Animals Depend on Their Habitats
Content Literacy--Science
English Language Arts and Science, Grade 2
In this 13-day unit, students learn how to read, interpret, and use informational text in discussions with peers to clarify and broaden their understanding.
The focus is on identifying the author’s purpose for writing the text, identifying the facts that the author uses to support ideas, and explaining how the
images, diagrams, and illustrations convey meaning and clarify the text. The content focuses on polar bears and how they depend on their habitat and are
influenced by changes in the habitat. At the end of the unit, students write an informative/explanatory text explaining what might happen to animals
when their habitats change.
These Model Curriculum Units are designed to exemplify the expectations outlined in the MA Curriculum Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy and
Mathematics incorporating the Common Core State Standards as well as all other MA Curriculum Frameworks. These units include lesson plans, Curriculum
Embedded Performance Assessments, and resources. In using these units, it is important to consider the variability of learners in your class and make
adaptations as necessary.
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Table of Contents
Unit Plan……………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………….…3
General Notes and Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………..………….……………...8
Lessons 1–2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….……..11
Lessons 3–5……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Lessons 6–10………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….….25
Lessons 11–13…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30
CEPA Teacher Instructions…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………..34
CEPA Student Instructions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….36
CEPA Rubric……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………37
Unit Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………38
Appendices……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………...40
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Stage 1 – Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS
G
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.RI.2.3: Describe the
connection between a series of historical
events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps
in technical procedures in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.4: Determine the
meaning of words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.6 Identify the main
purpose of a text, including what the author
wants to answer, explain, or describe.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7 Explain how
specific images (e.g., a diagram showing
how a machine works) contribute to and
clarify a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.8 Describe how
reasons support specific points the author
makes in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.2 Write
informative/explanatory texts in which they
introduce a topic, use facts and definitions
to develop points, and provide a concluding
statement or section.
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to…
T
 Generate open-ended questions and seek answers through critical analysis of text,
media, interviews, and/or observations.
 Communicate ideas effectively in discourse and oral presentations to suit various
audiences and purposes.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
U ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Q
Students will understand that…
U1. Particular types of plants and animals
Q1. What is a habitat?
can live in an area because their needs are
met there.
Q2. Why do certain animals live in specific
U2. Changes in habitats can affect the plants places?
and animals that live there.
U3. Different plants and animals live in
Q3. What happens to animals when their
different areas based on what they need.
habitats change?
U4. Authors use text features and graphics
for a purpose and to convey a point of view.
Acquisition
Students will know…
K Students will be skilled at…
S
K1. Characteristics of polar bear habitat.
S1. Using academic and discipline-related
K2. Some of the ways that the polar bear’s
vocabulary and concepts introduced in the
habitat is changing and the impact on their
unit.
ability to live there, e.g., arctic ice is melting, S2. Taking notes as they read on what they
making it more difficult for polar bears to
want to say during a discussion group.
find food.
S3. Following agreed-upon rules for peer
discussion.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.7 Participate in
shared research and writing projects.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1 Participate in
collaborative conversations with diverse
partners about grade 2 topics and texts with
peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1a Follow agreedupon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the
floor in respectful ways, listening to others
with care, speaking one at a time about the
topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1b Build on others’
talk in conversations by linking their
comments to the remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1c Ask for
clarification and further explanation as
needed about the topics and texts under
discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information
from experiences or gather information
from provided sources to answer a
question.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.2 Recount or
describe key ideas or details from a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.1f Produce, expand,
and rearrange complete simple and
compound sentences.
Science & Technology/Engineering
K3. That text and specific images in text
(e.g., diagrams, captions, illustrations, etc.)
contain information.
K4. Certain sets of plants and animals live
together, making up a unique habitat.
S4. Writing an explanatory text in which
they introduce a topic, use facts to develop
points, and provide a concluding statement.
S5. Preparing for peer discussion groups by
taking notes, reflecting, and asking
questions as they read.
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[NOTE: These are draft revised STE standards
(as of 10/22/13); final adopted STE standards
may be slightly different.]
2-LS2-3(MA) Develop and use models to
compare how plants and animals depend on
their surroundings and other living things to
meet their needs in the places they live.
[Clarification Statement: Animals need food,
water, air, shelter, and favorable
temperature; plants need sufficient light,
water, minerals, favorable temperature and
animals or other mechanisms to disperse
seeds.]
2-LS4-1. Use texts and media to compare: a.
different kinds of living things in an area,
and b. differences in the kinds of living
things living in different types of areas.
[Clarification Statement: Examples of areas
to compare might include temperate forest,
desert, tropical rain forest, grassland, arctic,
and aquatic.] [Assessment Boundary:
Assessment does not include specific animal
and plant names in specific areas.]
Stage 2 – Evidence
Evaluative Criteria
Assessment Evidence
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The student has:
 Clearly described how the polar bear
depends on the Arctic habitat.
 Clearly explained how the Arctic habitat
is changing.
 Described the connection between the
change(s) in the habitat and the effect
on the polar bear.
 Supported all explanations with facts
and examples.
 Included a concluding statement.
Criteria for Success:
 Students come to the discussion
prepared with ideas for discussion in
their Reading Response Journal.
 Students participate and encourage
other group members to participate.
 Students build on others’ talk in
conversations by linking their
comments to the remarks of others.
 Students listen attentively and
respectfully as others share ideas.
CURRICULUM EMBEDDED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT (PERFORMANCE TASKS) PT
Performance Task: Using evidence from texts they have read, students will write an
explanation about how the Arctic habitat is changing and what effect this change has on
polar bears. Students will focus their writing on answering Essential Questions 2 and 3:
Why do certain animals live in specific places? What happens to animals when their habitats
change?
Goal: The goal is for students to demonstrate what they have learned about how animals
depend on their habitat and what can happen to animals when their habitats change.
Audience: A partner or small group of classroom peers or students from another class
OTHER EVIDENCE
OE
 Students’ answers to the Essential Questions (ongoing)
 Participation in whole-class discussions
 Notes that students take to get ready for a peer-led discussion
 Participation in peer-led discussions groups
 Notes students take in their Reading Response Journal identifying the most important
information in a text
 Students' interpretations of illustrations, charts, and diagrams and descriptions of how
the information relates to the text
 Explanations of the author’s purpose and point of view in a book read in this unit
 Students’ ability to combine two simple sentences into one compound or complex
sentence
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction
Lessons 1–2: What Is the Polar Bear’s Habitat?
