Fiction Book
Bibliographic Information in MLA Format:
Schaefer, Lola M, Adam Schaefer, and
Frann Preston-Gannon. Because of an Acorn. Chronicle Books, 2016.
Print.
Lexile Level: 100L
Age/Grade Level for Activity: Kindergarten
This
picture book focuses on giving readers a
brief introduction to an ecosystem in a
fun a user-friendly format, which geared towards preschool and kindergarten age
students. the connection of how an acorn
brings life and provides shelter to animals within the environment and how different
aspects are interconnected is shown.
Alignment
Learning Standards:
·
“With
prompting and support, students will engage in a picture walk to make
connections between self, illustrations, and the story.” (Reading Standards for
Literature: Kindergarten: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas)
·
“Exhibit
curiosity and interest in new vocabulary”
(Reading Standards for Literature: Kindergarten: Craft and Structure)
Learning Goals:
·
Students
will obtain basic knowledge of the life cycle stages of tree and the parts of a
tree.
Learning Objective:
·
Students
will learn how to identify the life cycle stages of an oak tree and the identification
of the parts of a tree through obtaining information through the aligned texts
and conducting observations. (Cognitive)
Learning Outcomes:
These
students will create drawings in order to understand to identify the life cycle
stages of a tree and the parts of a tree, through worksheets and watching the
process of the begin stages of a tree through observation.
Activity
In
this learning activity, students will learn the basic principle of the life
cycle of a tree. This learning activity will begin with the reading of the
following texts:
·
Because
of an Acorn by: Lola M. Adam
Schaefer and Adam Schaefer
·
Looking
Closely through the Forest by: Frank Serafini
·
Oak
Tree by: Joyce Markovics
·
Seed
To Plant by: Kristin
Baird
·
The
Life Cycle Of An Oak Tree
by: Linda Tagliaferro
Next, students will be assigned groups for three to four
students. These students will create drawings in order to depict each life
cycle stage of a tree, from acorn to a mature stage of a tree. In addition,
students will complete a worksheet to identify the parts of a plant. This
learning activity will include hands-on experience through viewing the life
cycle of a plant by planting an acorn and watching the process of it sprout and
grow.
Nonfiction
Alignment 1
Bibliographic Information in MLA Format:
Markovics,
Joyce L. Oak Tree. Bearport Publishing, 2016. Print.
Lexile Level: 450L
Rationale (What will students do with this text?
How does it relate to the piece of literature?):
Through
this text, students will learn about the life cycle of an oak tree. This text displays
visuals that show the process of an acorn transforming from an acorn splitting,
developing roots in the soil and sprouting a shoot, which will become an oak
tree. The structure of this text is a useful tool that aligns with the fiction
text, because it focuses on the topic of trees and acorns, which is earth science
related. It allows students to obtain a foundation on the environment, exposure
to STEM and this information is applicable to their everyday lives.
Nonfiction
Alignment 2
Bibliographic Information in MLA Format:
Serafini, Frank. Looking Closely through the Forest. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2008.
Print.
Lexile Level: 500 Adult-directed text
Rationale (What will students do with this text?
How does it relate to the piece of literature?):
Through
this text, students will learn about the forest and living objects that grow in
this environment. This text displays visuals that allow students to view items
found in the forest up close. For example, this text displays a small image of
an up-close photo of a sugar maple leaf. On the next page, it gives basic
information on the identifying characteristics,
such as the shape of the leaf. It briefly explains the size of how tall a sugar
maple leaf can grow and how maple syrup is obtained. The next page, shows a large
photograph of sugar maple leaves. This text can allow students the various
colors of leaves. This text can be utilized to help students learn and identify
objects in the forest and that they may see outdoors in the neighborhood. In addition,
it can be utilized as a tool to identify colors, shapes and sizes.
Nonfiction
Alignment 3
Bibliographic Information in MLA Format:
Tagliaferro, Linda. The Life
Cycle Of An Oak Tree. Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press, 2007. Print.
Lexile Level: 400L
Rationale (What will students do with this text?
How does it relate to the piece of literature?):
Through
this text, students will learn about the life cycle of an oak tree, which a
tree is mentioned within the picture book titled Because of an Acorn by:
Lola M. Adam Schaefer and Adam Schaefer, as a part of an ecosystem. This book
focuses on the different life stages of an oak tree, from an acorn to a tree, with
useful illustrations. This will be particularly useful in assisting meeting the
needs for students who are visual learners. The structure of this text is a
useful tool that aligns with the fiction text, because it focuses on the topic
of an oak tree, which is grown from an acorn. This text is a valuable resource
in providing a foundation on the environment, which is applicable to our
everyday lives and gives exposure to
STEM content in a user-friendly format.
Nonfiction
Alignment 4
Bibliographic Information in MLA Format:
Rattini, Kristin Baird. Seed to Plant. National Geographic,
2014. Print.
Lexile Level: 470L
Rationale (What will students do with this text?
How does it relate to the piece of literature?):
Through
this text, students will learn about a plant's life cycle through explaining
how seeds can grow into flowers and trees. This text can allow students to understand
basic concepts, through answering questions such as “ What is a Plant?” and “What
do Plants Need?”. This text provide a great example of the parts of a plant by utilizing
a visual of a child, arms compared as leaves, body as a stem of a plant and the
feet as the roots of a plant.
Works
Cited
Markovics, Joyce L. Oak Tree.
Bearport Publishing, 2016. Print.
"Mid-Hudson
Library System -- Because Of An Acorn / By Lola M. Schaefer And Adam Schaefer ;
Illustrated By Frann Preston-Gannon.." Search.midhudsonlibraries.org.
N.p., 2017. Web. 2 Dec. 2017.
"Mid-Hudson
Library System -- Looking Closely Through The Forest / Frank Serafini.."
Search.midhudsonlibraries.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 4 Dec. 2017.
"Mid-Hudson
Library System -- Oak Tree / By Joyce Markovics.." Search.midhudsonlibraries.org.
N.p., 2017. Web. 5 Dec. 2017.
"Mid-Hudson
Library System -- Seed To Plant / Kristin Baird Rattini.." Search.midhudsonlibraries.org.
N.p., 2017. Web. 6 Dec. 2017.
"Mid-Hudson
Library System -- The Life Cycle Of An Oak Tree / By Linda
Tagliaferro.." Search.midhudsonlibraries.org. N.p., 2017. Web.
5 Dec. 2017.
"New York
State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards For English Language Arts And
Literacy | Engageny." Engageny.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 Dec.
2017.
Rattini,
Kristin Baird. Seed to Plant.
National Geographic, 2014. Print.
Schaefer, Lola
M, Adam Schaefer, and Frann Preston-Gannon. Because of an Acorn.
Print.
Serafini,
Frank. Looking Closely through the Forest.
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2008. Print.
Tagliaferro,
Linda. The Life Cycle Of An Oak Tree. Mankato, Minn.: Capstone
Press, 2007. Print.
