Cluster 1: Key Ideas and DetailsArchived

In this lesson, students will use the beautiful text Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger to explore how an author uses color words and illustrations to describe various real-world objects. They will identify and explain how the descriptive words provide meaning and how the illustrations support the text. Students will brainstorm real-life objects that can be described and classified using color words and write an expository piece to describe those objects.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will learn about the topic of brown bears by asking questions and gaining information from a non-fiction, informational text. Students will listen for key details in the text and recall information that will be demonstrated through drawing and writing.

Type: Lesson Plan

In the first lesson in this series, students practiced identifying a topic and multiple details about brown bears. Now the students will learn about polar bears using a K-W-L chart and a non-fiction text. Students will practice recalling details and using full sentences to share new learning with a partner.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson focuses on the words Who, What, When, and Where to learn about details in nonfiction text related to the science topic of Changing Matter.
In order to organize the information found in the text, a 3-column Graphic Organizer is used with the following headings: Answered, Questions, and Not Answered.

Type: Lesson Plan

In teams, students will make decisions about how to select the best bakery based on various cupcake characteristics (e.g., taste, smell).

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

"Taking Care of Business" is a Kindergarten level lesson plan that allows students to investigate the world of jobs. In this lesson, the students will read Everybody Works by Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler. Then, the students will work together in small groups to show what they have learned. Your superstar students will understand more about jobs, job duties, and job settings by the end of this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson demonstrates how students can use cause and effect to describe how objects move using a push or pull (forces). The students will understand that forces put objects in motion and that a strong force could change the direction and speed of an object.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson uses When a Storm Comes Up by Allan Fowler and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett to introduce four major weather patterns (rain showers, blizzards, tornadoes and hurricanes). The students will apply what they have learned to identify, describe, and illustrate the weather patterns using white liquid glue and oil pastels. It is recommended that this lesson be broken into two parts, with at least twelve hours in-between each lesson so the white liquid glue has time to dry.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will be animal investigators on a mission to learn all about pigs and wolves. With prompting and support from the teacher, students will read an informational text about pigs and another about wolves. They will use information gathered to contribute to a class discussion about the characteristics of real pigs and wolves. Then, the teacher will read The Three Little Pigs to the students and help them complete a Venn diagram comparing what they observed in The Three Little Pigs to what they know to be true of real pigs and wolves. In order to determine mastery of the concept, the students will complete a picture sort of Real and Imaginary Pigs and Wolves. At the end of the lesson, students will be able to explain how they make an informed decision about whether an animal is real or imaginary.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this multi-day lesson, students will learn about American holidays as they analyze grade-appropriate informational text. Students will learn to identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book and their text features. They will also learn how to use the text features (title, headings, and illustrations) to predict the topic of the book. As the teacher reads the book, students will confirm the topic and identify important details, recording them on a graphic organizer. Finally, students will use details from the graphic organizer to draw, dictate, and/or write an expository piece about the topic of the text. 

Type: Lesson Plan

After completing performance tasks in science on pushing and pulling, students will have an opportunity to apply their new learning to reading informational text about vehicles that can push and pull. This lesson focuses specifically on pushing and pulling of trains by the engine.

Type: Lesson Plan

For this lesson, students will compare and contrast two different animals presented in two separate informational texts on the topic of Grassland Animals. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the similarities and differences in Venn diagram and through a written response.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this resource, students will create a title for a book using textual details. The teacher modeling section uses a book about gorillas and the guided practice uses a passage about ants (passage included). The independent practice uses a book about leopards. With each text, students will practice creating a title based on what the text is mainly about. This is the third lesson in a three-part unit on identifying the main topic. The other lessons are attached as related resources.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this resource, students will identify and describe what a book is mainly about using the title, text and pictures. The two featured texts that students will use are informational texts about tigers and ladybugs. This is the first lesson in a three-part unit on identifying main topic. The other lessons in the unit are attached as related resources.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will practice identifying the topic and details in a nonfiction text about polar bears. They will work at completing a K-W-L chart with the teacher to help organize their thinking and think of questions that they have about this amazing animal. Students will also complete an independent assignment where they draw a picture of the topic and two details that they learned demonstrating what they have learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this resource, students will identify pictures that describe what the book is mainly about. Throughout the teacher modeling section, guided practice, and independent practice, students will use books on tigers, farm animals, and whales. This is the second lesson in a three-part unit on identifying main topic. The other lessons are attached as related resources.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this multi-day lesson, students will learn about American symbols as they analyze grade-appropriate informational text. Students will learn to identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book and their text features. They will also learn how to use the text features (title, headings, and illustrations) to predict the topic of the book. As the teacher reads the book, students will confirm the topic and identify important details, recording them on a graphic organizer. Finally, students will use details from the graphic organizer to draw, dictate, and/or write an expository piece about the topic of the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Identify key details as you answer questions about informational text in this interactive tutorial. Join Sam as he explores the seashore and answers who, what, where, and when questions about sea stars, sea urchins, hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, and other sea-related topics.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Answer questions about key details in nonfiction text with this interactive tutorial. Help Bobby the beekeeper answer who, what, and where questions while reading about buzzing bees.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this activity, students will identify the topic and key details in informational text. As an extension, students may also compare and contrast the important details presented by two texts on the same topic.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will identify the main topic and key details in a text.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will identify the topic and details in text using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will make and check predictions about text.

Type: Student Center Activity