Students discuss Essential Question 1: What is a habitat? The teacher models how to determine important information, and students
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begin identifying important information and writing it in their Reading Response Journal (RRJ). During this unit, students will use their
RRJ to take notes while reading in preparation for a student-led discussion. Students emphasize how animals meet their needs in their
habitat.
Lessons 3–5: How is an Animals’ Ability to Meet Their Needs Affected by Changes to Their Habitat?
The teacher introduces student-led discussion groups and models how to jot down notes and ideas in a Reading Response Journal while
reading in order to prepare for participation in a discussion group. Mini-lessons include noticing how the illustrations and text work
together to express the author’s message and identifying the author’s purpose and point of view in writing the text. After reading,
students participate in a fishbowl discussion and evaluate their participation in the discussion.
Lessons 6–7: What Are Different Ways Authors Use Text Features to Convey Purpose and Point of View?
The teacher provides mini-lessons on an author’s point of view and how reasons support an author’s main points. Students read in small,
homogeneous groups. While reading, students prepare for discussion by writing in their Reading Response Journal. After reading,
students discuss what they have read with other students reading the same book. The teacher facilitates as needed, going from group to
group. Additional mini-lessons are based on the teacher’s assessment of discussion content and process.
Lessons 8-10: Writing a Scientific Explanation
CEPA: Using evidence from texts they have read, students will write an explanation about how the Arctic habitat is changing and what
effect this change has on polar bears. Students will focus their writing on answering Essential Questions 2 and 3: Why do certain animals
live in specific places? What happens to animals when their habitats change?
Adapted from Understanding by Design 2.0 © 2011 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Used with Permission.
July 2012
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General Resources and Notes
This unit is written to provide students with:
 An understanding of how to take reading notes in order to prepare for participation in peer-led discussion groups
 An opportunity to participate in peer-led discussion groups
 A content-specific understanding of how plants and animals are dependent on their habitat and any changes can affect their ability to live there
Each lesson is designed for approximately 60 minutes, which should allow the additional reading and writing instruction required by the district (e.g.,
basal anthologies, phonics instruction, guided reading, writing workshop, etc.).
During the first five lessons, all students read the same text. Assign students to three groups according to their instructional level of reading. Each day,
work with the students who struggle with grade-appropriate text, perhaps reading a paragraph to them and then having them read it alone, with a
partner, or chorally. Or they may chorally read the paragraph first before they read on their own or with a partner. Be sure to check in with all other
students at least every other day. During Lessons 6–7, there are three leveled texts. Put the students into three groups, matching the instructional level of
the students to the level of the text. Some students may not fit perfectly in a group, but put them with the book or group in which they will have the most
success.
This unit can build nicely from the Grade 1 model curriculum unit, Informational Text, Research, and Inquiry Circles: Animals and Habitats, which
introduces students to animals in habitats.
Vocabulary protocol: See the Realistic Fiction: Stories Matter unit for a description of vocabulary protocol.
Fishbowl Protocol
Students will use the fishbowl as a means of learning how to discuss in a group (see image below). A group of four to five students sits in a small circle in
the middle of the room. The rest of the class sits in a circle surrounding the inner discussion circle. The role of those inside circle is to discuss. The role of
those in the outside circle is to be quiet, but to listen and take notes on what they noticed, such as How well did the students discuss? Did everyone
participate? Did one person dominate the discussion? Did they speak in voices that everyone could hear? Did they listen to each other? Did they build on
others’ comments, continuing a topic that another member began? If they disagreed with someone, were they able to do it respectfully?
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Reading Response Journal (RRJ)
In this unit, the Reading Response Journal (RRJ) (e.g., blue book, composition book, pieces of paper stapled together, etc.) will be used differently than in
previous units. Students will use it to take notes on reading in preparation for participating in student-led discussion groups. They take their RRJ to the
After Reading portion of the lesson each day. Sometimes they discuss in the whole group, other times they participate in the discussion circle during
fishbowl, and other times they participate in peer-led discussion groups. Students also use their journal to take observational notes while participating in
the outer circle of fishbowl. During the CEPA, students will not be writing in their RRJ, but will use separate pieces of paper to write the first draft and a
final copy, if necessary.
For books and other resources needed, see the Unit Resources.
Science Content in the Unit
The inclusion of science standards 2-LS2-3(MA) and 2-LS4-1, along with the emphasis that changes to habitats impact the inhabitants, are what make this
a science unit as well as a literacy unit. To fully explore the scientific idea of plants and animals in a habitat, in addition to noting the changes to the
habitat (e.g. the Arctic ice is melting), students must also explain how changes impact a specific plant or animal in the habitat (e.g., less time to fish for
seals on the ice because the ice is not as strong). It is the understanding of both the relationships in the habitat and the impact of any change on the
individual plant or animal in the habitat that is the key science concept in this unit.
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Students draw on prior learning of plant and animals in PreK and grade 1; the science standards learned in this unit contribute to later standards in grade
3 and grade 5 (see map below).
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What is the Polar Bear’s Habitat?
Lessons 1 and 2
Brief Overview of Lessons: Students review the concept of habitat and discuss Essential Question 1: What is a habitat?
Model how to determine important information and have students begin identifying it and writing in their Reading
Response Journal (RRJ). During this unit, students will use their RRJ to take notes while reading in preparation for a
peer-led discussion. As you plan, consider the variability of learners in your class and make adaptations as necessary.
Prior Knowledge Required: Understanding of local environment
Estimated Time: 60 minutes for each lesson
Resources for Lessons
Student text (one copy for each student):
 Where Do Polar Bears Live?, by Sarah Thomson (Lexile 710L)
Teacher read-aloud text (one copy):
 Polar Bears’ Search for Ice, by Gillia M. Olson
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Materials
Copy of pages 8–10 of Polar Bears’ Search for Ice (a set for each student)
Overhead transparency or document camera (to show students the table of contents and pages from Polar Bears’ Search
for Ice)
Chart paper for two charts
 Essential Questions (each question is written on a separate piece of chart paper)
 Polar Bear Information
Reading Response Journal
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Unit: Animals Depend on Their Habitats
Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Science, Grade 2
Time (minutes): 60 minutes for each lesson
Lessons 1–2: What Is the Polar Bear’s Habitat?
By the end of these lessons, students will know and be able to:
 Describe the polar bear’s habitat and discuss how it is changing
Essential Question addressed in these lessons
Q1. What is a habitat?
