Do Insects Think? Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Students will learn about the life of Charles Henry Turner and his scientific contributions to understanding insect behavior.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Black History Month

 

Science Focus:

scientists, scientific procedure

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, character traits, read a timeline

 

Page 4 Skill:

problem solving

 

Vocabulary:

curious, experiments, respect

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.3 describe historical events, scientific ideas, and technical procedures; RI.2.4 determine meaning of words; RI.2.10 read informational texts; W.2.2 writing; W.2.8 gather information; L.2.1 adjectives; L.2.5 shades of meaning

 

Lexile Measure: 

530L

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Provide students with some background on Black History Month.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video "Making Observations." After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is something you can observe right now?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue, and discuss the cover. Are students suprised to learn that insects can think? What do they think insects can do?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 3: “Think about how Turner found answers to his questions.” 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. 

Preview vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are curious, experiments, and respect.

Assessment: Reading Quiz 

Pass out the Reading Quiz to review key concepts from the issue and assess students’ proficiency on key nonfiction reading skills.

Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice Harrington (20 min.)

This biography is packed with information about Charles Henry Turner: from his life as a kid full of questions, to a college student facing injustice, and as an adult teaching his students—and the world—about what insects are capable of!

  • Use the online game show to gauge comprehension and reinforce the issue’s content. Students can play individually 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 skill sheet to deepen students’ understanding of the words curious, experiment, and respect.    

Editor’s Pick: Character Traints (15 min.)

ELA Focus: Read a Timeline (15 min.)

 Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on Black History Month:

  • “The Coolest Inventions!,” February 2022. Students will identify several Black inventors and explain how their inventions solved problems.
  • “The Clean Water Warrior,” February 2020. Students will read the story of a child who identified a problem in her community and worked to solve it.

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

  • Higher-Lexile level: 600L
  • Lower-Lexile level: 480L