Word Sorts- pg 6-21 Standard: RI.7.

2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text Rationale: This strategy will give my students the opportunity teach and learn from each other as they collaborate on sorting the words into their appropriate categories. Want to accomplish: This activity will help my students better understand the vocabulary and will encourage discussion and collaboration. Strategy: The teacher can either provide the students with the categories of the word sort, which is called a closed sort, or can have an open sort in which the students have to create their own categories for the words. In either case, the teacher provides the students with a list of words and then asks them to sort them into categories by having them look for similarities among the words. If it is an open sort the students must find the similarities among the words first and then provide a label for the category that they formed. The teacher can guide instruction by observing and then scaffolding by asking questions to guide the students thinking when they are struggling. Materials that would be needed are a whiteboard or chalkboard, markers or chalk, and notebook paper for the students to work on before putting the answer on the board. Directions: Sort the words according to the categories Sciences Problem solving Measurement

Geology Law control

scientific method variable hypothesis

theory oceanography meteorology

international system of units weight astronomy

mass

Gravitational force

Sciences Geology Meteorology Astronomy Oceanography

Problem solving Scientific method Hypothesis variable control theory law

Measurement International system of units Mass Weight Gravitational force

Concept Circles- pg 6-9 Standard: RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. Rationale: This strategy will teach my students to think critically and provide them with a visual that they can manipulate while working within the circle. Want to accomplish: This strategy will not only help my students better understand the vocabulary, but it will also help them better study the overarching concepts of the chapter. Strategy: The teacher will create a circle that is divided up in sections and can then ask the students to do one of three things: name the concept that describes the items listed in the circle, shade in the section that does not belong, or fill in missing sections. The students will study the circle and then use their knowledge of the words and how they relate to each other in order to provide their answers. The teacher can guide instruction by asking thought provoking questions that will help the students think through the steps needed to arrive at the answer. Materials that would be needed are copies of the concept circles for the students and overheads to use when going over the answers. Directions: Name the concept that describes the items in the chart. Answer: _____________ Answer: Measurement

mass

weight

Gravitational force

SI

Anticipation Guides-pg 6-21 Standard: RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. Rationale: This strategy encourages classroom discussion and helps students connect knowledge to the prediction task. Want to accomplish: This strategy will help develop students prediction strategies and help them study the material in the chapter. Strategy: In order to create an anticipation guide, the teacher must analyze the reading material and write ideas from the text in short, clear declarative statements that will encourage discussion. The students then read through the statements provided and decide whether they are true or false. Once they do that the class will discuss their predictions and then read the reading that the teacher selected. After they are done reading, they contrast their predictions with what they read in the selection. To guide instruction, the teacher could model how she responded to a statement on the guide in order to show the students how she wishes them to share their thoughts and predictions. The teacher could then start the discussion by asking her students to volunteer to share and ask questions when there is a lull in the conversation. Materials that would be needed are copies of the anticipation guides for the students and teacher. Directions: Read each statement and determine whether it is likely to be true or unlikely. Likely Statements Science means having knowledge Astronomy is the study of weather and the forces and processes that cause it The scientific method is a series of planned steps used to solve problems Unlikely

Likely X

Statements Science means having knowledge Astronomy is the study of weather and the forces and processes that cause it The scientific method is a series of planned steps used to solve problems

Unlikely X

KWL- pg 6-21 Standard: W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Rationale: This strategy helps activate prior knowledge and encourages response and discussion. Want to accomplish: This strategy will encourage students to think critically, ask questions, and study the material in the chapter. Strategy: In order to create a KWL chart, the teacher must create a table with three columns: one for what the students already know, one for what the students want to know, and one for what the students learned and still need to learn. The students will fill out the columns before, during, and after they read with information they already know and questions and answers about parts of the text they do not already know about. The teacher can guide instruction by providing her students with a model for each column. Also, the teacher and then ask the students to discuss their thoughts about the material in a similar fashion. Materials that would be needed are blank copies of the KWL chart for the students and an overhead for the teacher to use when recording her students responses. Directions: Fill in the KWL chart with information that you know about earth science, what you would like to know, and what you have learned. K W L

K Earth science is a study of rocks Earth science studies earth and water Earth scientists study earthquakes and volcanos

W Are there other areas of earth science that people study? Does the weather have an effect on earth science?

L There are different branches of earth science- meterology, geology, astronomy, and oceanography Weather is one of the main parts of earth science and studies patterns and climates

Double-Entry Journals- pg 12-17 Standard: W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Rationale: This strategy helps students organize and synthesize the important information from the chapter. Want to accomplish: This strategy will help the student study the material in the chapter, identify the main ideas in the chapter, and provide evidence to support their statements. Strategy: To utilize a double entry journal, the teacher will have her students divide the paper in the students journals into two columns and then take notes as they read in order to record main ideas in one column and supporting statements in another. Teachers can act as a guide by responding in the journals with comments and questions that will help the student organize and clarify the details in the chapter. Materials that would be needed are student notebooks in which the students can record their entries. Directions: Record main ideas from the text and provide evidence to support those ideas. Main Ideas/arguments from the text Evidence to support main ideas/arguments

Main Ideas/arguments from the text There are two main steps to any problem solving strategy There are many strategies that can be used to solve problems

The scientific method uses a series of steps to solve problems

Evidence to support main ideas/arguments 1- identify the problem 2- collect information about the problem 1- eliminate possibilities 3- make a model 4-scientific method The steps of the scientific method are determine problem, form hypothesis, test, analyze, and draw conclusions.

Selective Reading Guides- 6-21 Standard: RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. Rationale: This strategy will teach students how to interact and question the text as they are reading. Want to accomplish: This strategy will encourage students to ask questions as they are reading and help them identify the main ideas in the chapter. Strategy: In order for the teacher to create the selective reading guide, she would have to study the chapter of the text and then write down questions and signals that will help the students identify the main ideas. To help guide instruction, the teacher can do a guided reading activity in class and have the students discuss the questions that she posed on the guide. Materials that would be needed for the selective reading guide are copies of the guides for the students and an overhead for the teacher to use when going over the guide in class. Directions: Answer the questions about the text. Pg. 8- What are the main branches of earth science? Pg 11- Name some positive effects that science has had. Pg 17- List the steps of the scientific method. Pg 18- What is the International System of Units?

Pg. 8- What are the main branches of earth science? Geology, meteorology, astronomy, oceanography Pg 11- Name some positive effects that science has had. Cars, air conditioners, medical equipment Pg 17- List the steps of the scientific method. Determine the problem, form a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, analyze the results, and draw conclusions Pg 18- What is the International System of Units? SI is a modern version of the metric system based on a decimal system which uses the number 10 as the base unit