Q2. Why do certain animals live in specific places?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in these lessons
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.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of
historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical
procedures in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases
in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7 Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram
showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a
text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in
small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1b Build on others’ talk in conversations by
linking their comments to the remarks of others.
2-LS2-3(MA) Develop and use models to compare how plants and
animals depend on their surroundings and other living things to meet
their needs in the places they live. [Clarification Statement: Animals need
food, water, air, shelter, and favorable temperature; plants need
sufficient light, water, minerals, favorable temperature and animals or
other mechanisms to disperse seeds.]
Instructional Tips/Strategies/Notes for Teacher
 Begin three charts today:
o Essential Questions (for reference during the unit)
o What Polar Bears Need to Live in the Arctic
 Students should be encouraged and reminded to use the charts
throughout the lessons to guide their reading.
 Students will be grouped by instructional level for reading: students
who are able should read independently; students needing some
assistance should read with a more advanced peer; students who
struggle with grade-appropriate text should read in a small group
with the teacher.
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions
Misconception: Habitats do not change. Students may think that if a
habitat does change so can the animals (physically) [animals can change
behavior to some extent, but not their physical features].
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Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1 (60 minutes) Introduction and Essential Questions
Before Reading: Interactive Read-aloud and Modeling (30 minutes)
 Ask students why we read an informational book (to learn
something, to answer a question we have, etc.).
 Tell students that they are going to study polar bears for the next few
weeks. You have a few questions you would like them to answer. List
the Essential Questions, writing one question per piece of chart
paper.
 Then, ask students what they would like to know. What questions do
they have?
 Ask students “What is a habitat?”. Provide an initial definition. You
may want to write it on the board. (According to the MA Curriculum
Framework for Science and Technology/Engineering, a habitat is a
place that provides for an animal’s needs: food, water, shelter, and
air/space.)
 Focus on the first Essential Question: What is a habitat? As we read,
we may answer some of your other questions as well.
o Show the table of contents of the book.
o Students read chapter titles chorally with you.
 Read Polar Bears’ Search for Ice—teacher modeling on pages 4–7.
Use a document camera to display text.
o Read page 4:
 Read the first paragraph aloud. (Students can follow along
with the reading.) Explain what “plight” means. Underline
the word plight and write “dangerous situation” in the
margin. Ask students what the tone of the paragraph is:
upbeat, exciting, scary, ominous, etc.? (Tone is what the
o
author feels—the author’s attitude.) What makes them say
that? What words does the author use? Underline those
words and write “ominous” next to them (for example). From
this paragraph, what do you think the author’s point of view
is?
 Read page 4, second paragraph. Point out the words in bold
and ask why they might be bold (important words, they may
be found in the glossary, etc.). Circle the bold words. Show
students the next page, where the definition of the word is.
What might they expect the author to do with bold words in
the rest of the book?
 Ask students how they identify important information (bold
print; italics (explain italics if necessary); words and ideas in
the title, subtitles, charts, illustrations, diagrams, pictures,
etc.).
 Read the insert on page 4. Find the Arctic area on a
classroom map. Write “Arctic” on the board and make sure
that students can read it. They need to be able to read the
word and know where it is in order to understand the text.
 What is important information to remember on that page?
Begin recording the most important information from the
book on the chart labeled Polar Bear Information.
Read page 5:
 Look at the map in the book with students. Discuss the word
“range.”
 Read page 5. Find the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas on the map
and/or on the classroom map.
 What does the word “declining” mean? Can you figure it out
from the rest of the paragraph? The author often gives hints
in the sentence or paragraph about the definition of a word
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
or may even tell us what a word means. Circle the word
“declining.” Then, underline the definition in the text.
 What is the most important information? How are you going
to remember it? Put new information on chart.
o Read pages 6 and 7 to students. As they listen, explain any words
that they may not know. You may want to skip the insert titled
Polar Bear Basics. After each page, ask students to identify the
most important information and record it on the chart titled
Polar Bear Information.
Teach vocabulary: habitat, prey (p. 8), plentiful (p. 9),
adapt/adaptations (p. 10).
Reading Whole-class Text (20 minutes)
 Pass out the Reading Response Journals (RRJs). Explain to students
that they will do all their writing for the unit in this journal.
 Pass out copies of pages 8–10 from Polar Bears’ Search for Ice.
Students read those pages, mark any important information and
write in their RRJ the most important information as well as any
questions they have (about polar bears, a word they don’t
understand, or why the author chose to include specific
information).
 Place students in three groups according to their instructional
reading level. Those students having difficulty reading gradeappropriate text read in a small group with you. Others should read
by themselves or with a partner.
 Explain the format and expectations for working in small groups.
 Set a purpose for reading: Read to find out why ice is such an
important element of a polar bear’s habitat.

When students finish reading, have them reread the important
information on the chart paper and in their journals and try to
remember it.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
 Reconvene the class to discuss the most important information
about why ice is such an important element of the polar bear’s Arctic
habitat. Add that information to the class chart titled What Polar
Bears Need to Live in the Arctic.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will learn about
what else polar bears need to live in the Arctic.
Lesson 2 (60 minutes) What else do polar bears need?
Before Reading: Interactive Read-aloud and Modeling (25 minutes)
 Review how the polar bear lives and hunts.
 Look at the Essential Question 1: What is a habitat? Students may
have studied animals and habitats in first grade (see grade 1 MCU).
Why is ice important for the polar bear? Why is habitat important for
animals? What is the polar bear’s habitat?
 Read Chapter 2 in Polar Bears’ Search for Ice to students. Use the
document camera and demonstrate how you would mark the text.
o Model asking questions to clarify as you read (e.g., on page 12, “I
wonder why the ice sheet is biggest in March and smallest in
September. As I think about that, I’m thinking that March is the
end of winter so it has been cold for a long time, and September
is the end of summer so it has been warm for a long time”). Point
out that good readers take time to think and puzzle about things
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Page 15 of 40

as they read. The goal of reading is to understand and remember.
If we don’t think about what the text says and make sure that it
makes sense, we will not remember it. Show students how to
underline “biggest in March” and “smallest in September.”
o After each paragraph, ask students what they want to remember.
For example, what questions do they have? What do they wonder
about? Is there anything they want to ask the author? Write
some of these things in the margins.
Teach vocabulary: heaves (p. 10), scrambles (p. 11), ruffle (p. 14),
survive (p. 16). In addition, make sure that they know that a “cub” is
a young bear.
