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Teacher Resource for Reading to Learn
Reading to Learn
Lesson Plan Format For Detailed Reading
Lesson Plan Cover Sheet
Name: / Sharron Wolter and Nena MorganteSchool: / Holy Rosary School Windsor
Year Level: / 5-7
Text Details (title, author, ch. & page no.): / ‘Should Dolphins be Held in Captivity?’ First Steps Writing Resource Book 2nd edition p.105
Topic/ Genre/ Curriculum Focus: / Persuasive Texts
Context for lesson (i.e. mainstream class, small group, intervention etc): / NAPLAN preparation 2011
Additional notes/comments:
Before you start….
Read over your passage of text and write 6 comprehension questions – two at each of the levels of Literal, Inferred and Interpretive. These questions should be be pertient to the meaning and purlose of the text. As you develop your lesson plan, ensure that these questions are addressed (amongst all the other comprehension issues in the text). Refer to the notes below as a guide.
Literal
The meaning is within the words in a sentence i.e. ‘reading on the lines’.
Inferred
The meaning is elsewhere in the text, such as another sentence or section, or in illustrations. The reader must recognise a connection between the words they are reading, and other words or images in the text. Inferred meanings also include metaphors, similes and idioms, which have two levels of meaning, the literal meaning of the words, and an inferred meaning. The literal words may make no meaning in the sentence, but the inferred meaning does. Inferred comprehension is also known as ‘reading between the lines’.
Interpretive
The meaning is beyond the text, in the reader’s experience, attitudes, or knowledge of the topic. This includes applying what they know, think and feel to the text, deducing main ideas, identifying the purpose of the text, recognising the writer’s evaluations and viewpoints. This is also known as ‘reading beyond the lines’.
After reading or writing activities, you can use these questions to ‘test’ students’ comprehension and recall. You can guide them to answer questions by telling them where to look for the answers, using the terms literal, inferred and interpretive.
Adapted from Rose, D., Reading to Learn, Book 1 2010: 26
Literal Comprehension Questions:· What is the word used when an animal is kept out of the natural environment or habitat?
· What are four of the diseases experienced by animals in captivity?
Inferred Comprehension Questions:
· What are some reasons why the writer thinks that dolphins in captivity are not happy?
·
Interpretive Comprehension Questions:
· Where are some other places where animals are kept in captivity?
· What is the writer trying to do by writing this text?
Notes for Preparing Before Reading
Background Knowledge:
An animal kept in captivity is an issue in society. Zoos and aquariums have the dual purpose of displaying animals for human entertainment and to prolong the life of the species. There are many reasons for and against keeping animals in captivity. This article gives reasons why the author thinks it is not a good idea to keep animals in captivity.
Video material:
Stages & Phases (type passage in here and use the left column to note stages and phases or how the text unfolds):
Stages & Phases / Passage of TextTitle / Should Dolphins Be Held in Captivity?
Thesis / Dolphins are a part of nature and should not be caught and put into aquariums. I believe that they have the right to stay in their natural environment and should not be held in captivity.
Arguments / Keeping dolphins in captivity can cause many health problems. Water that contains chemicals and bacteria causes numerous health problems such as pneumonia, ulcers, skin problems and stress related diseases.
Dolphins often have very high infant death rates when born in captivity. When baby dolphins are born they are sometimes kept away from their mother until it is sure they will survive.
Another reason for not keeping dolphins in captivity is that they often suffer from boredom. This may cause them to swim around in repetitive patterns and bang their heads against the walls.
Some people believe that keeping dolphins in captivity helps with research but it is better to learn about dolphins in their natural habitat.
Some people believe that keeping dolphins in captivity increases their life span but are they happy? Dolphins in the wild can live for up to forty years but this is not the case in captivity.
Reiteration / In conclusion I believe dolphins should be allowed to remain in their natural environment otherwise they will become extinct in the future.
This is an argument giving the reader arguments against keeping dolphins in captivity. It begins by giving the main argument or THESIS. The main argument is that dolphins should remain in their natural environment.
The next five paragraphs give the arguments. There is one paragraph for each argument.
Finally, the passage ends by reiterating or restating the main argument, which is that dolphins should remain in their natural environment.
Students’ Text for Detailed Reading
Dolphins are a part of nature and should not be caught and put into aquariums. I believe that they have the right to stay in their natural environment and should not be held in captivity.
Keeping dolphins in captivity can cause many health problems. Water that contains chemicals and bacteria causes numerous health problems such as pneumonia, ulcers, skin problems and stress related diseases.
Dolphins often have very high infant death rates when born in captivity. When baby dolphins are born they are sometimes kept away from their mother until it is sure they will survive.
Another reason for not keeping dolphins in captivity is that they often suffer from boredom. This may cause them to swim around in repetitive patterns and bang their heads against the walls.
Some people believe that keeping dolphins in captivity helps with research but it is better to learn about dolphins in their natural habitat.
Some people believe that keeping dolphins in captivity increases their life span but are they happy? Dolphins in the wild can live for up to forty years but this is not the case in captivity.
In conclusion I believe dolphins should be allowed to remain in their natural environment otherwise they will become extinct in the future.
Teacher’s Text for Detailed Reading
Should Dolphins Be Held in Captivity?· This is the title. It summarises the information in the text and prepares us for what is coming up in the text. This article is about a particular animal. Can you see the word that tell us what type of animal this article is about? Fabulous. Highlight.
· The title is about something humans are doing to dolphins. Can you see the words that mean that humans are holding dolphins? Great. Highlight.
