How does a Waterfall Become Electricity?

How Does a

Waterfall Become

Electricity?
WEEK 23, DAYS 1-5

BOOKWORMS
INTENSIVE

WORD FRAMES

electricity

noun
a type of energy measured

in volts

They have found ways to capture this energy
and turn it into electricity, or the power in our
homes and factories. (p. 5)

waterwheel

noun

type of machine with flaps
connected to a shaft that

turns gears

The simplest early device was a waterwheel.
This is a wheel that is pushed by flowing
water. (p. 8)

dam

noun
a manmade structure that
controls the flow of a river

A dam blocks the river so that lots of water
can build up. (p. 12)

reservoir

noun

a large body of water that
can be used as a source of

water for a town

The water that builds up behind a dam
creates a human-made lake called a
reservoir. (p. 13)

hydroelectric

adjective

power made from water

Today, the power of water is used to make
electricity. The plant that does this is called a
hydroelectric plant. (p. 14)

generator

noun
a machine that makes

electricity

When water spins a turbine, it turns a shaft
that is connected to a generator. The
generator is what makes electricity. (p. 16)

renewable

adjective

able to be created again

Because there is always sunlight, solar energy
is renewable, or capable of being replaced
by nature. (p 24)

WORD

Syllable

Syllable

Syllable

Syllable

Syllable

electricity

e

lec

tric

i

ty

waterwheel

wat

er

wheel

dam

dam

reservoir

res

er

voir

hydroelectric

hy

dro

e

lec

tric

generator

gen

er

a

tor

renewable

re

new

a

ble

DECODING DAY 1

Fluency Days 2-4

electricity

They have found ways to capture this energy and turn it into
electricity, or the power in our homes and factories. (p. 5)

waterwheel

The simplest early device was a waterwheel. This is a wheel
that is pushed by flowing water. (p. 8)

dam

A dam blocks the river so that lots of water can build up. (p.
12)

reservoir

The water that builds up behind a dam creates a
human-made lake called a reservoir. (p. 13)

hydroelectric

Today, the power of water is used to make electricity. The
plant that does this is called a hydroelectric plant. (p. 14)

generator

When water spins a turbine, it turns a shaft that is connected
to a generator. The generator is what makes electricity. (p.
16)

renewable

Because there is always sunlight, solar energy is renewable,
or capable of being replaced by nature. (p 24)

COMPREHENSION

6

Target word

How

Why

When

Where

What

Who

DAY 1

PAGES 4-7

INTRODUCTION

Today we start a nonfiction book
that answers a very specific
question—the author has even
chosen to list the question as the
book’s title. Let’s look at the table
of contents to get a sense of how
he sets up his work. Since we
don’t know the answer to the
larger questions of how a
waterfall becomes electricity, we
can think of each of these titles
as parts of that answer.

INTRODUCTION

1
0

1
1

1
2

TEXT STRUCTURE
ANCHOR CHART

PREVIEW TEXT STRUCTURE ANCHOR CHART

1
4

For this book, let’s keep track of each subtopic, or short chapter, by
turning it into a question and then creating a brief main-idea answer.

We’ll also see that each topic is treated in a two-page spread, with the
running text interrupted by pictures and captions. To be strategic, then,
we’ll examine these illustrations first, and then tackle the text.

Subtopic Question

Brief Main-Idea Answer

VOCABULARY

e • lec • tric • i • ty

(open, closed, closed, irregular, open)

energy

•power in our home
outlets

•lightning

•shocks during winter

electrical charges
that can be stored
and measured in
volts; it can movie
in currents; and it
can pass through
some materials but

not others

• heat
• gravity
• nuclear
• kinetic

energy

Before we start thinking about how electricity is made, let’s think about what it is.

• Electricity is a noun that means

a type of energy measured in
volts. It moves in currents, and
it can pass through some
materials, like metal, but not
others, like rubber.

• Electric and electrical are the

adjective forms.

• Electrify is the verb form.

electricity
•

•

open

closed

•

closed

•

irregular

•

open

Multiple Choice

How many syllables are in the word, electricity?

