®
GUIded
readInG
infoPairs
Science
560L/570L
A: The Four stages of the
Water Cycle
B: From egg to Frog to
egg again!
LiTeraCY STanDarDS aDDreSSeD in THiS PLan
ri.3.1*
Main FOCUS Key ideas & Details
ri.3.10
Sessions 1, 2, 3
Ask and answer questions about key details in a
text, referring to what is explicitly stated in the
text, and use the details to support inferences.
*Standard adapted from another grade
ri.3.4
rF.3.3b
Craft & Structure
determine the meaning of general academic
and domain-specific words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
decode words with common Latin suffixes.
SL.3.1c
ask questions to check understanding of
information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
Main FOCUS Craft & Structure
Describe the overall structure to establish how
cause/effect and chronology contribute to the
understanding of key concepts in a text.
*Standard adapted from another grade
W.3.8*
recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a
question.
*standard adapted from another grade
session 3
ri.3.9
Main FOCUS integration of Knowledge & ideas
Session 3
Compare and contrast the most important
points and key details presented in two texts
on the same topic.
research to Build & Present Knowledge
sessions 2, 3
integration of Knowledge & ideas
Use information gained from illustrations and the
words in a text to demonstrate understanding of
the text.
Comprehension & Collaboration
sessions 1, 2
Sessions 2, 3
ri.3.7
Phonics & Word recognition
session 2
sessions 1, 2, 3
ri.3.6*
range of reading & Level of Text Complexity
By the end of the year, read and comprehend
informational texts, including history/social
studies, science, and technical texts, at the high
end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
W.3.10
range of Writing
Write routinely over extended time frames and
shorter time frames for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
IsBn 978-1-62889-487-5
Session 1: Text A
PREVIEWING THE TEXT
5 minutes
Ask students to read the title and scan the article. Encourage them to think
about what type of information this article might provide.
Let’s read the title of this article and the first two sentences. . . . What do
you think we’ll read about?
the water cycle
What special features do you notice about this text?
Learning FOCUS
ri.3.1*
Students read closely to
ask and answer questions
about key details in a
text, referring to what is
explicitly stated in the
text and using details to
support inferences.
There’s a diagram. It also looks like we’ll read notes from an outline for
a report.
As we read today, we’ll use the text and our own inferences to learn about
the water cycle. Let’s get started.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3
1
READING THE TEXT CLOSELY
KeY iDea
A diagram and outline notes
explain the four stages of
the water cycle.
5 minutes
Explain the learning focus and ask students to study the diagram and read
the first two notecards. Check to see how well they are applying the focus
and their understanding of the key ideas.
As we read today, we’ll talk about the diagram and the text on the notecards
to learn more about the water cycle. We’ll ask and answer questions using
details, and we’ll make our own inferences. Let’s read the information on the
first two notecards. . . . Can someone share what the key ideas are?
how water evaporates; what happens when water vapor condenses
Now let’s use the key ideas and “read between the lines” to make sure we
understand the diagram. What do the wavy lines represent? Who has an idea?
I think they show the water turning from a liquid to a gas.
Why do you think so?
The text says that the water changes from a liquid to water vapor, so I
think that’s what the lines show.
You used the text to explain your inference about the diagram. I think your idea
makes sense. Let’s finish reading the notecards and keep studying the diagram.
SL.3.1c
DiSCUSSiOn
Collaborative
VOCaBULarY
Help students
ri.3.4
use the diagram, context
clues, and prior knowledge
to explain the meanings
of the diagram and outline
headings: evaporation,
condensation, precipitation,
and collection.
eLL SUPPOrT
Discussing the Text
Ask questions at students’
language proficiency levels
and provide the following
sentence frames for student
responses:
I found an answer to ___
question. The answer is ___.
ri.3.1*
DISCUSSING THE TEXT
10 minutes
Invite students to share what they’ve learned about the water cycle.
Encourage students to listen closely, stay on topic, and link their comments
to the responses of others. Remind them to ask questions to help them check
their understanding of the text.
Let’s talk about the main ideas. Who would like to begin?
Precipitation is water that falls to the earth, like rain.
That’s an important idea. Who can continue?
Precipitation stays in lakes and rivers and oceans. Then the sun heats the
water again and the cycle goes on.
I like the way you explained the key ideas in your own words. When you
read, it’s important to think about what’s in the text and then form your
own thoughts on what it means. Who had questions about precipitation?
I don’t understand why precipitation has so many different forms.
Can anyone help figure that out?
I think it depends on the weather. If the air is really cold, the precipitation
would be snow or freezing rain.
Did the text help you figure this out?
Yes. The outline lists the kinds of precipitation, and I used what I already
know about these and about the weather.
As you read, keep using the text and what you already know to make
inferences. Your inferences will help you make sense of what you are reading.
TEACHER’S
ri.3.1*
COMPreHenSiOn
ask and answer Questions
2
InfoPaIrs
CHOICE COMPREHENSION: ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS
ERESOURCE
Summative assessment Have students use the blackline master
on page 7 to ask and answer additional questions about “The Four Stages of
the Water Cycle.” Review students’ answers as you evaluate their mastery of
the learning focus.
