The lesson asks students to locate and read about Wisconsin "online or in reference books" and to record examples of plants and animals on a chart (Activity 3), which requires reading informational texts in science/social studies. The skills list requires students to "interact with the text by making connections, answering questions, and locating information" and to "conduct research (with assistance) from a variety of sources." Activity 1 directs students to use web links and reference information about Laura Ingalls Wilder (history/social studies) and to add dates to a timeline, which involves extracting factual information from informational sources.

Students read the chapter and answer targeted chapter questions that require locating information (e.g., what the house was made of, what animals lived in the woods). Students complete a "Natural Resources and Survival" chart describing how Laura's family used deer, trees, salt, fish, and gardens, and they complete a "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" comparison chart. Students practice vocabulary and use word reference materials to verify meanings and read words in context.

Students read the chapter "Winter Days and Winter Nights" and answer targeted factual questions (e.g., which chore days Laura enjoyed; why the family made their own butter) that require locating information in the text. Students complete the "Chores and Family Roles" charts by recording chores for characters and for their own family, organizing informational details about daily life and responsibilities. Students compare and contrast homes by rereading a descriptive paragraph (page 4, paragraph 2) and listing similarities and differences on the "Homes Today and Yesterday" activity.

Students are asked to conduct bear research using two provided web links (Bear Facts and National Geographic) and to record factual information in a labeled bear paw print page (sections for habitats, types, foods, enemies, and a prompt about hibernation). Students answer specific informational questions such as "Why do bears hibernate?" and "How are bears dependent on the environment?". Students practice distinguishing fact and opinion, locate a factual statement in the book, and record facts from informational sources.

Students read and follow a technical recipe (Maple Sugar Recipe) and are asked to 'follow the directions' to make maple bars, requiring comprehension of procedural text. In the Maple Sugar Farming activities students sequence or record the steps Grandpa took to make maple syrup (Option 1 and Option 2), which asks them to extract and order technical/process information from text. The Life Application directs students to read online resources about maple sugar farming (history/process) and discuss how practices have changed, and the Skills section explicitly asks students to use word reference materials and text organization to comprehend text.

Students are asked to record differences on the "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" page, which requires them to identify and restate factual information about past life. The Life Application asks students to research the town of Pepin, Wisconsin (with a provided web link) and to write about a historic place they visit, which directs students to consult informational/history resources. Several questions require listing purchased items and describing how life was different, prompting students to extract concrete historical details from the text.

Students are instructed to "Read about bees online" using provided web links (National Geographic and a video) and to explore how bees use nectar and pollinate flowers. Students answer comprehension questions after reading the chapters "Summertime" and "Harvest," including questions about events, character actions, and causes. Students record words and phrases the author uses to describe each season and illustrate those descriptions on the "Seasons on the Farm" activity page. Students write a paragraph describing the interdependence between bees and flowers and a second paragraph describing what would happen if bees disappeared.

Students read and discuss a historical primary-source informational text, "A Letter from the Author," aloud and judge its formality. Students complete an activity "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" that requires recording what they learned about historical living conditions and environmental dependence. Students answer comprehension questions about historical details (e.g., how the environment was changing, why Pa did not shoot animals) that require understanding informational/historical content embedded in the chapters and letter.

Students follow step-by-step technical texts: they are instructed to follow the orange clove decoration directions and to use recipes to make a meal from scratch, which requires reading and applying procedural information. Students are asked to read through the Pioneer Family Night checklist and the activity pages and to locate information, summarize main ideas, and read aloud grade-appropriate text with comprehension and expression (skills listed). Students are also asked to find and present a traditional pioneer song (possible research) and to explain how pioneers used natural resources, which involves extracting information and explaining it.

Students are directed to read informational web pages about Maine (Maine Secretary of State, National Geographic, climate and maps) and to use those sources to fill in a Student Activity Page with sections for Location, Climate, Landforms and Bodies of Water, Plants, Animals, and Native American tribes. Students are asked to record the year 1768 on a timeline and to list ten facts about Maine worded as clues, which requires extracting and summarizing information from texts. Students are prompted to research and write a paragraph about settler and Native American perspectives, demonstrating comprehension of historical informational content.

