level l/24 twisters - benchmark education...

B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

TEACHER’S GUIDE

Theme: StormsScience Concept: Storms are extreme weather phenomena. Technology helps us understand and prepare for storms.

Science

Anchor Comprehension Strategies • Identify Main Idea and

Supporting Details • Evaluate Author’s Purpose

Content Vocabulary••• Words•related•to•tornadoes

Grammar/Word Study••• Comparatives

••• Suffixes•-ology•and•-ist

Science Big Idea••• Tornadoes,•or•twisters,•are•very••

dangerous.•People•need•to•take•safety••measures•in•the•event•of•a•tornado.

Skills & Strategies

TwistersLevel L/24

Build Background Knowledge • Draw a K-W-L chart like the one at the left. Have students tell what

they already know about tornadoes. Write their responses in the K column of the chart.

Model Asking Questions • Display the book cover. Say: I ask myself questions about what I see and

read so I will pay close attention while reading. When I read this title and look at the photograph, I ask myself, “How fast does a tornado travel?” Write your question in the W column of the K-W-L chart.

• Ask students whether they have any questions after looking at the cover and write their questions in the W column.

Preview the Book • Show students the table of contents and read the headings together.

Ask: What things do you think you will learn from reading this book? What questions do the headings make you think of? Let’s add them to the chart.

• Preview the photographs and have students comment and ask questions about what they see.

• Use students’ descriptions to introduce vocabulary in the book. For example, on page 3, you might say: The tornado looks like a long, whirling tube, or funnel of cloud. On page 8, you might say: How is this tornado different? It is over water. It is called a waterspout. Point out captions and be sure students know their purpose in the book.

Model Reading Strategies • Point out the word violent on page 5. Ask: What strategies could you use

to read this word?

• You might suggest that students use what they know about letter/sound relationships to sound out the word. They might use the context of the sentence and the photograph to see if their guess makes sense.

Set a Purpose for Reading • Ask students to read the book to learn how and where tornadoes

happen. Encourage them to continue asking themselves questions as they read.

2 Twisters

Before Reading

Build Background KnowledgeReinforce the concepts of twister and tornado by modeling a funnel of water in a bottle as the directions on page 9 show. Use the words spiral and funnel as you describe the shape and movement of the water. Have students compare this model to the pictures of tornadoes in the book.

Build Vocabulary and Language Patterns Read the glossary words and meanings with students before previewing the book. Use each word in a sentence. Have students write the words on self-stick notes and place them on photos in the book as labels. Encourage students to use the words as they describe details in the photos.

©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-4108-1568-2

Small-Group Reading Lesson

SUPPORT TIPS for English-Language Learnersell

What I What I Want What I Learned Know to Know by Reading

Tornadoes Howfastdo areclouds. tornadoestravel?

Theyswirl, Whatmakesa orrotate. tornadohappen?

Canwepredict tornadoes?

Hasatornado happenedhere?

3©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Monitor Student Reading • Have students put self-stick notes next to words they have

trouble with.

• Observe students as they whisper-read. Intervene as necessary to guide them to use appropriate strategies to read difficult words.

Reflect on Reading Strategies • Have students list other questions they thought of as they read and

add them to the W column of the K-W-L chart. Reinforce that asking questions helps them become more active readers.

• Ask students to share words they found difficult to read and ask what strategies students used to read them. Use these words, and any words you noticed students having difficulty with, to model appropriate reading strategies. Reinforce that students should always check whether the words they read make sense.

Discuss Concepts• Ask students what a twister is and how it forms. Have them support

their answers by reading passages in the book that provide this information. Summarize this information in the L column of the K-W-L chart.

• Ask pairs of students to make a list of things to do to be safe from a tornado. As students share their lists, summarize the points they make in the L column of the chart.

• Review questions from the W column of the chart and have students find answers in the book. Add these to the chart.

Extend Concepts • Tell students the emergency plan for your school if a tornado or

severe storm warning is given.

