Introduction to Inquiry Kindergarten Animal Unit Grade 1 Water Pollution Unit Grade 2 Weather Unit

“Fact Tree: Find and Record Facts”

Animal Inquiry Unit- Kindergarten Sample Lesson #2
Phase of the Unit: Immerse

Fact Tree: Find and Record Facts PURPOSE OF THE LESSON – To prepare students for doing research on animals of their choice by: 

  • Continuing a shared inquiry about one animal chosen by the class (penguins).
  • Establishing how the familiar structure of stations can be used in research by applying the “Fact Tree” station to the penguin study.
  • Teaching children to notice new facts as they read and view informational text, and record them on sticky notes to place on the Fact Tree.
  • Emphasizing learning from words as well as pictures.
  • Building background knowledge about the types of information one can learn about animals.

 

Lesson Segment
(Video Clip)
Segment Focus
Questions to Consider While Viewing (Links to Facilitator Notes for PLC)
Teacher Commentary
(Video Clip)
Supporting Documents
Prior to the Lesson Stations already introduced with whole-class animal research How does the teacher scaffold students towards independent research through the lessons in the Immerse phase of inquiry? (See Student Work Samples – Previous Lessons) Prior to the Lesson (3:56)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Connect/Engage (4:52) Review Background Knowledge and Questions from RAN Chart and text features How is the teacher scaffolding success with today’s lesson?  
Model (2:55) The teacher thinks aloud about facts she is learning as she reads aloud What does the teacher emphasize in her modeling? Model (1:08)
Guided Practice 1 (3:53) Students turn and talk and share facts from the read-aloud; teacher confers Why do you think the teacher calls on specific children to share after Turn and Talk rather than randomly calling on students or soliciting volunteers?  
Guided Practice 2 (3:40) Guided Practice 2 (2:28)
Transition to Independent Practice (3:35) Teacher reviews new facts as children place them on the Fact Tree How does the teacher handle children’s confusion between facts, questions, and inferences? Transition to Independent Practice (2:41)
Independent Practice 1 (4:38) Confer with each table as the children work to find facts in nonfiction texts Independent Practice 1 (1:49)
Independent Practice 2 (5:04) Independent Practice 2 (2:55)
Share 1 (2:50) Turn and talk share What does the teacher accomplish by using turn and talk before whole class share?  
Share 2 (4:44) Whole class share What are your thoughts about the sharing session?  
Closure (4:06) Move sticky notes on the RAN chart based on student work How does the repetitive use of the RAN chart support the students’ research?  
Lesson Reflection and Next Steps Teacher/colleague discussion about the lesson What are your overall thoughts or questions about the lesson?
What insights did this lesson provide into the overall process of inquiry and development of an inquiry unit?		 Lesson Reflection (2:46)