• 3

• 4

• 5

• 6

CHORAL READING

1
9

Let’s focus on identifying information
that is new about waterfalls and their
power.

Today we will be reading pages 4-7.

FIRST FOCUS

2
0

2
1

2
2

Pages 4–7 (What is a Waterfall?
and The Power of Falling Water)

Page 5, after: The water pounds
down on the rocks far below.

I didn’t think of it this way before,
but there is a cause and effect
relationship that is important to
understanding a waterfall. The
cause is melting ice at high
elevations, warmed by the spring
temperatures, and the effect is
powerful streams of water flowing
down.

ENGAGE STUDENTS IN CHORAL READING

Dropdown

A waterfall occurs when a ​

Select answer

falls over a ​

Select answer

into a ​

Select answer

below.

2
3

Fill in the Blank

The strength/force of the water is cause by _______?

2
4

PARTNER READING

2
6

Make sure that you can take the
new information you’ve gained
and use it to answer two
questions:
1. What is a waterfall? and
2. How does it get its power?

SET NEW FOCUS FOR PARTNERS

Open Ended

What is a waterfall?

Open Ended

How does a waterfall get its power?

COMPREHENSION
DISCUSSION

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

How do the pictures of waterfalls help the author to achieve his
purpose?

1

Multiple Select

What conditions are necessary for waterfalls to form?

• flowing body of river

• land is at an incline

• land is at a decline

• a rocky ledge or steep drop off

• a very snowy winter

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

3

Why does water gain energy as it moves from tiny drips of melting snow to a powerful waterfall?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

4

Let’s reread page 7. It really is telling us how the water cycle is
powered by different types of energy.

WRITTEN RESPONSE

e • lec • tric • i • ty
(open, closed, closed, irregular, open)

energy

•power in our home
outlets

•lightning

•shocks during winter

electrical charges
that can be stored
and measured in

volts; it can movie in
currents; and it can
pass through some

materials but not

others

•

heat

•

gravity

•

nuclear

•

kinetic
energy

Use our map to write out a definition of electricity that includes
its characteristics and examples.

1

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

3
4

Given what we know so far, how do you
think that waterfalls and electricity will
be related?

2

DAY 2

PAGES 8-11

DAY 2

PAGES 8-11

REVIEW & SHARE
WRITTEN RESPONSES

Have partners share what they wrote in response to yesterday’s
prompts.

REVIEW & SHARE WRITTEN RESPONSES

1
Use our map to write out a definition of electricity that includes
its characteristics and examples.

e • lec • tric • i • ty
(open, closed, closed, irregular, open)

energy

•power in our home
outlets

•lightning

•shocks during winter

electrical charges
that can be stored
and measured in

volts; it can movie in
currents; and it can
pass through some

materials but not

others

•

heat

•

gravity

•

nuclear

•

kinetic
energy

Have partners share what they wrote in response to yesterday’s
prompts.

REVIEW & SHARE WRITTEN RESPONSES

2

Given what we know so far, how do you think that waterfalls
and electricity will be related?

TEXT STRUCTURE
ANCHOR CHART

PREVIEW TEXT STRUCTURE ANCHOR
CHART

Subtopic Question

Brief Main-Idea Answer

What is a waterfall?

How does falling water get power?

-steep drop (cliff) in a river’s course that causes the
water to fall directly downward
-waterfalls get their power from gravity, the further
the fall, the more power

VOCABULARY

Let’s examine the pictures for the next two sections and see if we can
figure out what the most important concept is from the choices that the
author has made.

wat • er • wheel
(closed, r-controlled, vowel team)

machine

•moving water for
irrigation

•powering mills

It has flaps that are
turned by running

water.

It is connected to a

shaft.

The shaft turns
gears that are

attached to different

machines.

• ramp
• screw
• lever

We see multiple examples of waterwheels, so let’s focus there.

• Waterwheel is a noun

that means a type of
machine with flaps
connected to a shaft
that turns gears. The
flaps are turned by
running water. The
gears are connected to
other machines.

waterwheel

• •

closed

vowel
team

•

r-controlled

Multiple Choice

wat-er-wheel

What type of syllable is : er

CHORAL READING

4
6

Let’s focus on identifying new
information about waterwheels in
these two sections.