Reading Whole-class Text (25 minutes)
 Pass out Where Do Polar Bears Live?
 Set a purpose for reading: Read to find out about the habitat of polar
bears.
 Tell students: As you read, write down what you would like to talk
about. What questions do you have? What did you like or dislike
about the book so far? What do you wonder about? What don’t you
understand? What is the important information to remember? Focus
on elements that illustrate what a polar bear needs to live in the
Arctic.
 Students read pages 8–19 in one of three grouping options:
independently, with a partner, or in a small group with you.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
 Then, begin a whole-group discussion to model how to talk about
one topic at a time during a discussion.
o Ask one person to start the discussion based on something s/he
wrote in the RRJ and what polar bears need. Then, ask if anyone
else has a comment on that topic. Tell students that once a topic
has begun, they continue the topic and build on others’ ideas by
linking their comments to the remarks of others. They use their
notes but don’t have to read them in order.
o After exhausting one topic, ask if someone would like to start
another topic. Have students link their comments to the remarks
of the first student. One person starts a topic, and then everyone
has a chance to talk about that topic.
o Continue the whole-group discussion one topic at a time.
 Write any important information on the chart begun yesterday.
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
 Preview outcomes of the next lesson: Tomorrow we are going to
start learning about how to talk with each other about what you
have read.
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Page 16 of 40
How is an Animals’ Ability to Meet Their Needs Affected by
Changes to Their Habitat?
Lessons 3, 4, 5, and 6
Brief Overview of Lessons: Introduce student-led discussion groups and model how to jot down ideas while reading in
a Reading Response Journal in order to prepare for participation in a discussion group. Mini-lessons include noticing
how the illustrations and text work together to express the author’s message and identifying the author’s purpose and
point of view in writing the text. After reading, students participate in a fishbowl discussion and evaluate their
participation in the discussion. As you plan, consider the variability of learners in your class and make adaptations as
necessary.
Prior Knowledge Required: Recall information about polar bears and habitat from the previous lessons
Estimated Time: 60 minutes for each lesson
Resources for Lessons
Student text (one copy for each student):
 Where Do Polar Bears Live?, by Sarah Thomson (Lexile 710L)
 Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats, by Jim Arnosky
Teacher read-aloud text (one copy):
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Page 17 of 40
 A Polar Bear Journey, by Debbie S. Miller (Lexile 930L)
 Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats, by Jim Arnosky
Materials
Chart paper for charts
 Discussion Topics
 What Makes a Good Discussion?
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Page 18 of 40
Unit: Animals Depend on Their Habitats
Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Science, Grade 2
Time (minutes): 60 minutes for each lesson
Lessons 3–6: How is an Animals’ Ability to Meet Their Needs Affected by
Changes to Their Habitat?
By the end of these lessons, students will know and be able to:
 Discuss how changes in the Arctic habitat affects the polar bear’s
ability to meet its needs
 Recognize that different plants and animals live in different habitats
that meet their needs
Essential Questions addressed in these lessons
Q1. What is a habitat?
Q2. Why do certain animals live in specific places?
Q3. What happens to animals when their habitats change?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in these lessons
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.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of
historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical
procedures in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases
in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including
what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7 Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram
showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a
text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in
small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions
(e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care,
speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1b Build on others’ talk in conversations by
linking their comments to the remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1c Ask for clarification and further explanation
as needed about the topics and texts under discussion.
Science Standard:
2-LS2-3(MA) Develop and use models to compare how living things
depend on their surroundings and other living things to meet their
needs in the places they live. [Clarification Statement: Animals need
food, water, air, shelter, and favorable temperature; plants need
sufficient light, water, minerals, favorable temperature and animals or
other mechanisms to disperse seeds.]
2-LS4-1. Use texts and media to compare: a. different kinds of living
things in an area, and b. differences in the kinds of living things living in
different types of areas. [Clarification Statement: Examples of areas to
compare might include temperate forest, desert, tropical rain forest,
grassland, arctic, and aquatic.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does
not include specific animal and plant names in specific areas.]
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Page 19 of 40
Instructional Tips/Strategies/Notes for Teacher
Students will be grouped two different ways for these lessons. They will
be grouped homogeneously by instructional reading level for reading
and heterogeneously for discussion. It is important to regroup them
since students who struggle with reading the words can be strong
participants in discussion groups and need to be given a chance to work
with a variety of students, not just students who struggle with reading.
Discussion groups should consist of four or five students who can work
well together.
 Begin four charts today:
o Essential Questions (for reference during the unit)
o Discussion Topics
o What Makes a Good Discussion
 Students should be encouraged and reminded to use the charts
throughout the lessons to guide their reading.
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions
Preconception: Animals can adjust to changing habitats.
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 3 (60 minutes) Introduction of discussion groups
Before Reading (25 minutes)
 Introduce student-led discussion groups. Explain to students that
they will learn how to discuss what they have read with a small
group. They will learn what kinds of things they may want to discuss
and how to work in a small group without an adult.
 Begin a chart titled Discussion Topics. Ask students what kinds of
things they may want to talk about after reading and begin listing

them on the chart. Keep this focused on what constitutes a habitat,
what polar bears need from their surroundings, and comparisions of
what plants and animals live in different habitats. Below are some
possible ideas for the chart; not all of them need to be used. Develop
this chart over the next week as students naturally begin talking
about different things.
o Discussion Topics
 Discussion Starters
 I didn’t understand. . .
 My favorite part was. . . because. . .
 Talk about how the author supports his or her points
with reasons
 Discuss the author’s point of view (what the author
believes about something)
 Questions a reader asks while reading
 I didn’t know that . . .
 I wonder. . .
 Why did the author say. . . ?
 How does a chart or illustration clarify a text?
 What does the word ___________ mean?
 What did the author mean by. . . ?
Modeling: Read the first page in A Polar Bear Journey, by Debbie S.
Miller. After reading the first sentence, model writing in a Reading
Response Journal (RRJ): “I like the author’s use of the word ‘lumber’
because it describes exactly how a polar bear walks.” Then, tell
students that if they didn’t know what “lumber” meant, they might
write, “What does the word ’lumber’ mean? It might mean how the
polar bear walks.” Read the second sentence and reflect on “building
her den.” “I assume she builds it out of snow. I wonder how she does
that? How big does it have to be?" Continue modeling for the rest of
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Page 20 of 40




the page. If students do not know what a “den” is, they might write
“What is a den?” in their RRJ. Tell students that this is thoughtful
reading. Sometimes a thoughtful reader needs to read a sentence or
paragraph more than once to understand what the author is saying.