· There is a word that is used to describe when an animal is taken out of its natural environment and kept in an artificial environment. Can you see the word that describes this? Excellent. Highlight.
· Finally, I’d like you to highlight the word ‘should’. This tells us that the author wants the reader to question the fact that dolphins are held in captivity.
Dolphins are a part of nature and should not be caught and put into aquariums. I believe that they have the right to stay in their natural environment and should not be held in captivity.
· The first paragraph presents the THESIS or main argument. The first word tells us what animal the author is concerned about. Can you see the word? Great. Highlight.
· The first sentence tells us that dolphins belong to the natural world. Can you see the words that tell us that dolphins belong to the natural world? Great. Highlight.
· This sentence also tells us that the author believes humans should stop doing something. Can you see the words that tell us to stop doing something? Great. Highlight. What is it that the author wants humans to stop? Great. Highlight the words ‘caught’ and ‘aquarium’.
· The next sentence tells us that the author thinks that something is right. Can you see the words? Excellent. Highlight ‘I believe’. There are two things about dolphins that the author believes. One is about where the dolphins should stay and the other is about what we need to stop doing as humans. Can you see the words that tell us the first thing? Great. Highlight ‘stay’ and ‘natural environment’. Can you see the second thing? Great. Highlight ‘should not’ and ‘held in captivity’.
· Highlight the words ‘have the right’. This is strong language used to convince the reader that dolphins have the same rights as humans. The term for this is anthropomorphising.
Keeping dolphins in captivity can cause many health problems. Water that contains chemicals and bacteria causes numerous health problems such as pneumonia, ulcers, skin problems and stress related diseases.
· This is the first argument. It doesn’t tell us by using the word FIRST, but we could put it in the text and it would still make sense. I want you to find the words that tell us the THESIS. Excellent ‘Keeping dolphins in captivity’. Highlight. Now find the words at the end of the sentence that the author believes causes the dolphins to become ill. Great. Highlight. The first sentence of each paragraph in an argument is called the TOPIC SENTENCE. This introduces the reader to the main point of the paragraph.
· The next sentence elaborates on this topic sentence. It tells the reader how the health problems occur. Can you see the word at the beginning of the sentence that tells us what causes the health problems? Great. Highlight. Can you see the words that tell us what the water contains? Great. Highlight. The author then gives us a list of the health problems from the water. Can you find the four diseases mentioned? Great. Highlight.
Dolphins often have very high infant death rates when born in captivity. When baby dolphins are born they are sometimes kept away from their mother until it is sure they will survive.
· This is the second argument. Look at the first sentence. Highlight ‘dolphins’ because that is the animal we are focusing on. Can you see the words that tell us the next problem with removing dolphins from their environment? Infants are young animals who typically are unable to look after themselves.
· The next sentence elaborates on the topic sentence in this paragraph. Can you see the words that tell us we are referring to infants? Excellent. Highlight. Can you see the words that tell us what happens to baby dolphins when they are born? Exellent. Why is this a problem do you think? Why is this done? There is a link between these two sentences that is not obvious in the text. It is a causal link – the baby dolphins have high death rates BECAUSE they are removed from their mothers.
Another reason for not keeping dolphins in captivity is that they often suffer from boredom. This may cause them to swim around in repetitive patterns and bang their heads against the walls.
· This is the third argument. Can you see the words that tell us it is the next argument? Excellent. Highlight. Can you see the words at the end of the sentence that tell us what the argument is? Excellent. Highlight.
· The next sentence tells us what the dolphins do when they are bored. Can you see the two things? Excellent. Highlight.
Some people believe that keeping dolphins in captivity helps with research but it is better to learn about dolphins in their natural habitat.
· This is the next argument. It gives us more information on why keeping dolphins in captivity is a bad thing, but this time the author does it by presenting opposing arguments and then rebutting or refuting them. Can you see the words that tell us that the author is presenting someone else’s argument? Excellent. Highlight.
· Can you see the words that tell us what it is that other people believe? Great. Can you see the words that tell us what the opposing argument is? Great.
Some people believe that keeping dolphins in captivity increases their life span but are they happy? Dolphins in the wild can live for up to forty years but this is not the case in captivity.
· Here is the final argument. Again the author is presenting an alternate view. Can you see the words that tell us it is someone else’s view? Great. Can you see the words that tell us what their view is? Great.
· Using the word ‘BUT’ alerts the reader of the author’s opposing view. Can you see the words that tell us the author’s view? Great.
· Now the author links the first topic sentence to the reason why dolphins are happier in the wild. Highlight the words ‘Dolphins in the wild’. Can you see the words that tell us the life span of a dolphin in the wild? Excellent.
· Highlight the words ‘this is not the case’. These words are used by the author to add weight to the argument.
In conclusion I believe dolphins should be allowed to remain in their natural environment otherwise they will become extinct in the future.
· This is the reiteration. It tells us the thesis again and summarises the main argument. The words ‘In conclusion’ tell us that it is the reiteration.
· Can you see the word telling us which animal this text is about? Great.
· Can you see the words that tell us what the thesis is?
· Highlight the word ‘otherwise’. This informs us that the author is about to sum up the argument. Can you see the words that tell us what the author believes will happen to dolphins in years to come if they are kept in captivity? Excellent. Highlight.
· The author could have summed up the arguments to make the reiteration longer. For example, the author could have said that dolphins suffer from health problems, become bored and do not live as long.
Adapted from Rose 2010 by Sarah Jane Culican