Students read Chapters 1–2 and answer comprehension questions that ask them to identify factual details (e.g., why Matt was standing in the woods, chores he performed) and to compare how he depended on his environment to meet needs. Students practice using reference materials and vocabulary skills by looking up words in a dictionary and completing vocabulary webs (definition, part of speech, root/prefix/suffix). Students follow a recipe for Johnnycakes, which requires them to read and execute a technical text (procedural directions).

The Skills section explicitly lists "Read fiction and nonfiction texts," indicating students are expected to work with informational material. Activity 3 asks students to research natural remedies "online or in other resource books," describe remedies for listed conditions, and discuss which ingredients come from the environment, requiring students to read and extract information from informational sources. The "Questions to Explore" prompt students to consider how people in the past depended on plants and animals, which directs students toward history/social-studies inquiry.

Students are asked to reread pages 55–57 and complete a "Beaver Research" page by locating information about beaver habitats, food, adaptations, predators, and by illustrating the beaver in its habitat. The skills list explicitly asks students to "use text and own experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas" and to "conduct research...from a variety of sources," prompting students to read informational sources (internet or books) and record findings. Students are prompted to discuss how and why beavers use natural resources and to answer a factual question about why beavers build dams.

The Skills section directs students to "Use text and own experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas" and to "Compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment to meet their needs," which asks students to extract and compare factual information. Activity 3 (Rules of the Forest) requires students to record rules and illustrate them based on what they learn, asking students to transform text-based observations into procedural/explanatory statements. The vocabulary activity asks students to look up word meanings after reading in context and use the words in sentences, supporting comprehension of domain-specific terms.

Students are asked to research and record the geographical locations of Native American tribes (Activity 2), using book reference pages (pp. xxvii-xix) as a source. Students complete 'Elements of Culture' charts and record cultural information found in the texts, requiring them to extract and organize factual information about tribes and customs. Students are directed to compare stories across cultures and to answer factual comprehension questions about events and cultural details in the readings.

Students are given factual definitions (adaptation, camouflage) and are asked to compare the mythical explanation of the fawn's spots with a scientific explanation, showing direct engagement with science information. Students are prompted to "read about other animals that have camouflage" and to list and describe three camouflaged animals, which requires reading and extracting information. Students complete an "Elements of Culture" chart and record cultural elements from the legends, engaging with history/social-studies content.

Students answer targeted comprehension questions after reading three Native American survival stories (The Alligator and the Hunter; The Gift of the Whale; The Passing of the Buffalo), practicing locating information and making inferences. Students are asked to research the history of the buffalo and read about Plains Indians' dependence on it, which requires reading informational/historical material. Students complete content-based activities (Elements of Culture chart, Ecosystems page, Animals and Survival) that require extracting information, describing roles of animals, and connecting readings to history and science.

Students are asked to "read about the occurrence online or in an encyclopedia to learn more about it," which requires them to locate and read informational sources about a natural phenomenon. Students brainstorm in a journal based on that research and respond to introductory questions about how people in the past showed respect for nature and how stories reflected environment and dependence on it, connecting informational content to their myth planning.

Students are asked to locate and record information about Benjamin Franklin using linked informational webpages (Time for Kids, History for Kids) and to enter facts on a timeline and a kite-shaped diagram. Students read descriptive text about colonial life, label and color a map of the thirteen colonies, and compare Philadelphia yesterday and today using provided web resources and guided prompts. Students are directed to conduct research, identify elements of historical fiction versus informational content, and write responses (journal entries, a poem) based on informational sources.

Students read Chapters 3 and 4 of the book and answer specific journal questions that require recalling factual information (e.g., what happened to Amos, what agreement they made). Students complete a Fact and Fiction activity to distinguish factual from fictional events and copy and analyze the author's descriptive sentences about the hat, circling adjectives. Students identify historical/technical connections by listing modern inventions used in water and designing a new swimming apparatus, then writing an advertisement or script for it.

Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#9) that focus on factual content such as printing, the Philosophical Society, and Ben Franklin's experiments with electricity. Students record a factual and fictional event from each chapter in the "Fact and Fiction" activity and verbally summarize the chapter events. Students also discuss the printing press, the power of written words, and complete a real-world extension by visiting a newspaper or printing office.

Students are asked to read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer guided comprehension questions about Ben Franklin, which engages them with historical/social content. Students follow a procedural "Experiment with Lightning" page that requires them to read and execute technical directions and then describe and explain results. The lesson's stated skills include interpreting and using graphic sources (maps, charts, graphs, diagrams), indicating students will work with informational graphics.

Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer specific comprehension questions about historical figures and events (e.g., why Ben traveled to France, who impressed Amos). Students complete activities that require identifying factual versus fictional events from the chapters and marking statements as fact or opinion, and they apply vocabulary knowledge from context and dictionaries. Students explain why the colonists went to war and sort sentences from articles and ads into facts and opinions as a life application.

Students write ten interview questions about Ben Franklin and answer them according to events and accomplishments in his life, which requires recalling and using historical information. They write and explain two of Ben's maxims and describe why those sayings are important, demonstrating summarizing and explanation of ideas. Students are encouraged to consult pictures of Ben in books or online and to present their interview or party project to an audience, which involves locating and using informational content and summarizing it for others.

Students are asked to read biographical information about C.S. Lewis from linked websites and to fill in a "Meet the Author" worksheet based on that research. Students are invited to locate books and websites about World War II to learn background information and to describe that historical setting. Students may write a short newspaper article about C.S. Lewis using details they gather from informational sources, demonstrating extraction of facts from nonfiction texts.

Students read and follow the step-by-step "A Snowflake" directions, which require them to comprehend a technical/procedural text to complete a craft. Students preview the "Rules for Plurals" page and write examples, showing they read and apply an informational grammar text. Students complete the "Narnia Logic" worksheet by reading short informational statements and deciding whether conclusions are logical, and they are asked to take a guided tour of a historical home to learn about history.

Students are directed in Activity 4 to read about a listed historical ruler online or in other reference sources and to record ten facts, which requires reading and comprehending history/social studies informational texts. Students must decide if the leader was more similar to Aslan or the White Witch and explain how the leader used power, requiring them to extract, interpret, and use information from those sources. The Skills section explicitly lists 'Conduct research for assigned projects' and 'Interact with text by locating information for specific purposes,' which supports practice with informational texts.

Activity 3, Option 2 asks the student to "find information about the habitats of lions in the wild" and then create a diorama, which requires locating and using informational (science) sources. The activity directs students to gather information and represent it concretely, implying engagement with nonfiction material about lion habitats.

Activity 2 directs students to locate London on a world map and to "help your child locate information about London in books and online," asking them to gather facts and pictures about location, people, buildings, language, and similarities/differences to America. The lesson's listed skills include "Use text to locate information for specific purposes," which asks students to consult texts to find factual information. Students are asked to record and organize factual information on labeled flaps (Location, Language, People, Homes, Buildings, Similarities, Differences), requiring extraction of informational content.

Students read and follow a recipe titled "Recipe for Frobscottle," which requires reading step-by-step technical directions and using measurements. The lesson includes an explicit factual explanation of carbonation (a science concept) and asks students to identify carbonated beverages during a grocery-store activity. The skills list also names "Read and follow step-by-step directions" and "Recognize scientific principles being demonstrated in the environment."

Students are directed to locate information about the Queen of England, look at pictures, and read about her roles and responsibilities (Activity 2). They are asked to compare the queen's power and roles to the president and complete written prompts, which requires reading and interpreting a history/social studies informational text. The Skills section explicitly lists 'Read fiction and nonfiction' and 'Develop vocabulary by reading...challenging texts,' indicating student engagement with informational texts and vocabulary development.

