Glossary Toggle Test

Engage

1. Ask students to describe what a forest is and if they’ve ever visited one. What was it like in the forest? What kinds of things did they see while they were there? Did they enjoy being ? Invite students to write down 3 questions they have about forests, and save these to revisit later at the end of the activity. << Insert rollover text: NGSS Practice 1: Asking questions and defining problems. >>

2. Tell students you are going to read them a story about a girl named Jackie who has a forest adventure. They should listen carefully to the things that happen to Jackie and pay special attention to the things she saw. Later students will be asked to answer questions about the story.

3. Show students the Animal Pictures. <>

Explore
4. Read aloud the “In the Forest of S.T. Shrew” student page. <> Depending on the age group you’re working with, you may want to read the story in different ways. For example:
• Consider breaking the story into three chapters (the “In the Ground,” “A Rotten Place to Live,” and “Life at the Top” sections provide perfect divides).
• Have younger students do movements each time they hear a character’s name. For S.T., have students hold fingers up to their face and wiggle them like whiskers. For Millie, have students hold the base of their hands against their ribs with fingers out to the sides; wiggle fingers like legs and twist torso back and forth. For Sitta, students might place thumbs in their armpits and flap arms up and down like wings.
• Assign students roles to a theatrical rendition of the story. Use the screenplay version <> available on the PLT website so that students can narrate the characters independently and even act out the scenes as a play.
• Assign the students to read the chapters as an independent, silent reading task.
• Have the students relax, close their eyes, and listen as you read the story from start to finish.
5. (Optional) You may want to have students read the Background section, and answer the questions about habitats.
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