LESSON 4 TEACHER’S GUIDE Saving Planet Earth by Jack Spencer Fountas-Pinnell Level S Science Fiction Selection Summary In the year 3030 only a few humans live on planet Earth. Derek is a scientist stationed on planet Earth. He tries to fi nd signs of life to save the planet. His son Dennis discovers butterfl ies. His discovery saves planet Earth. Number of Words: 1,603 Characteristics of the Text Genre • Science fi ction Text Structure • Third-person narrative with detailed episodes • Includes a prologue to give background information Content • Environmental disaster • Importance of air, plants, and insects to Earth • Scientifi c research Themes and Ideas • It is important to preserve history. • Scientifi c discoveries help the earth in many ways. • Persistence leads to success. Language and • Long stretches of descriptive language important to understanding the setting and the Literary Features characters of the story. • Multiple characters revealed by what they say, think, and do as well as what other characters say and think about them • Setting is distant in time and space from students’ experiences Sentence Complexity • Longer complex sentence structures that include dialogue as well as embedded clauses and phrases • Questions in dialogue Vocabulary • Vocabulary words that readers must derive from context: monitor, wrist communicator, void Words • Many multisyllable words: permanently, stubbornly, possibility Illustrations • Colorful illustrations with captions support the text. Book and Print Features • Easy-to-read chapter headings • Captions under illustrations provide important information for understanding the story © 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. 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Printed in the U.S.A. 978-0-547-31028-2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0940 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Miffl in Harcourt Publishing Company retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format. 6_310282_BL_LRTG_L04_savingplanetearth.indd 1 11/5/09 10:07:03 AM Saving Planet Earth by Jack Spencer Build Background Help students use their knowledge of life on Earth to visualize the story. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What do you think Earth will be like in a thousand years? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Tell students that this story is science fi ction, so the story is a fantasy and the plot depends on scientifi c ideas. Introduce the Text Guide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions: Page 2: Point out the Prologue and have students look at the illustration and read the caption: Scientists working for Project Alpha monitor Earth for signs of life. Suggested language: The Prologue explains that Earth has been abandoned because its resources have been used up. Humans have relocated to Planet Beta. What resources would humans need to live on Planet Beta? Page 3: Read the chapter head. Tell students that this is a story about Derek and his son Dennis, who live at Sturbridge Station. Their work involves checking Earth for signs of life. Read the third sentence: “He checked the station’s computers, which were linked to sensors.” Ask: What do sensors do? Find the highlighted word. What is a void? What’s another way of saying Earth was void of all life? Page 4: Notice the highlighted terms. Dennis is trying to coax his father outside for a walk, but the text says a red light is fl ashing and an alarm sounding inside Sturbridge Station because someone on Planet Beta was sending an urgent message. What is another word for urgent? Page 8: Point out the illustration and read the caption. Look at the mound near the cluster of trees. What might you expect to fi nd inside a mound on the ground? Now turn back to the beginning of the story and read to fi nd out what happens to Derek and Dennis as they try to save planet Earth. Target Vocabulary accustomed – used to coaxed – persuaded through the transmissions – messages sent something, p. 13 use of words or gestures, p. 4 as electric signals clamor – a loud, uninterrupted doleful – a look that is mournful urgent – something that requires noise and sorrowful immediate attention or action, clustered – a group of the same swiveled – rotated around a point p. 4 kind of items that are found of attachment, p. 5 void – an empty space or feeling, together, p. 8 torrent – something that fl ows p. 3 or pours out rapidly in an uncontrolled manner Grade 6 2 Lesson 4: Saving Planet Earth © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 6_310282_BL_LRTG_L04_savingplanetearth.indd 2 12/8/09 10:50:38 PM Read Have students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed. Remind students to use the Monitor/Clarify Strategy and to notice when something doesn’t make sense and fi nd ways to fi gure out the confusing parts. Discuss and Revisit the Text Personal Response Invite students to share their personal responses to the story. Suggested language: What details in the story did you fi nd to be most disturbing, or scary? Ways of Thinking As you discuss the text, help students understand these points: Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text • Derek and his son live on Earth. • It is important to preserve • The chapter heads help the Derek wants to save Earth to history. reader predict what will happen preserve the history. in the chapter. • Scientifi c discoveries help the • Dr. Sturbridge tells them they earth in many ways. • The language sounds very must come back to Planet Beta realistic, the way a boy and his • Persistence leads to success. because Earth is not safe. father as well as scientists would talk. • Dennis discovers mysterious mounds and insects that prove • The author includes many living things can survive on details about the setting and the Earth. Dennis’ discovery saves characters to help the reader the planet. visualize the story. © 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. Choices for Further Support • Fluency Invite students to choose a scene from the story to act out for a readers’ theater. Remind them to pay attention to punctuation, and to stress certain words to sound as if the characters are actually speaking. • Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas. • Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with multisyllable words. Remind students that when they come to an unfamiliar word with many syllables they should pronounce each syllable and then blend the syllables together to read the word. For example, permanently on page 3. Grade 6 3 Lesson 4: Saving Planet Earth © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 6_310282_BL_LRTG_L04_savingplanetearth.indd 3 11/5/09 10:07:19 AM Writing about Reading Critical Thinking Have students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 4.7. Responding Have students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill. Target Comprehension Skill Story Structure Remind students to examine the characters, the setting, and the plot of the story to help understand the story. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below: Think Aloud Dennis is a character in the story. Write that under characters. His lives at Sturbridge Station on Earth. That is where the story takes place. Write that under setting. Dennis discovers a mound of butterfl ies. That is one thing that happens during the story. List that under plot. Practice the Skill Have students share other examples of story structure from the story. Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the Text Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6: Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings. Assessment Prompts • What caused humans to relocate to Planet Beta? • What is the meaning of the word coax on page 4? • What are two sentences on page 7 that support the idea that Derek feels strongly about saving planet Earth? Grade 6 4 Lesson 4: Saving Planet Earth © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 6_310282_BL_LRTG_L04_savingplanetearth.indd 4 11/16/09 5:20:05 PM English Language Development Reading Support Give English learners a “preview” of the text by holding a brief small-group discussion with them before reading the text with the entire group.