Guided practice: Read the first paragraph on the second page. Have
students write down what they want to talk about in that paragraph,
then discuss what they wrote down. Do the same with the second
paragraph. Tell students that as they read, they probably will not
have something to talk about in each paragraph, but they should
probably have four or five things to talk about from their reading
each day.
Add to the Discussion Topics chart.
Vocabulary twitch (p. 25), dart (p. 25 and p. 27), strip (p. 27).
Additionally, tell students that a lemming (p. 28) is a small (four- to
five-inch) rodent.
Vocabulary strategy: Have students turn to page 20 and find the
word “tundra.” Point out that the author writes what this word
means right in the sentence. Remind students that when they don’t
know what a word means, to reread the sentence to see if there is a
clue. If not, they should reread the paragraph because an author
often gives clues to the meaning of a word in the sentences before or
after the use of the word.
Reading Whole-Class Text (20 minutes)
 Students read pages 20–29 in Where Do Polar Bears Live? in one of
three grouping options: independently, with a partner, or in a small
group with you.
 Set a purpose for reading: Have students focus their RRJ writing on
Q3. What happens to animals when their habitats change?

Additionally, students may have other things that they would like to
add to their journals for discussion.
After Reading and Closure (15 minutes)
 Have a discussion using the fishbowl protocol. Choose four or five
students who are successful in discussing what they have read for
the inner circle, the fishbowl. All other students sit in the outer circle.
 Debrief the discussion with the class. First, ask the outer circle what
they think the fishbowl discussion group did well, and list those
ideas on the board. Next, ask the students in the fishbowl what they
thought they did well. List those on the board. Then, ask the outer
circle what they think students could do to improve the discussion.
Start a new list on the board. Finally, ask the fishbowl the same
question. List responses on the board. The goal is to help students to
become reflective about their own discussions. (The goal for the next
two days is to give everyone a chance to be in the fishbowl.)
 Have a brief discussion about the Essential Questions. Were they
able to begin to answer any of them?
 Begin a chart titled What Makes a Good Discussion. Take what
students thought could be improved upon and put those ideas in
positive terms. Include some of the following ideas: gaining the floor
in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a
time about the topics and texts under discussion, and building on
others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the
remarks of others.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will consider how
changes in the polar bear’s habitat may affect them.
Formative Assessment
 Student discussion
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Page 21 of 40

Notes that students take in Reading Response Journals
Lesson 4 (60 minutes) What might happen to animals when their
habitat changes?
Before Reading (20 minutes)
 Discuss with students how specific images and diagrams contribute
to and clarify a text.
o What does the image of the polar bear scientist convey? Why
does the author use that image? What do you think the author’s
point of view is in this story? Do you agree with the author’s
point of view?
o Vocabulary: Review the vocabulary from past two days (heaves,
scrambles, ruffle, survive, cub, twitch, dart, strip, lemming).
Discuss further examples of what each word is and is not.
Reading Whole-class Text (20 minutes)
 Students read pages 30–35 in Where Do Polar Bears Live?
 Set a purpose for reading: As you are reading, think about Q3: What
happens to animals when their habitats change?
o As students read, have them take notes on the Essential Question
as well as anything else they would like to discuss. Use the
Discussion Topics chart to remind students of what other things
they might want to talk about in their groups. If the list of
response options is too broad, give students two or three options
each day and have them respond using only those options. By the
middle of the unit, students should be able to choose from any of
the options.
After Reading (20 minutes)
 Ask students what the work “extinct” means. Have them turn to page
35, where the word is defined in the text.
 Choose four to five different students to discuss in the inner circle.
The rest of the class sits in the outside circle. Students participate in
a fishbowl discussion, as they did yesterday. After three to five
minutes of discussion, change the inner circle to give another group
of students a chance to be in the fishbowl.
 Using the chart What Makes a Good Discussion, have students
evaluate the discussion (as you did yesterday) and their
participation in it.
 Debrief as you did yesterday, adding to any of the charts as new
ideas emerge.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will learn about an
author’s purpose for writing and point of view by examining a text
that compares habitats rather than focus on one specific habitat.
Formative Assessment
 RRJ
 Peer-led discussions groups
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Page 22 of 40
Lesson 5 (60 minutes) Author’s purpose
Before Reading (15 minutes)
 Brainstorm with the students about why authors write—what is
their purpose for writing a book? Remind them of some of the books
they have read together this year, e.g., Ira Sleeps Over, Frogs, the
Tomie dePaola books, etc. Why do they think the authors wrote each
of the books? (e.g., to entertain, to inform, to describe life in a specific
part of the country at a specific time [or in a specific habitat], to tell
part of their own life story, to teach a lesson, etc.)
 Ask students what a person’s point of view is. If they struggle with
the concept, give an example. A possible scenario would be a family
talking about getting a dog. Each person in the family has a point of
view about having the dog. The children want the dog because they
want to play with it. The mother is excited about having a dog but is
concerned about who will walk it each day. The father really doesn’t
want a dog because he is allergic to dogs and their fur makes him
sneeze and be congested all the time. Each person has a different
point of view about the dog.
 The same thing is true about an author. Authors have a point of view
about what they write about.
 Today, as you read about animals in three different habitats think
about the author’s purpose and point of view.
Whole-class Reading (25 minutes)
 Students read in one of three groupings: independently, with a
partner, or in a small group with you.
 Set a purpose for reading: Students read to find out the author’s
purpose for writing the book and the authors point of view about
animals in different habitats. They also read for ideas of how to

answer Essential Question 2: Why do certain animals live in specific
places?
Students take notes in the RRJ to get ready for the peer-led
discussions. Remind them of the Discussion Topics chart.
After Reading and Closure (20 minutes)
 Break students into groups of four or five and have them discuss the
Essential Questions, the author’s purpose and point of view, and any
other things they have noted in their RRJ. As they discuss, go from
group to group, listening in on their discussion. Make note of group
dynamics that can be encouraged and those that need to be
developed.
 Students use the notes they made while reading to guide their
discussion.
 Facilitate discussion to compare the author’s purpose in this book
(to compare habitats) in relation to other books read about polar
bears (to describe 1 habitat and the effects of changes)
 Review the key concept: different plants and animals live in different
habitats that meet their basic needs.
