The New Year’s Walrus Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will follow the story of one walrus’s visit to a town far from its home.

 

Science Focus:

polar animals

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, writing

 

Page 4 Skill:

read a diagram

 

Vocabulary:

Arctic Circle, ice floes, disturb

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.2 identify the main topic; RI.2.4 determine meanings of words; RI.2.5 use text features; RI.2.10 read informational texts; W.2.3 writing; SL.2.1 collaborative conversations; SL.2.3 ask and answer questions

 

Guided Reading Level: 

L

 

Lexile Level: 

520L

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Download Common Core Standards

Provide students with some background on polar animals.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video "A Swim in the Arctic." After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What animals live in the Arctic Ocean?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue, and discuss the cover. How would students respond if a walrus visited their town?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 2: “Think about why people were surprised to see Thor in their town.” Encourage children to think about this prompt as they read.

Read together (20 min.)

Pass out the Read and Think skill sheet. 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 Arctic Circle, ice floes, and disturb..

Assessment: Reading Quiz 

Pass out the Reading Quiz 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 skill sheet to deepen students’ understanding of the words Arctic Circle, ice floes, and disturb.

Editor’s Pick: Writing (15 min.)

ELA Focus: Writing (15 min.)

  • Students will analyze the issue using the prompts in the Wh- Questions skill sheet.

After reading “The New Year’s Walrus,” use one of our Anytime skill sheets to extend your lesson!

  • After reading, pass out our Write About What You Read Anytime Skills page. Students can summarize what they have read, describe their thoughts about the issue, and show their understanding of visuals in the article.

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

  • “World’s Coolest Bears,” January 2021. Students will identify five distinctive characteristics of polar bears with this issue.
  • “The Fox That Shocked Scientists,” January 2020. Students will follow an arctic fox’s long journey as they learn how scientists study these animals.

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

  • Higher-Lexile level: 630L
  • Lower-Lexile level: 460L