Willodeen Ecosystem Nonfiction Resources
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Willodeen Ecosystem Nonfiction Resources

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Contents
Description
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Willodeen Ecosystem Nonfiction Connections – Snapshot of Included Resources:

  • 10 Informational Texts
  • Variety of Text Features
  • A & B Response Formats
  • 2 Pre-Reading Activities
  • 7 Ecosystem PowerPoint Presentations
  • Guided Notes Handouts
  • Final Endangered Species Project
  • Final Creative Assessment – Interview a Screecher
  • Google Slides™ Links for Student Pages
  • Answer Keys for Applicable Activities!
The informational texts, slide decks, guided notes, and extension activities will build your students’ knowledge about ecosystems and humans’ impact on the environment. As the PowerPoints and guided notes build students’ background about various ecosystems, the informational texts and extension activities will deepen their understanding of nature’s interconnectedness, a prominent theme in Willodeen. The comprehensive set of materials provide students with various opportunities to synthesize across texts as they engage in close reading and analysis. By the end of this unit of study, students will have developed their ability to think critically and make connections between texts and will have expanded their understanding of ecosystems and humans’ impact on them.
 
Informational Texts: The 10 informational texts about ecosystems and humans’ impact on ecosystems includes two sets of questions – one comprehension set and one analysis set – that will develop essential skills aligned to the reading of informational and historical texts under the Common Core State Standards. The readings also allow for differentiation, accommodation, and flexible implementation. After working with these texts over the course of a unit, you can be confident your students will have mastered numerous skills and built their background knowledge on numerous topics, including:
  • What is an Ecosystem?
  • Energy of Ecosystems
  • Balance of Ecosystems
  • Human Disturbances
  • Greta Thunberg
  • 5 Texts about Human Impact – Aral Sea, Monarch Butterflies, Amazon Rainforest, Gray Wolf, and Great Pacific Garbage Patch
 
Conservation Scenario: The anticipation resource will walk your students through a scenario that challenges them to decide on a best course of action about newly discovered land. Through this creative exercise, your students will boost their critical thinking abilities, apply logic and reasoning, and participate in discussion. It will also prepare them for discussion of the novel’s prominent themes.
 
What If ___________ Disappeared?: As students learn about ecosystems, the way they work, and the importance of ecological balance, they will apply their learning through the What If _____ Disappeared Activity. Students will research a keystone species, learning about its ecosystem, its role in that ecosystem, and compose a hypothesis about what would happen if the species disappeared. Then, students will present their research and hypothesis to their peers.
 
Endangered Species Project: For this culminating project, students will apply their knowledge of ecosystems to study an endangered species and create an advocacy commercial. The project is broken into 5 parts to allow for flexible implementation. The project can be assigned over the course of an entire unit of study or be done in 6-10 class periods.
 
Interview a Screecher Creative Assessment: This creative assessment asks students to apply their knowledge of ecosystems to the novel, Willodeen. Students will conduct an interview with a screecher, both developing questions and answering from the perspective of the screecher. By doing so, students will not only use the novel as textual evidence but also apply their conceptual knowledge of ecosystems to its fictional environment.
 
Ecosystem PowerPoint Presentations (EDITABLE TEXT): The 7 presentations (also available in Google Slides™) guide students through an exploration of topics, such as an overview of ecosystems and their components, deserts, grasslands, forests, tundras, freshwater, and marine. Each presentation incorporates multimedia, engaging animations, and guided notes to build foundational knowledge. Students will then be able to apply that knowledge through activities that examine nature’s relationship with humans.
 
Ecosystem PowerPoint Presentations Guided Notes: The guided notes provide flexibility in how to use the presentations. They can serve as a check for understanding, a source of information, and/or a way to guide students’ learning. Use the handouts to structure a whole class lesson, small group work, individual learning time, or homework. *Please note: Internet access required to complete last part of each presentation.*
 
Ecosystem Travel Brochure Templates (EDITABLE): The travel brochure templates provide another activity for students to explore ecosystems. After completing the guided notes, students can study a specific ecosystem and share their new knowledge with their classmates. After creating 6 brochures – 1 for each ecosystem – students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of nature’s complexity and diversity.
 
