Lesson Plan - An Honor for Eagles

Build Background Knowledge
Before reading, review with students that a symbol is something that stands for something else. Do a think-pair-share to have students brainstorm examples of familiar symbols (e.g., hearts, peace signs, and national flags).

Preview Word to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Word to Know.

• deserving

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about some reasons the bald eagle was chosen to be a U.S. symbol.

1. What might be another good title for this article? Why?
Sample response: Another good title for this article might be “Eagles Are Named Our National Bird.” This title gets across the main idea.
^{RI.3.2 Main Idea and Key Details}

2. Based on the article, why do you think the bald eagle was chosen to be a national symbol?
The bald eagle was most likely chosen to be a national symbol because of its appearance. The article states, “With its powerful wings, the bald eagle represents strength.” In addition, the article explains that bald eagles live only in North America.
^{RI.3.1 Text Evidence}

3. What are some problems that bald eagles faced? How did they bounce back?
Bald eagles faced several dangers. The article notes that “hunting and chemicals used to kill insects had caused them to nearly disappear.” The birds bounced back because of rescue efforts. 
^{RI.3.8 Problem and Solution}

Featured Skill: Summarizing
Use the skill builder “Synonym Search” to help students identify synonyms for key vocabulary words in the article.
^{RI.3.4 Vocabulary}