Caring for Pets - Lesson by Sandra Lawrence - Grades 4 and 5

Sandra Lawrence 
English Language Arts

Lesson: What is the purpose of having a pet?
Grade Level: 4 and 5

Common Core Standards: W.3.2

Students will write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Objective: 

Students will identify the similarities of caring for pets as well as others.

Students will learn about responsible pet ownership.

Danielson Competencies

3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

3c: Engaging Students in Learning

Differentiation

Students will be grouped using peer tutoring where students will work together to help each other gather information and write questions they have about the topic.

Assessment

A KWL chart will be used as a pre and post-test to elicit from the students what they already know about caring for pets.

Materials

Whole class KWL chart, post-it notes, pencils, markers, article Perfect Pairs, video clips Responsible Pet Ownership and Caring for Pets: A Family Academy Activity

Vocabulary
pets, companion, guardian, responsibility, care

Day 1 Procedure

           1. Teacher will introduce the vocabulary words by referring to a chart.

     2. After the vocabulary words are reviewed the students will be asked some probing questions.
3. What is the purpose of having a pet?  How would or do you care for a pet at home?
4. Teacher will review the KWL chart with the class.
5. Teacher will ask the students to think about the question, and will elicit answers based on the students’ prior knowledge.
6. Teacher will model for the class how the KWL chart would be used.
7. The class will write the answers to the question on post-it notes.
8. They will then share what they know about the topic with the class, and then place their post-it on the Know section of the chart.
9. After the Know section of the chart is complete, students will work in peer tutoring groups to write higher order questions using question starters to complete the Want to know section of the chart.
10. Sample model questions are: How is caring for pets like parents caring for their children?  How would I know what to do for my pet? How would I be able to help a mistreated pet?  Are all pets happy and healthy?
11. After which the whole class will reconvene to share the questions they have created for the chart.

Follow-up

For homework students will be asked to make a list of three things they would do to care for a pet.

Day 2 

Day 2 Procedure

1. Teacher will review the prior lesson with the class.

2. Students will get an opportunity to think of questions that they still have about the topic. (Want to know section of chart)

3. The peer tutoring grouping will be used so that students who have difficulty working to gather and read information will be paired with independent readers.

4. The students will view a video clip on www.youtube.com Caring for Pets: A Family Academy Activity to show students examples of what they should be researching.

5. Teacher will ask students to spend twenty minutes on the computer researching video clips that would help to explain the topic.

6. After the time has elapsed, the class will have a discussion about their findings.

7. Teacher will then introduce the story, “Maggie’s Second Chance a gentle dog’s rescue” by Nancy Furstinger to the class.

8. Teacher will read the story aloud to the class.

9. After the story, the class will have a discussion about the main idea of the story, the overall theme of the story, and the moral of the story.

10. Students will copy the answers to the discussion questions from the board.

Follow-up: For homework students will be asked to write three things they learned from the story.

Day 3

Differentiation

During the response to literature the class will be grouped to accommodate the different learning styles of the students.  Students who are visual learners will use the graphic organizer (KWL chart) and pictures to help them write and organize their thoughts.  Auditory learners will retell the story in their own words, read the story aloud to the group, and answer their questions out loud before writing them down.

Assessment

A KWL chart will be used as a post-test to elicit from the students what they have learned about caring for pets at home.

Materials

 Paper, pencils, post-it notes, KWL chart, pictures of pet animals, video clips of people caring for their pets

Vocabulary

Pet, companion, guardian, responsibility, care

Day 3 Procedure

1. The class will begin with the video clip www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/responsible-pet-ownership/6129.html

2. After the video clip, the class will discuss the contents.

3. The teacher will then read the article Perfect Pairs www.portal.achieve3000.com/kb/lesson/?lid=15363&step=11&c=1&asn=

4. Students will write what they have learned on their post-it notes and share with the class.

5. Students will then place their post-it notes on the Learnt section of the KWL chart.

6. Students will then use the completed KWL chart, prior knowledge, video clips, article, story, and learned information to answer the following questions:  What are some things people should do to care for their pets?  Do pets have feelings?  Is having a pet a big /responsibility?  How do people decide if a pet is right for them? 

7. The visual learners will be grouped close to the chart, so they can use the chart and pictures to help them organize their thoughts.

8. Students who are auditory learners will be asked to retell the story in their own words then, read the story aloud to the group.  They will also answer their questions out loud before writing them down.

9. Each student will develop a plan to care for a pet at home using the information he has learned.

10. The class will create a book where each student will have a page to share his plan.