Lesson 1- Skin v.

s Blubber
Grade level: 2nd Grade
Illinois Core Standard: Language Arts, Science
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2
Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information
presented orally or through other media.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify
comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic
or issue.
Objectives:
SWBAT be able to use describing words to describe how the ice water when putting
hand in the ice water.
SWBAT students will be able to properly use words ending in -er and -est to
compare how the water felt with and without the blubber.
Materials/ Resources:

Ice water
Big bowls
Shortening
Ziploc bag with shortening in between two Ziploc bags
Books- Penguins Close Up By: Lorna Hendry, North Pole South Pole By: Nancy

Smiler Levison
Penguin fact sheet
Paper towel

Duration: 45 minutes
Procedures:
1. Review the book, Penguins Close Up, from the day before- specifically what
the temperature is like in the Arctic and how penguins stay warm and dry. Ask
students questions about the book to see what they remember.
2. Put penguin fact sheet on the Elmo projector so entire class can follow along
while the teacher reads facts about penguins.

3. Explain what the science activity we will be participating in is as well as

review the rules to be respectful, be responsible, and be safe. All students will
get a chance to stick one of their hands directly into a bowl of ice water while
they stick their other hand into a Ziploc bag inside of the bowl that represents
the blubber that a penguin has. When students remove their hands they will
dry them with a paper towel.
4. As students finish the teacher will ask them how the water felt on their bare
hand and how the water felt on the hand protected by the blubber
encouraging them to use descriptive and comparing words such as colder
and dryer.
5. If the activity is completed and there is time left read the book North Pole
South Pole to students and begin a brief discussion about fact and fiction as
well as ask comprehending questions to make sure students are following
along.
Technology:

SMARTboard
Elmo projector

Adaptions for special needs:

An adaption for students with special needs would be to offer them options when
asking how the water felt. For example, instead of asking them how the water felt
the teacher could ask them, was the hand in the blubber colder or warmer than the
hand directly in the water?
Adaptions for classroom:
Adaptions for the classroom would be to make sure there is somewhere that the
bowls of ice water can sit without ruining any other classroom materials. The
teacher would also need to make sure that there is a clear path for students to
move through when moving to and from the bowl.
Assessment: Students will be informally assessed based on how accurately the
students describe their experience with the ice water. They should be able to say
that the hand directly in the water was colder and wetter than the hand in the
blubber. The hand in the blubber should be dry and warmer. Students will be

formally assed through a theme test that they will take at the end of the week that
will review their knowledge of describing words and the suffixes -er and -est.

Lesson 2- Who Wants to be a Millionaire

Subject: Language Arts
Grade level: 2nd Grade
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.D
Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.B
Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on
successive readings.
Objectives:
SWBAT answer guided comprehension questions as we read the story together
SWBAT fluently and accurately read the weekly story
SWBAT answer comprehension questions about the weekly story without their
textbooks when provided with options
Materials/ Resources:

SMARTboard
Whiteboard (1 per student)
Dry erase marker (1 per student)
Worksheet (19 total)
Reading textbook
Elmo projector
Who Wants to be a Millionaire PowerPoint game

Procedures:

1. As a class, students will volunteer to take turns reading the weekly story, The
Emperors Egg in their textbook as the teacher asks guided questions.
2. After we finish reading the story everyone one will complete a comprehension
worksheet that goes along with the story (this worksheet also helps students
to review for the upcoming game).
3. The teacher will display the comprehension worksheet on the SMARTboard
through the Elmo projector. As a class, students will volunteer to read the
questions and the teacher will pick a student to give the answer. If a student
is struggling the teacher can rephrase the question or give a hint. If the
student is taking too long or still isnt able to answer the question the teacher
may ask another student to give the correct answer.
4. After the class has completed the worksheet students will turn their work into
the work completed bin.
5. Next, the teacher will explain that we are going to review further by playing
the comprehension question version of Who wants to be a Millionaire.
6. The teacher will ask students to take out their whiteboard as well as their dry
erase marker. When all students look prepared the teacher will dismiss the
students by tables to waddle like a penguin to the meeting area taking their
whiteboard and dry erase marker with them.
Technology:
SMARTboard
Elmo projector
Adaptions for special needs:
Students who have IEPs and or need additional help reading will have the help of
either myself or the special ed. teacher who will be walking around the room.
Students who have a harder time processing and answering questions will receive
more questions that ask about who and what, whereas students who are more
above level will receive questions that ask about why and how.
Adaptions for classroom:
This lesson does not acquire any adaptions for the classroom, the meeting area is
an area of the classroom that is a part of our daily activity.
Assessment:

