Teacher's Resource - Nelson Education

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION:
GUIDED PRACTICE
6. Read the opening paragraph
on page 48 to students. Say:
• When I see the word
“temperate,” it reminds me of
“temperature,” but when I
look at the ending, I see that it
is different from the ending
of “temperature.”
Encourage students to sound
out the word, correcting their
pronunciation as necessary.
Ask what they think
“temperate” means (something
to do with temperature) and
clarify the meaning (not very
hot or very cold).
7. Point out to students that they
will be reading about two
different rainforests. Remind
them that all rainforests have a
canopy, an understorey, and a
forest floor. Instruct students to
read to the bottom of page 48
to learn about temperate
rainforests. Ask:
• What would you see, hear,
smell, and feel on a walk in a
temperate rainforest (wolves,
elk, black bears; birds singing;
smells of things rotting and
growing; cool, wet air)
8. Tell students to read the
remainder of the article on
page 49 to learn about tropical
rainforests. Ask:
• What would you see, hear,
smell, and feel on a walk in a
tropical rainforest (monkeys,
butterflies, lianas; frogs calling;
sweet-smelling flowers; warm,
moist air)
• Did you know the word
“liana” before you read this
article How can you figure
out what it means (read the
words before and after; they tell
you lianas are climbing plants
that look like ropes)
48 Habitats and Communities
Word Study
black bear
elk
temperate rainforest
Temperate rainforests are found on
some cool, wet coasts, such as the
coast of British Columbia. The soil in
the forest is very rich and full of
nutrients.
Bald eagles, ravens, woodpeckers,
and Steller’s jays make their homes
in the canopy. Flying squirrels are
found in the understorey. Most
animals live on the forest floor.
Carnivores (meat eaters) such as
wolves and cougars share the forest
floor with herbivores (plant eaters)
such as elk, black-tailed deer, and
beavers. Omnivores (animals that eat
both plants and meat) such as black
bears roam the forest floor, too.
Creating Adjective Chains
1. Tell students that writers use adjectives to help readers visualize. Remind
students that adjectives describe nouns.
2. Use names of animals, for example, bear, from “In a Rainforest,” to model
how adjectives can make nouns come to life. Ask students to suggest
describing words when they picture a bear.
3. Write students’ suggestions on the board to create a chain of adjectives
before the noun, for example: black, huge, bellowing, smelly bear.
4. Ask students to find a picture of a mammal, bird, or amphibian.
5. Let students work in small groups. One student shows a picture of an
animal, and writes down the animal’s name on the right-hand side of a
piece of paper and an adjective on the left-hand side. The next student
adds an adjective, as does the next, until the paper returns to the first
student, who reads the whole adjective chain to the group. Each group
member should get a turn choosing the animal and starting the chain.
You may use Word Study Master 2.
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26 Nelson Literacy 4 Teacher’s Resource: Habitats and Communities
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