Grades 3–5

Level A

Unit 2
Our Planet
• Leaves
• Polar Bears in Trouble
• Parched

Essential Question
vironment
How do changes in the en
?
affect plants and animals
Talk About It!
What environmental changes
have you seen where you live
?

Unit Introduction Video

These lessons may be reproduced
for classroom use only.

5482 Argosy Avenue

Huntington Beach, CA 92649
921742 (921715)
ISBN 978-1-0876-9066-7 To introduce your students to the theme,
www.tcmpub.com scan the QR code or visit this link:
© 2022 Teacher Created Materials, Inc. tcmpub.digital/lp/3-5/ourplanet

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 Objectives

Unit 2: Our Planet

Standards are integrated within each lesson to enable multilingual learners to work toward
proficiency in English while learning content—developing the skills and confidence in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. The learning objectives listed here describe the skills and strategies
presented throughout the lessons.

Leaves Objectives
Reading: Students will identify the descriptive words and pictures the
author provides to support points in the text.
Writing: Students will describe leaves, using a select number of general
academic words to create precision while writing.
Content Area—Science: Students will gather leaves and discuss the
benefits of leaf shapes for survival, using sentence frames for support.
Speaking and Listening: Students will negotiate with or persuade
others in conversations using basic learned phrases or open responses.
Language Development: Students will identify and create figurative
language, including similes and alliteration.

Polar Bears in Trouble Objectives

Reading: Students will identify the main idea and details in an
informational text read aloud, using key words or phrases.
Writing: Students will write short summaries of the text, using
paragraph frames and collaborating with peers.
Content Area—Science: Students will research causes of air
pollution and brainstorm ways to reduce it.
Speaking and Listening: Student groups will perform chants that
summarize the main details of the text.
Language Development: Students will use the subordinating
conjunction because to create complex sentences.

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 Objectives

Parched Objectives
Reading: Students will summarize the important parts of a story, using key
words and support from a graphic organizer.
Writing: Students will write short texts describing themselves, using
graphic organizers.
Content Area—Language Arts: Students will use descriptive words to
describe the plants and animals in their region.
Speaking and Listening: Students will demonstrate active listening
of a teacher’s presentation on seasons by asking and answering basic
questions, with prompting and substantial support.
Language Development: Students will learn some adverbs and use them in simple sentence
patterns (noun phrase, action verb, adverb), practicing English word order.

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 Leaves

Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students identify the examples an author
provides to support ideas, use vocabulary to describe leaves,
and discuss the advantages of leaf shapes. They negotiate with
and persuade others in conversations. Students also identify
and create figurative language using similies and alliteration.

Vocabulary Word Bank Guiding Question

★ branch • needle
What is the advantage of each
★ edge • sharp
leaf shape?
★ group • smooth

Before Reading
Building Background Knowledge and Vocabulary
1. Talk Time: Share with students that they will read about different kinds of leaves. Show
students the front of the “Leaves” text card. Have students describe the leaves with partners.
How are the leaves the same? The leaves are the same because they _______.
2. Present the vocabulary words to students. Read the words aloud. Try to use a gesture to
describe each word. (You can also share the vocabulary picture cards provided in the Digital
Resources.) Write each word for students, and clarify unfamiliar words by sharing examples
from the text.
Where is the edge of a leaf? Point to the edge of the leaf. The edge of the leaf is here.
3. Talk Time: Work with students to help them correctly use the vocabulary words to describe
and sort the different kinds of leaves. Give them time to discuss each question in pairs before
sharing their responses with the whole group.
When we decide how things are different, we separate them into groups.
Which leaf has a smooth edge? This leaf has a smooth edge.
Which leaf has a sharp edge? This leaf has a a sharp edge.
Which leaf is thin like a needle? This leaf is thin.
Which leaf is wide like a fan? This leaf is wide.
4. Direct students to the Student Guided Practice Book 1 (page 20). Have students cut, sort, and
glue the pictures in the corresponding categories. Have students orally describe each leaf.
Encourage students to speak in complete sentences.

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 Leaves

During Reading
1. Ask students to examine the “Leaves” text card. Tell students that these are all pictures of
leaves and that leaves are parts of a plant. Describe each leaf in detail using the vocabulary
words.
2. Read the front and the top half of the back of the nonfiction text card to students. As you read,
start a chart with the following headings: Size, Shape, Texture, and Veins.
3. Direct students to the Student Guided Practice Book 2 (page 21). Think aloud and complete the
activity as a class:
The first picture shows a leaf with a smooth top. Let’s write smooth in the blank to
complete the sentence. Number 2 shows the same picture. What other vocabulary word
can we use to describe that leaf? We can use _______.