The introduction directs the student to locate pictures of London and to review a short video and a Buckingham Palace webpage, providing explicit informational sources about London. Activity 2 asks the student to find information on a chosen U.S. city (buildings, important places, people) to use in planning how the BFG and Sophie could save children, which requires consulting informational texts or resources.

Students are asked to read about the branches of the U.S. armed forces online or in books and to take notes on Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines (Activity 2). The lesson's skills list requires students to use multiple sources (print, technology, experts) to locate information and to interpret and use graphic sources of information, which connects to using an atlas in Activity 3. Students are prompted to record quotes, write reflections, and draw conclusions from gathered information, showing practice with comprehension and synthesis of informational material.

Students are asked to read the "About the Author" section and to complete Activity 2: Author Study by reading a Roald Dahl biography on Britannica. Students then write five interview questions about the author's life and the book, which requires extracting biographical information from the informational text. The lesson's skills list also includes "Reference the text to support the theme," which signals practice in citing textual evidence (applied to the author material in Activity 2).

Students are asked to read informational text about Botswana using the back of the book and a National Geographic website and to record notes in a graphic organizer, demonstrating locating and extracting information for specific purposes. Students are directed to read Smithsonian and NatGeoKids pages about meerkats and then write a descriptive paragraph or short story that includes at least five facts, showing comprehension and use of scientific information. Students make predictions from the cover and illustrations and use a map-labeling activity to interpret geographic informational text. Students discuss adaptations and their functions and follow step-by-step craft instructions, applying technical information about meerkat features.

Students are directed to read informational webpages about ostriches and cobras (two provided web links) and then record facts. Students complete activities that require extracting and organizing information from those texts, including listing five facts for each animal and filling a chart with categories such as kind of animal, diet, predators, defense, habitat, and special characteristics. Students also apply nonfiction reading by identifying local species of birds, reptiles, and mammals in the Life Application section.

The lesson directs the child to the African Wildlife Foundation website and asks the child to read about animals there, choose an animal, and then write sentences or create a poster that describe the animal using factual information. The wrapping-up prompts ask the child to describe what he learned about the geography and people of Botswana, and Activity 2 asks the child to write a paragraph recounting a personal experience and consider what others could learn from that account. Several activities require the child to read informational material online and to summarize or report facts about animals and place.

Students are asked to read the informational book A Kids Guide to Japan and answer five specific comprehension questions about climate, food, traditions, and cultural similarities/differences. Students complete tasks that require locating and labeling places on a map of Japan and organizing similarities/differences in a Venn diagram, which require extracting and applying information from the text. The skills list also directs students to read from a variety of genres to acquire information, read independently to build background knowledge, and conduct research and write reports.

Students are asked to read the prologue and first two chapters of Sadako and answer factual comprehension questions about Sadako's family and Peace Day. Students find and record definitions and example sentences for Japanese vocabulary, and are directed to use word reference materials to confirm meanings. Students complete graphic organizers to record cultural elements by chapter and to compare Peace Day to a U.S. holiday, analyzing similarities and differences.

The Skills section asks students to "read from a variety of genres to acquire information," to "develop vocabulary through reading," and to "represent text information in different ways," which shows students will engage with informational text. The Facts and Definitions section gives explicit science information about cancer and leukemia that students discuss and use. Activity 4 directs students to "read about cancer prevention online and make a list," requiring students to read and extract information from a science/health informational source.

Students are pointed to two web links for origami crane instructions, which require reading and following a technical/procedural text to fold a crane. Students complete an activity titled "Japanese Cultural Elements," which asks them to fill in information about Japanese culture, and they review "Facts and Definitions" (e.g., a crane is a symbol of luck). Students answer comprehension questions and summarize chapters, practicing extracting information from text.

Students read and answer comprehension questions about the Epilogue and About the Author sections, demonstrating work with informational text about Sadako and the author. Students record cultural information on a "Japanese Cultural Elements" chart, showing they extract and organize factual details. Students are asked to look online for a picture of the Children's Peace Monument and to sketch and design a monument, which requires locating and interpreting informational resources.

