Reading and Writing Connections for this selection: Why Manatees Need Protection Reading Strategies: Photo Credit: FWC Identifying Text Features that Will Aid Comprehension Asking Questions and Making Predictions to Set Expectations for Reading a Selection Summarize Main Ideas and Details Distinguishing Fact from Opinion Exploring Cause and Effect Relationships Building Vocabulary: Nouns and Verbs Vocabulary: synoptic survey, irregularity, variable, red tide, carcasses, toxicological, necropsy, toxin, rate of reproduction, intervals, gestation Read Revisit Reflect Read Prior to reading the selection, activate students’ prior knowledge by asking the following questions: "Why are manatees endangered?" "What events led to their placement on the endangered species list?" "What current events are keeping manatees on the endangered species list?" "What steps need to be taken to ensure protection for manatees?" "What roadblocks prevent protective actions?" Use the Clue Collector strategy to focus students' attention on the upcoming reading selection: Write the following verbs on a handout: counted, needs, believe, state, added, noted, disagreed, indicated, lessen, pointed out, placed, comes along, faced, exposed, suspect, died, collected, shows, declared, bear, range, emphasizes, and underscores. Ask students to predict how an author writing an article titled, "Why Manatees Need Protection" will use these words. Elicit students' personal knowledge and experiences as they think about the clue words. Encourage students to pair or group clues together. Ask them to share how the clue words could be connected or related. Invite students to write statements that use the clues. Assist students through demonstrations and "Think Alouds" to understand the process of looking for relationships. Repeat this activity with nouns and noun phrases from the reading selection: T.V. series, Oceanographic Institution, club, injuries, survey, counts, life savings, toxicological analysis, population, Palm Beach Post article, tide, carcasses, and gestation. Ask students to work with a partner to discuss how the words might be used in the article. Encourage students to connect the nouns with the verbs to generate ideas. Invite students to share their predictions with the class. Encourage them to share reasons to support their ideas. Read "Why Manatees Need Protection." Library Lookout? Revisit Revisit the selection by highlighting the verbs from the Clue Collector. Ask: "How did the author use each of these verbs to reveal facts about manatee protection?" "What synonyms could be used in place of these verbs?" Highlight the nouns and noun phrases in the selection. Ask students: "How were these words used in the selection?" "How are the words related to the topic of manatee protection?" Post the Pre-reading Questions: " Why are manatees endangered?" " What events led to their placement on the endangered species list?" " What current events are keeping manatees on the endangered species list?" " What steps need to be taken to ensure protection for manatees?" " What roadblocks prevent protective actions?" Have students work in groups to reread the article and use details from the text to answer the questions. Have each group summarize the main ideas and details of the text by composing a condensed version of the article: Introductory Paragraph that presents the topic, Bulleted List of key facts, Concluding Paragraph that restates the topic. Reflect Journaling Questions 1. What are the significant dangers manatees face? 2. How can these risks could be reduced and/or eliminated in order to help save manatees? 3. When a species becomes extinct, how does this tragic phenomenon directly and indirectly impact humans? Making Connections How do humans protect themselves from danger? How do we protect our homes from intruders? How can we help protect manatee "homes" from dangerous intruders, such as boat propellers? Evaluate(Readers examine author's strategies.) Revisit the selection to determine author's purpose. "What was the author's purpose for writing this article: Inform? Entertain? Express? Describe? Persuade? or a Combination?" Use ideas from the text to support your answer: # of fact statements, # of opinion statements, and # of theory statements. Give examples of fact statements, opinion statements, and theory statements used in the article.   Writer’s Workshop Expressive Write a poem that expresses your thoughts about how humans endanger manatees. Use words and phrases from the article in your poem. Write a thank you letter to the Save the Manatee Club or another agency that works to protect manatees. Descriptive Write a list that describes the significant risks manatees face. Expository Write a proposal that explains how humans can help reduce and/or eliminate risks to manatees. Expressive/Persuasive: Write a "Plea for the Manatee." Copyright 2001-2003 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form