After Reading
1. I Do: Tell students that they will be writing sentences that describe the different kinds of leaves.
Display the front of “Leaves.” Think aloud to model for students how to begin the activity in
the Student Guided Practice Book 3 (page 22):
Let’s look for a plant that has smooth edges and wide leaves. The leaf in picture 4 on the
card has smooth edges and is wide. Under the category Smooth and Wide, I will draw a
picture of that leaf and write a sentence to describe it. I will begin my sentence with a
capital letter and end with a period: This leaf has _______ edges and is _______.
2. We Do: Guide students in drawing and writing about a long and thin leaf.
Look at the pictures. Which picture has leaves that Progress Check: During Step 2, listen
are long and thin? _______ is long and thin. and watch for students identifying the
Draw that leaf in the box. How should we start our examples (written and pictorial) the
sentence to describe this leaf? This leaf is _______. author provided to support ideas.

3. You Do: Have students complete the remainder of the activity independently.
4. Talk Time: Ask students to share their responses orally. Encourage students to speak in
complete sentences.
This leaf is _______ and _______.

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 Leaves

Writing
Have students collect or draw two or three leaves and
describe them in the Student Guided Practice Book 4
(page 23).

Fluency
Have students read the background information on the text
card with partners, taking turns reading sentences.
Note: Checklists and rubrics to assess fluency and language
development are provided in the Digital Resources.

Content Connection
of leaves. Have students
Provide students with two leaves or images
of each leaf shape
compare the leaves and discuss the benefits
it helps them survive cold
(e.g., it helps protect them from predators,
s them absorb sunlight).
weather, it helps them catch rain, or it help
antage?
Which leaf is smoother? Why is that an adv
This leaf is _______. It helps _______.
ge?
Which leaf is sharper? Why is that an advanta
This leaf is _______. It helps ______ _.
ge?
Which leaf is wider? Why is that an advanta
This leaf is _______. It helps _______.
an advantage?
Which leaf is more compact? Why is that
_.
This leaf is more _______. It helps ______

Take-Home Literacy Activities

The Digital Resources include both English and Spanish
versions of a school-to-home connection letter describing
activities that go along with this lesson.

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 Leaves

Speaking and Listening

1. Ask students, “Have you ever wanted something really badly? Maybe it was a toy or an extra
dessert? Did you try to get your family to let you have it? (yes) What did you say to them?
Persuading others is a valuable skill. We are going to practice persuading others today.”
2. Start with an example by providing students with the sentence starters for persuading a teacher
to let them have extra recess: Can we please _______? I believe _______ because _______.
Another reason is ______. Help students express their thoughts in complete sentences.
3. Talk Time: Place students into six groups. Assign each group one type of leaf from the text
card. Their task is to persuade the class that their leaf is the best leaf for all types of plants.
Provide guidance in expressing their reasons.
4. Talk Time: Ask groups to present their reasons to the class. Have listening students pay
attention to the strength of the reasons and number of reasons to determine which group was
the most persuasive.

Language Development
1. Show students pictures of children in the snow, looking cold. (Some examples are provided
in the Digital Resources.) Ask them how the children look (cold). Explain that speakers and
writers sometimes want to be more creative. They want to create images in our minds.
2. Guide students in creating a simile. Ask, “What do we know that is very cold? (ice) So, we can
say the children are as cold as ice! The children are cold, and ice is cold, so we can make this
comparison. It helps the reader or the listener create an image in their head of just how cold
the children are.” Write the two sentences for all to see. Underline the adjective cold in the
first sentence and the simile as cold as ice in the second sentence.
3. Write a third sentence: The children are like ice. Underline the simile like ice. Explain that the
words like and as ____ as are ways to compare two things that are similar. Circle those words.
4. Display the “Leaves” text card. Have students describe the leaves using adjectives. (You may
wish to point out any alliteration students use, such as in the first two example sentences here.)
The leaves are large.
The leaves are long.
The leaves are skinny.
The leaves are sharp.
5. Talk Time: Have pairs of students think of other objects that could be described with the same
adjectives (large, long, skinny, or sharp).
6. Talk Time: Ask students to create similes, either individually or with partners. Then, allow time
for students to read their similes aloud.