 After five to eight minutes of discussion, reconvene the class and
discuss what you noticed as you went from group to group. Refer to
the chart that developed with the students (What Makes a Good
Discussion?).
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will read about other
habitats, the diverse animal that live there,
Formative Assessment
 Notes students take in their Reading Response Journal
 Students’ participation in peer-led discussion groups
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Page 23 of 40
Lesson 6 (60 minutes) Other Animal Habitats
 Begin habitat charts:
o Wetlands
o Woodlands
o Grasslands
o Cornfield
 Students should be encouraged and reminded to use the charts
throughout the lessons to guide their reading.
Before Reading (15 minutes)
 Review Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats.
 Highlight supporting evidence that answer the Essential Question
Q2. Why do certain animals live in specific places?
 Tell students “Today, as we will read about animals in three different
habitats. Think about the how their needs are being met.”
 Read the first habitat from Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal
Habitats
 As they listen, explain any words that they may not know. After each
page, ask students to identify the most important information and
record it on the habitat chart.
Whole-class Reading (25 minutes)
 Students read in one of three groupings: independently, with a
partner, or in a small group with you.
 Set a purpose for reading: They read for ideas of how to answer
Essential Question 2: Why do certain animals live in specific places?

Students take notes in the RRJ to get ready for the peer-led
discussions. Remind them of the Discussion Topics chart.
After Reading and Closure (20 minutes)
 Have a discussion using the fishbowl protocol. Choose four or five
students who are successful in discussing what they have read for
the inner circle, the fishbowl. All other students sit in the outer circle.
 Debrief the discussion with the class. First, ask the outer circle what
they think the fishbowl discussion group did well, and list those
ideas on the board. Next, ask the students in the fishbowl what they
thought they did well. List those on the board. Then, ask the outer
circle what they think students could do to improve the discussion.
Start a new list on the board. Finally, ask the fishbowl the same
question. List responses on the board. The goal is to help students to
become reflective about their own discussions. (The goal for the next
two days is to give everyone a chance to be in the fishbowl.)
 Have a brief discussion about the Essential Questions. Why do
certain animals live in specific places?
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will continue
reading about polar bears in three different groups and discuss
information that is similar and different in small discussion groups.
Formative Assessment
 Notes students take in their Reading Response Journal
 Students’ participation in peer-led discussion groups
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Page 24 of 40
What Are Different Ways Authors Use Text Features to Convey
Purpose and Point of View?
Lessons 7 and 8
Brief Overview of Lessons: Mini-lessons will be given on an author’s point of view and how reasons support an
author’s main points. Students read in small, homogeneous groups. While reading, students prepare for discussion by
writing in their Reading Response Journal. After reading, students discuss what they have read with those students
reading the same book. The teacher acts as a facilitator as needed, going from group to group. Additional mini-lessons
are based on the teacher’s assessment of discussion content and process. As you plan, consider the variability of learners
in your class and make adaptations as necessary.
Prior Knowledge Required:
 Participation in construction of the chart: What Makes a Good Discussion?
 Participation in construction of the chart: Discussion Topics
Estimated Time: 60 minutes for each lesson
Resources for Lessons
Student texts (small-group sets):
 Polar Bears, by Gail Gibbons (Very Complex text)
 Polar Bears in Danger, by Roberta Edwards (Moderately Complex text)
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Page 25 of 40
 Polar Bears, by Conrad Mason (Readily Accessible text)
(Optional) Teacher read-aloud text (one copy):
 Polar Bears, by Norbert Rosing (beautiful photographs of polar bears and some short text)
Materials
Copy of pages 45–48 of Polar Bears in Danger (a set for each student)
Reading Chart (see the Appendices) put on chart paper or the board
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Page 26 of 40
Unit: Animals Depend on Their Habitats
Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Science, Grade 2
Time (minutes): 60 minutes for each lesson
Lessons 7–8: What Are Different Ways Authors Use Text Features to
Convey Purpose and Point of View?
By the end of these lessons, students will know and be able to:
 Discuss with a small group of peers with minimal teacher interaction
 Describe a polar bear’s habitat
 Tell what happens to animals when their habitats change
Essential Questions addressed in these lessons
Q3. What happens to animals when their habitats change?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in these lessons
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.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of
historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical
procedures in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including
what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7 Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram
showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.8 Describe how reasons support specific points
the author makes in a text.
SL.2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in
small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions
(e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care,
speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1b Build on others’ talk in conversations by
linking their comments to the remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1c Ask for clarification and further explanation
as needed about the topics and texts under discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.1f Produce, expand, and rearrange complete
simple and compound sentences.
Science Standard:
2-LS2-3(MA) Develop and use models to compare how living things
depend on their surroundings and other living things to meet their
needs in the places they live. [Clarification Statement: Animals need
food, water, air, shelter, and favorable temperature; plants need
sufficient light, water, minerals, favorable temperature and animals or
other mechanisms to disperse seeds.]
Instructional Tips/ Strategies/Notes for Teacher
 Group students based on their instructional level of reading. Each
group will be reading a different book for the next two days.
 Further divide students into groups of four to five for discussion in
these lessons.
 Begin each day by working with below-grade-level readers and
listens in as they read, guiding them toward comprehension. You
may want to take a running record on one student each day.
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Page 27 of 40
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 7 (60 minutes) Author’s purpose
Before Reading: Whole-class Discussion (20 minutes)
 Remind students that you have been discussing the author’s purpose
for writing a book and how the illustration style used by the author
and illustrator contributes to its message.
 Have students reread pages 28–31 in Where Do Polar Bears Live? to
think about the author’s purpose in writing and how the illustrations
support the author’s purpose.
o Make sure that students notice the switch from the natural
habitat on page 28 to the polar bear in a lab coat on pages 29 and
30.
o Ask students what the tone is on pages 29, 30, and 31 (tone is
what the author feels—the author’s attitude). What words
denote tone on those pages? (You may want to clarify the
author’s tone, purpose, and point of view.)
o What other change do they notice from page 30 to page 31? Ask
students who the author is talking about on page 30 and on page
31.
o What is the author’s point on page 30, and how does the
illustration also make that point?
 Have students reread page 35 and ask them why there is only one
bear on the two pages.
o What does “last bear” mean?
o How can something be “gone forever”?
o Do you think the author supported her point of view with
reasons? How?

Ask students what the impact of the change in habitat is on the polar
bear.
