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That’s our planet! There are 8 planets in our solar system. Can you point to Earth in the picture?
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Life in Space
You are going to read an article about alien spaceships. Some people think they have seen them! Here are 5 facts to know first.
From the October/November 2022 Issue
Lexiles: 430L
Guided Reading Level: H
DRA Level: 14
Vocabulary: solar system, billions, mystery, UFOs, spacecraft
Topic:
Science,
Common Core Standards
TEKS Standards
1. We live on Earth.
2. There is life on Earth.
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We live here, after all. We don’t know if any other planet has life on it.
3. Other planets may have life too.
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There are billions of planets in the universe. Is there life on them? We don’t know! It’s a mystery. We have never met any aliens. But they may be out there.
4. People say they have seen UFOs.
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Some people think they have seen a UFO. UFO stands for unidentified flying object. “Unidentified” means we don’t know what it is.
What are these UFOs? Could aliens have made them?
5. Scientists are looking for aliens.
Scientists are looking for life in space. They sent a recording of many sounds from Earth on a spacecraft that is traveling far, far away. Maybe someday aliens will find it!
To learn more, read . . .
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More About the Article
Social Studies Focus:
Science, technology, and society
Vocabulary
solar system, billions, mystery, UFOs, spacecraft
In-Person Lesson Plan
Essential Question
The big question of this issue of Storyworks 2 is, What is a mystery?
- Reading and discussing “Alien Mystery” along with the other themed texts in the magazine (the fiction story, “Mystery in the Woods”; and the poetry kit, “Flying Saucer”) will help kids think about this question.
Building Background Knowledge
This article gives kids background knowledge that will help them better understand this issue’s Big Read, “Alien Mystery,” on pages 6-11.
1. BEFORE READING
Preview Vocabulary (2 minutes)
- Play the online vocabulary slideshow. This article’s featured words are solar system, billions, mystery, UFOs, and spacecraft.
Text Preview Bookmarks (5-10 minutes)
- Students can use these evergreen bookmarks to help them preview the text.
2. READ THE ARTICLE (10 MINUTES)
- Tell students they will read an article about wildfires.
- This article works well with whole-class instruction. Call on different students to read each numbered section aloud. The numbers make the text easy to navigate.
- As you read, stop to analyze the photos.
3. AFTER READING
Show the Video: Are There Aliens?
- Watch this fascinating video that explores the question: Are there aliens? Kids will learn about our solar system, how scientists research outer space, and more.
ELA Focus: Quiz (10 minutes)
- Pass out the quiz for a quick comprehension check.
- We offer both multiple-choice and written- answer formats for the quiz.
ELA Focus: Write Key Details to Nosey at [email protected] (20 minutes)
- It’s time to help Nosey fill out her Fact File! Print out Nosey’s Fact File from the Resources section of our website. Kids can find facts from the article. They can work in small groups or individually.
- Each fact box is scaffolded to help kids know what to write.
- You can also do this as a whole-class activity and email Fact Files to Nosey at [email protected]!
Enrich the Learning: Paired Text Opportunities (15 minutes)
- Making text-to-text connections builds knowledge and comprehension. We layer Storyworks 2 with many ways for your students to make connections.
- Two Different Texts Use this printable to help your students compare and contrast the Big Read, “Alien Mystery” (pages 6-11), with the Background Builder feature, “Life in Space.”
Scavenger Hunt Slide Deck (20 minutes)
- We created a Scavenger Hunt Slide Deck for several stories in this month’s Storyworks 2, including this Words & Pictures piece. The scavenger hunt can be done by students independently at home or during class time.
- This is a self-contained group of slides that guide your students on a scavenger hunt through the whole issue. It’s not only fun, it also helps them make text-to-text connections.
Text-to-Speech