UNIT X 66 | UNIT 2 Instructional Routine: Language Arts p. Txxix Essential Question: How can pyramids be similar and different? Ask the Essential Question and give students a chance to discuss their ideas in pairs before sharing with the whole class. Direct students to compare the pyramids in the two images. Ask: Where in the world are these two pyramids located? Remind students to use contrasting words learned in Unit 1. ANSWERS Sample answers: Pyramids all have a triangular shape. Some have four sides and some have three sides. Some have steps and some do not. Pyramids are found all over the world. Some are thousands of years old, while others are only a few hundred years old. A Informational text • Preview and predict Have students preview the title, subtitles, photos, and text. Say: What do you think this text is about? Describe the pictures. Why do you think people created pyramids? What can you remember about the pyramids of Giza? Tell students that they will listen to the text more than once so they can check and confirm their predictions. • Recognize and analyze genre Point out to students that this is an informational text. Say: What features should we see in an informational text? Compare and contrast this text with The Longest Wall. Look at the pictures, title, paragraphs, and type of information. List students’ ideas on the board in a T-chart with the headings similarities and differences. • Listen actively Play the audio for students to listen for the general idea without reading along. Play the audio a second time and ask students to read along silently and check their predictions. Have volunteers share whether their predictions were correct. B Ask and answer Pair students with mixed abilities. Have them read the questions and refer to information from the article as they note down their answers. Remind them to try to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary by looking at the context. Call on volunteers to share their answers with the class. For question 4, review the T-chart on the board with students’ answers to the Essential Question. ANSWERS 1. The Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt) and the Pyramid of Kukulkan/El Castillo (Mexico); 2. The Great Pyramid is taller. The Pyramid of Kukulkan is newer. 3. Archeologists still don’t know how workers were able to move the stones. 4. Both pyramids have the same general shape. The Giza pyramid is larger and made of enormous stones. The Kukulkan pyramid has steps that can be climbed. EXPLORE AND LEARN DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION Scaffold • As you play the audio, pause after the answer to each question has been mentioned. Remind students to use comparing and contrasting words in their responses. These can be words that show similarities: also, both, like, too, or words that show differences: but, different, however. • If necessary, students can use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two descriptive texts and then the two pyramids. Amplify Have students research other pyramids around the world. Suggest they use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two other pyramids. Ask: Where are the pyramids located? How tall are they? Is there anything mysterious about them? When were they built? Have students include any other interesting facts they find. PRACTICE Informational Text A Read the informational text. Wondrous Pyramids Pyramids are interesting structures. They are in different parts of the world. The Great Pyramid of Giza and the Pyramid of Kukulkan are two of the world’s most famous pyramids. The Great Pyramid of Giza There are three pyramids at Giza in Egypt. They’re more than 4,500 years old. The largest one is the Great Pyramid of Giza. When you see pictures of the Great Pyramid, you understand why it is a wonder. It is 479 feet high, and each side is 754 feet long. It can be seen from miles away. More than two million stone blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid. Each block weighs as much as a large car. King Khufu hired his nephew to be in charge of building the pyramid. Archeologists found letters, reports, and receipts to explain payment, materials, and other things, too. However, they still aren’t sure how workers moved such large stones to make the pyramid. The Pyramid of Kukulkan From the years 800 to 1200, Chichen Itza was a busy city in Mexico. The Mayan people built many roads, buildings, and pyramids in the area. The Pyramid of Kukulkan, also called El Castillo, is their most famous one. It is 98 feet high with steps on four sides. Visitors could climb the stairs in the past, but today they can’t. This rule is to protect the pyramid. Each side of the pyramid has 91 steps, and there is one large step at the top. El Castillo has 365 steps in total, one for each day of the year. The Mayan people used the pyramid like a calendar in many ways. Archeologists think the Maya built El Castillo on top of a smaller pyramid. B Talk about it 1. What are the names of the two famous pyramids? What countries are they in? 2. Which pyramid is taller? Which one is newer? 3. What mystery is still unknown about the pyramid in Giza? 4. How are the two pyramids similar and different? TEXT GENRE Informational Text: Description You can compare and contrast two descriptive texts. How can pyramids be similar and different? ? ESSENTIAL QUESTION CONNECT TO Language Arts UNIT 2 66 UNIT X2 / CONNECT TO LANGUAGE ARTS
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