Students are asked to read about the state of Texas and use maps and online sources to label major cities and geographic features (Activity 1). Students locate major desert regions using world and U.S. vegetation maps, watch linked videos, record names of desert plants and animals, and write paragraphs describing geographic location, rainfall, and adaptations (Activity 3, Options 1 and 2). The Skills section explicitly asks students to take simple notes from relevant sources and compile notes into outlines, reports, summaries, or other written efforts, and to use oral and written language to report information.

Students read and answer factual questions about Chapters 1–4 and complete activities that require reading and using informational language (e.g., the "Legal Terms" matching activity and the explanation that a person is "innocent until proven guilty"). Students are directed to look up unfamiliar legal terms in a dictionary, and they match terms to definitions, demonstrating literal comprehension of short informational definitions. Students also plan and describe an invention on the "An Inventor" pages, writing materials and step-by-step procedures that resemble technical descriptions.

Students are directed to an informational science webpage ("What Is Soil?") and to student activity pages that present descriptive paragraphs about soil layers (topsoil, weathered material, subsoil, bedrock). Students are asked to read those descriptions, cut out or draw the layers, put them in order, and match labels and definitions to the illustrations. The activities require students to discuss observations about soil layers and to record matches or drawings, demonstrating engagement with a science informational text.

Students read and follow the "Make Your Own Fossil" activity page, which contains a list of ingredients and step-by-step directions that require reading and carrying out a technical/procedural text. Students read Chapters 8–12 of Holes and answer comprehension questions, record the author's descriptive language about the yellow-spotted lizard, and use the provided Facts and Definitions entry that defines a fossil. Students are prompted to discuss what archaeologists can learn from fossils and to visit a museum to examine fossil samples, engaging with science content.

Students are directed to complete a Rattlesnake Research activity in which they write three questions and find answers using books and/or the Internet, recording findings on the provided pages. The Student Activity Page asks students to compare rattlesnakes to other snakes and to record research answers within the snake outline. The lesson's Skills list includes "Summarize written text" and "Recognize distinguishing features of familiar genres, including... informational texts," which relate to reading and working with informational material.

Students are asked to locate and use the author's historical description of Green Lake (Activity 3) to draw how it looked 100 years ago and compare it to the present, which requires reading and comprehending a history-related informational passage in the text. Activity 2 directs students to discuss pioneer life and, if unfamiliar, to read information online about westward expansion, prompting students to consult history/social-studies informational sources. Activity 4 gives a recipe for "Spiced Peaches," which students can follow, providing practice with a technical text (reading procedural steps and following directions).

The lesson explicitly lists the skill "Understand how to use an index and a table of contents within a book" and defines an index. Activity 1 directs students to locate onion recipes in cookbooks using the index and to practice using the index to find specific information. Activity 1 also has students gather ingredients and make the dish, which requires following a recipe (a technical/informational text).

Students read and use the "Facts and Definitions" section, which presents short informational descriptions of fables, folktales, myths, legends, and fairy tales. Students are directed to watch an explanatory video (Myths, Fables, Legends, and Fairy Tales) and answer questions, and to use an online map to locate and label European countries, which requires reading map information. The Skills statement asks students to gather relevant information from print and digital sources, take notes, categorize information, and provide a list of sources.

Students are asked to "Read more about Ireland at the following website" on Day 2 and answer factual questions (e.g., identify the 1170 invaders and Ireland's 1948 change), showing direct work with informational history text. Students complete an activity that distinguishes fact from fantasy, recording three factual details about Ireland and three fantasy elements from the story, which requires extracting factual information from informational or cultural sources. Students locate Ireland on a map and watch two informational videos about Ireland, practicing comprehension of geography and cultural information.

Students read factual information about Russia from a linked informational webpage and answer explicit comprehension questions (capital city, land area, animals, WWII alignment). Students complete a Fact and Fantasy activity where they list three factual details from the story that reflect real Russian geography/culture and three fictional elements, and they locate Russia on maps to connect text details to geography. Students also answer guided questions about details of the story (e.g., Sadko's job, feelings about his city) and complete a Story Elements organizer that reinforces identifying specific information from text.

