NCDPI – AIG Instructional Resource: Background Information
Resource Title:
DINOlogic – When being wrong is right…Task 8
Subject Area/Grade Level (s): English Language Arts / Grade 3
Time Frame: Four to five 45-minute class periods
Common Core/Essential Standard Addressed:
RI.3.3 Determine the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text,
using language that pertains to time, sequence, and/or cause and effect.
RI.3.7 Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text
(e.g., where, when, whey, and how key events occur).
W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.
b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
Additional Standards Addressed: NA
Brief Description of Lesson/Task/Activity: This activity for gifted learners might serve as a writing activity as part of a larger unit focused on
scientific and/or historical non-fiction texts. Students will take part in close readings of a variety of informational texts throughout the unit
focusing on text structure, sequence of events, cause/effect, use of illustrations/photographs/diagrams/etc. The whole-group reading of the
texts should include independent reading, read aloud, literature circle groups, teacher conferences regarding comprehension, and other
activities designed to engage all learners in high-level thinking about the texts. Writing instruction regarding opinion pieces must be explicitly
taught, as well, through the reading & analysis of the structure of various opinion pieces, modeling the writing process for such pieces, group
writing, and the creation of a process piece of opinion writing. In this activity, gifted learners will work independently to close read Boy Were We
Wrong About Dinosaurs! By Kathleen Kudlinski. Using evidence from the book, students will craft an opinion piece arguing that oftentimes
(especially in science) “being wrong is actually right,” in other words…it’s a good thing. They will prove this using evidence from Boy Were We
Wrong About Dinosaurs! and extend the idea to another area of science or history…such as early thoughts about the Earth, moon and sun, or
another area of science/history in which they already have an intense interest.
Type of Differentiation for AIGs (include all that apply):
x Enrichment
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
x Extension
Acceleration
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project
Adaptations for AIGs:
x Content
x Process
x Product
Explanation of How Resource is Appropriate for AIGs: This activity is appropriate for gifted learners, as the complexity level of the task is high:
Students are manipulating the information to identify misconceptions regarding dinosaurs and arguing against something taken for granted or
commonly accepted…that being right is good and being wrong is bad. Then, they are extending the concept that being wrong can be a positive thing
to other areas of science and history and integrating more than one subject and skill while doing so…literature, history, science, and writing.
Needed Resources/Materials:
 Copies of Boy Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs! By Kathleen Kudlinski
 Internet Access
 Non-fiction books on the Earth, moon, and sun
 Non-fiction books related to students’ other scientific &/or historic interest areas
Sources: NA
TEACHER NOTES: In addition to directly teaching the writing of opinion pieces, research skills must be directly taught, as well. Students need to
be taught how to efficiently & effectively search for information, how to assess the credibility of what they find online, how to utilize indexes, &
tables of contents, how to paraphrase the information they find, and how to accurately cite their sources. A variety of research tasks
throughout the unit should provide students the experience they need to develop as independent researchers.
NCDPI AIG Curriculum Resource Outline
STAGE ONE: ENGAGE
Day 1
 Teacher polls class asking students if it’s better to be right or wrong… (Assumption is most students will automatically say right.)
 Class discusses the question and teacher encourages students to give evidence or examples to support their thinking in why it’s good to
be right
 Teacher then asks class can they think of any cases in which it’s good to be wrong
 Class again discusses the question and teacher encourages students to give evidence or examples to support their thinking in why its
good to be wrong
 Teacher introduces book Boy Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs! By Kathleen Kudlinski
 Students closely read Boy Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs! Independently (if possible…if not, teacher can read aloud)
 After reading, the teacher again asks the question, “Why might it be good to be wrong?” and class discusses the mistakes made
throughout history regarding dinosaurs and how those mistakes ended up being a good thing
 Teacher then asks students if they can extend this thinking to any other ideas, historic events, and scientific domains outside of dinosaurs…
 Students brainstorm independently
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project
Day 2
 Teacher tells students that over the next couple of days they’re going to write an essay arguing that being wrong can be right, using the
reasoning in Boy Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs! and research they conduct on misconceptions about the earth, moon, and/or sun
throughout history or another scientific or historic topic in which they have a strong interest.
 Today the class will help the teacher to create an opinion piece, using Boy Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs!, to convince the reader
that being wrong can be right…
1. Class together brainstorms introduction and what three points from story will use to convey points (possibly fossils
found, foot prints found, end of dinosaurs)
2. Assign groups to paragraph 2, 3, 4, to explain how scientists being wrong in each situation (listed above) helped to lead to a
more accurate answer/discovery
3. Class then returns to present their “paragraphs”…working together to help them transition into one another and to make sure
they agree with each other’s logic and evidence.
4. Finally, class together writes the conclusion, again emphasizing that being wrong turned out to be right…
If time allows, students then begin to brainstorm their own ideas for their essay.
STAGE TWO: ELABORATE
Day 3
 Using yesterday’s class essay and their own brainstorm as a guide, students decide on their essay’s scientific &/or historic topic/focus in
arguing that being wrong is right
 Students then begin any necessary research to help craft their arguments
 Students create a rough outline as they research, citing sources, important information, and creating the basic form of their fiveparagraph essay…much as they did in class yesterday.
Day 4
 If necessary, students continue their research.
 Students then begin rough draft of their opinion piece.
Day 5
 Students finish the final draft of their opinion piece.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project
STAGE THREE: EVALUATE
The students’ writing should be evaluated based on the following criteria using either a rubric or a checklist. Students can also complete a selfevaluation of their work using the same criteria.
 Statement of purpose/focus: The essay clearly states the opinion that being wrong can be right and that opinion is strongly maintained
throughout the piece.
 Organization: The essay has a clear organizational structure (five paragraph essay) with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to
end…effective introduction and conclusion for audience & purpose.
 Elaboration of evidence: The essay provides thorough and convincing support/evidence for the writer’s opinion that includes the
effective use of sources, facts & details (from Boy Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs, other scientifically &/or historically focused nonfiction books, &/or online sources…citation of sources)
 Language and Vocabulary: The essay clearly and effectively expresses ideas, using precise language, appropriate for the audience and
purpose.
 Conventions: The response demonstrates a strong command of conventions – few errors in usage and sentence formation, effective and
consistent use of punctuation, capitalization and spelling.
 Piece shows effort/students best work & creativity in thinking
TEACHER NOTES: NA
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project