Today we will be reading pages
8-11.

FIRST FOCUS

4
7

4
8

Pages 8–11 (Early Uses of Water
Power and The Waterwheel)

Page 8, after: By using water power,
the work done by a person or animal
was reduced.

We are going to see that dates are
reported as BCE or CE. BCE means
Before the Common Era and CE
means Common Era. You can think
of it as a giant number line, with
BCE as the negative numbers,
moving to CE. The only problem is
that there is no year 0. It goes from
the year 1 BCE to the year
1 CE.

ENGAGE STUDENTS IN CHORAL READING

4
9

5
0

5
1

Draw

Draw how a waterwheel is used to grind grain.

PARTNER READING

5
3

Make sure that you can take the new
information you’ve gained and use it to
answer two questions:

1. What were the early uses of water

power?

2. What is a waterwheel?

SET NEW FOCUS FOR PARTNERS

Open Ended

What were the early uses of water power?

Open Ended

What is a water wheel?

COMPREHENSION
DISCUSSION

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

What conditions would you need in order to use a
waterwheel?

1

Dropdown

The waterwheel is a ​

Select answer

that is pushed by ​

Select answer

that turns a ​

Select answer

that powers a machine to ​

Select answer

.

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

2

How could a waterwheel help with irrigation of crops?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

4

Why do you think a mill has a building that is built over a
waterwheel?

Math Response

How many years are between 240 BCE and 1000 CE?

Type answer here

Correct Answer: 1240

Deg^°

Rad

Open Ended

Why do you think a mill has a building built over a waterwheel?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

5

Why would a waterwheel need blades or buckets?

WRITTEN RESPONSE

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

6
1

Use our map and the illustration on page 11 to write a
descriptive definition of a waterwheel.

1

wat • er • wheel

(closed, r-controlled, vowel team)

machine

•moving water for
irrigation

•powering mills

It has flaps that are
turned by running

water.

It is connected to a

shaft.

The shaft turns gears
that are attached to
different machines.

•ramp

•screw

•lever

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

6
2

Why do you think that the waterwheel
was used in so many different places?

2

DAY 3

PAGES 12-15

REVIEW & SHARE
WRITTEN RESPONSES

Have partners share what they wrote in response to yesterday’s
prompts.

REVIEW & SHARE WRITTEN RESPONSES

1
Use our map and the illustration on page 11 to write a
descriptive definition of a waterwheel.

wat • er • wheel

(closed, r-controlled, vowel team)

•moving water for
irrigation

•powering mills

It has flaps that are
turned by running

water.

It is connected to a

shaft.

The shaft turns gears
that are attached to
different machines.

•ramp

•screw

•lever

machine

Have partners share what they wrote in response to yesterday’s
prompts.

REVIEW & SHARE WRITTEN RESPONSES

Why do you think that the waterwheel was used in so many
different places?

2

TEXT STRUCTURE
ANCHOR CHART

PREVIEW TEXT STRUCTURE ANCHOR
CHART

6
8

Subtopic Question

Brief Main-Idea Answer

What is a waterfall?

How does falling water get power?

-steep drop (cliff) in a river’s course that causes the
water to fall directly downward
-waterfalls get their power from gravity, the further
the fall, the more power

What is a waterwheel?

What were the early uses of water power?

-a wheel pushed by water to power machines
-grinding grain, irrigating crops, getting water to
villages, create iron, make paper, etc.

VOCABULARY

• Dam is a noun or a

verb that means a
manmade structure
that controls the flow
of a river.

dam
•

closed

• Reservoiris a noun that

means a large body of
water that can be used as
a source of water for a
town. Dams usually create
reservoirs.

• You can see the root word

reserve, meaning to keep
for later use.

reservoir

• •

closed

vowel
team

•

r-controlled

• Hydroelectric is an

adjective that means
power made from
water. Hydro means
water, so
hydroelectric
means electricity
made from water
power.

hydroelectric

•
•

open

open

•

open
•

closed

•

closed

CHORAL READING

7
4

Think about the invention of a dam as a
problem and solution.

