Wit and Wisdom- Module 1

Third Grade-The Sea

Module 1 Overview

In this module, students will explore the sea by analyzing poetry, nonfiction text, and art. By studying ocean life, students begin to gain information about the world around them. They see the sea as a big ecosystem full of important and mysterious life forms. They will first begin analyzing the sea but looking at poetry. The repetition and word choice used in the various poems helps to create images of the sea that allow them to put visuals to their thoughts. They will then enjoy informational picture books which will discuss ideas such as the food chains, plants within the sea, and the various animals that roam the waters. At the end of the module, the students will write a multi-paragraph essay explaining why artists or scientists explore the sea. They will use all the information that they learned throughout the module to help support their ideas.

Vocabulary words to discuss with your child

Activities to do to reinforce reading concepts

  • While reading a book with your child, ask them two important questions- What do you notice? What do you wonder?
  • Take a trip to the beach or watch a video of the beach and discuss what they notice and wonder.
  • After reading a story, talk about the central message. What is the author trying to tell you?
  • As you are reading, pick out the nouns and verbs you see in the story.
  • After reading a story, talk with someone at home about what the story was about. As you are talking and listening, remember to keep your eyes on the speaker, show you are interested, sit quietly and ask questions.
  • After reading a fictional book, tell someone at home who the character is, the setting, the problem, and the solution.
  • As you are reading, write down words that you find interesting, important, or confusing.
  • Explain to someone at home what it means to read fluently.
  • Model a reader who is fluent and one that is not fluent.
  • As you are reading a book, have an adult at home stop and ask you questions along the way. Remember to use evidence in the book to help support your answer.
  • Choose your favorite ocean animal and research some interesting facts about that animal.

Videos about the ocean

Ocean Animals for Kids | Learn all about the Animals and Plants that Live in the Ocean
Interesting Facts About Seas and Oceans | Educational Video for Kids