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 Polar Bears in Trouble

Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students identify the main idea in a text and
learn how changes in the environment can have different
effects on animals. Students summarize their learning in
writing as well as plan and deliver oral presentations. They
also connect ideas using the word because.

Vocabulary Word Bank Guiding Question

• Arctic • melting • pollution How do changes in the Arctic affect
★ because • polar bear ★ trouble polar bears?

Before Reading
Building Background Knowledge and Vocabulary
1. Show students the “Polar Bears in Trouble” nonfiction text card. Ask them what they see.
Identify the polar bear, the ice, and the water. Point to the title. Tell students that polar bears
are in trouble.
2. Tell students that the word trouble has two meanings. When you break a rule, you may get in
trouble (i.e., there may be consequences). Give an example of getting in trouble. Explain that
trouble can also mean to be in danger, which is the meaning in this text.
Do you think the polar bears are in danger? Show me a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.
3. Talk Time: Introduce the vocabulary words to students. Share each word, creating and acting
out motions or gestures. (You can also share the vocabulary picture cards provided in the
Digital Resources.) Have students turn to the Student Guided Practice Book 1
(page 24). Explain how to complete the chart. Guide pairs of students in sorting the vocabulary
words and phrases together.
Who is the article about? The article is about _______.
What is happening? Ice is _______.
Where is it happening? It is happening in the _______.
Why is it happening? _______ is a part of the trouble.
4. Talk Time: Using the activity sheet, ask students to predict to their partners what they will
learn from the article.
I predict I will learn _______.

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 Polar Bears in Trouble

During Reading
1. Talk Time: Read aloud “Polar Bears in Trouble.” Review and discuss student predictions from
the Before Reading section of this lesson. Allow time for students to discuss the book in pairs.
What do polar bears do on the sea ice? Polar bears _______.
What problems are the polar bears facing? Polar bears are facing _______.
2. Explain that a main idea is the most important idea. Details provide information about the
main idea. Sometimes, the main idea is clear. For example, the title of the card, “Polar Bears
in Trouble,” tells the main idea of the text card.
3. Reread the first paragraph. Explain that paragraphs also have main ideas. The first sentence,
Polar bears live in the Arctic, is the main idea of the first paragraph. The other sentences
provide more information about the Arctic.
4. Talk Time: Reread the next paragraph. Ask students to identify the main idea with partners.
Then, have students share their main ideas aloud with the whole group.
What is the main idea? The main idea is _______.

After Reading
1. I Do: Have students turn to the Student Guided Practice Book 2 (page 25). Explain that they
will write the main idea of the text card in the large box. In the boxes across the bottom, they
will write supporting details from the paragraphs. Think aloud to model how to determine the
main idea of the second paragraph.
I read the first sentence, The bears spend a lot of time on sea ice. That gives me a clue that
this paragraph will be about where polar bears spend their time. The main idea of this
paragraph is Polar bears spend a lot of time on sea ice.
2. We Do: Have students write the main idea of the text card in the first box. Help them find
three supporting details in the paragraphs to finish the
activity sheet. Progress Check: During Step 2, listen
for students identifying the main idea
Why are the bears in trouble? The bears _______.
and finding key words and/or phrases.
What is another supporting detail about why the
bears are in trouble? Another detail is _______.
3. You Do: Have students turn the main idea and supporting details into a picture on the Student
Guided Practice Book 3 (page 26). Give them time to brainstorm with partners about how they
can draw pictures to show the main idea and details of the text card. Then encourage their
creativity!
4. Talk Time: Ask students to share their pictures and revisit their Before Reading predictions.
The main idea is _______. The supporting details are _______.

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 Polar Bears in Trouble

Writing
Have students draw and write about how polar bears are in
trouble on the Student Guided Practice Book 4 (page 27).
Provide students with a paragraph frame, and have students
share their ideas with partners before they begin to write.

Fluency
Have students buddy read one paragraph from “Polar Bears
in Trouble,” emphasizing the vocabulary words and reading
with expression.
Note: Checklists and rubrics to assess fluency and language
development are provided in the Digital Resources.

Content Connection
sed by harmful chemicals
Tell students that air pollution can be cau
the air.
in the air. Discuss how people have polluted
t people can do to
Have students each write two ideas for wha
e students research the
reduce air pollution. You may wish to hav
sites.
answer to this question on trustworthy web
other side Solution.
Label one side of a T-chart Pollution and the
brainstorm ways
With students, list causes of air pollution and
people can help reduce air pollution.

Take-Home Literacy Activities

The Digital Resources include both English and Spanish
versions of a school-to-home connection letter describing
activities that go along with this lesson.

