- On Read Write Roar!

Discover the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge while learning how to write a strong paragraph using the WRITE mnemonic device.

Then, dive into the world of wetlands and learn how they protect our environment while practicing reading comprehension with a wetland inspired story.

Let's go, Read Write Roar!

- [Announcer] This program is made possible in part by the State of Michigan and by, And by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music) - Did you know there's only one international wildlife refuge on the continent of North America?

It's the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, located in Trenton, Michigan.

I'm Mrs. DeFauw, and I'm excited to learn alongside you about this important place.

A refuge is a place that protects plants and animals.

Sometimes wildlife needs help to stay safe from danger.

Two nations or countries, Canada and the United States work together to create this international wildlife refuge.

Inter is a Latin prefix that means between, the Latin suffix all makes the word an adjective to describe how this refuge is between two nations.

To learn about the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, we need to read and write about our topic.

Today, we will learn how to use a mnemonic device to help us remember some steps we may follow as readers and writers.

A mnemonic device is something we use to help us remember.

A popular mnemonic device for remembering the five Great lakes of Michigan is the word HOMES, Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior.

Today's mnemonic device is the word WRITE.

WRITE stands for five steps we can use to learn about a new topic.

What's my topic?

Read about my topic.

Include important information.

Tell more about that information.

Ending.

The first step is to know what we are going to write about.

We ask ourselves, what's my topic?

We already know our topic, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

Before we read, we need to think about our background knowledge.

I already know about the Detroit River.

I understand what wildlife is, and I know a refuge is a safe place.

To learn more and build my knowledge about this topic, I need to follow step two, and read about our topic.

I typed into a search engine, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

I clicked on the first webpage because it's a.gov website, which means it belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Because I need to learn about the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, I clicked on About Us.

Let's read the first two paragraphs together.

"The only international wildlife refuge in North America, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, is located along the lower Detroit River and western shoreline of Lake Erie.

Just 20 miles south of Detroit, Michigan and 50 miles north of Toledo, Ohio.

Situated in a major metropolitan area.

The refuge's location is unique, as is the history of how the refuge was created.

In 2001, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge was established by Congress as a result of efforts by US and Canadian politicians, conservation leaders, and local communities to build a sustainable future for the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie ecosystems.

In recognition of this collaboration and with the understanding that wildlife don't understand political boundaries, the refuge was given international status, making it the first and only of its kind in North America."

After we fill our brains with important facts, we learn through reading.

We need to write about our topic to help us remember what we learned.

Following step three, include important information.

I need to write about this topic.

I included the following important information for my paragraph, which is what was highlighted from the reading we did together.

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only one of its kind in all of North America.

It was created by Canada and the United States.

These two countries work together to help protect wildlife.

Next, I need to follow step four.

Tell more about that information.

Depending on my audience, I might tell more about one, what I think about my topic or two, what I learned about my topic.

For our purposes, I'm going to try to do both by highlighting what I think my opinion and what I learned more facts, by adding the following to my writing.

I'll start with some language that shows I am sharing my opinion.

"I think such collaboration is so helpful for the plants and animals in the Detroit River and Lake Erie.

Without this international support, the wildlife might not have survived in these habitats."

Finally, the fifth step is Ending.

When I craft my ending, I need to write a sentence that ties together my main points.

I need to think back to my main topic and repeat it.

From the shores of the Detroit River to Lake Erie, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife.

Today, we use the mnemonic device, WRITE, to create our paragraph about what we learned.

Let's read aloud our paragraph together.

"The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only one of its kind in all of North America.

It was created by Canada and the United States.

These two countries work together to help protect wildlife.

We think such collaboration is so helpful for the plants and animals in the Detroit River and Lake Erie.

Without this international support, the wildlife might not have survived in these habitats.

From the shores of the Detroit River to Lake Erie, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife."

The next time you learn about a new topic, you might want to use the mnemonic device, WRITE to help you remember the steps you need to follow when reading and writing about a topic.

(upbeat music) (soft music) (air whooshing) (soft music) - Miss AP here to help restore your energy.

Today, we are going to be learning how to do some basic yoga poses, but before we do, let's start with our warmup.

Since we already learned how to do a squat in the last unit, let's do three squats to warm up.

One, Two.

Three.

Nice job.

(air whooshing) Now that we've warmed up our body, we are ready to exercise.