• Walk students through the procedure and show them the safe place they can go during the storm.

• Ask students to draw an outline of their home, as it would look from above. Have them highlight the place or places they think are safest to go during a severe storm or tornado and tell why they are safe.

• Have students draw a picture and write a caption showing something they learned about tornadoes by reading this book.

Twisters

To check a student’s reading strategies, ask him or her to read a section of the text aloud to you while other students are whisper- reading. Note whether the student is using visual, structure, and/or meaning cues to self-correct and make sense of the text.

After Reading

During Reading

Reflect on Reading Strategies Note the words English-language learners are having difficulty with. Ask them to define or use words to help you determine whether their problems relate to unfamiliar vocabulary or syntax.

If students have read Mondo and Gordo Weather the Storm, ask:• Was the storm on Planet #63,749 a

twister? How do you know? (It was not because it did not have a funnel cloud and it did not cause as much damage as a tornado would have.)

• In a twister, fast, whirling winds are the danger. What is the danger from the storms on Planet #63,749? (Hail could hurt people; lightning could strike them.)

• How is the safe place Gordo and Mondo chose like the safe place suggested in Twisters? (A cave is strong because it has thick rock walls; a basement is strong because it has thick cement walls.)

MAKE FICTION-TO-FACT™ CONCEPT CONNECTIONS


ASSESSMENT TIP

Build Comprehension: IDENTIFY MAIN IDEA AND SUPPORTING DETAILSModel • Say: In a book with chapters, there is usually one main idea in each chapter.

This main idea is supported by details, such as facts, numbers, or examples.

• Model how to determine the main idea of a chapter. Review the first chapter of Twisters with students. Say: This chapter tells what twisters are. I think the main idea of the chapter is, Tornadoes are strong, dangerous storms. Point out details the author gives that support, or help show, the main idea: tornadoes destroy homes and crops, hurt people, travel 30–40 mph, whirl at about 300 mph.

Practice • Distribute copies of the Main Idea and Supporting Details blackline

master. Have students reread the second chapter and decide what the main idea of the chapter is. Have them write a main idea sentence in the first box under Main Idea.

• Help students identify the details on pages 6–8 that support the main idea and state them in their own words. Have them write the details in the first box under Supporting Details.

Apply • Have students complete the blackline master by writing the main idea

and details for chapters 3, 4, and 5 in the book.

• Have students share their main ideas and details with the group. If some ideas conflict, have students use the text to correct any incorrect information.

4 Twisters ©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Model Reinforce the concept of main idea and supporting details by putting the information about the first chapter in a graphic on chart paper. Write the main idea sentence in a box and label it Main Idea. Write each detail in its own box and label each box Detail. Draw an arrow from each Detail box to the Main Idea box. Point out that the details lead to, or support, the main idea.

Practice and Apply If English-language learners have difficulty finding details that support main ideas, help them search the relevant chapter for key words, facts, and examples. Remind them of the main idea statement they are proving. Ask: What could show that this idea is true? If English-language learners work with native speakers to complete the chart, make sure they have the opportunity to voice ideas.

Observe how students go about identifying main ideas and details. Note whether they are able to express the main idea in a chapter and point to facts that support that idea. If students have difficulty, you might want to provide additional modeling.

Small-Group Reading Lesson


ASSESSMENT TIP

Chapter Main Idea Supporting Details

2

3

4

5

Thunderstormscanturnintotornadoes.

TornadoeshappenthemostintheUnitedStates.

Meteorologistswarnpeoplewhentornadoesarecoming.

Itisimportanttoknowwhattodowhenatornadoiscoming.

thundercloudappearsintheskywarm,moistairtwistsupwardandcold,dryairmovesdowntwisterswirlsandtouchestheground

mostinflat,middlestatesTornadoAlleyhasmorethanitsshare.

meteorologistsstudyweathertrytopredictwhentwisterswillhappenwanttowarnpeoplesotheycanprepare

watch=tornadomightdevelopwarning=tornadohasbeenspotted,gettoasafeplace

basement,bathroom,orclosetaresafestplaces

5©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Writing Mini-Lesson: Steps in a Process• Reread the paragraphs on page 6 and review the diagram on page 7

about how a tornado forms. Ask students to listen to how the steps in this process are explained.

