Scott Foresman Reading Street

SMART SOLUTIONS

Discuss the Big Idea

What are smart ways that problems are solved?

Write the unit theme and Big Idea question on the board. Ask students to think about the selections they have read in the unit. Discuss how each selection and lesson concept can help them answer the Big Idea question from this unit.

Model this for students by choosing a selection and explaining how the selection and lesson concept address the Big Idea.

Unit 2

Wrap-Up

	Critically analyze unit theme.
	Connect content across selections.
	Combine content and skills in meaningful activities that build literacy.
	Respond to unit selections through a variety of modalities.

Tale of a Problem Solver

Write a Story Have students

complete story maps. Review the story maps before writing begins. Assist students whose story maps lack a coherent plan for writing.

Real-World Comics

Make a Comic Strip Students

should first decide on an event in nature and then whether they will depict people, plants, or animals in the strip. Possible events might include adapting to a sudden weather change or a different climate. You may want students to use a story map to plan their comic strips.

Better Homes and Other Buildings

Make a Drawing Have

pictures or outline drawings of buildings or homes for students to use. To start students thinking of changes they could make, create a list on the board of things that would make a building safer or more comfortable.

What are smart ways that problems are solved?

In Prudy’s Problem and Tops & Bottoms, you read about
some characters and their clever solutions to problems.
Write a folk tale or an animal story about a clever solution to a different problem. You can begin by completing a story map.

Just like the penguins in Penguin Chick, people, plants,
and other animals must find ways to adapt to problems
in their environments. Make a comic strip about a real event in nature. Show how a person, plant, or animal
adapts to find a solution.

In William’s House, William made many changes to his
home so that it would better protect his family. How
could you change the design of a building in your
community so that people in it would be better
protected and more comfortable? Draw a plan for
the building or construct a model.