Today we are gonna learn the Bird Dog Pose, so we will need to start in our tabletop position, so we will get down on all fours.

In our tabletop position, we're gonna need to keep our balance.

One leg is pointed out, opposite arm.

Point it forward.

Bring that in.

Take a deep breath, opposite leg out opposite arm forward, keeping your balance.

Make sure you tuck that toe to give you like a little anchor.

So opposite leg, opposite arm, pointing forward, bringing that back in.

Doing the opposite side, opposite leg, opposite arm.

Bringing that back in.

As we transition into our child's pose, we are gonna push ourselves back up and give ourselves a big clap.

(Mrs. AP claps) (air whooshing) Nice job.

Let's cool down by taking two deep breaths.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Great job.

(air whooshing) (upbeat music) - I am thinking about the film scene I've been working on and I just realized it's all about me and my observations about what is happening in the pollinator garden, but what about the creatures who live in the garden and their observations and thoughts?

Oh, hello scholars.

I'm media literacy, Maddie.

Maybe I should include what these creatures are wondering about as well.

When I do this, I'm considering a different perspective or point of view.

This means a different opinion, or way of saying something compared to someone else.

I already have the camera shots that I need with the bee flying around the flowers.

Maybe I should write the script as if I was inside the bee's head.

Maybe I will write something like, "My legs or pollen baskets feel so heavy now that they are full pollen."

Let's find Miss Kara.

She's watching a film about the March on Washington, while also learning about point of view in film.

- Scholars, it's so good to see you.

I've been viewing the documentary film, Detroit's Walk to Freedom to the March on Washington, 60 years of Civil Rights Legacy.

This film was produced by One Detroit for Detroit PBS.

As I watched this documentary film, I wondered about what different people who were spectators and not interviewed for the film were thinking as they watched the participants march down Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit.

We already know that people who marched in the parade felt proud, but what did others think?

- Well, she has to see this in action, and she also gets to see mom at work in a number of ways.

She also needs to see mom marching down and she needs to get the opportunity so that 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now, she'll be able to say she participated in the march as one of the first steps toward her own fight for freedom for all of us.

- Do you have a piece of paper and a pencil handy?

If not, keep track of your thoughts to the question I'm about to ask.

Write down what you think Charity and her daughter are thinking as they are walking in the March for Freedom.

What was their point of view?

I wrote that they were feeling excited.

What did you write or think?

This appears to be a police officer.

They weren't interviewed for the documentary, however they were at the march.

Based on their job or even from the location of where they're watching, what do you think is their point of view about the march in Downtown Detroit?

Now think or write some more with me.

What do you suppose this police officer is thinking?

What is their point of view?

I wrote, "The officer is happy because the march is peaceful."

Here is another participant in the march.

They weren't interviewed either, but I wonder what they're thinking.

They're looking around and waving to someone.

Does the participant know the person they are waving to or are they just being friendly?

We're going to think or write one more time.

What do you think this person's point of view is about the March?

I wrote, "They are proud to have the march happening in their city."

It's important for media makers to take the time to find out different points of view, especially when they create projects like documentary films.

This helps viewers understand the whole story and not just one side or perspective.

It also helps the viewers look at different opinions while learning new things.

In documentary films, showing different points of view makes the film more fair, accurate, and truthful.

It also helps the audience understand the topic better.

The next time you do research for a school project, whose points of view will you include to make sure you're telling the whole story about your topic?

(upbeat music) - Hi scholars, I'm Mrs.

Mask.

I don't know about you, but I love to take long walks.

It's such a great way to get exercise and really enjoy the outdoors.

Recently, I took an amazing walk through the Tollgate Wetlands and Lansing.

A favorite place for walkers.

Have you ever visited a wetland?

Wetlands are like giant sponges.

They soak up rain water and help to prevent floods.

When heavy rain occurs, wetlands absorb the extra water and slowly release it, keeping nearby rivers and lakes from overflowing.

This helps protect homes and cities from flood damage.

So wetlands have a big job.

I enjoyed my time at the Tollgate Wetlands so much, I wrote a story inspired by my day there.

And a little later we'll use my story to practice checking for understanding while reading.

When we read, we should ask ourselves questions in order to gauge or check our understanding of what we're reading.

We should always make sure we use the text to help us find our answers.

Here are a few questions for you to consider while I read my story.

