Animal ABC Book

Fatima Sitson
University of Maryland, University College

Name: Fatima Sitson

A. Format of the Information Literacy Unit Plan
Academic Subject(s): Writing
Topic(s) of Unit: Animal ABC Book (research and publishing)
Grade Level(s): 2nd grade
Standards Integrated into the Unit Plan (not information literacy standards):
Student Content Standards
Montgomery County Public Schools:

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and
definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Participate in shared research and writing projects

Learning Objectives for 5-Day Unit: Students will be able to research a given topic and
write an informational paragraph based on facts gathered.
Information Literacy Objectives:
Define the information need: Students will research important information on one
animal.
Locate information: Students will navigate through PebbleGo and Britanica Kids
to find research on their animal.
Process the information: Students will take notes using a graphic organizer to
determine important facts about the animal. They will use a graphic organizer to
sort important facts and interesting details.
Create and communicate results: Students will create a page for the class ABC
Animal book using Build A Book program (free online, and included in our
schools computer network).
Assess process and product: The teacher will assess the final product. The teacher
will check for completion of a paragraph with important facts about an animal and
correct use of grammar and punctuation.
Prerequisite Student Skills:

Students will need to know how to type and demonstrate basic keyboard skills
Students will need to have a basic understanding of the structure of a paragraph

Materials:

PebbleGo
Britanica Kids
Build A Book (presentation software)
Determining Important Facts worksheet
2

Planning sheet with guided questions for their animal

Animal research guided questions worksheets
Paragraph organizer
access through a multi computer laptop cart or computer lab (at least 1 computer
per 2 students)
Pics 4 learning (copyright free images)
headphones
pencils
highlighters/markers for peer-editing

Brief Overview of Unit

This lesson is a guided class research project in which students will collaborate and
use technology to research and publish an ABC book about different animals. The first
step will be to brainstorm an animal for each letter of the alphabet, and then students will
be assigned an animal to research and write about. Students will use the PebbleGo
software to research the animal that he/she has been assigned. They will use this
information to complete a graphic organizer and first draft for their informational
paragraph. Once the writing process has been completed, students will use publishing
software such as Build a Book or Publisher. The result will be a collaborative class ABC
book where each child has contributed a page.
Teacher to Teacher:
To differentiate, teachers can have students work in pairs, or assign multiple letters
to one student.
The topic of the ABC book can differ depending on the interests of the students
and the class. For example, the class can take a vote on different topics for the
ABC book.
For students who require support, teachers can provide sample sentence starters
and a paragraph template to initiate and support writing.
Procedures/Daily Activities
Introduction: (Day 1)
The teacher will share an example of an ABC book and read to the class (ex:
Dogs ABC: An Alphabet Book by B. A. Hoena.
Teachers and students will have a discussion about the parts that make up a nonfiction ABC book (shares real facts, includes photographs, uses the letters of the
alphabet)
As a class, students will come up with an animal that begins with each letter of the
alphabet
The teacher will explain the ABC Book project that students will work on for the
rest of the week. The class will work together to create an ABC book about
different animals. Students will be responsible in becoming expert on a specific
animal to research facts and write an informative paragraph. Their animal pages
will be put together as a class made ABC book.
3

Researching (Day 2 and 3)

The teacher will assign each student a specific letter and the animal that they will
research (taken from class brainstorm list in day 1)
The class will go into the computer lab to begin researching facts for their animal
o The class will spend two days in the lab for research
The teacher will first introduce the students to the PebbleGo Software Program
and Britanica Kids (The programs were bought by the school and installed on all
computers)
As the teacher models how to use PebbleGo, students will work in pairs and
follow along on their own computer
Students will spend the first day in the computer lab listening to information about
their animal and exploring PebbleGo and Britanica Kids
The teacher will show students how to navigate the program (use search engine,
clicking on different tabs, etc) to research the animal
o There is a promethean board in the computer lab which connects to a
projector screen so students can see how the program looks like
Teacher will model an example of researching an animal and determining important
facts for note taking (see worksheet on Determining Important Facts)
Students will begin researching for their animal facts with a partner
o PebbleGo has a speech-to-text feature so that students can listen to the
information about the animal
Pairs will work together to decide which facts are most important to share in their
writing
For the two days in the computer lab, students will complete a graphic organizer to
gather facts on the animal (see example of research template and guided
questions)
Students will write down important facts they learn as well as including which
source they found the information from
The teacher will monitor students working on the computers and provide
assistance to anyone who has questions or needs help
Students who need additional support may use a template guide for note taking
Writing/Publishing (Day 4 and 5)
The teacher will have a mini-lesson on the structure of a paragraph- introduction,
supporting facts, and concluding sentence. Mini lessons can be done in small group
writers workshop. This is when students can share ideas with each other on
generating examples of a topic and concluding sentence.
o The teacher will model writing a complete paragraph
o The teacher will also share the rubric/checklist for their final paragraph
Students will get a draft template that will organize their writing (see draft
template)
Students will write a rough draft of their animal facts
The teacher will provide writing support throughout the classroom as students
work independently. The teacher may call on individual students to hold writing
conferences or groups of students if needed.
Students will peer edit each others paragraph- given a checklist, they will check
for all parts of a paragraph, complete sentences, and correct grammar
4

