Lesson 63: Reading facts about the Earth

📖 READING (40 Lessons) • 🟡 C. Reading for Information

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Objective

Read short factual texts about the Earth, including land, water, and day and night, and tell the main idea and key facts in your own words.

Materials

Mini-lesson — Reading facts about the Earth

Sometimes we read a story that is made up. It has characters, a setting, and events that may not be real.

Other times, we read a short piece of writing that gives us real facts about our world. This is called an informational text.

In this lesson, you will read simple fact pages about the Earth. They tell us about land, water, air, and day and night.

Most Earth fact texts have:

  • a title that tells what the page is about (for example, “Land and Water on Earth”)
  • a picture or diagram, like a globe or a picture of land and water
  • short fact sentences that tell true things about Earth

Good readers use each part:

  • Look at the title and say: “This text is about ___.”
  • Look at the picture and think: “What does this show about Earth?”
  • Read the fact sentences and ask: “What is the text mostly telling me?”

Fact texts are different from stories:

  • Stories are mostly for fun and feelings.
  • Earth fact texts are mostly for learning true information.

You can use these frames when you read about Earth:

  • “This text is about ___.”
  • “One fact is ___.”
  • “The Earth has ___.”
  • “Most of Earth is ___.”

Today, you will practice reading short Earth fact pages and telling the main idea and one or two facts in your own words.

Picture strip: Earth, land and water, day and night

Guided Practice — Mini-book: Facts about the Earth

How to use this mini-book:

  • Read each page as a short fact page about Earth.
  • After each page, ask: “What is the main idea?” and “What is one fact I learned?”
  • Have your child draw a tiny picture to match a fact if you like.

Point to a globe or picture of Earth while reading so your child can connect the words to the world.

Earth words
Earth land water round Sun day night

Frames: “This text is about ___.” “One fact is ___.” “The Earth has ___.”

Mini-Book: Facts about the Earth

1

Our Earth

The Earth is our home planet. It is round like a ball. We live on the outside of the Earth, not inside it.

What is the main idea of this page?

2

Land and water

The Earth has land and water. Land can be mountains, hills, and flat ground. Water can be oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Name one kind of land and one kind of water.

3

More water than land

Most of the Earth is covered with water. That is why Earth can look blue from far away in space.

Why does Earth look blue from space?

4

Air around Earth

The Earth is wrapped in air. We cannot see the air, but we can feel it when the wind blows. We need air to breathe.

What is one fact you learned about air?

5

Day and night

The Earth spins around. When our side faces the Sun, it is day. When our side turns away, it is night.

What makes it day and what makes it night?

6

Living on Earth

Earth is special because it has land, water, and air that help living things survive. People, animals, and plants all live on Earth.

Name one living thing that lives on Earth.

Reading Practice — Earth facts

Read each short Earth fact text. Choose the best answer about the main idea or a key fact. Then press “Check answers”.

1) “The Earth is our home planet. We live on it with many other people, animals, and plants.”
What is the main idea of this text?
2) “The Earth has land and water. Land can be mountains or flat ground. Water can be oceans or lakes.”
Which sentence is a fact from this text?
3) “Most of the Earth is covered with water. From space, the Earth can look blue.”
Why can Earth look blue from space?
4) “Earth is wrapped in air. We cannot see the air, but we need it to breathe.”
What do we need air for?
5) “The Earth spins around. When our side faces the Sun, it is day. When our side turns away, it is night.”
What does this text explain?
6) “Earth has land, water, and air. These things help people, animals, and plants live.”
What is the main idea?
7) Which sentence is a good fact about Earth?
8) After reading about Earth, what is the best way to talk about the text?

Quick Check (10 questions)

1) What is an informational text about Earth?

2) Which sentence could be in a text about the Earth?

3) The main idea of a text about Earth is…

4) A title says “Land and Water on Earth.” Which main idea fits best?

5) Which sentence is a fact about day and night?

6) When you read a text about Earth, you should…

7) Which question helps you find facts in an Earth text?

8) After reading about land and water, which sentence shows you understood the text?

9) If you forget a fact you read, you should…

10) To get better at reading facts about Earth, you can…

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

I will practice…

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