ALEX Learning Activity

  

Endangered Animals: Part 3

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

You may save this Learning Activity to your hard drive as an .html file by selecting “File”,then “Save As” from your browser’s pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.
  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Lisa Wilson
System:Phenix City
School:Lakewood Elementary School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2829
Title:
Endangered Animals: Part 3
Digital Tool/Resource:
Endangered Animal Poster Presentation Notes
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

Students will present their Endangered Animal poster (from the learning activity Endangered Animals: Part 2) to the class. While listening to the presentations, they will take notes on two other students' endangered animal poster presentations using the Endangered Animal Presentations Notes. They will then use their notes from the poster presentation to write a three-paragraph informational essay. 

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit. 
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 5
35. Write informative or explanatory texts using multiple sources to examine a topic, conveying ideas and information clearly and incorporating a strong organizational structure, relevant details, and elaboration.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
35.
  • Informative text
  • Explanatory text
  • Sources
  • Topic
  • Organizational structure
  • Details
  • Elaboration
Knowledge:
35. Students know:
  • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
  • Informative or explanatory text begins by introducing the topic, provides facts and relevant details, and ends with a conclusion.
  • Elaboration means supplying additional information about details by using academic vocabulary or including text features.
Skills:
35. Students are able to:
  • Gather information from multiple sources.
  • Write an informative or explanatory text using information gathered from sources.
  • Write an informative or explanatory text with a clear, organized structure.
  • Elaborate on details included in the text using academic vocabulary or text features.
Understanding:
35. Students understand that:
  • Informative or explanatory writing follows a predictable text structure that includes introducing the topic, providing facts or additional details about the topic, and ends with a conclusion.
  • They must gather their facts about the topic from multiple research sources.
  • Writers elaborate details included in the text by using formal academic vocabulary and text features.
Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to write a three-paragraph informative essay using multiple sources.

 
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
After/Explain/Elaborate
Activity:

1. Students will take turns presenting their Endangered Animal Posters to the class.

2. Students will take notes on two of the presentations using the Endangered Animal Poster Presentation Notes. 

3. With the students, explain the rules of the Endangered Animal Essay Rubric you will use to assess the Endangered Animal essay to be sure the students understand the expectations.

4. Share or present the attached BME Essay Organizer. Read the directions aloud with the students. Each section of the BME Essay Organizer has prompts, questions, or reminders to help the students know what information belongs in each section. 

5. Students complete their BME Essay Organizer before beginning the essay.

6. Students begin writing their essay using their Endangered Animal Poster Presentation Notes and their Endangered Animal Poster from the learning activity Endangered Animals: Part 2. 

7. When finished, students must turn in the following together:
Assessment Strategies:

Teachers will use the attached Endangered Animal Essay Rubric to grade the Endangered Animal essay. 
Advanced Preparation:

1.  Print the Endangered Animal Essay Rubric you will use to assess the essays. 

2. Share digitally or make copies of the BME Essay Organizer for the students to use for their pre-writing. 

3. Make sure students have their Endangered Animal Poster and their Endangered Animal Poster Presentation Notes to use when writing their essays. 
Variation Tips (optional):

Students may share their essays with the class if time permits. 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

You must complete Endangered Animals: Part 2 before completing this activity.

Endangered Animals: Part 1 is also available, but not necessary.
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: Endangered Animals, informative writing, research