Differentiation You may want students to first complete the front side of the Explanations Tool with the Decomposers Matter Tracing Tool and check it together as a class to confirm that the arrows and responses to the prompts are correct. Then, students can use the corrected graphic organizer as a tool to construct their written explanation. As the Decomposers Matter Tracing Tool is completed, post in the classroom so students can refer to it. Encourage students to explain verbally as well as writing on the Decomposers Matter Tracing Tool Have students highlight challenging vocabulary in the 5.3 How do Decomposers Digest Food? Reading to support the word wall Refer to the word wall for questions on digestion related vocabulary. Modifications The Three Questions Explanation Checklist on the back of the Three Questions Handout can be used to scaffold students’ explanations in many ways. Students refer to the checklist as they are constructing their explanations. Students use the checklist as they are sharing and revising their explanations with a partner. Students use the checklist to critique and revise their final explanations. Students use the checklist to critique the example explanations for each unit. Students use the checklist to create and/or evaluate a whole-class consensus explanation. We recommend using this checklist with a gradual release. As students improve in their ability to write their own explanations, they may rely on the checklist less. Extending the Learning
