lesson 11 teacher’s guide an inside look at zoos

Number of Words: 1,864

L E S S O N 1 1 T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

An Inside Look at Zoosby Nancy N. Ragno

Fountas-Pinnell Level SNarrative NonfictionSelection SummaryWorking as a zoo veterinarian can be a challenging, yet rewarding experience. Each day is different. But one particular day proved to be a bit more exciting than most.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Permission is hereby granted to individual teachers using the corresponding (discipline) Leveled Readers to photocopy student worksheets from this publication in classroom quantities for instructional use and not for resale. Requests for information on other matters regarding duplication of this work should be addressed to Houghton Miffl in Harcourt Publishing Company, Attn: Contracts, Copyrights, and Licensing, 9400 SouthPark Center Loop, Orlando, Florida 32819. Printed in the U.S.A. 978-0-547-30548-6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0940 15 14 13 12 11 10 09

If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Miffl in Harcourt Publishing Company retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited.

Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

Characteristics of the Text Genre • Narrative nonfi ction

Text Structure • Third-person narrative organized in six chapters that discusses different aspects of a day at the San Diego Zoo

Content • Dr. Jane Meier of the San Diego Zoo• Physical and emotional care of animals in captivity by zoo medical staff• Elephants, chimpanzees, koalas

Themes and Ideas • The life of a zoo veterinarian is interesting. • Sick and injured animals require special care and attention.• People need to work together to protect and care for wild and endangered animals.

Language and Literary Features

• Language related to zoos and veterinary medicine• Informal narrative with strong descriptive language (Smitty was a shy girl who was timid

around other elephants; they stared in disbelief), suspense in recovery of trapped elephantSentence Complexity • A mix of short and complex sentences

• Exclamations, questions, quotation marks, italics, parenthesesVocabulary • Many scientifi c terms, some of which might not be familiar

Words • Multisyllable words such as: ancestors, biological, pneumonia, prematureIllustrations • Photographs with captions

Book and Print Features • Twelve pages of text with photographs on most pages• Table of contents; sidebars

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

4_305486_AL_LRTG_L11_AnInsideLookAtZoos.indd 1 11/4/09 9:24:05 PM

Expand Your Vocabulary

ambassador – an unoffi cial representative, p. 7

incubator – a device that is temperature controlled for the care and protection of an infant born too early, p. 7

rehabilitate – to restore to good health through therapy and education, p. 7

research – scholarly or scientifi c investigation or inquiry, p. 9

An Inside Look at Zoos by Nancy N. Ragno

Build BackgroundHelp students use their knowledge of zoos and caring for animals to visualize the selection. Build interest by asking questions such as the following: Have you ever been to a zoo? What animals did you see there? What type of homes or enclosures did they live in? Have you ever wondered who takes care of the animals? Read the title and author and talk about the photographs on the cover. Note the chapter heads. Tell students that this selection is narrative nonfi ction. Ask what students might expect to read about in narrative nonfi ction about a vet, Dr. Jane Meier, and other caregivers at the San Diego Zoo.

Introduce the TextGuide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions:

Pages 4–5: Explain that Dr. Meier’s day begins early, not long after zookeepers release the animals to their outdoor enclosures. Ask: What do you think animals need in their enclosures? Help students as necessary with pronouncing Sumithi (Soo-MEE-thee) and Assam (Ah-SAAHM).

Page 7: Explain to students that zoo keepers and veterinarians must carefully observe animals for any sign of sickness. Suggested language: If an animal is sick, it must be rehabilitated. Why do you think observing the animals is important?

Page 9: The text says research has shown that chimps inherited intelligence from their ancestors. Ask: Who does research on chimps? Why is research an important part of animal medical care?

Now turn back to the beginning of the selection and read to fi nd out what happens inside the zoo when Sumithi fi nds herself in a diffi cult position.

2 Lesson 11: An Inside Look at ZoosGrade 4© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4_305486_AL_LRTG_L11_AnInsideLookAtZoos.indd 24_305486_AL_LRTG_L11_AnInsideLookAtZoos.indd 2 7/28/09 3:03:03 PM7/28/09 3:03:03 PM

ReadHave students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed.

Remind students to use the Infer/Predict Strategy and to use text clues in order to make predictions about the text.

Discuss and Revisit the TextPersonal ResponseInvite students to share their personal responses to the book. Suggested language: What did you learn about life inside a zoo that you didn’t know before reading the selection?

Ways of ThinkingAs you discuss the text, help students understand these points:

Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text

• The work of a veterinarian is interesting and challenging.

• Many wild animals are brought to animal hospitals to receive medical attention.

• Most zoos try to provide a natural environment for the animals.

• Some animals share characteristics with humans.

• People need to work together to care for and protect animals.

• The photographs help the reader visualize the animals in the text.

• The author includes many vivid descriptions to help the reader visualize the text.

• The author uses suspenseful details to help the reader make predictions about the text.

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for Further Support• Fluency Invite students to participate in readers’ theater. Choose one page from the

selection for this exercise. Remind students to read ahead to prepare for reading punctuation and giving appropriate expression to text presented in series.

• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas.

• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Explain to students that similes are words that use like or as to make a comparison. For example, on page 4, a loud noise sounded like a trumpet.



Writing about ReadingCritical ThinkingHave students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 11.9.

RespondingHave students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.

