Published on AASL Learning4Life Lesson Plan Database
Evaluating Animal Nonfiction Book(s)
Created by: Debora Lum
Title/Role: School Librarian, retired
Organization/School Name: Hawaii Association of School Librarians
Location: Hawaii
Grade Level: K, 1
Type of Lesson: Lesson in a unit
Type of Schedule: Flexible
Collaboration Continuum: Moderate
Content Area:
Language Arts
Science
Content Topic: Animal characteristics
Standards for the 21st-Century Learner
Skills Indicator(s):
1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
Dispositions Indicator(s):
2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
Responsibilities Indicator(s):
1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):
1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt as
necessary.
1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when it is needed.
Scenario: In preparation for their students' information gathering experience the kindergarten teachers
and librarian meet.The teachers give the librarian a list of animals their children chose and a copy of their
worksheet. The librarian suggests that the teacher develop a research word bank for the keywords in the
worksheet questions. After the meeting the librarian previews resources for relevance and vocabulary the
children will need. If the resources use terms that may be unfamiliar to the children, librarian asks teachers
to prepare children for the new vocabulary. When the students come to the library in small groups with
their colored post-its, they will learn the process of browsing the nonfiction shelves using signage aids to
locate their animal book. They will also learn how to use nonfiction text features and their research word
bank to evaluate the relevance of their book.
Overview: Concept: Evaluating the usefulness of a nonfiction book. Students will use a nonfiction book's
spine, front cover, table of contents, and index with the help of their research word bank to determine the
usefulness of their resource. Essential question: How will you know that your nonfiction book will answer
your questions about your animal?
Final Product: For this unit, teachers have different ways they want their children to share. Teachers'
choices include: KidPix slides, diorama, poster, or models.
Library Lesson: Goals include: ? The title on the spine and front cover lets students know if the book will
be about their animal. The picture on the front cover confirms their predictions about what the book will be
about. ? Looking at the table of contents in beginning of the book and the index at the back gives students
a quick idea whether the book will have answers to their questions. They try to find the terms in their
research word banks in the table of contents and/or index. These parts of the books will tell students the
page(s) they will find the answers to their questions. ? Look at the pages that should contain the terms
from the research word bank.
Estimated Lesson Time: 45 minutes
Assessment
Product: The final product for this lesson is a nonfiction book with post-it tabs marking the pages that
contain useful information for their worksheet. Some of the teachers give children colored post-its and
explain that specific colors represent answers for specific questions. For instance, green post-its
answers "What does my animal eat?"; pink answers "How does my animal protect itself?", and so on.
Process: Students browse the nonfiction animal section, using mini animal signs students made. They
look at the spines in search of their animal's name, then use their shelf marker so they can look at the
front cover. When they find a book, they take it to a table where they can take out their worksheet and
post-it(s) to evaluate their book. Before borrowing their book, they explain to the librarian why their book
is helpful.
Student self-questioning: What happens if I can't find a table of contents or index in my book? Do I
want to look at every page or find another book? Can I find the words on my research word bank on the
page(s)? Are there pictures on the page(s) that help me answer my question(s)? Does the book answer
a lot of my questions? What can I do if I can't find a good nonfiction book about my animal?
Instructional Plan
Resources students will use:
Still image (i.e.paintings, drawings, plans, and maps)
Physical Object
Text (books, letters, poems, newspapers, etc.)
Resources instructor will use:
White board
Other
Other instructor resources: Sample mini-animal sign and animal nonfiction books
Instruction/Activities
Direct instruction: Review the information included on the spine and cover of a book to let them know
if it will be about their animal. Review the table of contents and index of a book and how to use their
research word banks to help them find the answers to their questions. Remind children that the index is
a list of important words about the animals. They need to start their search by looking at the left and
work their way down the column. If they reach the bottom and haven't found their word(s), they start at
the top of the next column (versus searching across the page from left to right). Show how the page
table of contents and index will give the page number(s) where they can find the word(s) on their
research word bank.
Modeling and guided practice: Do an interactive demonstration about the browsing process by asking
children how to browse the shelf and book. Ask children how they know that's a good page? Ask the
children what to do when they find a page that answers their question.
Independent practice: The students go to the animal nonfiction section and browse shelves to find the
books about their animals.When they find a book, they take it to a table where they can take out their
worksheet and post-it(s) to evaluate their book. If they feel the book they took off the shelf is not helpful,
they can put it back and choose another.
Sharing and reflecting: Before borrowing, students will explain why their book is helpful and show
evidence by sharing their post-it page(s).
Have you taught this lesson before: Yes
Strategies for differentiation: The group size depends on several factors based on student disabilities
and/or availability of resources. In some situations, groups are a balanced heterogenous combination so
the more capable children can assist others in the group. Those with behavioral problems, requiring a lot of
supervision will be in smaller groups. Finally, those choosing animals with little or no nonfiction books in
our library are grouped together. This group will address the question, ?So what else can we use/do to find
the answers for our worksheet?? Depending on the responses, this group might be introduced to the kidfriendly specialized animal encyclopedia or appropriate educational Internet site. The process for reference
or online resources remain the same, children identify the section(s) that answer their questions before a
printout is made. Next children use a highlighter to identify where their research bank words are located in
the printout.
AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk
English Language Arts:
CC.K.W.1 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 1. Use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the
book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite
book is ...). (K)
CC.K.W.2 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 2. Use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing
about and supply some information about the topic. (K)
CC.K.W.3 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 3. Use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in
the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened. (K)
CC.1.W.1 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 1. Write opinion pieces in which they
introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the
opinion, and provide some sense of closure. (1)
CC.1.W.2 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 2. Write informative/explanatory texts
in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure. (1)
CC.1.W.3 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 3. Write narratives in which they
recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened,
use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. (1)
CC.K.SL.1 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 1. Participate in collaborative
conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and larger groups. (K)
CC.1.SL.1 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 1. Participate in collaborative
conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and
larger groups (1)
CC.1.SL.1.a » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » a. Follow agreed-upon
rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts
under discussion). (1)
CC.1.SL.1.b » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » b. Build on others' talk in
conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges. (1)
CC.1.SL.1.c » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » c. Ask questions to clear up
any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion. (1)
CC.1.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Ask and answer questions
about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. (1)
CC.K.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Confirm understanding of
a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering
questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. (K)
CC.K.SL.3 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 3. Ask and answer questions
in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood. (K)
CC.1.SL.3 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 3. Ask and answer questions
about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not
understood. (1)
CC.K.L.4 » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » 4. Determine or clarify the
meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and
content. (K)
CC.K.R.I.4 » English Language Arts » Craft and Structure » 4. With prompting and support, ask and
answer questions about unknown words in a text. (K)
CC.K.R.L.4 » English Language Arts » Craft and Structure » 4. Ask and answer questions about
unknown words in a text. (K)
CC.1.W.8 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 8. With guidance and
support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to
answer a question. (1)
CC.1.L.4 » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » 4. Determine or clarify the
meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content,
choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. (1)
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