Ready-to-teach lesson
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Mighty Muskrats: The Case of the Windy Lake - Grade 5 - Short lesson
TIME
OBJECTIVE
10 minutes Compare the rope's initial appearance with its later explanation.
PRODUCT
A two-column comparison or one contrast paragraph.
Essential question: How does the Muskrats' final explanation of the rope differ from what the rope initially appeared to show?
- Materials
- Text to mark
- • The book
- • Passage 6 - Write the comparison.
- Prepared passages: Passage 6, Passage 11, Passage 12
- Student response materials
Lesson sequence
1 Set the focus - 2 min State the initial appearance.
Prepared text:
Passage 6
- Passage 11 - Write the comparison.
- Passage 12 - Write the comparison.
2 Work the evidence - 5 min Contrast it with the final explanation.
- Prepared text:
- Passages 11, 12 3 Make the student product - 3 min Write the comparison.
- Prepared text:
- Passages 6, 11, 12
Teacher key
At first the rope looks as if a person pulled the boat toward shore, but later the Muskrats conclude that a hawk lifted and dropped it after the boat drifted to the delta.
Support & extension
Above: Explain how the contrast makes the rope an effective red herring.
Assessment
- Accurately states the initial appearance.
- Accurately states the final explanation.
- Uses a clear contrast structure.
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