Snowflake Bentley - Comprehension Unit

Snowflake Bentley, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Mary Azarian, is a level Q narrative nonfiction text. With a compelling story line, rich vocabulary, and vivid illustrations, it chronicles the life of a self-taught rural Vermont scientist of the late nineteenth century. A fascination with the small things of the outdoors leads him to discover a way to photograph snowflakes, and he forms our modern understanding of what snowflakes are and how they are formed. This unit uses a compelling text to teach comprehension strategies to below-level fourth grade students.

Unit Summary

As a narrative nonfiction text, standards were referenced for both literary and informational texts.

Primary Unit Standard: CCSS:RI.4.10 - Reading Informational Text - Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity - By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Lesson 1 - Vocabulary

• Standard(s): CCSS:RL.4.4 - Reading Literature - Craft and Structure - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
• AND/OR
• CCSS:RI.4.4 - Reading Informational Text - Craft and Structure - Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
• Summary: This lesson uses a Google Slides presentation to teach five vocabulary words from Snowflake Bentley. A corresponding worksheet helps students record synonyms for each word, and use the word in their own sentence. This activity will also allow me to assess their understanding of the words.

Lesson 2 - Establishing a Purpose: Identifying Theme

• Standard: CCSS:RL.4.2 - Read Literature - Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
• Summary: In this lesson, the class will watch an instructional video about identifying theme, a form of inferential comprehension. We'll read aloud part or all of the book, depending on time. To prepare for a discussion around theme, I will assess and reinforce literal comprehension by working with the class to create a timeline of some main events in Wilson Bentley's life, and by listing his internal and external character traits.

Lesson 3 - Identifying Theme

• Standard: CCSS:RL.4.2 - Read Literature - Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
• Summary: In this lesson, we will finish the text, briefly finish our timeline and character traits, and then work as a class to use that information to help us answer questions that will help us determine the theme; "What is the big idea of the events in the story?", "How does the character/author deal with the big idea?", and "What does the story teach you about how to live your own life?"

Lesson 4 - Interactive Writing

• Standard: CCSS: W.4.9 - Writing - Research to Build and Present Knowledge - Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a) Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions].”). b) Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”).
• AND
• CCSS:RL.4.2 - Read Literature - Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
• Summary: Using information from class discussion (the timeline, list of character traits, and anchor chart guiding theme discussion), students will write a short essay citing evidence from the text to describe one or more themes of the story.

Lesson 5 - Fluency

• Standard: CCSS:RF.4.4 - Reading: Foundational Skills - Fluency - Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. a) Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. b) Read grade-level text prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. c) Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
• Summary: Students will use an iPad, headphones, and audio/visual recording to independently listen to and practice fluent reading of Snowflake Bentley several times. They will then read it aloud to me for assessment.

Unit References

Armand9x. (2014, December 6). The creation of a snowflake (snowflake forming) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EHnF7V85D8g&feature=youtu.be

Bentley, W. A. (n.d.). The snowflake thermometer poster [Infographic]. Jericho, VT: Vermont Snowflakes.

Martin, J. B., & Azarian, M. (1998). Snowflake bentley. Boston, MA: Houton Mifflin Harcourt.

Met Office. (2014, August 5). Snow and snowflakes [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ozQJIBqFbJI&feature=youtu.be

Turner, K. (2014, September 6). Identifying theme [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1jy_K7oJ2M