Description:

• Students will learn to use paraphrasing to monitor their comprehension and acquire new information.
• Website includes on-line links to the San Diego Zoo.

Grade:  Cycle 3

Time: Four 30 minute lessons

Student Objectives:  Students will;

• Demonstrate comprehension by paraphrasing facts from informational texts
• Gain knowledge and apply what they have learned about paraphrasing by reading information about three unusual animals
• Materials and Technology:
• Computers with Internet access
• Whiteboard (or overhead) for projection of text and shared writing
• Print or digital texts on instructional levels of students in the class
• Individual copies of texts (if computers are not available)

Preparation;

• Visit the reference resource websites so that you are familiar with their organization and content. Bookmark these on your classroom computers.
• If all students do not have access to computers, print the texts that you will be using from the websites. For students to be able to paraphrase effectively, material should be on instructional (or independent) level. This will mean that you may have to have various texts, either print or digital, available to match the instructional levels of your students.
  • Okapi – http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/okapi
  • Anaconda – https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/anaconda
  • Echidna – http://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/mammals/echidnas/

Intro lesson Plan – http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/used-words-paraphrasing-informational-1177.html?tab=3#tabs