The class will spend two days in the lab (during the writing block) for publishing
their paragraph
Students will be able to use Publisher or Build a Book Software to create their
final draft (for second graders, this may take more than two days of typing on the
computer. Students may continue to work of their project during center time)
Students will need to include a picture of the animal in their final. The teacher will
model an example of using Pics4learning to add to their final paragraph
The teacher will support students to include the image onto their page and print
the page for the class book
Each student will print their animal page
The teacher will put the pages together for a completed class book
To close the lesson, once the book is finally put together, the teacher may read out
loud to the class, or students can individually read their pages

Student Assessment and Evaluation

Students are assessed on the research information they gathered from their sources and
how they presented the information. Students will have a rubric (see attachment) to make
sure they have all parts of the assignment project completed. In their final product, they
will need to have included:
o Topic and concluding sentence about the animal
o 3 (or more) important facts
o Supporting details
o Complete sentences and correct grammar
o Image of animal
B. Analysis of Information Literacy Lesson Plan
Rationale for Activities:
When creating this lesson plan, I wanted to make sure that I integrated a variety of
research and content skills as well as incorporating the use of technology. The objective of
this lesson is to write an information paragraph based on facts gathered. This lesson plan
integrates reading/writing skills, with developing research skills as well as incorporating
technological resources. In addition, this lesson plan is more engaging for student learning.
Rather than writing a basic essay, students work together to create a class book. Each
student has something to offer in the outcome of this project.
The procedures in this lesson correspond and match each piece in the informational
literacy standard. First, students must use resources to find research information about a
specific animal. Second, students must become accustomed to the online resources used
for this lesson in order to effectively navigate through the sites and find the essential
information. Third, students must analyze their research in order to determine which facts
are important to include in their paragraph. Through graphic organizers, students are able
to focus their paragraphs with specific information. Lastly, students will present and share
their findings through using Build A Book or Publisher for the class book.
The objective for this lesson comes straight from the Montgomery County Public
School curriculum. Students must be able to use informational resources for gathering
facts. This lesson is also linked with the writing unit in which students must be able to
write a complete informational paragraph. Furthermore, each quarter, students complete a
long-term inquiry project in which they also research a topic (related to what they are
5