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 Polar Bears in Trouble

Speaking and Listening

1. Place students in small groups. Have them turn to their already completed Student Guided
Practice Book 1 (page 24) . Guide them in creating and performing group chants with one
group asking questions and the other group responding.
Example Chant
Who is in trouble?
The polar bears, the polar bears!
Where do they live?
In the Arctic, the Arctic!
What is the trouble?
Ice is melting! Ice is melting!
Why is it a problem?
Polar bears can’t hunt! Polar bears can’t hunt!

Language Development
1. Place students in small groups, and describe how to play “The Why Game.” Begin by saying and
writing a statement based on the text and asking “Why?”
Polar bears travel on ice. Why?
2. Guide students, or have them come up with an answer for the why question.
They hunt for seals.
3. Have students combine the sentences using the word because.
Polar bears travel on ice because they hunt for seals.
4. Continue the game by asking “Why?” again. Extend the game in this way as many times as
you can.
They hunt for seals. Why?
Example Round
Polar bears are in danger. Why? The sea ice is melting.
(Polar bears are in danger because the ice is melting.)
The sea ice is melting. Why? The world is too warm.
(The sea ice is melting because the world is too warm.)
The world is too warm. Why? There is too much air pollution.
(The world is too warm because there is too much air pollution.)
There is too much air pollution. Why? People pollute the air.
(There is too much air pollution because people pollute the air.)

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 Parched

Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students summarize important parts of a story,
write short texts about themselves, and describe the plants
and animals in their region. They actively listen to a teacher’s
presentation and use adverbs in a simple sentence pattern.

Vocabulary Word Bank Guiding Question

• desert ★ parched
• journey • quest How do changes in the desert
• oasis ★ surface
affect Fen and his friends?

Before Reading
Building Background Knowledge and Vocabulary
1. Show students the front cover of the fiction book. Tell them the word parched can mean very
dry, like the surface of the soil, or very thirsty, like the animals. Introduce the word desert,
pointing out the first-syllable stress. Read the description on the back cover, and then talk to
students about the topic of the book.
Have you visited the desert? How was it? It was _______.
Have you ever been parched, or very thirsty? I was parched when _______.
2. Share the similarities and differences between the words journey and quest (both long trips, but
the second involves a search). Introduce the word oasis, clapping out the three syllables and
asking students to put their hands below their chins to count the number of syllables each time
their jaws drop. Discuss the meaning of oasis. (You can also share the vocabulary picture cards
provided in the Digital Resources.)
Who do you know that has been on a journey? My _______ has been on a journey.
What book or movie has a quest? The book/movie _______ has a quest.
3. Talk Time: Introduce the words characters and setting. Have partners discuss these elements of
a story and share what they think this story is about.
Who do you think the main character is? I think the main character is _______.
Do you think there will be other characters? Why? I do/I don’t because _______.
What is the setting? The setting is _______.

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 Parched

During Reading
1. Read the first two chapters to students, modeling proper pacing, intonation, and expression.
Pause while reading to check for comprehension.
Why is there no water according to Fen’s parents? There’s no water because _______.
Why does Fen leave home? What does he want? He leaves home because _______.
What do you predict will happen next? I predict _______.
2. Have students turn to the Student Guided Practice Book 1 (page 28). Tell students that a story
map can help them better understand and discuss a story. Guide students in adding initial
information about the characters and the setting to Story Map, Part 1.
3. Talk Time: Read the third chapter aloud, and have students
add to their story maps. If the story is too long for your Progress Check: During Step 3,
group, you can skip the third chapter. Read the fourth listen for students summarizing
chapter aloud, and complete Story Map, Part 1 with students. important ideas from the text.
Have pairs of students discuss the four parts of the story: the
problem, the quest, the setback, and the ending.
What is the problem at the beginning of the story? The problem is _______.
What is the quest? The quest is when Fen _______.
When the story is almost over, what is the setback? The oasis is _______.
How does the story end? It _______.
4. Have students turn to the Student Guided Practice Book 2 (page 29). Read the directions to
students, and guide them in discussing and completing the activity.
Why does this image belong here? This image belongs here because _______.

