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S T U D E N T G U I D E

How Many Turns for the Tern?

How did scientists learn the migratory habits of the Arctic tern?

View this lesson at ThinkCERCA

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Table of Contents

Vocabulary Building

  • Map a Word

Direct Instruction Guide

  • Cornell Notes: Analyzing Text Features

STEP 1: Connect

  • Finding Your Purpose for Learning
  • Think-Pair-Share

STEP 2: Read

  • Pause and Reflect
  • Test Prep Strategy: Prediction (Optional)

STEP 3: Engage with the Text

  • Highlight and Annotate

STEP 4: Summarize

  • Write a Summary

STEP 5: Build an Argument

  • Collaborate: Share your argument builder

STEP 6: Create your CERCA

  • Peer Editing Activity
  • Writing Reflection

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Optional Extensions

  • Activity: Animals in Action
  • Inquiry to Research: Asking Questions of the Texts

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Definition

Facts and Characteristics___

Examples

Non-examples___

Vocabulary Word:�

tracked

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V O C A B U L A R Y B U I L D I N G

Frayer Model �

The Frayer Model helps you learn vocabulary from different angles.�

  • Look for the vocabulary word in the center circle of the graphic organizer below.
  • In the “examples” box, list examples or synonyms of the word.
  • In the “non-examples” box, write non-examples or antonyms.
  • Next, add facts or characteristics about the word.
  • Finally, write your own definition or look one up!

Frayer Model

Read the Overview and click “Vocabulary” for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.

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D I R E C T I N S T R U C T I O N G U I D E

Cornell Notes: Analyzing Text Features

What is a text feature?

A text feature is…

List at least three different kinds of text features.

Three different kinds of text features are...

Why do authors use text features in their writing?

Authors use text features in their writing because…

Take notes on the lesson using the organizer below:

Watch the Direct Instruction lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com

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D I R E C T I N S T R U C T I O N G U I D E

Cornell Notes: Analyzing Text Features (continued)

Summarize and Reflect

In your own words and in complete sentences, write a 3–4 sentence summary of this skills lesson. An accurate summary will cover the lesson's central ideas and include important details to support those ideas.

Record your summary here:

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S T E P 1 : C O N N E C T

Finding Your Purpose for Learning

When you've finished reading the overview, answer the following questions in the space below:

What more would you like to learn about the migration patterns of animals? What would you like to know about the Arctic tern and why it travels so far each year?

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Read the Topic Overview provided at learn.thinkcerca.com

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S T E P 1 : C O N N E C T

Think-Pair-Share

  • Think: On your own, think about your experiences related to the topic.

  • Pair & Share: With a partner, group, or a trusted listener, share the parts of your response that you feel comfortable sharing.
  • Reflect: If time permits, reflect on your experience. What ideas did others share that you hadn't considered? How were your ideas alike?

Complete the writing activity in Step 1: Connect at learn.thinkcerca.com

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S T E P 2 : R E A D

Pause and Reflect

When you’ve finished reading, go back and find the questions in the text marked “Pause and Reflect.” These questions will help you connect the text to yourself, to other texts, or to the world around you.

Use the space on the left below to answer the reflection questions. Then, discuss your answers, noting how they were similar or different.

Record “Pause and Reflect” answers here:

Record discussion reflections here:

Read the text for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com

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S T E P 2 : R E A D

Test Prep Strategy: Prediction (Optional)

One way to prepare for assessments is to practice looking for the answers in the text before looking at the answer choices. Use prediction strategies as an opportunity to read a text more carefully.

Read each multiple choice question. In your own words record your prediction of the correct response in the chart below.

Question on ThinkCERCA

What is the question asking you to do?

Example: Which of the following statements best explains how the passage is structured?

Look for details on the order of ideas in the passage, like order of importance, or cause and effect.

Refer to the multiple choice questions for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.

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S T E P 3 : E N G A G E W I T H T H E T E X T

Highlight and Annotate

In this step, you will analyze the text closely, then discuss your findings to begin developing reasoning for your argument.

  • Read the text again, highlighting and annotating important details. Follow the prompts provided.

