Rain Forest Module 2A
Unit 1 Lesson 3
Continued Close Read of “Sloth Canopy Researcher:
Bryson Voirin”
Stephen J. O’Connor
steve@wellsny.com
ccss5.com
Based upon lessons created by Expeditionary Learning
Learning Targets
•
I can actively listen to my partner while
discussing our ideas.
•
I can determine the main idea of an interview
with scientist Bryson Voirin.
•
I can determine the meaning of new words from
context in an interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin.
•
I can read the interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin with fluency.
Read your answer to the Journal Response
Question to a partner.
Glass, Bugs, Mud
•
Glass=I was able to identify and write about a
text feature/element that really helped me
understand the text better
•
Bug=I was able to identify a text feature/element,
but I’m not yet sure how it helps me understand
the text better
•
Mud=I’m not sure about text features/elements or
how they help me understand the text better
You are going to continue to read the interview
with Bryson Voirin, paying attention to key
vocabulary as well as to text features that help
them find information about rainforests
Learning Targets
•
I can actively listen to my partner while
discussing our ideas.
•
I can determine the main idea of an interview
with scientist Bryson Voirin.
•
I can determine the meaning of new words from
context in an interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin.
•
I can read the interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin with fluency.
Take out your annotated copies
of “Interview with Sloth Canopy Researcher:
Bryson Voirin”
Review the gists that you wrote about
questions 1-3 of the interview in the
previous lesson
Work with your partner first to discuss and
then to write answers to the TextDependent Questions for “Interview with
Sloth Canopy Researcher: Bryson Voirin”
The worst thing, or hardest thing, is actually
finding the sloths to start with. Sloths are very
good at hiding. They usually live at the tops of
trees, and can have greenish fur. We have to
walk through the forest all day with our heads
tilted up, looking for dark spots with hair.
Sometimes it can take us weeks to find a
single sloth.
What inspired you to first study
science?Ever since I was little, I was always
fascinated with National Geographic
magazine. I used to imagine I was one of the
scientists in each issue, exploring unknown
lands or catching wild animals. I always knew
that was what I wanted to do.
What do you do in a typical day?On a typical day
working in Panama, I go out into the forest looking
for sloths. I usually hike with someone else, and we
use binoculars to look for the animals. When we find
a sloth, I use my tree climbing gear to go up and
catch it. Even though sloths are pretty slow animals,
it can take hours to catch one once I am in the trees.
They can move about as fast as you can walk fast,
so in a tree 150’ tall, it can be hard to catch them.
What advice would you give to someone
interested in becoming a biologist?I would
tell anyone interested in working in biology to
go outside and explore things. Walk through
parks and natural lands. The things you can
find in your own backyard can be really cool. If
you start exploring young, it will stay with you
forever.
Rereading: What Else Can We Learn from
Bryson Voirin’s Research about the Rainforest?
Learning Targets
•
I can actively listen to my partner while
discussing our ideas.
•
I can determine the main idea of an interview
with scientist Bryson Voirin.
•
I can determine the meaning of new words from
context in an interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin.
•
I can read the interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin with fluency.
Partner read aloud: One person will be the
interviewer, and the other will be Bryson Voirin.
What new things were you able to
learn about rainforests during this read
of the interview?
Add your new learning to the L column
in your journals.
In this module you will be focusing on two
different types of words, scientific (words
about science) and academic (other words
that help you understand concepts) words.
Why do you think scientists choose such
specific words when communicating
about their research?
What inspired you to first study science?Ever
since I was little, I was always fascinated with
National Geographic magazine. I used to imagine I
was one of the scientists in each issue, exploring
unknown lands or catching wild animals. I always
knew that was what I wanted to do.
On a typical day working in Panama, I go out into
the forest looking for sloths. I usually hike with
someone else, and we use binoculars to look for
the animals. When we find a sloth, I use my tree
climbing gear to go up and catch it. Even though
sloths are pretty slow animals, it can take hours to
catch one once I am in the trees. They can move
about as fast as you can walk fast, so in a tree
150’ tall, it can be hard to catch them.
What advice would you give to someone
interested in becoming a biologist?
Academic
Word
Synonym
Definition
determine
discover
find out
discover facts
about something
typical
ordinary
ordinary
fascinated
interested,
spellbound
extremely
interested
Picture
Learning Targets
•
I can actively listen to my partner while
discussing our ideas.
•
I can determine the main idea of an interview
with scientist Bryson Voirin.
•
I can determine the meaning of new words from
context in an interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin.
•
I can read the interview with scientist Bryson
Voirin with fluency.
With someone at home, read the interview again.
Ask your partner to be the interviewer. You be
Bryson Voirin. After you are done reading the
interview, pretend to be Bryson Voirin and answer
one more question: “What would you like to explore
Text
further in the rainforest? Why?”
Write your answer to this question. Have the
person who interviewed you sign your interview.
Bring the signed interview and your written answer
back to class with you.