Today we will be reading pages 12-15.

FIRST FOCUS

7
5

7
6

7
7

7
8

7
9

Pages 12–15 (Building a Dam
and It’s Electric!)

Page 15, after: Once water
passes by the turbine, it
continues out of the dam and
onward downstream.

I can use context here to
figure out what a turbine is. I
can see that it is like a
waterwheel on its side. I can
also figure out that there must
be a relationship between the
words turn and the root in
turbine. A turbine is some sort
of a machine that turns.

ENGAGE STUDENTS IN CHORAL READING

PARTNER READING

8
1

Now think about what questions
you still have about how water
generates electricity.

SET NEW FOCUS FOR PARTNERS

COMPREHENSION
DISCUSSION

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

Why would we need to build dams to create electricity?

1

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

2

How can dams have two uses?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

3

Why can dams sometimes cause flooding?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

Why is a hydroelectric plant at the bottom of a dam?

4

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

Does the water in a hydroelectric plant create electricity directly?
Why?

5

WRITTEN RESPONSE

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

8
9

Look at the illustrations on pages 14 and 15. How do you think
they work together?

1

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

9
0

Make a list of the questions you still have.

2

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

DAY 4

PAGES 16-21

REVIEW & SHARE
WRITTEN RESPONSES

Have partners share what they wrote in response to yesterday’s
prompts.

REVIEW & SHARE WRITTEN RESPONSES

1

Make a list of the questions you still have.

Look at the illustrations on pages 14 and 15. How do you think
they work together?

2

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

TEXT STRUCTURE
ANCHOR CHART

PREVIEW TEXT STRUCTURE ANCHOR
CHART

Subtopic Question

Brief Main-Idea Answer

What is a waterfall?

How does falling water get power?

-steep drop (cliff) in a river’s course that causes the
water to fall directly downward
-waterfalls get their power from gravity, the further
the fall, the more power

What is a waterwheel?

What were the early uses of water power?

-a wheel pushed by water to power machines
-grinding grain, irrigating crops, getting water to
villages, create iron, make paper, etc.

How is water used to make electricity?

What are dams and why were they built?

-water at the bottom of a dam turns the turbines
which cause the generators to create electricity
-dams block the water so that the water can be
released at a slow pace

VOCABULARY

• Generatoris a noun

that means a
machine that makes
electricity. It
contains magnets
that spin. You can
see that the root
word is the verb
generate, which
means to make.

generator
•

•

closed

open

•

r-controlled

•

r-controlled

• electricity
• waterwheel
• dam
• reservoir
• hydroelectric
• generator

Review all
vocabulary

words

WORD FRAMES

electricity

noun
a type of energy measured

in volts

They have found ways to capture this energy
and turn it into electricity, or the power in our
homes and factories. (p. 5)

waterwheel

noun

type of machine with flaps
connected to a shaft that

turns gears

The simplest early device was a waterwheel.
This is a wheel that is pushed by flowing
water. (p. 8)

dam

noun
a manmade structure that
controls the flow of a river

A dam blocks the river so that lots of water
can build up. (p. 12)

reservoir

noun

a large body of water that
can be used as a source of

water for a town

The water that builds up behind a dam
creates a human-made lake called a
reservoir. (p. 13)

hydroelectric

adjective

power made from water

Today, the power of water is used to make
electricity. The plant that does this is called a
hydroelectric plant. (p. 14)

generator

noun
a machine that makes

electricity

When water spins a turbine, it turns a shaft
that is connected to a generator. The
generator is what makes electricity. (p. 16)

renewable

adjective

able to be created again

Because there is always sunlight, solar energy
is renewable, or capable of being replaced
by nature. (p 24)

CHORAL READING

1
0
1

Think about the titles as we read the next three sections. Are they
good descriptions for the information? Can you turn them into
questions?

Today we will be reading pages 16-21.

FIRST FOCUS

1
0
2

Pages 16–21 (Electricity in Our Homes, Who Uses Water Power?,
and Famous Hydroelectric Plants)

Page 16, after: Wires inside the stator carry the electricity out of the
generator.