The highlighting prompts will help you with the final writing task. You will find evidence to support your own argument or informational piece, as well as models of excellence that will help you better understand a writer’s craft in narratives. The evidence you highlight will be available when you begin building your draft in the next step.

  • If time permits, pair and share your highlights and annotations with a classmate. Pay close attention to this conversation! Your thinking is important reasoning you may include in your final draft.

Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Step 3: Engage with the Text.

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S T E P 4 : S U M M A R I Z E

Write a Summary

Summaries help you process your thinking about a text and are often a great way to start off an argumentative or informational essay. A good summary shows you have knowledge about a topic.

Practicing summarizing also helps you prepare for the main idea questions posed on many standardized assessments. In addition, summarizing is a helpful skill for working with others, such as when you need to confirm your understanding of what someone else has said. That's a useful skill for all parts of life.

  • ��Use the sentence stems provided to summarize the text.

Your summary should:

  • Be brief
  • Include the main idea and key details
  • Represent these ideas fairly and accurately �
  • If time permits, pair and share with a classmate. Read each other’s summary, and discuss how they are similar or different. What did you say were the main idea and key details? Were your summaries fair and accurate? Why?

Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Step 4: Summarize.

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S T E P 5 : B U I L D A N A R G U M E N T

Collaborate: Share your Argument Builder

When you’ve completed the argument building step, share your results with others, and listen to how they responded to the same question. Ask questions and give feedback to help strengthen your partners’ reasons and evidence.

How did scientists learn the migratory habits of the Arctic tern?

Share Your Argument

Listen and Record Others

1.

2.

3.

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S T E P 6 : C R E A T E Y O U R C E R C A

Peer Editing Activity

  • Do a self-assessment of your CERCA. Use the online Rubric for the lesson on learn.thinkcerca.com, checking each box where you find evidence that you have achieved the criteria.�
  • Next, collaborate with a peer or peers to read each other’s drafts. Again, use the Rubric to evaluate each other’s work.�
  • Share insights into what might make your pieces stronger. Find two positive attributes and one area of growth for each draft you review.�
  • Revise your piece using what you learned from your self-assessment and the feedback from your peers.

Complete Step 6 to create your CERCA at learn.thinkcerca.com

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S T E P 6 : C R E A T E Y O U R C E R C A

Writing Reflection

Before you submit your final CERCA, write a brief reflection describing your experience.

An area for growth for me on this piece or in my writing in general is…

The strongest areas of this piece of writing are…

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Through self-assessment and/or peer editing, I learned…

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Optional Extensions

The following activities can be used as optional extensions to this lesson.

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O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : A C T I V I T Y

Animals in Action

Background

The map below shows the migration of a fictional animal. Animals migrate for a number of reasons. Some migrate for food, others for shelter, and still others for safety.

Featured Map

Activity

On another sheet of paper, respond to the following:

  • Looking at the map, write two or three sentences about the migration patterns of this animal.
  • Why do you think this animal might be migrating? Why might it be migrating in so many different directions?

Reflect

  • Turn to a partner and share your ideas about the animal’s migration. What do they see that you did not see? What did you see that they did not see?
  • Re-write your answer to the question about why this animal is migrating based on the information you learned from your partner.

Starting point

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O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : I N Q U I R Y T O R E S E A R C H

Asking Questions of the Texts

As you engage with texts in any subject, you can actively ask questions about the author’s purpose, intended audience, and occasion to understand the message. The table below provides examples.

Approaches

Example

Questions about the author

Is the author an authority on this topic? What was the author’s motivation in writing this piece?

Questions about the audience, purpose, and occasion of the text

Why was this article written? Why was it published at this time?

Questions about civics, economics, geography, and history

Why might the Arctic tern travel so far each year?

Questions about concepts and ideas

How does the Arctic terns’ migration differ from other animals?

Questions about self and community reflections

How is new technology helping scientists to better understand the patterns of animals?

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O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : I N Q U I R Y T O R E S E A R C H

Asking Questions of the Texts (continued)

Use the table below to record questions about the text you read.

Approaches

Questions

Questions about the author

Questions about the audience, purpose, and occasion of the text

Questions about civics, economics, geography, and history

Questions about concepts and ideas

Self and Community Reflections

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