Nitrogen Cycle

Common Core Connection

The students will analyze how illustrations and details help a reader determine the big ideas in a nonfiction text.  Learners look at things from the perspective of the author and illustrator and what they are trying to show is important by the way they structure the text and use illustrations.  In addition, students engage in a highly complex concept and stretch their phonological skills as they pronounce and understand the illustration of the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle.

Lesson Overview

The lesson consists of Transitions about every twenty minutes to keep the students focused and I made a video in the resources about this.  In addition, the students work in small groups that I call peanut butter jelly Partners throughout the lesson. There is also a fun chant (Fun Chant to Refocus Class After Discussion) we do to refocus the class after discussion in the resource section.

Introductory Activity

I put the lesson image on the board and ask the class to discuss what we can learn by looking at diagrams. While my students talk I am assessing their prior knowledge about using diagrams to gain information.

Then I explain the lesson goal and the plan for the lesson.

Next the students analyze the nitrogen cycle (Nitrogen Cycle Guided Practice Narration) with their partner and I add their ideas on the board (Board Work).  I do break the illustration down into sections and I explain this in the resources. 

Then the class move to the lounge where they practice their speaking, listening, and evaluation skills. I find being proactive really helps my students meet my expectations, so I go over all the rules of listening, speaking, and evaluation.

Next I select about three students to share their work, and after each Presentation I ask other students to share their Peer Evaluation.  What did you think they did well? What could they work on?  I try to avoid any focus on writing conventions and really foster creativity and getting my students thinking about the concepts in the text.