The Science Fair - Basal

Oct 16, 2026

Uploaded by Đào

Unit 3, Week 2 lesson “The Science Fair” outlines a 5-day reading-and-discussion plan tied to Common Core ELA standards. Teacher instructions emphasize reviewing Big Ideas and Key Understandings (good science over flashy presentation), guiding students through text-dependent questions, vocabulary moments, and evidence-based discussion. The text centers on Beany and Kevin’s science project and their feelings about winning. Included questions prompt analysis of relationships, narrator point of view, interpretations, and judges’ reactions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatDOC

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Unit 3/Week 2

Teacher Instructions

Big Ideas and Key Understandings

Synopsis

During Teaching

Text Dependent Questions

Evidence-based Answers

Unit 3/Week 2 Title: The Science Fair Suggested Time: 5 days (45 minutes per day) Common Core ELA Standards: RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.4, RL.3.7; W.3.2; SL.3.1; L.3.1, L.3.2, L.3.4 Teacher Instructions Refer to the Introduction for further details. Before Teaching Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for teachers, about the big ideas and key understanding that students should take away after completing this task. Big Ideas and Key Understandings Just because something is flashier or fancier does not make it better. Synopsis A third grade girl named Beany creates a science fair project with her partner, Kevin. Beany is not confident that hers and Kevin’s project is the best since it does not include flashy props. Beany learns that good science is enough to win the science fair, and she regains her self-esteem through winning. Read entire main selection text, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings. Re-read the main selection text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Vocabulary. During Teaching Students read the entire main selection text independently. Teacher reads the main selection text aloud with students following along. (Depending on how complex the text is and the amount of support needed by students, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.) Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions and returning to the text. A variety of methods can be used to structure the reading and discussion (i.e.: whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent written response, group work, etc.) Text Dependent Questions Text-dependent Questions Evidence-based Answers What is the relationship between Beany and Kevin? How do they each feel about their science fair project? (Pg. 401) Beany and Kevin are both third graders in Ms. Babbitt’s class; they are partners for the science fair. Beany does not like science, but Kevin is good at science. Beany is worried that hers and Kevin’s science fair experiment will not get a good grade because it is not fancy or showy enough. While Kevin thinks all they need is good science to do well in the science fair. From whose point of view is this story written? Cite evidence from the story supporting your answer. (Pg 402) . Beany is the narrator. The pronouns I and my are used in each sentence rather than the pronouns he, she, it, or they. Reread the second paragraph on page 402 and this quote from the story on page 405: “Stacy said, ‘Your project is good, too,’ but I knew she was just doing self-esteem on me.” What does Beany mean by the phrase, “she was just doing self-esteem on me?” Beany means Stacy was telling her that just to make her feel good, but Stacy doesn’t actually believe her science fair project is good. Use the illustration on page 406 to explain what Beany and Kevin’s science project is demonstrating. Beany and Kevin’s project is demonstrating that gases, liquids, and solids all get bigger when they are heated. First, they demonstrate this by shining a light on a bottle with a balloon attached to the top. The ballon blows up. Then, they show this by shining a light on a bottle filled with colored water, and the colored water rises up to the straw. Finally, they shine a light on a key, and it will no longer fit through the key hole. After Beany and Kevin set up their science fair project, why does Beany walk around the gym? (Pg. 407) Beany walks around the gym looking at all the other kids’ projects because she is nervous and doesn’t think her project is good enough. She is comparing hers with everyone else’s. What information does Beany report to Kevin? How does this make Beany feel? (Pgs. 407-409) Beany reports back about Manuel and Boomer’s project, Linda and Elaine’s project, and Shaleeta and Jessica’s project. She wonders why she and Kevin only included one “itsy-bitsy

FAQs

What is the main message of the Big Ideas and Key Understandings for this lesson?

It emphasizes that something being flashier or fancier does not make it better; good science is what matters.

What is the relationship between Beany and Kevin in the story?

Beany and Kevin are third-grade partners for the science fair, working together on their project.

How does Beany understand the judges’ reactions to her and Kevin’s project?

Beany interprets the judges’ lack of smiling and the judge’s “Hmm” as evidence that they think the project is not the best.

Oct 16, 2026

Uploaded by Đào