Students are asked to read an informational web article about Denmark and answer specific factual questions (Ice Age effects, number of islands, transportation, Viking activities). Students locate Denmark on a map and read a short biography of Hans Christian Andersen, then discuss factual aspects of his life. Students create a concise informational booklet about Denmark and are directed to use precise, factual language; the lesson's Skills list explicitly names the RI.4.10 reading skill.

Students are directed to "Read about river habitats online using the sites provided," which requires reading science informational texts and identifying plants, animals, and their adaptations. Students are asked to "look for the names of river plants and animals found in the story" and to add examples to the "Natural River Resources" chart, which has students extract and record information about uses of river resources for clothing, shelter, food, and water. The Skills section explicitly asks students to "Interact with the text before, during, and after reading... by making connections," supporting comprehension practice.

Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions that require locating details and supporting interpretations with examples drawn from the text. Students interact with a technical diagram in the "Parts of a Boat" activity by matching labeled parts (sail, rudder, mast, deck, oars) to the diagram. Students complete a chart titled "Using Natural Resources" and build or design a model boat, which requires extracting information about materials and boat function from the chapters and the facts/definitions list.

Students use an explicit definition of a map scale and complete the 'Mouse Measurements' activity in which they calculate map distances (1/4 inch = 500 tails), convert tail counts to inches and feet, and draw a scaled map. The lesson's skills list asks students to 'draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text,' 'use text and personal experience to verify facts, concepts, and ideas,' and to 'represent text information in different ways, including story maps, graphs, and charts.' Students are also asked to provide textual evidence for character traits and to record evidence on activity pages.

Students are asked to research information about hibernation and answer specific informational questions on the Hibernation activity page (e.g., examples of animals that hibernate, differences between true hibernation and torpor, physiological changes). Students must locate and record information by filling in a "Using Natural Resources" chart from Chapters 13 and 14 and are directed to find page references (p. 74–75) that explain Abel's hibernation/torpor. Students carry out and interpret a Hibernation Experiment, recording pulse, breaths, and temperature and answering analysis questions that connect physiological data to hibernation concepts.

Students are asked to read nonfiction sources about Columbus (a short biography, web links, and references to logs and historical accounts) and to record information in a journal and on activity pages. Students practice distinguishing fact from opinion while researching Columbus and use a map to trace Columbus' route, recording dates and important events. Students complete organizer activities that require them to identify reasons for exploration and list possible positives and negatives, which requires comprehension of informational history texts.

Students read Pedro's journal entries for August and answer comprehension questions that ask for reasons, descriptions, and inferences (e.g., why Pedro was hired; why crew members pray). Students record geographic location, attitudes, and important events in a multi-month chart, requiring them to extract and organize factual information from historical text. In Activity 2, students match navigation instruments to illustrations and descriptions and are encouraged to locate and read additional online informational resources about those instruments. In Activity 3 (Option 2) students list ten factual statements about oceans and write a descriptive paragraph based on those facts, practicing comprehension and summary of science-related information.

Students read Pedro's journal entries for September and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., questions about Pedro's job, signs of land, and interpretations of a meteor). Students read informational material about meteors (including a linked NASA page) and the "Meteors as Signs" activity that presents cultural beliefs, then discuss origins of comets and meteors and view pictures online. Students summarize what happened to Columbus and the crew, complete vocabulary activities using dictionaries and context, and write a personal myth or journal responses based on their reading.

Students read historical journal entries for October and answer specific comprehension questions about explorers, natives, and events (e.g., why Pedro enjoys the night watch, what sailors noticed on the island). Students record and compare words/phrases in a two-bubble map to describe 'Native People' and 'White Men,' and they use web links to gather information about San Salvador's animals. Students explain how the book portrays the native people and respond in journal prompts that require interpretation of historical descriptions.

Students are asked to read Pedro's journal entries and identify three events he writes about and three places where he records his feelings, which requires reading and understanding a historical first-person account. The introduction and discussion prompt students to analyze how the author tells the story through journal entries, asking them to distinguish events from feelings. These tasks engage students in extracting information and interpreting perspective from an informational/historical-style text.