Guided Reading in Small Groups (20 minutes)
 Pass out the books to each group:
o Polar Bears, by Gail Gibbons (Very Complex text)
o Polar Bears in Danger, by Roberta Edwards (Moderately Complex
text)
o Polar Bears, by Conrad Mason (Readily Accessible text)
 Explain the small-group format and expectations.
o Put the Reading Chart on the board so that students know what
they will be reading for the next four days.
 Students read individually and take notes on what they want to talk
about in their group.
After Reading (20 minutes)
 Students discuss what they read in a student-led group based on the
notes they took while reading. Move from group to group and listen
in on discussions, noting things that you want to bring up with the
whole group. Note which students are doing well and what they
might work on during the next discussion.
 Reconvene the whole group to discuss what went well in their group
and what they need to work on. Add any observations that you have
about the groups.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will continue
reading in small groups and learning about the polar bear’s habitat
and how it is changing.
Formative Assessment
 Students’ participation in peer-led discussions
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
Notes taken in Reading Response Journals
Lesson 8 (60 minutes) How illustrations support text
Before Reading: Whole-class Discussion (15 minutes)
 Have students reread pages 32–35 in Where Do Polar Bears Live?
o What is the author’s purpose in writing those pages? What does
she want to tell us?
o What is the illustrator trying to tell us?
o What are the author and illustrator doing with the reader’s
emotions on these pages?
o What is the illustrator comparing and why?
o What is the author’s point of view about polar bears?
 Have students look through the book from the beginning through
page 31 and ask what the predominant colors are of the illustrations.
Then, have them look on page 32 to the end and ask what the
predominant colors are on those pages. Why do they think the
illustrator changed the colors? What does it signify?
Guided Reading in Small Groups (20 minutes)
 Students read individually and take notes on what they want to talk
about in their group. Get the students who are reading the Readily
Accessible text started and then go from group to group as needed.
This is a good time to listen in as selected students read and take a
running record on one to two students each day.
After Reading and Closure (25 minutes)
 Students discuss what they read in a student-led group based on the
notes they took while reading.
o Move from group to group, but intervene in the discussion as
little as possible. Note what students are doing well and what
they need to work on. These observations will help to frame
future mini-lessons.
 Reconvene the whole group to discuss what went well in their group
and what they need to work on. Add any observations about the
discussions.
 Ask students what they noticed about how the authors supported
their points with reasons. Ask for examples from their books.
 Ask students how the author and illustrator worked together to
clarify the text.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Students will continue
reading in small groups and learning about polar bears' habitat and
how it is changing.
Formative Assessment
 Students’ participation in discussion groups
 Notes taken in Reading Response Journals
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Writing a Scientific Explanation
Lessons 9, 10, and 11
Brief Overview of Lessons: Using evidence from texts they have read, students will write an explanation about how the
Arctic habitat is changing and what effect this change has on polar bears. Students will focus their writing on answering
Essential Questions 2 and 3: Why do certain animals live in specific places? What happens to animals when their habitats
change? As you plan, consider the variability of learners in your class and make adaptations as necessary.
Prior Knowledge Required:
 Knowledge about polar bears and their habitat
 Understanding of how the Arctic habitat is changing
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes for each lesson
Resources for Lessons: None
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Unit: Animals Depend on Their Habitats
Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Science, Grade 2
Time (minutes): 45–60 minutes for each lesson
Lessons 11–13: Writing a Scientific Explanation

By the end of these lessons, students will know and be able to:



Write an explanation about how changes to the Arctic habitat may
affect polar bear’s ability to live there
Combine two short, simple sentences into a longer simple or
compound sentence
Essential Question addressed in these lessons
Q3. What happens to animals when their habitats change?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in these lessons
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of
historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical
procedures in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which
they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and
provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.1f Produce, expand, and rearrange complete
simple and compound sentences.
At the end of Lessons 8 and 9, take some time to read over the
writing to determine what mini-lessons are needed to help students
to successfully complete the CEPA. You may want to show students
the CEPA Rubric after they have completed the first draft so that they
have an idea of what they need to do to improve their writing.
Consider lining up some volunteers to type the explanations after
students have made revisions and edits.
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 9 (60 minutes) CEPA – Combining sentences to write an
explanation
Before Reading (30 minutes)
 Present a mini-lesson on combining two simple sentences to make a
longer sentence or a compound sentence. Take several simple
sentences (preferably examples from students’ Reading Response
Journals) and write them on the board. Discuss how they can be
combined using words such as and, so, for.
 Have students practice combining other sentences either in their
Reading Response Journal or on individual white boards. At the same
time, two or three students can work at the board. Some examples:
o Polar bears have black skin. Polar bears have white fur.
o Polar bears hunt in icy waters. Polar bears hunt seals.
o Polar bears have a thick layer of fat under the skin. This fat is
called blubber.
o Polar bear fat keeps the polar bear warm. It also makes it easy
for the polar bear to float.
Instructional Tips/ Strategies/Notes for Teacher
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


Ask students to look through their RRJ and find two sentences that
can be go together and be combined into one. Have them rewrite the
sentence in their RRJ. Ask several students to share.
Present the CEPA to students using the CEPA Student Instructions.
Put the following information on the board or on chart paper:
o Write an explanation about how the Arctic habitat is changing.
Explain what effect these changes in habitat are having on the
polar bear. Support all your explanations with facts and
examples. Write a concluding statement.
Writing (20 minutes)
 Students write their explanations individually.
 Have a small group of students work at a table with you to get them
started on their writing and help when they get stuck.
 Circulate around the room as students write, helping them as
needed. Also note what students are doing well. Some of them could
share part of their writing with the class. Note what they are
struggling with. This will guide the mini-lesson for tomorrow.
After Writing (10 minutes)
 Reconvene the class. Ask selected students to share writing. Ask if
anyone is stuck and needs help with ideas.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: We will continue our writing
tomorrow.
Formative Assessment
 First draft of the explanation
Lesson 10 (60 minutes) Writing an explanation
Before Writing (20 minutes)
 Give a mini-lesson on combining sentences. For example:
o Polar bears swim in icy waters. They hunt seals.
o Polar bears like to eat seals. They eat an average of one seal per
week.
o Sometimes polar bears get too hot. They roll in the snow. Rolling
in the snow cools them off.
o Try to save energy. Ride your bike when you can. Turn down the
heat in your house.
 Remind students to use longer sentences in their writing today.
 Give a mini-lesson on anything you noticed yesterday in students’
writing. Review the standards and criteria for success that they seem
to be struggling with.