Digital Links: This resource is also technology friendly! It can be utilized in classrooms where computers or tablets are central to instruction because the resource has been adapted for digital completion. The resource includes links for students to complete the student pages in Google Slides™. For instance, students can work with the documents in Google Drive™ or via Google Classroom. With these links, you can have students complete their work online. There are links for every student work page, making the format friendly not only for technology but also trees.
 
Answer Key: The key provides potential answers for every question asked in every lesson. Of course, not all analytic questions have just one answer! Part of the strength of the analysis question is the room they leave for students to demonstrate their unique thinking and use textual evidence to support their stance. Therefore, use the answers at your discretion but know they provide a solid foundation for the type of performance that makes for quality work. 
The entire resource and its inclusive set of questions allow for multiple potential uses based on your determination about when and where it would be most helpful. All aspects of the assignments, though, are aligned to the Common Core State Standards in order for students to have ample opportunities to practice and demonstrate their knowledge across numerous, essential literary skills.
  • ZIP file (PDFs and Word Docs for Digital Links)
  • Non-Editable (Writing Resources Editable)
  • 134.24 MB
  • 137 Pages + 116 Slides
  • Links for Student Pages in Google Slides™ & Google Forms™
  • This downloadable resource supplies one single-teacher license for use in your classroom. 
  • Photocopying of this product is allowed only for the classroom use of the purchaser. 
  • Replication of this product, in whole or in part, for commercial sale or broader distribution is strictly prohibited. 
  • This product also may NOT be shared electronically, digitally, or otherwise in a manner that violates the Terms of Use detailed by LIT Lessons. 
  • For explicit information on permissions, please see the Terms of Use document included with this resource. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Contents

Willodeen Ecosystem Nonfiction Connections – Snapshot of Included Resources:

  • 10 Informational Texts
  • Variety of Text Features
  • A & B Response Formats
  • 2 Pre-Reading Activities
  • 7 Ecosystem PowerPoint Presentations
  • Guided Notes Handouts
  • Final Endangered Species Project
  • Final Creative Assessment – Interview a Screecher
  • Google Slides™ Links for Student Pages
  • Answer Keys for Applicable Activities!
Description
The informational texts, slide decks, guided notes, and extension activities will build your students’ knowledge about ecosystems and humans’ impact on the environment. As the PowerPoints and guided notes build students’ background about various ecosystems, the informational texts and extension activities will deepen their understanding of nature’s interconnectedness, a prominent theme in Willodeen. The comprehensive set of materials provide students with various opportunities to synthesize across texts as they engage in close reading and analysis. By the end of this unit of study, students will have developed their ability to think critically and make connections between texts and will have expanded their understanding of ecosystems and humans’ impact on them.
 
Informational Texts: The 10 informational texts about ecosystems and humans’ impact on ecosystems includes two sets of questions – one comprehension set and one analysis set – that will develop essential skills aligned to the reading of informational and historical texts under the Common Core State Standards. The readings also allow for differentiation, accommodation, and flexible implementation. After working with these texts over the course of a unit, you can be confident your students will have mastered numerous skills and built their background knowledge on numerous topics, including:
  • What is an Ecosystem?
  • Energy of Ecosystems
  • Balance of Ecosystems
  • Human Disturbances
  • Greta Thunberg
  • 5 Texts about Human Impact – Aral Sea, Monarch Butterflies, Amazon Rainforest, Gray Wolf, and Great Pacific Garbage Patch
 
Conservation Scenario: The anticipation resource will walk your students through a scenario that challenges them to decide on a best course of action about newly discovered land. Through this creative exercise, your students will boost their critical thinking abilities, apply logic and reasoning, and participate in discussion. It will also prepare them for discussion of the novel’s prominent themes.
 
