1. Read aloud the book Stellaluna. Stop periodically and ask students to use their senses. Share with a shoulder buddy. Suggested questions using senses:  Page 2 …soft tiny baby – What does it feel like?  Page 3 …heavy scent of fruit – What are you smelling?  Page 9 …a big green grasshopper – What are you tasting?  Page 13 …obey all the rules – How is Stellaluna feeling?  Page 25 …soft sound of wings – What are you hearing?  Page 33 …rays of light shone from her eyes – What is she seeing?  How are birds and bats different?  Is this book fiction or nonfiction? How do you know?

2. Picture Sort As Scientist Detectives, students will use pictures of various vertebrates, found in their Scientist Case File, to classify them based on similar characteristics chosen by students. Open Sort: Divide groups into pairs (or groups of three). Give pairs of students a set of the pictures of various vertebrate animals. Ask students to sort the pictures into different categories. At this point, it should be an open sort, in which students group pictures into categories of their choice and then create their own labels for each category. You should move from pair to pair and check for prior knowledge and misconceptions by asking students to explain how they categorized the pictures. There are no right or wrong classifications at this point. Students decide how they should sort the pictures. It is important to encourage discussions within the groups. Case File During this project, learners will become detective scientists. They will investigate as individual learners, in pairs, and small groups. All information will be stored in a Scientist Case File. Before the lesson, divide your class into five groups. Make copies of the Case File Cover Sheet. Glue the Case File Cover Sheet on the front of a Manila envelope. Place picture cards in the Scientist Case File.

3. Bring students together so that pairs can share their various animal sort ideas. Pictures on magnetized cards are a great way for students to rearrange the pictures into categories so that other students can visualize. Continue until all ideas have been shared. Encourage students to listen to the various ways other student scientists classified their pictures of animals. Reinforce the concept that there are various ways to sort by characteristics. Further student understanding by introducing the five classes of vertebrates using the following guided questions:  What do all of these animals have in common? (all have a backbone)  Is there another name for animals that have a backbone? (vertebrate) There are five classes of vertebrates.  Does anyone know what the name of this group of animals would be called? (Use a student group example that placed the pictures together correctly for a class such as mammals.) Use vertebrate class labels to introduce vocabulary. Place pictures under correct class. Continue this questioning with the remaining classes (amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles). You may have to move the cards to make appropriate classes.

4. Distribute to each student a copy of the clipboard handout for their case file. Tell students that you are going to read pages from the book, Animals with Backbones written by Elaine Pascoe. Ask students to listen for any clues (characteristics) that identify each of the vertebrate classes. As they hear clues, stop and allow time for students to record. Read aloud pages 8 through 24. Discuss student findings. Record characteristics of each class of vertebrates on an anchor chart. See picture for an example of an anchor chart. Revisit the book if necessary to correctly find characteristics.