• Involve students in a discussion about this explanation by asking the following questions:

Why does the writer explain about the storm clouds first? (so readers will know about the layers of a thundercloud that can lead to a tornado)

What happens to make a tornado form? (warm, moist air twists upward through the cloud; cold, dry air moves down to take its place, creating a funnel)

Why does the writer show three numbered pictures on page 7? (The pictures show what is happening to the air in the cloud. They show the steps in the process of a tornado forming.)

• Point out the words first and finally on page 7, explaining that these clue words show the order in which events happen as the tornado forms. Tell students that writers often use numbers and clue words to explain the steps in a process. That is because the steps happen in a certain order.

• Use other nonfiction books to show how other writers use numbers and clue words to make the order of steps in a process clear.

• Write a numbered list and use time-order words to model a process explanation from one of the examples for students.

• After students have considered several process explanations, ask them to tell which explanation seems clearest to them and why.

Link to Journal WritingHave students look in their journals and find a piece of nonfiction writing that explains how something happens or how to make or do something. Have them review their writing to see if they have given steps in order or if they can improve the explanation by using clue words or adding numbers. If students don’t have a suitable piece of nonfiction writing in their journal, ask them to begin a new piece of writing.

Read aloud sections of Twisters to model fluent reading using appropriate phrasing, intonation, and expression. Have pairs of students take turns reading the pages of the book to each other.

Have students read the take-home version of Twisters to family members. Suggest that they take a house walk and determine a family plan for what to do in case of a tornado warning.

REREAD FOR FLUENCY

As students review their piece of writing, have them ask themselves:• Have I included all the steps in

my explanation?• Are all the steps in the right

order?• Have I used clue words such as

first, next, then, and finally to make the order clear?

• Should I set off the steps using numbers?

Twisters

CONNECT TO HOME

WRITING CHECKLIST


Content Vocabulary: Words related to tornadoes• Pair students to search the book for words that are associated with

tornadoes, such as twister, funnels, dangerous, violent, waterspouts, Tornado Alley, meteorologist, tornado watch, tornado warning, and Fujita Scale.

• Create a word web for the words and have students explain how the words they chose are related to tornadoes.

Grammar/Word Study: Comparatives• Reread page 10 and have students point out the words that are used to

compare things. (more, strongest)

• Write stronger and strongest on the board. Underline -er and -est. Ask students what are being compared in the sentence It also has the strongest twisters in the world. Ask them what are being compared in this sentence: Tornado winds are stronger than hurricane winds. Explain that -er is added to an adjective to compare two things, and -est is added to an adjective to compare three or more things.

• Write more and most on the board. Use each in a sentence: A twister is more dangerous than a thunderstorm. A hurricane is most dangerous of all the storms. Explain that more is used to compare two things, while most is used to compare three or more things.

• Explain that -er and -est are generally added to short adjectives, such as strong, while more and most are generally used with longer adjectives, such as dangerous.

• Have students look for a comparison on page 11 and explain what is being compared. (most common, flat states to all other states)

Grammar/Word Study: Suffixes -ology and -ist• Write the word meteorology on the board and underline the -ology

ending. Explain that this ending means “the study of.” Combined with meteor-, it makes a word that means “the study of weather.”

• Write the word meteorologist and underline the -ist ending. Explain that this ending means “someone who is or studies.” Combined with meteorolog-, it makes a word that means “someone who studies weather.”

• Write the words biology, zoology, and geology on the board. Explain the meaning of each. Challenge students to name the scientist who studies each of these subjects (biologist, zoologist, and geologist).

