of the words endangered, survive, and protect.

Editor’s Pick: Opinion Writing (15 min.)

  • The Help All Animals! skill sheet is designed to provide just-right scaffolding. It guides children through writing an opinion piece, from stating their opinion to backing it up to writing a conclusion.

ELA Focus: Make a Poster (15 min.)

  • The Strange Animal Awareness! skill sheets help children design posters that hone their persuasive writing skills. Pass out the poster templates. Then project the first sheet to show children how to fill out each section. You can hang finished posters in the hall to raise awareness!

 Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on endangered animals:

  • Orangutan School, April 2019. This issue tells how people are helping orphaned orangutans by teaching them how to live in the wild.
  • This Is the World’s Most Dangerous Cat!, April 2020. In this issue, children learn about the deceptively cute black-footed cat. It may be small, but it’s a fierce hunter, and scientists are working hard to protect it.

You can find a higher-Lexile-level and a lower-Lexile-level version of the article online here:

  • Higher-Lexile level: 620L
  • Lower-Lexile level: 500L