When I'm done reading, we'll go over the answers and also show you where the answers found in the text.

First, what kinds of sounds can you hear in the wetland?

Next, how do plants in the wetland adapt to their environment?

And also, why are wetlands important to the environment and the people?

Hopefully, as you are listening, you're able to visualize my walk.

I worked really hard to be very descriptive and use the five senses when creating images with my language.

Now, let's take another look at the questions and see where I can find the answers in the text.

"What kinds of sounds did you hear in the wetlands?"

(upbeat music) "How do plants in the wetland adapt to their environment?"

(upbeat music) "Why are wetlands important for the environment and people?"

(upbeat music) Great work answering those questions.

Looking back at the story was definitely helpful.

You probably noticed that some of our answers were easy to find, but others we had to look a bit closer in the text.

The more we practice, the better we'll become at finding and using text evidence to support our answers.

Keep exploring and analyzing each read through brings new insights.

(upbeat music) - Hello, friends.

I'm Miss Audra, and today we're going to the opera.

(soft upbeat music) So while we take our deep breath in, let's start to think about all the beautiful sounds we might hear at the opera, and we can use our imagination too.

So let's take that breath in, (soft upbeat music) and I'm gonna sing my note out today.

♪ Oh And you could do it too, here let's take that breath.

(soft upbeat music) ♪ Oh So all the sounds you might hear at the opera, right?

There could be those really ♪ High notes ♪ Or somebody singing a tenor voice ♪ Or somebody backstage is saying, "Five more minutes".

Maybe an usher is saying, "Take your seats, turn off your phones."

Or maybe it's the audience shuffling in or even applauding.

So think about the songs you're gonna make and don't forget to make an hand movement or you can use your whole body if you have the space.

Okay, on the count of three, and I'm gonna listen and I'm gonna add my own sound too.

one, two, three.

(soft upbeat music) And here I go, I'm gonna add my voice.

♪ Yeah, he yeah, yeah, he yeah yeah ♪ And the count of three, one, two, three pause.

Nice job.

Think about all the songs that happened and the song that you and maybe one of your neighbors made.

So as we say goodbye, let's take a deep breath in and settle ourselves.

Here we go.

(soft upbeat music) And I'm gonna blow out like an opera singer.

♪ Oh See you next time.

(upbeat music) - Do you ever find complicated words when you're reading?

I know I do.

I'm Mrs. Mora.

Today, we'll learn to use word parts to read and understand unknown words.

Recently, while reading about wetlands, I found some difficult words.

Here's one, first, let's circle the prefixes.

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.

Do you see a prefix?

It's E-N. E-N sometimes means in or into.

It is often pronounced as EN or IN.

Next, let's circle the suffixes.

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to change its meaning.

Do you see a suffix?

The suffix, M-E-N-T is pronounced ment.

Next, let's mark the remaining vowels.

Vowels help us break words into syllables.

Every syllable has at least one vowel and only one vowel sound.

Which vowels do you see?

We see I and O.

Since there are two vowels, we expect to find two syllables here.

Let's split these syllables between the I and the R. Let's say the word parts, environment.

Now, let's say the whole word environment.

Is that a word?

Almost.

This word is environment.

Environment means the objects and conditions around a place or a living thing.

When we care for wetland environments, we protect wildlife and our drinking water.

Here's another word.

First, let's circle the prefixes.

Do you see any prefixes?

There are no prefixes.

Next, let's circle the suffixes.

What do you see?

Here's ment again.

Now let's mark the remaining vowels.

We see an O.

We also see E with R, which is an R controlled vowel.

Since there are two vowels, we expect to find two syllables in this part.

I'll split these syllables between the V and the E. Let's say the word parts.

I'll try the er sound in this first syllable, the O often says A Before a V. gov ern ment.

Now, let's say the whole word government.

Is that a word?

It is.

Since this is a word, we're finished.

Government means the people who have power to make laws or choices for a certain group of people.

Our state government makes laws to protect our wetlands and their wildlife.

If you speak Spanish, the word gobierno can help you understand this word.

Great work today.

Keep reading and try the strategy the next time you find a challenging word.

(upbeat music) - Thank you so much for watching.

For activity guides, videos, lessons, and so much more, be sure to visit our website, MichiganLearning.org.

And don't forget to Read Write Roar!

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] This program is made possible in part by the state of Michigan and by.

(upbeat music) And by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music)