Vocabulary Pair English-language learners with native speakers to brainstorm words associated with tornadoes. Remind students that many key words about tornadoes are in darker type in the book. Have partners check their list against the book glossary, then tell why they included additional words.

Grammar/Word Study: Comparatives Reinforce the difference between more and most by providing concrete examples. Show students a picture book and a text book. Ask: Which book has more pages? Then add a dictionary to the display. Ask: Which book has the most pages of all?

Skills Bank


Name _______________________________________________________ Date _________________

Main Idea and Supporting Details

©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Chapter Main Idea Supporting Details

2

3

4

5


Skills Bank

Build ComprehensionEVALUATE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE • Explain Create an overhead transparency of the graphic organizer “Twisters” or draw it on the board. Say: Authors always have a reason, or purpose, for their writing. They may write to entertain, inform, persuade, instruct, or express ideas or feelings. Authors may have one purpose, or they may have more than one purpose. When we evaluate author’s purpose, we look for evidence that reveals what the author’s purpose is and then we decide whether the author achieves that purpose.

• Model Say: Let’s evaluate the author’s purpose in Twisters. Ask students to read “What Are Twisters?” on pages 2–5. Say: These pages describe violent storms called twisters. The author describes twisters as big, strong, fast-spinning winds. The author explains how twisters destroy things and hurt people. Record this information in the “What Are Twisters?” box of the graphic organizer.

• Guide Say: Let’s continue to evaluate the author’s purpose for writing this book. Ask students to read “How Do Twisters Happen?” on pages 6–9. Ask: What do we read about in this part of the book? What facts does the author tell us? (Allow time for students to respond.) Yes, we read about how tornadoes happen. The author tells how warm, moist air and cold, dry air form a funnel that sucks things up. Record this information in the “How Do Twisters Happen?” box. Then ask students to read “Where Do Tornadoes Happen?” on pages 10–11. Ask: What do we read about in this part? What does the author tell us about this topic? (Again allow time for students to respond.) Yes, the author explains that most of the strongest twisters happen in the flat land in the middle of the United States. Record this information in the “Where Do Tornadoes Happen?” box.

• Apply Ask pairs of students to identify what the author tells in the last two sections of the book. Then invite them to use all the evidence to identify the author’s purpose, or reason, for writing this book. After each pair shares its ideas, work together to answer the question Did the author achieve this purpose? Encourage students to support their answer with reasons. Agree on how to word the answer and add it to the Author’s Purpose column of the graphic organizer. Finally, invite volunteers to read the completed graphic organizer aloud.

Tornado SafetyAsk students to identify a good place at home to go during a tornado warning. Invite them to draw diagrams of their homes and draw a star on the safest place. Discuss how these places protect us from tornadoes.

Name _______________________________________________________ Date _________________


Twisters

Evidence Author’s Purpose

Evaluate Author’s Purpose

What Are Twisters?

How Do Twisters Happen?

Where Do Tornadoes Happen?

How Can We Predict When Tornadoes Will Happen?

What Happens When a Tornado Is on the Way?

Name _______________________________________________________ Date ___________________


Comparatives

Directions: Have students write the correct form of each adjective to complete the sentence.

Compare 2 (Add -er)

He is ____________________________

than I am. (strong)

Silk is ___________________________

than cotton. (soft)

An apple is ______________________

than a pear. (round)

Compare 2 (Add more)

Deer are _________________________

than cows. (beautiful)

Trucks are ________________________

than cars. (powerful)

Jay is ____________________________

of spiders than wasps. (afraid)

Compare 3 or More (Add -est )

She is the ________________________

person of all. (strong)

Velvet is the _____________________

cloth. (soft)

Oranges are the _________________

of all. (round)

Compare 3 or More (Add most )

Horses are the ___________________

animals. (beautiful)

A jet has the ____________________

engine of all. (powerful)

He is ___________________________

of snakes. (afraid)

Notes


level l/24 twisters - benchmark education...

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