Night Letters
Below-Level Reader
Paws and Claws
Unit 3 Week 3
DRAW CONCLUSIONS ASK QUESTIONS
LESSON VOCABULARY blade, budding, dew, fireflies, flutter, hawkmoth, notepad, patch
SUMMARY This selection highlights how we can identify animals, such as
cats, dogs, birds, and bears, by their tracks.
INTRODUCE THE BOOK
BUILD BACKGROUND Ask students if they have ever seen or identified animal tracks.
PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Have students look at the captions. Ask: If the tracks had not been labeled, how would you be able to tell what kind of animal made them?
TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY Review vocabulary with students. Then write their meanings on flash cards and see if students can tell you the vocabulary word that matches each meaning.
After reviewing vocabulary words with students, list words and mix
up the order of the definitions. Have students match each word to the right definition.
TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
DRAW CONCLUSIONS Remind students that
drawing conclusions means
making a decision that makes sense after thinking about facts and details.
Give students a list of sentences about cats
(Cats know when it’s dinner; cats recognize their owners.) and ask students to draw a conclusion about cats.
(Cats are smart.)
ASK QUESTIONS Remind students that
asking questions can help them
understand text and draw conclusions. Suggest students write questions in a
graphic organizer about tracking animals.
READ THE BOOK
Use the following questions to support comprehension.
PAGE 5 What conclusions can you make about where is the easiest place to
find animal tracks? (where the ground is soft or wet)
PAGE 7 Do animals have to have feet to make tracks? (No, a snake uses its
body.)
PAGES 8–9 What conclusions can you make about claws and tracks?
(Except for the cat, most animals keep their claws out, and you can see
them in the tracks.)
TALK ABOUT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
- It must be a dog because its claw marks are showing. Cats pull in
their claws when walking or running.
- Answers will vary.
- Responses will vary.
- Possible response: It grouped tracks into categories.
RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING Have students choose an animal in the book
and write about what that animal might have been doing
when it made tracks.
CONTENT CONNECTIONS
SCIENCE Suggest students research the tracks of other animals and then draw them.
L.R. TOC
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