Session 2: Text B
PREVIEWING THE TEXT
5 minutes
Have students read the title and briefly scan the article. Encourage students
to think about what type of information this article might provide.
Let’s read the title of this article and scan the text and
photographs. . . . What do you think we’ll read about?
frogs, eggs, tadpoles
What did anyone notice about how the information is organized?
The paragraphs are numbered to show the order of events.
Let’s read on to find out more about the life cycle of a frog.
READING THE TEXT CLOSELY
Learning FOCUSeS
ri.3.1*, ri.3.6*
Students use the structure
of an article to explain
how cause/effect and
chronology contribute to
their understanding of key
ideas. They continue to
ask and answer questions
about key details in a
text, referring to what is
explicitly stated in the
text and using details to
support inferences.
5 minutes
Explain the learning focuses for this session. Guide students to think about
cause-and-effect and the chronology of events. Check to see how well
students are applying the focuses and comprehending the information. Then
read to the end.
Sometimes the order of events is important in helping us understand new
concepts. Let’s read the introduction and the first three paragraphs. . . .
What happens after the frog lays eggs?
The embryos grow for up to 21 days.
KeY iDea
The life cycle of a frog
begins with an egg and
continues as the embryo
grows into a tadpole, then a
froglet, and finally an adult
frog. When the adult frogs
mate and lay eggs, the life
cycle repeats.
Does the structure of the article help you understand this?
Yes. The numbers help me think about what comes next.
The numbers really do help us focus on the sequence of events. Now who
can explain why a frog lays so many eggs?
only some of the eggs will survive. It says that right in the text.
Yes, I see that information right in the first paragraph. Often the word
because signals an explanation about how one thing causes something
else to happen. Now let’s look at the third paragraph. Who can tell us why
the tadpole first eats its own egg yolk?
The tadpole is in the egg, and I think it needs food. and I think it would
be easy for the frog to eat the yolk. The tadpole’s mouth is still forming,
so the egg yolk is probably easy to eat.
You used the text to make an inference about this. That was good thinking.
Now let’s read to the end. Keep thinking about what happens and why and
the order of events. You can also use the text to make inferences to help
you understand the main ideas.
TEACHER’S CLOSe reaDing
CHOICE
ERESOURCE
OPTiOn
Summative
Print the online blackline
master for independent
close reading. Ask students
to read Text B and respond
to the prompts (summarize
author’s message, identify
critical vocabulary, respond
to constructed response
questions) before returning
for a small-group discussion.
VOCaBULarY
Help students use
ri.3.4
the context to understand
the meaning of the word
embryos in box number 2.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3
3
SL.3.1c
DiSCUSSiOn
Collaborative
WOrD reCOgniTiOn/
STUDY
rF.3.3b Point out the word
froglet inside box number 5.
Explain that the suffix -let
comes from French and
Latin roots that mean “small
one.” Explain that the suffix
means “little.” Talk about
other familiar words with
this suffix, such as piglet,
droplet, and booklet.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT
10 minutes
Invite students to share what they learned about a frog’s life cycle.
Encourage them to listen to each other and add to each other’s ideas.
Remind them to ask questions to help them check their understanding of
the information.
Let’s talk about the fifth event in a frog’s life cycle. Why does a froglet
need a tail?
I think it needs one because it swims a lot.
Can someone share how the text supports this inference?
The text and the photo show that the tadpole and froglet live in water,
so I know it is swimming a lot of the time during those stages. a tail can
help an animal swim underwater, like tails on fish and whales.
Now let’s think about the order of events. What happens after a froglet’s
tail disappears?
It leaves the water and lives on land.
That’s right. Because it will be living on land, it won’t swim as much
and won’t need its tail. How did you use the structure of the article to
understand the order of events?
I used the numbers to read what happens next. The oval shape also
helps me understand how the cycle goes on.
Let’s look at the last step. What happens when adult frogs find mates?
COMPreHenSiOn SHare
As you read, think about the
structure of the text. Look
for words such as because
and so that signal causeand-effect relationships.
These words will help
explain what happens and
why it happens.
They lay eggs
Why do you think this is important? Who has thoughts on this?
They lay eggs so new baby frogs will grow from the eggs.
Cause-and-effect relationships help us understand what happens and why.
Confirm students’ good use of the learning focuses and encourage
them to keep the focuses in mind whenever they read articles or other
informational texts.
We thought about what events happen and why they happen to help us
understand new information. We thought about order of events, and we
made inferences to help us make sense of the key ideas. Remember to
use these strategies when you read other articles that give information.
TEACHER’S
W.3.8*, ri.3.1*
WriTing
gather information
CHOICE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE: COLLECT TEXT EVIDENCE
ERESOURCE
Formative/Summative assessment Use the blackline master
on page 8 to introduce the constructed response question: If you were
going to draw a diagram of the life cycle of a frog, what stages and details
would you include? Use details from the article “From Egg to Frog to Egg
Again!” to support your answer. Have students use self-stick notes to mark
places in the text that can help them answer the question. Point out that
the details they include can come from the illustrations as well as the main
text. Review students’ self-stick notes as you evaluate their mastery of the
learning focus.