Students are asked to read Pedro's journal entries for November and a descriptive passage about the natives on Bohio (p.49). Students answer guided comprehension and discussion questions about the content (e.g., reasons Columbus took natives, Pedro's feelings) and complete activities that require drawing conclusions and comparing life at sea versus life on land. The skills listed include drawing conclusions from information gathered and examining the significance of art within a culture, which students practice through text-based questions and the mask-creation activity.

Students read the journal entries for December and are assigned three or four comprehension questions to answer in their own journals (Questions #1–#5). Students read specific informational pages (pages 52–53) about treasures, illustrate and label expected versus actual treasures, and explain differences in a discussion. Students also answer guided factual and inferential questions about Columbus's encounter with natives, crew beliefs, and events (e.g., why the king's instruction might be a mistake; what Pedro did on Christmas Eve).

Students are asked to compare Pedro's Journal with The Island of the Skog using a graphic organizer, which requires them to read and reference both texts. The skills list instructs students to "use text and personal experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas" and to "identify and discuss similarities and differences... and support them by referencing the text." Questions and activities prompt students to analyze Columbus' journal entries (Pedro's Journal) for examples of prejudice and to relate historical behavior to the fictional story.

Students read Pedro's journal entry for January and answer five specific comprehension questions about content and details (e.g., why men stayed behind, descriptions of manatees). Students research manatees online, discuss their ecosystem and threats, perform a hands-on paddle vs. hand activity to explore an adaptation, and are asked to demonstrate understanding through writing and illustrating and by filling in "The Journey" activity page. The Skills section explicitly lists conducting research and demonstrating understanding of informational text as student tasks.

Students are asked to locate and record informational details: the Survival Cube requires students to record three threats to sailors and three survival strategies, and the Exploration Cube asks students to record discoveries and how lives and cultures were changed. The Historical Fiction Cube has students record three historical facts and three fictional aspects, requiring identification of factual information within a narrative. The skills list explicitly includes "Interact with text by locating information for specific purposes" and "Read from a variety of genres and sources ... to acquire information," which supports practice in extracting information.

The lesson explicitly asks students to "read factual information about rats and mice online or in books" and provides two web links for this research. The Skills section lists "Conduct research on assigned topics using books and technology," and Activity 3 directs students to compare information by completing a Venn diagram and illustrations to show similarities and differences. These tasks require students to read and comprehend informational (science) texts and to record and organize information from those texts.

Activity 3 instructs students to research information about owls using pictures and descriptions online or in books and to use that information to design a new home, which requires reading informational sources. The Skills section and ecosystem tasks ask students to observe and describe habitats and to think of a new home within the ecosystem, linking classroom work to scientific informational content. Directions explicitly tell students to look for pictures and descriptions in books or online to help with their design.

Students read a brief informational passage titled "A Bushel" that explains a bushel as a volume measure and distinguishes volume from weight. Students use a printed chart/list of weights per bushel for various produce and answer five application questions that require reading the chart and performing calculations (e.g., converting 1.5 bushels of shelled corn to pounds). The lesson explicitly lists the skill of analyzing, comparing, and contrasting printed and visual information (e.g., graphs, charts, maps), and students complete a student activity page that requires interpreting that visual/printed information.

Students are prompted to find information about unfamiliar tools or machines online or in an encyclopedia (Activity 2), which requires reading informational/technical sources. Students are asked to research conductors and circuits and brainstorm ways the mice could have obtained electricity (Activity 3), which engages them with science/technical texts. Students are invited to do extended research on rats and to use reasons and examples to support an opinion paragraph (Activity 4), which requires gathering and using informational evidence.

Activity 3 directs students to "read some of the arguments for and against animal research online," record positives and negatives on a chart, and write a three-reason speech using transitional phrases. The student activity pages provide a structured chart for arguments for and against and a lined area for composing the speech. The lesson asks students to discuss and summarize the issue, which requires extracting information from informational sources.