Animal School Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will discover how kids and animals work together in one school community.

 

Social and Life Skills:

responsible decision making

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, nonfiction text features, writing

 

Page 4 Skill:

read a schedule

 

Vocabulary:

community, responsibilities

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.2 identify the main topic; RI.2.4 determine meanings of words; RI.2.10 read informational texts; W.2.1 writing; SL.2.1 collaborative conversations; SL.2.3 ask and answer questions

 

Lexile Level:

480L

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Provide students with some background on responsibility.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video "Kids Take Care." After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is one way you help out at home?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue and discuss the cover. Would students like to have animals at their school?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 2: “Think about the things students do to care for the 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. 

Review vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are community and responsibilities.

Assessment: Reading Quiz

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

Farm by Elisha Cooper (20 min.)

This book offers readers a glimpse of farm life — the sights, sounds, and more. You can use this book to introduce or activate background knowledge of rural communities. 

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 community and responsibilities. 

Editor’s Pick: Nonfiction Text Features (15 min.)

  • Students will identify various parts of a nonfiction article with the Text-Feature Hunt skill sheet.

ELA Focus: Writing (15 min.)

  • The Write Your Opinion! skill sheet allows students to share what they think about animals at school and provide a reason for their opinion.

 Here is a past issue you can use to extend your lesson on responsibility:

  • “Second-Grade Citizens,” September 2018. Students will explore their rights and responsibilities and use what they learn to devise solutions to possible problems.

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

  • Higher-Lexile level: 530L
  • Lower-Lexile level: 420L