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

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A Land of Waterways

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How does the author show, through words and images, the importance of water formations that have been created over time?

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Table of Contents

Skills Focus

• Build Your Vocabulary: Frayer Model
• Cornell Notes: Analyzing Text Features

Overview and Connect

• Find Your Purpose for Learning
• Share Your Personal Connection

Read and Check

• Share Your Reflections
• Test Prep Strategy: Pre-Reading Strategies (Optional)

Analyze / Engage with the Text

• Highlight and Annotate

Summarize

• Write a Summary

Develop / Build Your Argument

• Share Your Argument Builder

Draft and Review / Create your CERCA

• Peer Editing Activity
• Reflect on Your Writing

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Extension Activities

• Lab Activity: Water Wizards: Unleashing the Power of Water and Erosion!
• Inquiry to Research: Asking Questions of the Texts

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Vocabulary Word:�

GLACIER

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S K I L L S F O C U S

Build Your Vocabulary: �Frayer Model — Glacier�

The Frayer Model helps you learn vocabulary from different angles.

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

Frayer Model

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S K I L L S F O C U S

Cornell Notes: Analyzing Text Features

Instructions: Take notes on the Direct Instruction lesson using the organizer below. Then summarize and reflect on the next page.

Complete the Direct Instruction lesson online at learn.thinkcerca.com

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S K I L L S F O C U S

Cornell Notes: Analyzing Text Features

Summarize and Reflect

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

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Record your summary here:

O V E R V I E W A N D C O N N E C T

Find Your Purpose for Learning

Instructions: When you have finished reading the Overview for this lesson, answer the following questions in the space below:

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What more would you like to learn about the role that glaciers played in shaping the surface of the earth? What would you like to know about the role erosion might play in the future of land masses?

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Read the Overview provided at learn.thinkcerca.com

O V E R V I E W A N D C O N N E C T

Share Your Personal Connection

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Complete the Connect section for this selection at learn.thinkcerca.com

Instructions:�

1. Think: On your own, think about your experiences related to the topic.
2. Pair & Share: With a partner, group, or a trusted listener, share the parts of your response that you feel comfortable sharing.
3. Reflect: If time permits, reflect on your experience. What ideas did others share that you hadn't considered? How were your ideas alike?

R E A D

Share Your Reflections

Instructions: During or after you have finished reading, find the questions in the text marked Pause and Reflect. These questions may help you understand the text, or they may 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:

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Refer to the Pause and Reflect questions within the Read section of the lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.

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R E A D

Test Prep Strategy: Pre-Reading Strategies

Pre-reading involves making predictions about a passage before you read it. These predictions help you better understand the passage.

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First, preview the text. If you are reading on a screen, scroll through the text to see how long it is. Then, look at the text and ask the following questions:

• Based on the title, what do you think the passage will be about?
• Is the passage fiction or nonfiction? What is the genre of the passage? (Some examples of fiction genres are folktales, fantasies, and mysteries. Some examples of nonfiction genres are biographies, history texts, and science texts.)
• How is the passage organized? Does it tell a story or present information?
• Look at the bolded vocab words, subheadings, and other text features. What are they about? What do they help you predict about the passage?
• Are there pictures (photos, maps, charts) with captions? If so, what do they suggest about the passage?

Asking these questions before reading will help you actively think about the text as you read, and after.

Refer to the reading for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.

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A N A L Y Z E / E N G A G E W I T H T H E T E X T

Highlight and Annotate

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

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1. 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 and poetry. The evidence you highlight will be available when you begin building your draft in the next step.

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

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Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Analyze / Engage with the Text.

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S U M M A R I Z E

Write a Summary

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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.

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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.

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1. Use the sentence stems provided in the online lesson to summarize the text. Your summary should:
1. Be brief
2. Include the main idea and key details
3. Represent these ideas fairly and accurately �
2. 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?

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Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Summarize.

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D E V E L O P / B U I L D Y O U R A R G U M E N T

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.

Complete Develop / Build Your Argument to begin building your argument at learn.thinkcerca.com

D R A F T A N D R E V I E W / C R E A T E Y O U R C E R C A

Peer Editing Activity

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1. 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.�
2. Next, collaborate with a classmate to read each other’s drafts. Again, use the rubric to evaluate each other’s work.�
3. Share insights into what might make your pieces stronger. Find two positive attributes and one area of growth for each draft you review.�
4. Revise your piece using what you learned from your self-assessment and the feedback from your peers.

Complete your Draft at learn.thinkcerca.com

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D R A F T A N D R E V I E W / C R E A T E Y O U R C E R C A

Reflect on Your Writing

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…

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The strongest areas of this piece of writing are…

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

Extension Activities

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The following activities can be used as 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: L A B A C T I V I T Y

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Water Wizards: Unleashing the Power of Water and Erosion!

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Instructions: Water and erosion has played a significant role in shaping the Earth’s surface. In this exploration, you will develop an understanding of the power of water and erosion over time.

Below, draw a picture of your tray before you add any water:

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Materials Needed (with adult permission):

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• Large tray or container (preferably transparent)
• Sand or soil
• Pebbles or small rocks
• Watering can or spray bottle
• Small plastic toys or objects (optional)
• Measuring cup
• Paper towels or rags

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Pre-Lab Share:

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With a partner, answer the following questions:

• What is erosion?
• How does water contribute to erosion?
• Have you seen any examples of erosion in your neighborhood or during a trip?

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Procedure:

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• Fill the large tray or container with a layer of sand or soil, making sure that it covers the bottom evenly.
• Place a few pebbles or small rocks on top of the sand or soil to show obstacles in the landscape.
• Optional: Add small plastic toys or objects to copy structures like houses, trees, or bridges that can be affected by erosion.
• Make sure the tray or container is placed on a surface that can be easily cleaned or protected.

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

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Water Wizards: Unleashing the Power of Water and Erosion!

Observation:

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• Carefully pour water over the sand or soil in one area and observe the effects.
• Observe how the water flows, moves the sand, and potentially moves the objects or creates waterways.
• Make at least two observations below (you can measure changes; you can describe what you see, etc.:

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Observation 1:

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Observation 2:

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Below, draw a picture of your tray after you added water:

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Measuring Erosion:

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• Measure the depth or width of the erosion created. Depth created:
• Using a measuring cup, carefully measure the amount of sand or soil that has moved or washed away. Amount of sand/soil displaced:
• Explain the differences in erosion between different areas of the tray/container below.

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One difference between the trays is

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Discuss and Reflect:

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• With a partner, discuss the following questions:
• What did you notice about how water affected the sand/soil?
• How did the presence of obstacles (pebbles, rocks, toys) influence the erosion process?
• What can we learn from this activity about erosion and the power of water?
• Write a one sentence summary of the process of erosion you observed:

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In this activity, I observed.

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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

Ask 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.

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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

Ask Questions of the Texts (continued)

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

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