It's Moving Day! Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will discover how hermit crabs grow and work together to find new shells to live in.

 

Science Focus:

animal adaptations

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, writing, text evidence, digraphs

 

Page 4 Skill:

logic puzzle

 

Vocabulary:

scorching, defense, cooperation, variety

 

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; R.F.2.3 decode words; W.2.1 writing; SL.2.1 collaborative conversations; SL.2.3 ask and answer questions

 

Lexile level:

550L

Download TEKS Standards
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Provide students with some background on animal adaptations.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video “What is a Hermit Crab?” After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is one thing you learned about hermit crabs?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue and discuss the cover. Do students have predictions about how a hermit crab will find a new home?
  • Next read the As You Read prompt on page 2: “Think about why it’s important for a hermit crab to find a big enough shell.” 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. 

Review vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are scorching, defense, cooperate, and variety.

 

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 individually or in teams. For each question they answer correctly, they win a point.

You can use our printable worksheets to focus on ELA skills. Here’s how.

ELA Focus: Vocabulary (15 min.)

  • Use the Word Work skill sheet to deepen students’ understanding of the terms scorching, defense, cooperate, and variety.

 

Editor’s Pick: Text Evidence/Writing (15 min.)

  • Norbert is back with some ideas about hermit crabs. Students can respond to his latest mistakes in the A Letter from Norbert Know-It-All skill sheet and then respond with information learned from the article. Send class letters to norbert@ scholastic.com. Norbert will write back!

 

ELA Focus: Diagraphs (15 min.)

  • The Color by Digraph skill sheet provides a way to practice reading words beginning with digraphs while revealing a fun and crabby image!

 Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on animal adaptations:

  • “One Cool Cat,” January 2023. Students will examine how a snow leopard’s body helps it survive in the snowy mountains.
  • “Too Dry for a Toad?,” March 2021. This issue explains why spadefoot toads must go through their life cycle quickly.

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

  • Higher Lexile level: 620L
  • Lower Lexile level: 480L