Kayla Simpson

Critical Thinking Lesson (Inductive)

5th Grade
Standards
ELACC5RL4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used
in a text.
ELACC5RI8 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Explain how an author uses reasons and
evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support
which point(s).
ELACC5W2 Text Types and Purposes: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic
and convey ideas and information clearly.
ELACC5W3 Text Types and Purposes: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences
or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Description
This lesson will be introductory lesson to a reading we will be completing out of the Basal. I will
begin by having the students get into pairs. I will then hand out the words for them to sort. Once
they believe that they have sorted them, they must create labels for each group of words. I will
have them write these words down onto a sheet I have provided. Students will then be required to
write topic sentences for each of the labels they have created. Once they have completed this, I
will inform them that they will need to make predictions, using these sentences, for what they
believe the reading to be about. I will inform them that they should use as many of the words as
possible, for those are their supporting details. Once they have completed their writing, I will
have each of them read the reading quietly. We will then discuss the similarities and difference
between their predictions and the reading.
Materials: Words to be grouped, a sheet to write and label these groups, a sheet to list topic
sentences based on each label, a sheet to write their story, and the reading the words were taken
from.
Extension: This would be an introduction to a unit on Earthquakes in Science. We would follow
this lesson by reading a story from the Basal.

Earthquake
In Alaska in 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake jarred the earth so
strongly it caused fishing boats to sink in Louisiana. What causes the
ground tremble like that? The answer is simple. The Earth's surface is on
the move.
The surface of the earth, called the "crust," is not one solid piece. It's
more like a 20 piece puzzle. Each puzzle piece is called a "plate." The
plates constantly move. Fortunately for us, they don't move fast.
Geologists estimate the fastest plate might shift 6 inches a year (15
centimeters). That's about as fast as your hair grows.
Earthquakes happen when a plate scrapes, bumps, or drags along another
plate. When does this happen? Constantly. About a half-million quakes
rock the Earth every day. That's millions a year. People don't feel most of
them because the quake is too small, too far below the surface, or deep
in the sea. Some, however, are so powerful they can be felt thousands of
miles away.
A powerful earthquake can cause landslides, tsunamis, flooding, and
other catastrophic events. Most damage and deaths happen in populated
areas. That's because the shaking can cause windows to break, structures
to collapse, fire, and other dangers.
Geologists cannot predict earthquakes. They hope they will in the future
through continued research and improved technology.
Earthquakes can happen anytime or anywhere. But you can prepare for
the unpredictable with a family safety plan, emergency kit, and supplies.
By Ruth A. Musgrave, from kids.nationalgeographic.com

Alaska
Earth
Sea
Jarred
Tremble
Drags
Family
People

Technology
Damage
Deaths
Safety
Emergency
Powerful
Unpredictable
Research