Writing (30 minutes)
 Students should finish their first drafts. When they finish, have miniconferences with them and mark 5 to 10 edits that you think they
can make. If possible, mark the edits in the left-hand margin of the
drafts, signifying what they need to edit, such as adding periods,
capitals, correcting information, adding reasons, or combining short
sentences or creating longer sentences. In this way, they know
where to look and what to look for.
 Students should do the editing themselves, not just copy the editing
that you do for them.
After Writing (10 minutes)
 Reconvene the class and have those students who have successfully
completed part of the CEPA read their explanations.
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
Preview outcomes for the next lesson: We will finish writing our
explanations and write a final copy if the rough draft is too hard to
read. Otherwise, volunteers will type up the explanations for you to
read to your group.
Formative Assessment
 Students’ first drafts of their explanations
Lesson 11 (45–60 minutes) Completing the Explanation
Before Writing (10 minutes)
 Conduct a mini-lesson on anything that a majority of the class needs
to improve.
Writing (20 minutes)
 Students finish writing and editing their explanations.
After Writing (15–30 minutes)
 Students share their explanations with a partner or a small group
(three to four students).
Summative Assessment
Students complete the CEPA. Use the CEPA Rubric to evaluate each
individually.
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Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment (CEPA)
Teacher Instructions
Performance Task: Using evidence from texts they have read, students will write an explanation about how the Arctic habitat is changing and what
effect this change has on polar bears. Students will focus their writing on answering Essential Questions 2 and 3: Why do certain animals live in specific
places? What happens to animals when their habitats change?
Goal: The goal is for students to demonstrate what they have learned about how animals depend on their habitat and what can happen to animals when
their habitats change.
Audience: A partner or small group of classroom peers or students from another class
Standards Assessed:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a
text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.8 Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a
concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Science Standard: 2-LS2-3(MA) Develop and use models to compare how living things depend on their surroundings and other living things to meet their
needs in the places they live. [Clarification Statement: Animals need food, water, air, shelter, and favorable temperature; plants need sufficient light,
water, minerals, favorable temperature and animals or other mechanisms to disperse seeds.]
Criteria for Success:
Students will:
 Clearly describe how the polar bear depends on the Arctic habitat.
 Clearly explain how the Arctic habitat is changing.
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


Clearly describe the connection between the change(s) in the habitat and the effect on the polar bear.
Support all explanations with facts and examples.
Include a concluding statement.
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Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment (CEPA)
Student Instructions
Performance Task: Use evidence from texts you have read to write an explanation about how the Arctic habitat is changing and what effect
this change has on polar bears. Focus your writing on answering Essential Questions 2 and 3: Why do certain animals live in specific places?
What happens to animals when their habitats change?
Goal: Your goal is to demonstrate what you have learned about how animals depend on their habitat and what can happen to animals when
their habitats change.
Audience: A partner or small group of classroom peers or students from another class
Directions: You will:
 Write an explanation about how the Arctic habitat is changing.
 Describe what effect these changes in habitat might have on the polar bear.
 Support all your explanations with facts and examples.
 Write a concluding statement.
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CEPA Rubric
Written assignments
Topic/idea development
4 Exceeds expectations
Full/rich topic development
Introduces and organizes the
topic and ideas, provides key
details, and may include
visuals
Strong supporting details
3 Meets expectations
Adequate topic
development
2 Developing
Rudimentary topic
development
1 Emerging
Little or weak topic
development
Includes key details
Basic supporting details
Few details
Content understanding
Rich depth of concept
understanding and
application
Accurate and appropriate
depth of concept
understanding
Content understanding
generally accurate and
sufficient; some errors
Little or weak
understanding on concepts;
many errors or
misconceptions
Evidence from text
Logical and/or persuasive
use of relevant evidence
Adequate use of relevant
evidence
Basic or simple use of
evidence; most evidence is
relevant
Little or weak use of
evidence; little evidence is
relevant
Clarity
Logically organized, and
effective use of language
Clear organization and
language use
Basic organization and
language use
Poor organization and
language use
Demonstrates control of
standard English
conventions
Errors do not interfere with
communication
Errors interfere somewhat
with communication
Little control of sentence
structure, grammar,
mechanics
Accurately and sufficiently
conveys relationships of
animal needs to habitat,
impact of changes
Refers back to text (quotations,
paraphrases) if needed;
includes evidence for
assertions and/or facts, and
supportive details
Organizes ideas, details, and
evidence logically and clearly;
uses language effectively,
including academic vocabulary
Standard English
conventions
Includes correct use of
sentence structure, grammar
and usage, and mechanics
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Unit Resources
Lessons 1–2
Student text (one copy for each student):
 Where Do Polar Bears Live?, by Sarah Thomson (Lexile 710L)
Teacher read-aloud text (one copy):
 Polar Bears’ Search for Ice, by Gillia M. Olson
Materials
Copy of pages 8–10 of Polar Bears’ Search for Ice (a set for each student)
Overhead transparency or document camera (to show students the table of contents and pages from Polar Bears’ Search for Ice)
Chart paper for two charts
 Essential Questions (each question is written on a separate piece of chart paper)
 Polar Bear Information
Reading Response Journal
Lessons 3–6
Student text (one copy for each student):
 Where Do Polar Bears Live?, by Sarah Thomson (Lexile 710L)
 Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats, by Jim Arnosky
Teacher read-aloud text (one copy):
 A Polar Bear Journey, by Debbie S. Miller (Lexile 930L)
Materials
Chart paper for two charts
 Discussion Topics
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
What Makes a Good Discussion?
Lessons 7–8
Student texts (small-group sets):
 Polar Bears, by Gail Gibbons (Very Complex text)
 Polar Bears in Danger, by Roberta Edwards (Moderately Complex text)
 Polar Bears, by Conrad Mason (Readily Accessible text)
(Optional) Teacher read-aloud text (one copy):
 Polar Bears, by Norbert Rosing (beautiful photographs of polar bears and some short text)
Materials
Copy of pages 45–48 of Polar Bears’ Search for Ice (a set for each student)
Reading Chart (see the Appendices) put on chart paper or the board
Lessons 9–11
These lessons do not require any resources
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Appendices
Appendix A: Reading Chart
Book Titles
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Polar Bears, by Gail Gibbons
7 pages/day 7 pages/day
Polar Bears in Danger,
by Roberta Edwards
Pages 1–16
Pages 17–31
Polar Bears, by Conrad Mason Pages 1–15
Pages 16–27
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