English • STEM • Environment • Social Studies • Citizenship Level 3 Level 4 TEACHING GUIDE Vol 2 • Issue 1 • Levels 3 & 4 Ages 9–13 years Dear Educator, CONTENTS Predator Plants 03–18 Welcome to a new school year and to the first issue of The Invaders 19-32 On Top of the World 33-45 engage magazine for this year. While school was out we were busy planning an exciting year of issues for you and your students. We studied the three major MEET THESE OUTCOMES curricula used in India and we have incorporated the ✓ LIFE SCIENCE — Students will observe different types of leaves science, math, social science and English language and sketch their forms, differentiate between arts outcomes into all our stories. Now more than ever, compound and simple leaves; classify leaves engage teaches what you teach and what your students into simple and compound; and identify and label the different parts of a leaf. need to know. — Level 4 students will design a model of a plant with adaptations of leaves, roots and We believe that the best way to learn and remember stems specific to a given habitat. — Students will conduct an experiment to content is through storytelling. Since the beginning of determine which wavelength of light is the human history, people have gathered to tell important best for plant growth and which is the worst. stories and teach vital lessons. This year we have — They will list different types of organisms that live in and on the human body, and will connected with Indian scientists, adventurers, mountain describe at least three pests or parasites that climbers and artists, and they are telling their stories harm the human body. to teach your curriculum. You will not read about many — Students will match facts about given parasites with their names. of these people anywhere else, yet they are changing — They will list ways to stay healthy and protect history. themselves from the invaders mentioned in the story. We want students to do more than read amazing ✓ LANGUAGE ARTS stories and learn content, we are keen on getting them — Level 4 students will define what is a simile, involved in making positive change. We at engage identify and list all the similes they find in this story and create their own similes to describe believe that today’s kids are the greatest generation certain plants. and they are passionate about improving our world. — Level 4 students will write a summary of this So, we have added a section to every issue called Life story in their own words. — Level 3 students will identify adjectives of Skills. In this section, we challenge students to take on quality, quantity, shape and colour in the text. projects that will improve their schools, communities — Level 3 students will identify and classify and even the world. different kind of nouns from the story – common, proper, collective and abstract. — All students will summarise information from We have also listened to the clarion call from Prime the story to present it in the form of a table. Minister Modi to reduce the use of plastic. As a result, — Level 3 students will identify conjunctions used in the story and make their own many of our stories tell students about the dangers sentences using specific conjunctions. plastics pose. In the next issue, we will challenge — Level 4 students will analyse sentence students to take the Plastic Pledge. More on that in structure for length and effective use of conjunctions. Issue 2. ✓ MATH For now, we hope you find that we are laser-focused on — Students will create their own word problems involving doubling numbers up to 100 and teaching your curriculum in the most engaging way. We halving even numbers up to 200. also hope you find our new, improved Teaching Guide — Students will construct a bar graph to be even more helpful in developing your lessons. showing the heights of the Seven Together, we are engaged in developing the most Summits across the world. successful students – ever! ✓ GEOGRAPHY — Students will create their own maps using appropriate symbols. ENGAGE Page 2 Vol 2, Issue 1, Levels 3 & 4 PREDATOR PLANTS LIFE SCIENCE OBJECTIVES 1. Students will observe different types of leaves and sketch their forms; differentiate between compound and simple leaves; classify leaves into simple and compound; and identify and label the different parts of a leaf. 2. Level 4 students will design a model of a plant with adaptations of leaves, roots and stems specific to a given habitat. 3. Students will conduct an experiment to determine which wavelength of light is the best for plant growth and which is the worst. LANGUAGE ARTS OBJECTIVES 1. Level 4 students will define what is a simile, identify and list all the similes they find in this story and create their own similes to describe certain plants. 2. Level 3 students will identify adjectives of quality, quantity, shape and colour in the text. 3. All students will summarise information from the story to present it in the form of a table. ENGAGE Page 3 Vol 2, Issue 1, Levels 3 & 4 CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS is and ask them for some examples. A predator is In this story, students will learn how plants can a carnivore that hunts other animals. be both producers and consumers. They will briefly explore the process of photosynthesis CONSUMER and understand how all the parts of a plant have to work together to produce food by interacting with the environment. They will also discuss and Herbivores Carnivores explore various carnivorous plants i.e. plants that not only produce their own food but supplement their diet with meat by preying on insects and Predators small animals. Students will study four examples of these ‘predator plants’ in detail, focusing on 7. Ask students to open their copies of engage the particular adaptations of these plants. Level 4 magazine to pages 7 and 10 and to look at the students will also learn about similes and how pictures of the sundew and the Venus flytrap. similes can improve their writing. Level 3 students You can use the flipbook to project the pages will learn about adjectives and how adjectives can on a screen. As they are looking at the pictures, modify nouns, and improve writing by making it ask them to turn to a partner and discuss the more descriptive. following questions: a. What is special about these plants? How are they similar to and different from other BUILD BACKGROUND plants they see every day? 1. Write the word "producer" and "consumer" b. Are these plants producers or consumers? on the board and ask students to discuss the c. Why do these plants need to eat insects? difference between the two words. 8. After the pair discussion is done, take a few 2. After taking a few responses, define the words responses from the students and introduce the for them. A producer is a living thing that makes topic by projecting pages 2-3 of the flipbook on its own food and a consumer is a living thing that a screen. Ask students to turn to those pages in eats or consumes other living things. their copies of engage. Explain that in "Predator 3. Ask students to give you some examples of Plants" students will learn how plants produce producers and consumers. ASK THEM: What their own food as well as how some plants plants need to produce their own food? What is supplement their diet by eating meat! the process called? Can any other living things also produce their own food? If so, which other living things are producers? READY TO READ 4. State that all plants and some microorganisms 9. Divide students into pairs and ask them to turn (some bacteria and algae) are the only known to page 4 of their copy of engage and do a pair ‘producers’ on Earth. Explain that all other living read-aloud. In this, one student reads aloud one things are consumers because they need to eat paragraph while the other listens and follows. plants or other animals to survive. At the end of the paragraph, the students switch 5. Under the word "consumer" on the board, draw and the other partner reads aloud. They go back arrows and write "herbivores" and "carnivores" and forth till they read the entire story. as shown below. Ask students if they know what 10. After students finish pair reading have them these words mean and explain their meanings. reread the story silently on their own. This Herbivores are animals who only eat plants. will improve each individual student’s Carnivores are animals who eat other animals. comprehension. Studies show that the non- Ask students to give some examples. reading student usually pre-reads the following paragraph while the previous paragraph is PRODUCER CONSUMER being read aloud, decreasing comprehension. 11. After the silent reading is done, discuss the following questions with students to ensure they have understood the content: Herbivores Carnivores a. Why is the leaf an important part of a plant? 6. Under carnivore, write the word predator as Why is the shape, size and structure of a shown below and ask students what a predator plant’s leaf important? ENGAGE Page 4 Vol 2, Issue 1, Levels 3 & 4 b. Explain photosynthesis. take the initiative to water and measure each time. c. Why do some plants need to supplement After 4 weeks, compare the data and discuss the their diet with meat? questions in point 2 below. 12. You might have all students write their responses down and then call on a few to Some background knowledge for the teacher: discuss the answers.