Text type:
Factual

Guided Reading
O

Word Count:
1085

Text Summary
Whales is a factual text with photos that includes types of whales, feeding habits, sounds, reproduction, and migration. The author points out that many whales are endangered and in need of our respect and protection.

Reader Supports
Concepts and details of paragraphs illustrated by photographs
Photo captions
Section heads
Boldface terms
Controlled amount of text on each page
Table of contents organizes concepts
Glossary defines scientific terms

Reader Challenges
Longer paragraphs with two or three related concepts
Science terms and processes explained on each page

Lesson Objectives
Reading Strategies

Comprehension
Students will be able to make predictions about the book from information on the cover, title page, and table of contents.

Vocabulary Words
Content words
toothed, orca, narwhal, baleen, buoyant, migrate, dolphin, mammal, blowhole, blubber, pod, decibels

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Direct students’ attention to the cover, but do not pass the book out to the students at this time. Ask: What do you see on the cover? What do you think this book will be about? Read the title: Whales. Ask: Does the title give you a better idea of what the book will be about? Direct students’ attention to the picture. What is the whale doing? Why do you think it is doing it? What kind of whale is it? (humpback) What kind of things do you expect to learn from reading the book? Does it look like a storybook or a book of scientific facts? What makes you think so?

Explain that the book is a factual and that it presents true scientific facts about whales. Ask: How is this book different from a fiction, or a storybook?

Pass out the books. Have students open the book to the title page. What information do you find on the title page? What additional information do you get from the picture? Students will probably not think of dolphins as whales, so they will think that the book is about dolphins and whales. Don’t worry about this misconception at this point. As they read further, they will learn that dolphins are a type of whale.
Have students turn to the table of contents. Ask: How does the table of contents help you better understand what the book is about? What section interests you the most? Why?

Building Background
Students probably have seen television programs about whales or seen a movie about a whale, so they will have some prior knowledge. They may have a difficult time grasping the size of a large whale. They also may have misconceptions about whales. For example, they may think of whales as big fish, or they may think that whales are vicious. Ask if anyone has ever seen a whale. If so, where? From a boat at sea? In a sea aquarium or at a zoo? In a book, television, or movie?

You may want to start a bulletin board on whales. Have students look through magazines for whale pictures that they can place on the bulletin board. You can also build background by placing books and magazines about whales in the science center. Download the Fact Files and Cut-outs for the killer Whale, Blue Whale, Sperm Whale and Bottle-Nosed Dolphin.

Have a member of the community who has been on a whale observation excursion come to the classroom and share his or her experiences and photos.

Picture Walk
Go through the book with the children before reading, paying attention to the section heads and the pictures. Discuss potentially difficult words or complicated ideas.

Activity Sheet
Have students fill out the first two sections of the KWL chart by writing in what they know about whales and what they want to know.

During Reading

Have students read a couple of sections at a time. Then discuss the section before reading the next section.
The following tips are offered for discussion after reading each section so in that way they are "after reading tips."
Have students read up to page 10.
Discuss the size of whales. If possible go outside or into the hallway and measure out 100 feet so that students can grasp the length of a blue whale. Mark off 6 feet as well. Have them compare the size of large and small whales. You might want to have the students lie down head to foot to see how many of them it would take to equal the length of a large whale. Explain that a ton is 2,000 pounds. Ask: How many tons does a blue whale weigh?
Ask students to compare the eating habits of the two main groups of whales.
Have students read pages 10 through 18.
Have students look at a globe or world map. Locate the oceans and the poles. Discuss the geographical range of whales. Help them understand that approximately 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water, and that since whales live in all the oceans of the world, they inhabit a much larger area than any land animal.
Ask: Does anyone know where South America is? Have students point it out on the map or globe. Next help them find the Amazon River. Explain that it is the world’s largest river.
Ask: Has anyone ever tasted ocean water? What does it taste like? Discuss the difference between salt water and fresh water.
Discuss the characteristics of whales. Ask: How are they different from fish? How are they like fish?
How do they communicate?
Have each student or small group make a concept map with whales in the middle. Place characteristics in boxes around the word whales and write linking words on the connecting lines.
Have students read pages 19 to 25.
Ask: What about whale behavior makes you think they might be smart?
Ask: Why is it important to protect whales? What do you think should be done to protect them? What other animals do you know of that are nearly extinct?

After Reading

Reading Strategies
Ask: What do you do when you come to a word you cannot read? Encourage students to share any reading strategies they used to help them read this story. When a lot of scientific information is presented on a page, sometimes it helps to make notes on cards or create a chart to organize it. Uncertain areas can be further researched in other reference books and on the Internet.

Comprehending the Text
Use the following questions to check students' literal understanding of the text they just read and their ability to recall supporting details.

Ask: What interesting things did you learn about whales that you did not already know? What do you like best about whales? What are some things you would like to know more about? How could you get more information?

Have students fill out the last section of the KWL chart and write a summary statement that describes how they feel about whales.

Building Skills

Phonics
Point out the wh digraph in the word whale. Explain that it makes the /hw/ sound. Explain that when making the sound you let out just a little puff of air to make a weak /h/ sound. Write wine and whine on the board. Demonstrate the difference in pronunciation. You can do the same with weather and whether. Ask: What other words can you think of that have the wh combination and make the same beginning sound?
You should also point out that the wh digraph makes an /h/ sound, as in who and whole.

Worksheet 2
Have students complete worksheet 2.

Word Work
Vocabulary Building

Worksheets

Math Connection
Have students at home and with the help of an adult look into the manual from their family car to see how much it weighs. Have them figure out how much heavier the blue whale that weighs 250,000 pounds is than their family car.

Art Connection
Have students make posters in support of protecting whales. Display them in the room or school hallways.

Reading Independently
Allow students to continue reading the book independently or with a partner. Have partners quiz each other on pertinent facts that are on each page. Model this by demonstrating, reading page 20: Whales usually swim in groups called ________.

Home Connection

Assessment