Target Comprehension SkillFact and Opinion

Target Comprehension Skill Remind students that facts can be proven and opinions

are what a person thinks or feels. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:

Think Aloud

According to page 5, it is a fact that elephants are intelligent and very emotional. This fact is known due to research on elephant behavior. The next sentence says it is not surprising to fi nd a shy elephant. This is an opinion. It can’t be proven.

Practice the SkillEncourage students to identify other examples of fact and opinion in the text.

Writing Prompt: Thinking About the TextHave students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think about the text, they refl ect back on the text. They should notice and evaluate language, genre, literary devices, and how the text is organized.

Assessment Prompts• The author organizes this selection by ___________________________________.

• The fi rst paragraph on page 7 is mainly about _____________________________.

• What is the meaning of ambassador in the second paragraph on page 7?



Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text What were some of the ways the

zookeepers tried to keep Smitty from being bored?

2. Think within the text Why do wild animals hide symptoms of

weakness or sickness?

3. Think beyond the text Dr. Meier’s visit to Gum Drop is

characterized as “especially fun.” Is this a fact or an opinion?

Explain your answer.

4. Think about the text Why did the author choose the heading

“Just Another Day at the Zoo?” for the passage on page 3?

Making Connections Imagine you had to raise a baby wild animal. Which animal would you like to raise? How would you take care of it?

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

An Inside Look at ZoosCritical Thinking

Critical Thinking© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Grade 4, Unit 3: Natural Encounters11

Lesson 11B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 1 . 9

Name Date

The elephant keepers challenged the elephants with problem-solving activities.

They encouraged Smitty’s love of scribbling and gave her tools to paint.

It is defensive behavior. Predators look for sick or injured prey when they are

hunting.

I think this is an opinion because not everyone would necessarily enjoy visiting

Gum Drop. Also, Dr. Meier didn’t say that her visit was “especially fun”; that’s just

how the author described it.

The question mark draws attention to the fact that it was not “just another day.”

Usually Dr. Meier takes care of sick and injured animals, but on this day she and

Ken had to pull an elephant out of a moat.

Possible responses shown.

11_4_246246RTXEAN_L11_FR.indd 11 11/25/09 1:11:39 PM

First Pass

English Language DevelopmentReading Support Pair advanced and intermediate readers to read the selection softly, or have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Remind them that zoo caregivers must watch the animals closely for signs of illness.

Cognates The text includes many cognates. Point out the English words and their Spanish equivalents: biological (biológico), incident (incidente), presence (presencia), ambassador (embajador), and incubator (incubadora).

Oral Language DevelopmentCheck student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’ English profi ciency. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.

Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced

Speaker 1: What is the selection about?

Speaker 2: life inside a zoo

Speaker 1: What are two types of elephants?

Speaker 2: Asian and African

Speaker 1: Why do keepers and veterinarians observe the animals?

Speaker 2: to look for signs of sickness

Speaker 1: Why can’t an elephant survive on its back for very long?

Speaker 2: It is too heavy for its organs.

Speaker 1: What do keepers put in termite mounds for the monkeys?

Speaker 2: They put ketchup, jelly, and other treats inside the termite mounds.

Speaker 1: Why do wild animals hide all signs of weakness?

Speaker 2: They hide all signs of weakness for their own protection. If they show they are sick, a predator could easily attack them.



Name Date

An Inside Look at ZoosThinking About the Text

Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in two or three paragraphs.

Remember that when you think about the text, you reflect back on the text. You notice and evaluate language, genre, literary devices, and how the text is organized.

The text on page 11 says Dr. Meier and keeper Ken Willingham heard the loud trumpeting of an elephant in distress on the day Sumithi became trapped in a moat. What other descriptions on pages 11 to 13 help you understand the elephant’s ordeal? How does the author build and maintain suspense? Support your response with details from the text.



An Inside Look at ZoosCritical Thinking

Lesson 11B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 1 . 9

Name Date


Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text What were some of the ways the

zookeepers tried to keep Smitty from being bored?

2. Think within the text Why do wild animals hide symptoms of

weakness or sickness?

3. Think beyond the text Dr. Meier’s visit to Gum Drop is

characterized as “especially fun.” Is this a fact or an opinion?

Explain your answer.

4. Think about the text Why did the author choose the heading

“Just Another Day at the Zoo?” for the passage on page 3?

Making Connections Imagine you had to raise a baby wild animal. Which animal would you like to raise? How would you take care of it?

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.


1413

951

Student Date Lesson 11

B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 1 1 . 1 3

Running Record Form

An Inside Look at ZoosAn Inside Look at Zoos • LEVEL S

Behavior Code Error

Read word correctly ✓cat 0

Repeated word, sentence, or phrase

®cat

0

Omission —cat 1

Behavior Code Error

Substitution cutcat 1

Self-corrects cut sccat 0

Insertion the

ˆcat 1

Word told Tcat 1

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

8

9

First on Dr. Meier’s list was a female chimpanzee. Her keeper

reported that the chimp seemed uninterested in searching for

food. This was unusual behavior, and therefore a possible

cause for concern. Zoo veterinarians know that it is not easy to

diagnose a sick animal, and they rely heavily on observations.

For their own protection, wild animals instinctively hide all

symptoms of weakness or sickness. It is much easier for a

predator to pounce on and kill an injured animal than a healthy

one.

The chimpanzee pulled her upper lip back into a snarl when

she saw Dr. Meier. After all, chimps are very smart.

Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read correctly/105 ×

100)

%

Total Self- Corrections



lesson 11 teacher’s guide an inside look at zoos

Documents