Grades 3, 4 & 5 - Questioning

A New Species?

Our focus in this lesson is on questioning – reading to ANSWER a question, and reading to ASK NEW questions.

Questioning

Scientists in Borneo believe they may have found a new mammal species. What steps do scientists take to prove that that they have found a new species?

Planning

You will be taking notes with pencil and paper. Reread the question: What steps do scientists take to prove that they have found a new species? Write down only the ideas in the article that help answer this question.

Gathering

Open the Time for Kids article (http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/news/story/0,6260,1138804,00.html) about this new species. While you read, write down notes that help you answer the question. Put the notes in a bulleted list, in your own words.

Sifting/Sorting

Synthesizing

What questions does this raise for you? What do you wonder about? Write your new questions on the back of your notes sheet.

Evaluating

Reporting

Share your notes and your new questions with your classmates.

Notes

In preparing the kids for this lesson, I will talk to them about the difference between reading to answer a question, and reading to raise new questions.