learning in science or social studies) and create a presentation (either through PowerPoint,
handmade posters, creating a movie, etc). Therefore, this lesson is a great start in teaching
students how to conduct and analyze research.
This lesson is appropriate for the students I work with in second grade. Students
are beginning to develop deeper comprehension and critical thinking skills. In this lesson,
supports and organizational aids are used to analyze and organize facts for their paragraph.
In addition, students are limited to two sources for research as to not overwhelm them in
the research process. As the year progresses, the goal is for students to expand their
knowledge in a variety of technological resources for information literacy.
Explanation of the Information Literacy Component:
Informational literacy is the ability to know how to research and analyze
information. At even the primary levels, students begin to develop research skills, though it
may be modified to fit their developmental needs. When creating research lessons, teachers
need to consider how to implement research strategies that are appropriate for the levels
they teach. For example, a second grader would not be required to cite and list references
in APA form, but rather would need to include the website and title of the article they
used. In this lesson, students develop skills in research while using technology. They are
required to find information on a specific topic.
At the second grade level, this is an appropriate plan to begin skills in research.
When students use the online research programs, it encourages them to learn new
information by conducting research and note-taking. For this particular lesson, students
are only using two different sources for facts on their animal. At a young age, teachers do
not want to overwhelm students by giving too many options and resources. This lesson is
structured so that a second grader will feel challenged but also feel capable of completing
the assignment. The structure of the lesson begins with more support and guidance by the
teacher and then eventually leads to student independent work.
This project requires students to analyze their notes and determine which facts are
the most important to share. Graphic organizers and templates support student learning by
mapping out and making sense of what they find. By doing so, students build their
comprehension skills. Additionally, this lesson also requires students to collaborate and
respond to each others work. They are asked to share ideas and work together to peeredit each others paragraphs. This lesson integrates a variety of effective instructional
strategies teaching research skills, incorporating technology, promoting collaboration,
and developing writing skills.
C. Reflection on Unit Lesson Plan
Your Learning about Information Literacy:
When creating this lesson plan, I wanted students to be engaged, to collaborate,
and to create an informational literacy product that is creative but demonstrates their
knowledge. I have used a few of these instructional strategies before creating this lesson
plan such as the use of graphic organizers for note taking, and allowing students to use
PebbleGo and Britanica Kids for research. Also, students are taught to peer-edit and
provide feedback for each other. However, a new aspect in this lesson plan is creating the
class ABC book and using the Build A Book software. This is a new software program
installed in our school just last year, and both teachers and students are still familiarizing
themselves with the program. One aspect that may be challenging is having each student
6

(or pairs) research a different animal. Though the class is working on the same objective,
each student will be researching different facts and details.
Developing research skills can be difficult. Therefore, by introducing those skills
through this lesson plan, the process is guided and supported. I believe that teachers need
to create authentic lessons that relate to the real-world. When students are completely
immersed and engaged in their work, the end result is a high quality product. I did not
want students to do research and complete a question-answer worksheet. Students are
proud of their efforts.
Future Explorations:
As the school year progress, I plan to continue teaching research and note-taking
skills. Each quarter, students work on a long-term project. Research and gathering facts is
an important component in the process. It is important that students continue to practice
and apply note-taking skills in order to analyze their research and create a product for
presentation. I also would like to broaden the different resources students can use when
conducting research. I would continue to explore different modes of research- books,
magazines, and online resources. This way, students will eventually choose which
resources they want to use to locate information independently. They can use a resource in
which they feel comfortable using and know how to navigate through.
Annotated Citations:
Baumgartner, E., & Zabin, C. (2008). A case study of project-based instruction in the
ninth grade: A semester-long study of intertidal biodiversity. Environmental
Education Research, 14(2), 97-114. Retrieved
from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/detail?sid=806dd7a41ee2-4f69-b88b-28b360ae0ddb
%40sessionmgr15&vid=22&hid=17&bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N
0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=ehh&AN=31519140
This article explains the process ninth graders went through when researching and
observing the environment of the tidal basin. This project-based learning assignment
required students to research different species and scientific tools. They then applied their
findings during their field trips.
Johnson, D. (1999, March). Implementing an information literacy curriculum: One
district's story. NASSP Bulletin, 53-61.
This article discusses how teachers planned to integrate research skills into their
school curriculum. In collaboration with teachers, administrators, and parents, they
developed a combined library and technology curriculum that encourages student learning
but also appropriate for the resources they have available at school.
Montgomery County Public Schools (2010). Grade 2 integrated weekly planner.
Retrieved from: https://mymcps-instruction.mcpsmd.org/
Teachers from Montgomery County Public Schools use this curriculum resource
for planning lessons. The site is broken down by grade level, subject, and weeks for each
quarter. The site provides teachers with instructional guidelines for each week. This source
was used to find an objective regarding research as well as instructional strategies to
implement in the lesson.
Robinson, K. (2006). Do Schools Kill Creativity? Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
7

Ken Robinson discusses the need for encouraging creativity in todays schools. He
shares examples of personal stories as well as a discussion on the multi-intelligence. In
addition to the focus on academics, students are able to express their knowledge through
other modes. Technology has been a big impact in changing and enhancing education.

