English Language Development

(Elliott) #1
Snapshot 4.7. Biography Tableaux of American Heroes
Integrated ELA, History–Social Science, and Theatre in Grade Three (cont.)

CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy: RI.3.2–3; SL.3.1, 2, 4, 6; L.3.1, 3, 6
CA ELD Standards: ELD.PI 1, 4, 9, 12; ELD.PII 3, 4, 5
Related CA History–Social Science Content Standard:
3.4 (6) Describe the lives of American heroes who took risks to secure our freedoms (e.g., Anne Hutchinson,
Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr.).
Related Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards:
Theatre 5.1 Use problem-solving and cooperative skills to dramatize a story or a current event from another content
area, with emphasis on the five Ws.
Theatre 5.2 Develop problem-solving and communication skills by participating collaboratively in theatrical
experiences.

Snapshot 4.8. Research to Create a Bird Nesting Environment
Integrated ELA, Science, Math, Theatre, and Visual Arts in Grade Three

When Mrs. Shapiro greeted her students at the door one Thursday morning, Grace
interrupted what she was telling her friends to share her important news with the teacher. Two
birds were building a nest in the hanging basket on her apartment balcony! Grace and her
mom had observed the birds depositing string, leaves, and small twigs into the basket over
the past two days and concluded that they must be engaged in nest building. Mrs. Shapiro
was just as excited as the students, and when they were all settled in the room, she invited
Grace to tell them more. As Grace discussed her observations, the students showered her and
one another with questions: What kind of birds are they? Are they going to have babies? Has
she seen eggs? Will the birds stay there forever? Have other students seen nests at or near
their homes? Have birds ever built nests at the school?
Mrs. Shapiro decided to capitalize on the students’ interest in the birds’ behavior and
suggested they do a little research to find the answers to their questions. The timing was
perfect because they were about to begin a science unit on the growth and development of
organisms. She quickly turned on her laptop and started listing the questions the students
were generating and projected them for everyone to see. Then she asked if the students
wanted to study birds and explore the conditions required for nest building. Maybe they could
establish a safe area for birds in their classroom patio garden. The response was unanimous:
Everyone wanted to learn about birds and create an inviting nesting environment in the
garden.
With Mrs. Shapiro’s help, the students made decisions about tasks to undertake. One
group volunteered to develop, conduct, analyze, and display the results of a survey of students
in the school to learn whether birds were building nests in their yards. Any respondent who
said yes would be asked follow-up questions and requested to provide a picture of the nest,
if possible—without disturbing it, of course! Another group agreed to learn about birds that
live in the local area. They would conduct Internet research and also talk to the education
coordinator at a local university arboretum and invite him to speak to the class. In addition,
they would ask students to observe the school yard and report the birds that they observed as
well as their numbers. Other students would join Mrs. Shapiro and the teacher librarian in the
school library to sift through texts and media about birds and gather relevant information.

368 | Chapter 4 Grade 3

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