Lesson 4: Jigsaw Expert Groups

Length of Lesson: 20 minutes (repeated with four groups)

Purpose:
To expand on research and collaboration related to selected research project (butterfly, lady bug,
bumble bee, or flower)

Learning objectives: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify the main idea and
details related to the life cycle of their chosen insect/plant.

Indiana Academic Science Standard(s):

2.RN.2.2 - Identify the main idea of a multi-paragraph text and the topic of each paragraph.
2.W.3.2 - Write a paragraph or paragraphs on a topic or main idea that introduce a topic, provide
facts and details about the topic, and provide a concluding statement.

Materials and resources:

Student research note cards
anchor charts
National Geographic Kids: Caterpillar to Butterfly (Marsh, 2012)

Strand Connections
Strand
Collaborative group work
Nature of science
Culturally responsive practices
Placed-based practices
Lesson application
Students will work together to share and discuss new facts about
insect.
Students will work together and share ideas.
Facts will be used to write a Murdock garden book.

Lesson Background
During week three, students will be introduced to the jigsaw research project. Each table
group will author a book about living things that can live in a pollinator garden at Murdock. Each
student in the group will choose a different topic (butterfly, bee, lady bug, or flower) to research and
include in their Murdock garden book. An essential component to a jigsaw project is the opportunity
to collaborate with peers who have chosen the same topic. During this lesson, I will outline the way
“expert group” discussions can be facilitated for students researching butterflies.

Procedure:
Attentional prompt:
Have anchor chart prepared with title “Butterfly” at small group table.

Recall previous learning/lesson:

Last week you researched facts about the life cycle of a butterfly and wrote details on your
notecards. We also started our own observations! What does a butterfly start as? How does it
change?

Words used to tell the children the purpose of the lesson:

Today we are working in a butterfly expert group to learn more from each other. This is called
collaborating. We’ll use all of these facts to help us write our Murdock garden books!
Words used to tell the children the objective of the lesson: At the end of this lesson, you will be able
to identify the main idea of each life cycle stage and give extra details that tell more about it.

Practice Together
 Ask students to share three butterfly facts from their note cards with a partner.
 Have each student read fact cards related to eggsrecord on anchor chart
o as each student shares, place a * next to each repeated detail
o repeat for each stage (larva, chrysalis, adult)
 Let’s do some more research together!
 Read National Geographic Kids: Caterpillar to Butterfly (Marsh, 2012).
o Have students take turns reading
o At the end of each page, ask What was the main idea on this page? Are there any new
details we can add to our poster? Record new details about butterfly life cycle
 Point out statements/details that have * All of you mentioned this detail. That tells us this fact
must be very important. We can use these details when writing an informational paragraph!
Let’s find a main idea for each stage of the life cycle.
o Guide students to identify the main topic/detail for each life cycle stage.
 We can use this poster to plan and organize our writing. Great job collaborating and sharing
your knowledge!
Closure:
Later this week we will practice putting detail phrases into complete sentences. All of our sentences
will connect to the main idea, or what the story is ___________ [mostly about].

Continuing connections:
Encourage students to continue researching and recording details on notecards through Epic! or
spotlight books.

Assessment:
Formally assess student answers throughout discussion.
Summative assessment will take place when books are completed.

Supports for Diverse Learners:

Advanced Learners:
 Students read book independently and point out new information when all readers are
done.
 Students create their own graphic organizer with group details instead of anchor chart.

Academically Challenged Learners:

 Research completed together, so all facts are group facts
 Teacher records all group details on anchor chartmake copies for student reference
 Teacher does most of readingstudents required to answer questions from
listening/reading along

ELL Supports:
 Plan insect groups so that ELL students are in butterfly groupincreased practice and
exposure to vocabulary through ELD time
 Sharing with partner to practice language
 Picture walk before reading the book