D. Reflection on the Semester

Before this course, I did not realize the importance of informational literacy skills.
I did not even think about the components that make up the research process. Skills such
as gathering facts, searching the internet for resources, and analyzing the findings are all
skills that students need to be explicitly taught (even at the primary levels). Doug Johnson
(1999) and teachers at his schools district realized the importance of this and decided to
implement those skills in their curriculum. They have found the benefits when teachers and
media specialist work together to teach and implement technology based projects for
students. They find students are motivated and engaged. Though it takes a great deal of
effort and planning from the teachers, the outcome is much more meaningful to the
students. At the end of the day, that is the final goal.
This course also added to my beliefs on developing assignments that steer away
from traditional assessments, but rather encourages critical thinking and creativity. One
conference from our class that struck with me was the Project-based Learning discussion.
Through these projects, students are provided opportunities to demonstrate their learning
through original and real-life experiences. For example, I read about a group of students
who developed scientific skills by researching and taking field trips to a tidal basin. The
students then shared their information and research at an Open House for the school
community. Projects such as these combine academic contents with application and
collaboration skills. These are the types of educational strategies that make the most
impact on students.
Ken Robinson (2006), speaks about using creativity in schools. He uses a quote,
if they dont know, theyll have a go meaning that the young minds of students are
willing to take a risk. As teachers, we have to instill the love of learning, encourage
students to be risk takers, and provide multiple opportunities for students to show their
learning in different ways. I believe that with this type of philosophy, students can develop
informational literacy skills. In our discussion of web quests, I saw how standard
objectives can be met through collaborative process that includes research and technology.
Collaboration is also a skill I promote in my classroom. This course has shown
how collaboration is a key component in information literacy. For example, in our group
project, my team members and I had to collaborate together to create an informative
newsletter for parents. Through this experience, we were able o do our own individual
research, and then bring our ideas back together to create a cohesive product. What I
found most important in this team project was the feedback we provided each other. We
commented on each others work, as well as provided suggestions. The team is also
helpful by clarifying any questions and concerns about the project; this allowed us to make
sure that we were working together towards a common goal. By doing so, we were able
to find ways to improve the final newsletter. Collaboration is an essential skill that
students develop throughout their education career. It is a skill they take with them when
they enter the workforce.
8

In the future, my goal is to work with my team members and staff to develop
lessons that challenge students in order to build their critical thinking skills. Our media
specialist is knowledgeable in informational literacy, so I plan to collaborate with her when
we work on research projects. When students see that both their homeroom teacher and
the media specialist reinforce these research skills, they realize the importance of applying
these skills in different settings.

10

Facts about My Animal

Animal name_____________________
What does the animal look like? Draw a quick picture and label body
parts

Where does the animal live? What kind of environment does the
animal need in order to survive (snow, water, desert)?

What does the animal eat? How does it find food?

What does the animal need to survive?

What are other interesting facts special about this animal?

11

Name: ____________
Animal Research
What I want to learn:

Important Facts:

Key Words AND New Vocabulary Words

Name of author:

Title of article:
Source used (Britanica Kids/Pebble Go)

Paragraph Organizer
12

Introduction

Body

Detail 1-

Detail 2-

Detail 3-

Conclusion

13

Animal Research Rubric

Criteria

Topics- Facts

Topics- Details

Proficient
-has at least 3
important facts
-supporting
details
-organized well

In Progress
-explains facts
about the animal
-some supporting
detail

-uses effective
descriptive words
-interesting to
read
-strong word
choice
-correct spelling
-all complete
sentences
-all capitals and
punctuation in
the correct spot

-some descriptive -no descriptive

word choice
words
-some interesting -does not grab
parts
the reader

-most spelling
Conventions
correct
(capitals,
-all complete
periods,
sentences
complete
-most capitals
sentences,
and punctuation
spelling, etc.)
in the correct
spot
-cites the title of -cites only the
Bibliography
the article
title of the article
(bottom of the -cites the author or
paragraph page)
-cites only the
author
-uses Publisher or -uses Publisher
Build A Book
or Build A Book
-includes a
-includes a
complete
paragraph and
Presentation
paragraph and
image of animal
image of animal
-adds colors and
visual design

14

Not Yet
-does not
describe main
facts about the
animal

-most spelling
mistakes
-incomplete
sentences
-does not use
capital letters or
punctuation
-does not include
a citation

-uses Publisher
or Build A Book
-incomplete
paragraph and no
image of animal
-no additional
colors and visual
design