4
InfoPaIrs
Session 3: Texts A and B
REFLECTING ON THE TEXTS 5 minutes
Ask students to reflect on what they learned about their reading work over
the past sessions. Invite them to review and reflect on both articles.
et’s think about what we’ve learned and practiced in our reading to help
L
us understand the key ideas. Who would like to share?
We thought about order of events and how one event causes something
else to happen. We made inferences to help us understand what we read.
Who can tell us the main ideas of the first article?
The diagram and notes explained the water cycle. Water vapor rises, then
it condenses. Then water falls to Earth and collects in places like lakes.
And what are the main ideas of the second article?
Learning FOCUSES
RI.3.1*, RI.3.6*, RI.3.9
Students read to compare
and contrast key ideas
presented in two texts
on similar subjects.
They use the structure
of an article to explain
how cause/effect and
chronology contribute to
their understanding of key
ideas. Students continue
to refer to text details to
support inferences.
It explained how a frog embryo grows into a tadpole, and then a froglet,
and then an adult frog.
CROSS-TEXT ANALYSIS 5 minutes
Encourage students to draw on the specific information they identified in
each article to compare and contrast the two texts.
e recapped the main ideas from both articles. Now let’s look for some
W
connections. How is the information from the two articles alike?
They’re both about a cycle in nature. They both show the information in
kind of a circle.
Now let’s talk about how the two texts explain different information.
The first one tells about the water cycle. The second one explains the
life cycle of a frog.
Who can describe differences in how the information is presented?
The first text used a diagram and numbers, arrows, and notes. The
second text used paragraphs with numbers and photos.
VOCABULARY
Discuss how the
RI.3.4
word cycle comes from
a Greek word meaning
“wheel.” A cycle is a series
of events that repeats.
Discuss how a cycle is like
a wheel. Elicit other cycles
students may be familiar
with, such as the life cycle of
a butterfly or a plant. Other
words from the same root
include bicycle, cyclone,
motorcycle, and recycle.
Both of these structures helped us understand repeating patterns in nature.
Guide students to synthesize the information from the articles. The analysis
should lead to making connections and new understandings based on facts
from both texts.
et’s think about how the two articles together helped you understand
L
the topic of cycles. Turn and talk with a partner about connections you can
make between the two texts. . . . What are your ideas?
Both tell about cycles in nature that happen over and over again. They both
tell about a part of nature that changes so much that it becomes something
new. Water turns into clouds, and an embryo turns into a tadpole that turns
into a frog.
I wonder about other cycles in nature that are similar. Can anyone think of
a similar cycle in nature?
I’m thinking about the life cycle of a butterfly. The caterpillar is like a
tadpole because it changes so much. The caterpillar and butterfly look
completely different from each other. It’s the same with tadpoles and adult
frogs.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3 5
ri.3.7
inTegraTiOn
illustrations and Details
INTEGRATING THE LEARNING
10 minutes
Guide students to integrate information from both articles and concisely
state the big ideas learned across both texts.
Remember how we talked about the key ideas of each text? Now we’re
going to pull together the key ideas from both articles so we can state
what the two articles together are mostly about. Don’t forget to use both
the illustrations and details in the texts to help you explain the big ideas.
Talk with a partner and decide how you could share with someone the
main ideas from both articles. . . . Who would like to begin?
We learned that there are cycles in nature that happen over and over
again. We learned that some things in nature change so much you can’t
even recognize them. We used numbered steps, photos, and a diagram
to help us learn more about these cycles.
Have students reflect on the strategies they learned for gaining the key
ideas from multiple informational texts.
Let’s review what strategies helped us deepen our understanding of
both texts.
We thought about what happens and why it happens. We explained the
order of events. We made inferences to explain our ideas. We combined
information from both texts to understand the bigger picture.
Remember that these strategies will be helpful whenever you read
informational texts on your own.
TEACHER’S
W.3.8*, ri.3.1*
WriTing
respond to Question
6
InfoPaIrs
CHOICE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE: WRITE TO SOURCE
ERESOURCE
Formative/Summative assessment Have students use the
blackline master on page 8 to respond to the question: If you were going to
draw a diagram of the life cycle of a frog, what stages and details would you
include? Use details from the article “From Egg to Frog to Egg Again!” to
support your answer. Tell students that they can use their self-stick notes to
help them with their answer.
Name
Date
Comprehension: Ask and Answer
Questions
As you read “The Four Stages of the Water Cycle,” ask yourself questions
about key details in the text. If you can’t find an answer in the text or in
the diagram, make an inference, or guess.
Question 1:
Answer 1:
Question 2:
Answer 2:
© Mondo Publishing
Question 3:
Answer 3:
Score:
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3 7
Name
Date
Constructed Response
If you were going to draw a diagram of the life cycle of
a frog, what stages and details would you include? Use
details from the article “From Egg to Frog to Egg Again!”
to support your answer.
REMEMBER:
• Read the question carefully.
• Include several facts and details from the article to support your answer.
• Think about the order of events as you write your answer.
© Mondo Publishing
• Proofread your work to revise and edit.
Score:
8 InfoPairs