The Life Cycle of a Butterfly Day 2 of 2

Context and Overview

Today, I continue building content knowledge about butterflies to support my students in comprehending a narrative text about the transformation of a butterfly and a goose (Farfallina & Marcel by Holler Keller) that we will focus on towards the end of this unit.  My students will be reading an informational text today, and they will have to navigate text features to answer questions about butterflies.

As in the previous lesson, I will be asking my students to draw a diagram of a butterfly and label it appropriately. I want to immerse my students in different types of diagrams so that they build confidence as readers of informational texts.

Then, students will get the opportunity to share their learning orally and in writing to synthesize what they learned.

Lesson Opening:

After sharing the objective, I ask my students to review the cycle of the butterfly. I believe in reviewing, it allows for the learning to deepen and for my students to connect the old knowledge with the new.

• Reviewing the First Part of the Butterfly Cycle
• Reviewing The Life Cycle of A Butterfly

Also, my students need much practice with academic language, and that is why I engage them with academic talk and sharing in the whole group.

My students will spend time reading an informational text: All About Butterflies - What is a Butterfly? As they read, they will be answering text dependent questions that I created. They will use a template when answering the questions: What is a Butterfly?

Most of the students will be reading independently and Answering Questions About Butterflies as I read with a Small Group to help them navigate the sheet and help them answer the questions.

I have taught students previously about how to take notes effectively, so they know that sometimes their notes can be words or phrases or even a quick sketch. Here are some examples:

• Notes
• Notes 2
• Notes 3
• Notes 4

I am working with a small group of students because they need support with navigating the informational sheet to answer the questions. They need my guidance to make sense of of headlines and subheadings. They need my encouragement because they lack self confidence too.

• What Section Do We Read To Answer The Question
• Dissecting The Informational Sheet

Now that students have read the text, they will start Drawing The Diagram of a butterfly.  I have written the directions on the white board for them to reference as needed: How To Draw The Diagram of the Butterfly.

I am giving them this task because I want them to deepen their knowledge of diagrams and butterflies. So as they work, I am making sure they are Labeling the Butterfly appropriately.

As they work, I give them support with: spelling words, make sure they add all the labels, stay on task, and give directions again if needed.

Here are some examples of their work:

• Diagram Of A Butterfly
• Diagram Of A Butterfly 1
• Diagram of A Butterfly 2
• Diagram of A Butterfly 3
• Diagram of A Butterfly 4
• Diagram of A Butterfly 5

Sometimes, we sit on carpet and we review what is being learned. Sometimes, like today, we review at the tables. I like to review what we are learning because it helps students to remember what they are learning.

Here are their contributions: What Did We Learn About Butterflies.

Now students are writing about they learned about butterflies. I am curious to read their entries and see what they focus on. As they write, I walk around and make sure they are on task. I lend support in helping them spell words, in redirecting them, and in answering questions they have.

Here are examples of their work:

• What I Learned About Butterflies
• What I Learned About Butterflies 2
• What I Learned About Butterflies 3
• What I Learned About Butterflies 4
• What I Learned About Butterflies 5

Now some students get the opportunity to share with the whole group. Those students who share are serving as role models. They are students who have met the task. Here are examples of their shares:

• Sharing Her Findings
• 2 Sharing Her Findings
• 3 Sharing Her Findings
• 4 Sharing Her Findings

Speakers get feedback after they share in a structured way. This is the system I use:

• Two Stars: Two different students share specifically what they liked about the content of the writing.
• A Wish: Another student will share specifically how they wish the writing can be improved.