Close Reading of "The Tarantula Scientist" - Exploring Sam Marshall's Scientific Journey

1. Reading Unit: 1 Lesson: 3 Module: A Objectives: • Identify key details in narrative nonfiction texts. • Understand a scientific process. Today we will be doing a Close Reading of pages 21-29. • Essential Questions: • How does a reader consider point of view? • How does a writer use experiences, narration, and description to compel a • reader?

2. First Read Let’s explore the text! Focus on the photographs and read the captions to learn what Sam might observe during his research. Page through the text to see how it is organized.

3. Read Aloud Routine Focus: What is the “gist” of the text? I will begin reading while you follow along in your book. Then, you will continue reading up to page 29 silently on your own. As you read this section of the text focus on understanding the materials and methods Sam uses to study tarantulas and the creatures he encounters. Be prepared to discuss the following questions when you are done with the reading: • What experiences helped Sam decide to be a scientist? • What details of the text help to illustrate Sam’s point that science is “a process”? • What questions do you have?

4. Second Read Focus on key details about the events that made Sam learn to love science and the methods that Sam uses to research tarantulas. Be prepared to discuss the following questions when you are done with the reading: 1. What was Sam’s impression of science when he was growing up? 2. A biologist studies the science of living things. How is Sam a biologist? (He loves all kinds of animals and enjoys studying them to learn how they live and what they do.) What events changed how Sam viewed biologists and science? 3. How is a quadrant important to scientists like Sam? Describe the quadrant Sam uses. 4. How is Sam’s research process different from “memorizing a bunch of facts” about tarantulas?

5. Focused Reading Text-Based Vocabulary • interaction, p. 22 • boundaries, p. 29 Vocabulary Routine: 1. Read the sentence containing the word. 2. Identify context clues about its meaning within the passage. 3. Look up the word in a dictionary and read the definition. 4. Use the word in other ways. *After we review these words, write your sentences on p. 4 in your Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.*

6. Focused Reading Whole Class Discussion Routine I see on p. 21 that Sam hit his head on a wasp’s nest while looking for tarantulas. The text also says that Sam has to work in the 90-degree heat. Researching tarantulas sounds like hard work to me. It also sounds dangerous. I think Sam must really love his work to overlook a wasp’s nest and very hot conditions. Discuss reasons that Sam is willing to experience the harsh conditions of the rainforest .

7. Focused Reading Team Talk Routine Sam has to walk over steep slopes that are slippery to find tarantula burrows. What details from the text support the opinion that Sam views the risks as worthwhile?

8. Reading Analysis Genre A biography is a nonfiction text about a specific person. A biography is the story of a person’s life written by another person. Writers describe the key details about the person and include important information about what the person does, thinks, feels, or believes. Record details from the text that tell about Sam Marshall’s thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs.

9. Reading Analysis Cite Text Evidence Focus on p. 22, beginning with the sentence: “When Sam was growing up.” 1. List key details about Sam’s impression of science. 2. How does Sam feel about animals? 3. How did this experience influence Sam’s actions?

10. Independent Reading Reading Analysis Work independently to complete your webs with additional biographical details about Sam found on p. 23 of the text. Writing in Response to Reading Turn to page 5 in your Reader’s and Writer’s Journal and read the prompt:Reread the first and second paragraphs on page 26 of The Tarantula Scientist. How do Sam’s thoughts on science change? Write a paragraph explaining the events using text evidence. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper. Reading Wrap-Up Share responses

11. Small Groups It’s time to get into our groups! Please see me if you don’t know what group you belong in.

12. Writing Informative/Explanatory Writing Objectives: • Conduct short research projects that build knowledge. W.4.7 • Understand the function of pronouns. L.4.1.a

13. Writing Informative/Explanatory Writing A biography is a nonfiction text about a specific person. A biography includes key details about the person and important information about what the person does, thinks, feels, or believes. The Tarantula Scientist contains biographical information about Sam Marshall. This information helps readers to better understand what drives Marshall’s work as a scientist.

14. Writing Informative/Explanatory Writing A biography may include the following: • information about where the person was born, lives, or works • experiences that helped to form a specific area of interest • actions and dialogue that illustrate the person’s personality, character traits, and feelings • events told in chronological order

15. Writing Informative/Explanatory Writing Biographies must be accurate and factual. Therefore, writing a biography requires research. Reliable sources, such as scholarly books and Web sites, can give you the accurate information you need. Researching and writing a biography involves the following steps: • identifying an appropriate person to write about (your subject) • conducting research using authoritative sources • taking notes while doing research • identifying the most important information about your subject • telling the information in your own words while properly crediting the sources of your information

16. Writing Analyze the Model Identify specific types of biographical information about Sam. Notice the places in the text where the author describes Sam’s actions and includes dialogue to illustrate Sam’s personality. Remember the author’s choice to begin the first page of the text with Sam investigating the Goliath birdeater tarantula. Recall what the author helped you understand about Sam’s personality in these earlier pages. On p. 7, the author states where Sam came from (Hiram, Ohio) and on p. 15 tells where his laboratory is located. Focus on p. 22. Direct quotations—the exact words of an author or speaker—can add important detail to a biography. Direct quotations of Sam’s words help to illustrate Sam’s personality and his feelings about spiders.

17. Writing Analyze the Model The direct quotation of Sam’s words helps readers to better understand him.

18. Writing Conventions Focus: Relative Pronouns A sentence can have a clause that gives more information about a word or phrase in the sentence. The modifying clause will begin with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, that, and which). As an example read this sentence: They include the garden spiders who weave big, pretty webs. Identify the modifying clause that begins with who. What does the clause provide more information about?

19. Writing Independent Writing Research a scientist who has made a difference and record important details about the person. Be sure to: • Include biographical information about the scientist. • Include the scientist’s thoughts and feelings about the topic he or she studies. • Describe the actions the scientist takes in his or her research