Division of School Improvement - Model Curriculum Units

This unit focuses on learning research skills and consists of seven lessons. Students move from a review of features and elements of nonfiction text to exploring key words and questions in research, locating information from key words and questions in resources, and giving credit through discussions for others’ ideas, images and information. Students apply their understanding of research skills to produce their own expository writing.

The theme of this unit, becoming a detective who wants to learn about nature, engages students with communication arts content. The theme allows students to connect text with their own experiences and the wider world.

Assessment is both formative, to help the teacher shape instruction, and summative, to determine student proficiency. The summative assessment which concludes the unit contains a section on multiple-choice and constructed response items and a performance event to prepare students for MAP and other standardized assessments.

The unit goal is for second graders to “catch the excitement of researching” to find answers to questions. Students formulate keywords and questions for research and to clarify understanding. Students also locate information from keywords and questions in provided resources with assistance, give credit for others’ ideas, images, and information, and plan and produce expository writing. Students thereby develop higher-order thinking skills identified by the Show-Me Standards.

TARGETED LEARNING represents the specific Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) that are taught and assessed in this unit. Student mastery of these skills is expected at this grade level. PREVIOUS LEARNING indicates student’s probable beginning skill level. FUTURE LEARNING provides the “next step” for instruction or student application of communication arts skills and concepts. Bolded terms are glossary items.

PREVIOUS LEARNING	TARGETED LEARNING	FUTURE LEARNING
Identify and explain information in text, pictures, title, and charts.	R3A Locate and interpret information in illustrations, title, headings, captions, diagrams, charts, and graphs	Locate and interpret key information in illustrations, title, chapter headings, table of contents, charts, diagrams, captions, and maps to answer questions .
Find resources on topics of interest with assistance	IL1A Formulate key words and questions with assistance to locate resources on topics of interest.	Students must be able to write multi-paragraph expository essays (including problem/solution) that contain a thesis statement, supporting details/examples (from a variety of sources) and evidence that readers’ concerns and arguments have been anticipated and addressed.
	IL1B Locate information on key words and questions in provided resources, with assistance	Locate information on the keyword in provided resources
Use details from the text to ask questions to clarify understanding, to recognize important information in text, identify main ideas and supporting details.	R3C Use details from the text to answer questions to clarify understanding, identify main ideas and provide support, retell sequence of events and make inferences based on text	Use details from the text to answer questions, retell main idea and important details; organize a sequence of events, identify simple cause and effect, draw conclusions, compare and contrast texts and identify author’s purpose for writing text.
Give credit, through discussions, for others’ ideas, images and information with assistance.	R3C Give credit through discussions for others’ ideas, images and information.	Informally give credit for others’ ideas, images and information found in various resources
Follow a writing process to brainstorm and record ideas in written form, generate a draft in written form, revise by adding detail and deleting unnecessary information with assistance, edit and proofread for capitalization and punctuation in sentences with assistance, publish writing with assistance.	W1A Follow a writing process to use a simple graphic organizer in prewriting, generate a draft, reread and revise work (with/without assistance), edit and proofread for capitalization and ending punctuation, publish writing with assistance.	Follow a writing process to independently use a simple graphic organizer in prewriting, generate a draft, routinely reread and revise work, routinely edit and proofread for capitalization and ending punctuation, independently publish writing.
Write expository text with related sentences.	W3C Write expository text, with assistance, with a main idea and supporting details.	Write expository text with a main idea and three or more supporting details

To promote higher-order thinking skills, this unit incorporates Missouri Show-Me Goal/Performance Standards and Show-Me content standards. Unit goals appear below.

Show-Me Standard Goal 1 The student will gather, analyze, and apply information and ideas.

formulate key words and questions, with assistance, to locate resources on topics of interest (IL1A)

1.4 use technological tools and other resources to locate, select, and organize information

1.6 discover and evaluate patterns and relationships in information, ideas and structures

1.8 organize data, information and ideas into useful forms for analysis or presentation

Show-Me Standard Goal 2 The student will communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom.

2.1 plan and make written, oral, and visual presentation for a variety of purposes and audiences.

2.3 exchange information, questions and ideas while recognizing the perspective of others

3.5 reason inductively from a set of specific facts and deductively from general premises

Show-Me Standard Goal 4 The student will make decisions and act as a responsible member of society.

4.4 recognize and practice honesty and integrity in academic work and in the work place

Lesson One	Establish the theme § Literature: None § Supplies: Flip chart, overhead § Handouts provided: Detective Skills, Detective graphic organizer, Monarch butterfly § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Two	Discover a purpose for keywords § Literature: A Tree Can Be by Judy Nayer § Supplies: Flip chart, 5x7 note cards, chart paper, grade-level appropriate nonfiction texts, magazines, posters, and pamphlets on topics of nature; 9½ x 11 keyword game cards § Handouts: What do you know about trees, An organizer about trees, Helping nature detective § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Three	Ask questions about a topic § Literature: None § Supplies: Grade-appropriate nonfiction texts, magazines, posters, and pamphlets on topics of nature; overhead or chart of graphic organizer § Handouts: “My graphic organizer about…” § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Four	Locate information in resources § Literature: None § Supplies: Grade-appropriate nonfiction texts, magazines, posters, and pamphlets on topics of nature; buddy classroom of helpers; post-it note; Nature Detective unit chart § Handouts: Research by nature detective § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Five	Retell events § Literature: None § Supplies: Nonfiction texts on life cycles, science books, magazines, posters, and charts that reflect life cycles; finished flip-book; pieces of construction paper § Handouts: Nature Detective graphic organizer; My Life Cycle flip book, Detective Skills from Lesson One § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Six	Give credit to sources § Literature: A Tree is a Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla § Supplies: Grade-appropriate nonfiction texts, magazines, posters, and pamphlets on topics of nature, overhead § Handouts: Who Owns What, author/illustrator worksheet, Nature detectives know how to § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Seven	Publish a report booklet § Literature: None § Supplies: Grade-appropriate nonfiction texts, magazines, posters, and pamphlets on topics of nature, overhead, paper for the published booklet, research booklet scoring guide § Handouts: Nature Detective assignment; Nature Detective research recording; Giving Credit recording page