Students will be informally assessed by how many questions they are able to
answer correctly when playing the PowerPoint game. Because we are working on
the worksheet together the worksheet will also be an informal assessment. The
students will be formally assessed through the theme test that will be taken over
the story at the end of this unit.

Lesson 3- Build a Penguin

Subject: Language Arts/ Art
Grade level: 2nd Grade
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen
writing as needed by revising and editing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.E
Use adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be
modified.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B
Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of
others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to
provide requested detail or clarification.
Objectives:
SWBAT write complete sentences with correct punctuation
SWBAT properly use describing and comparing words in their sentences
SWBAT recall information from prior penguin discussions in order to back a list of
sentences that use adjectives or comparing words when talking about penguins
SWBAT participate in a class discussion
Materials/ Resources:

White board
Dry erase marker
Paper (1 quarter sheet per student)
Construction paper (orange, white, black, blue)

o 2
o 2
o 2
o 1
o 2
o 1
o 1
o 1
o 1
Stapler
Glue
pencils

black circles per student

small white circles per student (smaller than the black circles)
orange penguin feet per student
black cylinder shape cut out per student
black flipper shaped cut outs per student
white oval per student
white semicircle per student
orange triangle per student
piece of blue construction paper

Procedures:
1. The teacher will re-read the book Penguins Close Up to students
2. The teacher will explain that we are going to make a list of sentences that
describe penguins as well as compare penguins to other penguins and other
animals. Students can use information from any of the books about penguins
we have discussed together in class. While the teacher is writing the
sentences on the board, students should be copying down the sentences in
their writing journal.
3. Next the teacher will explain that the students need to write three to four
sentences about penguins using describing and comparing words. The
sentences need to be complete sentences written legibly in with correct
capitalization and punctuation. The sentences can include sentences that we
created as a class or sentences they created on their own. If students do not
know how to spell a word, they are to write the sounds that they hear and
then circle the word.
4. When students have competed writing their sentence, the teacher will check
the students sentences. If the student has errors that they need to fix the
teacher will indicate on the paper what the errors are and then give students
their papers back so that they can rewrite their sentences on the back. If the
students have no errors their paper is correct and the teacher will keep it.
5. When students have finished working on their sentences, students will each
receive a paper packet that contains all of the contrition paper pieces they
need to create a penguin. The teacher will display penguin in the front of the
classroom and walk everyone through what they need to do step. When the
teacher is done explaining students are free to create their penguin. When

students are done with their penguin students will turn in their penguin. The
teacher will tape the students sentenced to the students penguin and display
it in the hallway.
Technology:
No technology is used for this lesson
Adaptions for special needs: Because the class is mainly doing this lesson
together there arent too many modifications that need to be made for students
who are below level for. Students who may below level can be prompted to help
them decide on a sentence to share.
Adaptions for classroom:
There are also no adaptions that need to be made to the classroom.
Assessment:
Students will be informally assessed based on the sentences they provide the
teacher with to write on the board. Students will be formally assessed based on
whether or not the sentences they turn in are complete, begin with a capital letter,
and properly use describing and comparing words before they have the chance to
edit their sentences. Students will also be formally assessed through the theme test
that they will take at the end of the unit.