What If ___________ Disappeared?: As students learn about ecosystems, the way they work, and the importance of ecological balance, they will apply their learning through the What If _____ Disappeared Activity. Students will research a keystone species, learning about its ecosystem, its role in that ecosystem, and compose a hypothesis about what would happen if the species disappeared. Then, students will present their research and hypothesis to their peers.
 
Endangered Species Project: For this culminating project, students will apply their knowledge of ecosystems to study an endangered species and create an advocacy commercial. The project is broken into 5 parts to allow for flexible implementation. The project can be assigned over the course of an entire unit of study or be done in 6-10 class periods.
 
Interview a Screecher Creative Assessment: This creative assessment asks students to apply their knowledge of ecosystems to the novel, Willodeen. Students will conduct an interview with a screecher, both developing questions and answering from the perspective of the screecher. By doing so, students will not only use the novel as textual evidence but also apply their conceptual knowledge of ecosystems to its fictional environment.
 
Ecosystem PowerPoint Presentations (EDITABLE TEXT): The 7 presentations (also available in Google Slides™) guide students through an exploration of topics, such as an overview of ecosystems and their components, deserts, grasslands, forests, tundras, freshwater, and marine. Each presentation incorporates multimedia, engaging animations, and guided notes to build foundational knowledge. Students will then be able to apply that knowledge through activities that examine nature’s relationship with humans.
 
Ecosystem PowerPoint Presentations Guided Notes: The guided notes provide flexibility in how to use the presentations. They can serve as a check for understanding, a source of information, and/or a way to guide students’ learning. Use the handouts to structure a whole class lesson, small group work, individual learning time, or homework. *Please note: Internet access required to complete last part of each presentation.*
 
Ecosystem Travel Brochure Templates (EDITABLE): The travel brochure templates provide another activity for students to explore ecosystems. After completing the guided notes, students can study a specific ecosystem and share their new knowledge with their classmates. After creating 6 brochures – 1 for each ecosystem – students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of nature’s complexity and diversity.
 
Digital Links: This resource is also technology friendly! It can be utilized in classrooms where computers or tablets are central to instruction because the resource has been adapted for digital completion. The resource includes links for students to complete the student pages in Google Slides™. For instance, students can work with the documents in Google Drive™ or via Google Classroom. With these links, you can have students complete their work online. There are links for every student work page, making the format friendly not only for technology but also trees.
 
Answer Key: The key provides potential answers for every question asked in every lesson. Of course, not all analytic questions have just one answer! Part of the strength of the analysis question is the room they leave for students to demonstrate their unique thinking and use textual evidence to support their stance. Therefore, use the answers at your discretion but know they provide a solid foundation for the type of performance that makes for quality work. 
The entire resource and its inclusive set of questions allow for multiple potential uses based on your determination about when and where it would be most helpful. All aspects of the assignments, though, are aligned to the Common Core State Standards in order for students to have ample opportunities to practice and demonstrate their knowledge across numerous, essential literary skills.
Format
  • ZIP file (PDFs and Word Docs for Digital Links)
  • Non-Editable (Writing Resources Editable)
  • 134.24 MB
  • 137 Pages + 116 Slides
  • Links for Student Pages in Google Slides™ & Google Forms™
Rights
  • This downloadable resource supplies one single-teacher license for use in your classroom. 
  • Photocopying of this product is allowed only for the classroom use of the purchaser. 
  • Replication of this product, in whole or in part, for commercial sale or broader distribution is strictly prohibited. 
  • This product also may NOT be shared electronically, digitally, or otherwise in a manner that violates the Terms of Use detailed by LIT Lessons. 
  • For explicit information on permissions, please see the Terms of Use document included with this resource. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
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The Willodeen Novel Study is a comprehensive set of standards-aligned instructional materials for teaching Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. With over 100+ materials, students will deeply engage with the novel and develop their literacy skills. The close reading activities, literary analysis resources, ecosystem nonfiction resources, vocabulary, assessments, and opinion writing and speech resources all provide opportunities for your students to practice and apply what will be their growing understanding of the novel. They also provide numerous ways for you to DIFFERENTIATE learning for your students, allowing you to choose the assignments that best support your students’ learning while being conducive to any classroom model.

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