After Reading
1. I Do: Tell students you will show them how to write a book review, or a short summary of a
book, for others to read. Think aloud as you plan your summary:
When you write a summary, you write about the most important information, not all the
details. Our story maps can help us. Of all the characters, who is the most important
one? (Fen) So, I will write, The book Parched is about Fen, the fox. What is the setting? (the
desert) I can write, Fen lives in the desert.
2. We Do: Direct students to the Student Guided Practice Book 3 (page 30). Guide students in
writing about the characters, setting, problem, and quest based on the Story Map. Discuss that
students should not reveal the setback or the ending in a book review.
3. You Do: Ask students to complete the Book Review.
4. Talk Time: Arrange for students to read their book reviews to lower-grade students.

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 Parched

Writing
Read the “About Me” section on page 28 of the book with
students. Point out that it is written in the third person
(“Gold is…”). Have students pretend they are authors/
illustrators. Have students brainstorm what they would
write about themselves in the Student Guided Practice
Book 4 (page 31), and encourage them to create final drafts
on paper or digitally.

Fluency
Have students practice reading their book reviews several
times so they can share their reviews with younger students.
Note: Checklists and rubrics to assess fluency and language
development are provided in the Digital Resources.

Content Connection
a walk. Provide
Have students look out the window or take
tion on the local
information, or have students gather informa
ures of what they
plants and animals. Have students draw pict
use diverse media
see and caption them. Then, have students
a small group.
to present their drawings and captions to

Take-Home Literacy Activities

The Digital Resources include both English and Spanish
versions of a school-to-home connection letter describing
activities that go along with this lesson.

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 Parched

Speaking and Listening

1. Display Six Different Seasons (provided in the Digital Resources), which
includes images of the four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall)
and two equatorial seasons (wet and dry). (Seasonal images are also
provided as files in the Digital Resources for close examination.)
2. Introduce the name and characteristics of each season. Point out
which areas of the world experience each season and when each
season occurs.
3. Talk Time: Share an example sentence using the name of each
season. Ask students to share the season names in their home
languages. Then, have them work in pairs to come up with a
symbol or gesture to represent each season.
4. Talk Time: Have partners discuss which season is their favorite, using the following frames.
Then have students share what their partners’ favorite seasons are and why they like them.
My favorite season is _______.
Why do you like that season? I like it because _______.

Language Development
1. Create a word web with the title verbs in the middle. Add preselected verbs that students can
act out (e.g., walk, whisper, eat, sleep, climb, jump). Read each word to students.
2. Talk about different ways to perform each action (walk slowly, walk quickly, walk proudly,
whisper softly, whisper loudly, and so on). On the word web, write each adverb next to its verb
using a different color. Point out the characteristic –ly ending, though tell students that –ly is
not added to every adverb (e.g., farther, together).
3. Talk Time: Once the word web is completed, have students find partners. Give them several
minutes for one student to name a verb and adverb and the other person to act it out. Have
students switch roles. Next, have one student ask a how question and the other student
answer it (for example, How did Jem walk? Jem walked proudly, oh so proudly.)
4. Talk Time: If time permits, have student pairs create chants about adverbs, or show them
this video about adverbs (tcmpub.digital/lp/3-5/adverbs). Tell students that they should not
overuse adverbs in their writing.

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 Access Digital Materials
To download teacher and
student resources, scan the
QR code or visit this link:
tcmpub.digital/redeem

Unit 2 Answer Key

Leaves Parched
Sorting Plants (page 20) Story Map, Part 1 (page 28)
Students may choose to sort images into different Characters: Fen, a fennec fox; Cam, a camel; Jem, a
boxes. jerboa mouse; and Mon, a monitor lizard
Describing Words (page 21) Setting: Students can write about the hot, dry desert
or draw palm trees, cactuses, the tall sand dunes,
Example answers:
and the oasis.
1. smooth
2. wide Story Map, Part 2 (page 29)
3. sharp 1. Problem: picture of a hot Fen
4. thin 2. Quest: picture of Jem and Fen
Writing to Describe (page 22) 3. Setback: picture of arguing friends in dry oasis
4. Ending: picture of a rain-filled oasis
Students will draw pictures and write words or
sentences for each kind of leaf.
Example: This leaf is wide and has smooth edges.

Polar Bears in Trouble

Sorting Words (page 24)
Who? polar bear
What? ice melting
Where? Arctic
Why? pollution
Understanding the Main Idea (page 25)
Students will write the main idea and details of the
text card.
Main Idea: Polar bears are in trouble.
Details: Polar bears live on sea ice. The sea ice is
melting. They have to travel far for food.
Main Idea and Details (page 26)
Students will draw pictures that show the main idea
and details of the text card.
They may show the polar bears on the melting sea
ice, or maybe they show the polar bears traveling
for food.

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