Read-Aloud Anthology - EngageNY

Social Insects:
Ants and Termites
5B
Extensions
20 minutes
Insects Journal
Have students look through the trade books for pictures of ants
and termites. Have them draw a picture of an ant and a picture of
a termite in their journals. Then, based on what they have learned,
have them write one sentence for each insect that tells something
they have learned. Tell students that they should also write down
any questions they may have about ants and/or termites. Have
students work in pairs or small groups to look through the book
tub or other resources to search for answers to their questions.
You may wish to extend this research beyond the classroom book
tub to include online resources and/or library resources.
Have students share their drawings and sentences with the class,
and encourage them to expand upon their vocabulary, using richer
and more complex language, including, if possible, any domainrelated
vocabulary.
Writing an Informational Narrative: Plan (Instructional Master
5B-1)
Tell students that they are going to write an informational narrative,
or story, from the perspective of an insect. This narrative, or story,
will be narrated by an insect, like the read-alouds have been, and
it will contain accurate information about the insects in the story
(also like the read-alouds).
Using their journals, have students review the insects they have
learned about so far. You may also wish to have them review some of
the trade books from the classroom book tub. Tell students that they
are also going to learn about grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles,
and that they may choose to write a story from the perspective of one
of these insects, even though they are not in their journals yet.
80 Insects 5B | Social Insects: Ants and Termites
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