Nine True Dolphin Stories

4th Grade Literature Circle

Lesson 5

Minnesota Language Arts Benchmarks Addresses:

4.8.1.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,

and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others
ideas and expressing their own clearly.

a. Students will come to the discussion prepared having read and completed required
material. Students will use what they have prepared to discuss content and pull
other information known about the topic to further discussion.
b. Follow the agreed upon rules set up for discussion and prepare assigned roles.
c. Pose and respond to questions using evidence from the book to clarify
information and make comments within the discussion that connect to the ideas of
others.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding
throughout the discussion.
e. Cooperate and problem solve as appropriate throughout the discussion

Content Objectives:

TSWBAT have a productive discussion with their classmates about the

first story in our book Nine True Dolphin Stories by Margaret Davidson.

TWBAT Discuss their responses from their role they have previously
completed about the first story from our book Nine True Dolphin
Stories by Margaret Davidson.

Language Objectives:
After learning about Language of Response and how to have a successful discussion
TWBAT participate in a discussion about the book Nine True Dolphin Stories using the
following response phrases.
1. I agree because
2. I also noticed
3. Id like to add

Materials:
Nine copies of Nine True Dolphin Stories (1 per student)
Researcher role worksheets (1 per student)
Behavior anchor chart
Assignment guide
Discussion Rubric
The Language of Response anchor chart
Instruction
Introduction (5 minuets):
Good morning fourth graders, today is our fifth day of literature circles. I hope you each
have worked some more on your summarizer roles so that we can contribute our thoughts
to our discussion today.

Before we start reading today lets look at the goals we have for today.

Our goals include:

1. Review our behavior anchor chart and our language of response anchor chart
2. Independent reading/ discuss our job/role for today
3. Discuss our stories we read today and take a look at Blooms taxonomy chart and
answer the questions
4. Discuss what will be taken home to work on for Wednesday

Before Reading (5 minuets):

Now that we have an idea of what our day is going to look like, our first step is to review
our behavior chart and think about our last discussion and how it went and brainstorm
two more rules to our chart.

Review Rules with students and encourage them to write their own rules. Discuss the
rules they chose and which could be added to our chart.

I will set up our chart over here as a reminder as to how we should act during our time
together. The other thing I would like to discuss is the language of response and how we
talk with each other during our discussion.

Review anchor chart and encourage students to use the response prompts as they discuss
the stories.

During Reading (25 minutes):

Our next goal is to have 25 minutes of independent reading time. During this time we
will be reading The Story of Doris and Buzz and The Story of Zippy. For the stories
today we will be completing the Researcher role.

Give students brief description of the researcher role.

The role of the researcher is to dig up background information about our stories.
Information may include: The geography, weather, culture or history of the books setting,
pictures, objects or materials that illustrate elements of the book, or information on any
topics or events represented in the book. Keep these ideas in your mind as you read, so
you can pick something that interests you to research more.

Once you have finished reading raise your hand and I will give you a task card to being
working on silently.
After Reading (25 minutes):
Today your researcher role will be taken home for you to work on until the next time we
meet. This way you can use multiple resources to do your research on the area of interest
you chose from the book. Instead of working on our roles we are going to discuss these
questions about our stories.

Introduce Blooms Taxonomy chart and the questions that follow.

Knowledge
How would you explain how the experiment that Dr. Bastian set up for Doris and
Buzz worked?
How would you describe how Buzz knew which button to push?
Comprehension
How would you summarize this chapter?
What facts or ideas show the thinking behind Dr. Bastians experiment?
Application
What questions would you ask in an interview with Dr. Bastian?
What would be the result if the dolphins never learned which buttons were the
correct ones to push?
Analysis
What conclusion can you draw from the dolphins pushing the correct button
even if only Doris could see the light?
What motive is there to learn if dolphins truly speak to each other?
Synthesis
What changes would you make to solve the question if dolphins used sonar the
help them see?
Suppose you could have been there. What experiment might you create?
Evaluation
What choice would you have make when Zippy completed the experiment with
success the first time? Would you test the theory some more, if so how?
How would you justify Dr. Norris actions when trying to see if Zippy would be
completely helpless without her use of sonar?

Does anybody have any more thoughts or questions about the stories we read today?

Weve just finished another discussion about our dolphins; next we will be filling out our
assignment guides.

Todays Date is: May 2, 2016

Our next meeting will be: Wednesday May 4, 2016
Your job for the next meeting is to: Complete the Researcher Role
Something to think about before the next meeting is: If you found this book to be more
interesting than you thought it was going to be. If you did, what made it interesting?
I will see you all on Wednesday, please have your Researcher roles completed so we can
contribute our thoughts to our discussion.
Evaluation

The students will be evaluated on:

1. Their completed work from their Summarizer and Researcher role task cards.
2. How they respond and react to others during the discussion using the following
rubric:

Category 4 3 2 1
Respects others Student listens Student listens Student Student
quietly, does quietly and interrupts once interrupts often
not interrupt, does not or twice, but by whispering,
and stays in interrupt. comments are making
assigned place Moves a couple relevant. Stays comments or
without of times, but in assigned noises that
distracting does not place without distract others
fidgeting. distract others. distracting OR moves
movements. around in ways
that distract
others.
Participates Student Student Student does Student does
willingly routinely volunteers once not volunteer not willingly
volunteers or twice and answers, but participate.
answers to willingly tries willing tries to
questions and to all questions answer
willingly tries s/he is asked. questions s/he
to answer is asked.
questions s/he
is asked
Comprehension Student seems Student seems Student Student has
to understand to understand understands trouble
entire story and most of the some parts of understanding
accurately story and the story and or remembering
answers 3 accurately accurately most parts of
questions answers 2 answers 1 the story.
related to the questions question related
story. related to the to the story.
story.
Summarizer Student Student Student Student does
Role prepares a brief prepares a brief prepares a brief not prepare a
summary of the summary, summary, but brief summary
story, which which only does not and cannot
covers key includes a few include any key discuss any key
points, main key points, points, main points, main
highlights, and some main highlights, or a highlights or a
a general idea highlights and general idea of general idea of
of the reading. somewhat the reading. the reading.
 general idea of
the reading.
Travel Tracer Student Student can Student does Student does
Role skillfully tracks track the setting not always not track the
where the adequately and know where the setting or
setting is can illustrate setting is and illustrate it in
throughout the and describe only sometimes any way.
book and the setting but illustrates and
illustrates it is missing describes with
using pictures specific details. detail.
or words.
Researcher Student Student Student Student does
Role skillfully researches researches little to no
researches different elements of the research of the
different elements of the story but does elements of the
elements of the story and brings not bring story and brings
story and the information adequate little to no
sufficiently the group with information to information to
brings the a few details the group the group
information to
the group with
specific details