SOL:

3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
a) Identify the author’s purpose.
b) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
c) Preview and use text features.
d) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
e) Draw conclusions based on text.
f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.
g) Identify the main idea.
h) Identify supporting details.
j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process.
k) Identify new information gained from reading.
l) Read with fluency and accuracy.

Materials
● “Why Polar Bears Like Snow...And Flamingos Don’t” by Nancy White
● Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer (attached)
● Visual Word Web (attached)

Preparation
● Have the graphic organizers and visual word webs printed
● Have copies of the book for all students

Intro
● Hand out the book to each student and have them read the front cover (just the title)
● Then have students turn to the back of the book, and read the summary and about the
author
● Give students a few minutes to look through the book, recognizing the pictures and
captions
● Ask students: Is this book fiction or nonfiction? What makes you think so?
● Make predictions about what this book may be about
● Look through the book’s pictures
○ What animals do you recognize? What do you know about them? What animals
do you not recognize?
○ What places are shown in the pictures? What do you know about these places?

Implementation
● Ask students what comparing and contrasting means
○ Show sticky notes
■ Comparing means things in common or the same
■ Contrasting means things that are different or not the same
■ Talk about signal words
● Compare: too, also, most, many
● Contrast: but, however, on the other hand
 ● This book is going to talk about characteristics of four different animal habitats
○ What is a habitat?
○ Arctic
○ Tropical rainforest
○ Grasslands of Africa
○ Florida everglades
● We are going to be reading about these habitats and these animals, and then comparing
and contrasting them
● We are also going to compare and contrast how animals have adapted to their habitats
○ What does it mean for an animal to adapt to their habitats? What does adapt
mean?
○ Do visual word web for adapt

Closure
● Show students the graphic organizer they are going to complete as we read next class
○ Allow students to look over it and ask any questions they may have

Differentiation
● Because I will be working with three groups of students at low, medium, and high
reading levels, I want to make sure all groups at least get through the intro and the sticky
note discussion about comparing and contrasting.
● Some of the higher students may finish this quickly. If they do, they will complete the
visual word web for the word adapt (pg. 3), as well as through as many words as we
have time for:
○ Blubber pg. 5
■ Synonym: fat
■ Definition: the layer of fat on whales, seals, and other animals
■ Sentence: The thick layer of blubber under their skins keeps them warm,
even in the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean.
○ Swampy pg. 2
■ Synonym: muddy, wet, marshy
■ Definition: characteristics of or resembling a swamp
■ Sentence: Flamingos wade around in swampy wetlands.
○ Bounding pg. 2
■ Synonym: leap, jump, bounce, hop
■ Definition: walk or run with leaping strides
■ Sentence: They are never seen bounding across the African grasslands.
○ Surroundings pg. 7
■ Synonym: environment, setting
■ Definition: become adjusted to new conditions
■ Sentence: Coloring that makes an animal blend in with its surroundings is
called camouflage.
○ Camouflage pg. 7
■ Synonym: disguise
 ■ Definition: hide the existence of something
■ Sentence: Coloring that makes an animal blend in with its surroundings is
called camouflage.
● All of the students I will be working with are also ELL students, which means that I will be
putting an emphasis on vocabulary to make sure that students are understanding the
language that is being used. Having a lot of visuals, and having the use of the word web
and graphic organizer, will also hopefully aid in their comprehension of the material.