I can make a connection here. The text and the illustration here are
very similar to what we saw in the earlier section about mills. It looks
like the generator is very similar to the grinder that we might find in a
mill. So both rely on spinning, but a turbine generator has magnets
that are spinning and generating electrical charges because of their
movement.

ENGAGE STUDENTS IN CHORAL READING

Making

Connections

1
0
3

1
0
4

1
0
5

1
0
6

1
0
7

PARTNER READING

1
0
9

Think about what all hydroelectric plants have to have in common.

REVIEW 1ST FOCUS & SET NEW FOCUS FOR
PARTNERS

COMPREHENSION
DISCUSSION

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

How does water power become electricity?

1

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

2

Why do you think spinning magnets create electricity? What is
electricity made of?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

3

Why do you think we need a grid system to bring electricity to our
homes?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

Let’s reread the first paragraph on page 19. What do the countries
that use the most hydroelectric power have in common?

4

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

If you wanted to build a hydroelectric plant, what conditions would
you look for?

5

WRITTEN RESPONSE

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

1
1
7

How is a turbine generator in a hydroelectric plant similar to
and different from a grinder powered by a waterwheel?
Compare and contrast these two machines.

1

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

1
1
8

Review vocabulary words in oral or written sentences with a
partner.

2

electricity

They have found ways to capture this energy and turn it into
electricity, or the power in our homes and factories. (p. 5)

waterwheel

The simplest early device was a waterwheel. This is a wheel
that is pushed by flowing water. (p. 8)

dam

A dam blocks the river so that lots of water can build up. (p.
12)

reservoir

The water that builds up behind a dam creates a
human-made lake called a reservoir. (p. 13)

hydroelectric

Today, the power of water is used to make electricity. The
plant that does this is called a hydroelectric plant. (p. 14)

generator

When water spins a turbine, it turns a shaft that is connected
to a generator. The generator is what makes electricity. (p.
16)

renewable

Because there is always sunlight, solar energy is renewable,
or capable of being replaced by nature. (p 24)

DAY 5

PAGES 22-25

REVIEW & SHARE
WRITTEN RESPONSES

Have partners share their responses to yesterday’s prompt.

REVIEW & SHARE WRITTEN RESPONSES

How is a turbine generator in a hydroelectric plant similar to
and different from a grinder powered by a waterwheel?
Compare and contrast these two machines.

1

TEXT STRUCTURE
ANCHOR CHART

PREVIEW TEXT STRUCTURE ANCHOR
CHART

1
2
3

Subtopic Question

Brief Main-Idea Answer

What is a waterfall?

How does falling water get power?

-steep drop (cliff) in a river’s course that causes the
water to fall directly downward
-waterfalls get their power from gravity, the further
the fall, the more power

What is a waterwheel?

What were the early uses of water power?

-a wheel pushed by water to power machines
-grinding grain, irrigating crops, getting water to
villages, create iron, make paper, etc.

How is water used to make electricity?

What are dams and why were they built?

-water at the bottom of a dam turns the turbines
which cause the generators to create electricity
-dams block the water so that the water can be
released at a slow pace

How is electricity made in a hydroelectric plant?

In which countries are hydroelectric plants found?

What are some famous hydroelectric plants?

-water splints a turbine, which turns the generators,
which create electricity and wires carry it out of the
generators
-China, Canada, Brazil, USA, Russia
-Kurobe, Niagra, Aswan, Itaipu,

ASSESSMENT 36:
SPELLING TEST

CHORAL READING

1
2
6

Think about how what you already
learned helps you to understand the
section on the Hoover Dam.

Today we will be reading pages 22-25.

FIRST FOCUS

Making Connections

1
2
7

1
2
8

1
2
9

1
3
0

Page 24:

I can make some connections
here. It says that solar power can
heat water or turn on lights. I have
seen solar powered lights in
people’s yards. During the day
they collect sunlight, and then at
night they use the stored energy
to create light. But what I can’t tell
here is whether the solar power
becomes electricity to do this or
whether solar power is different.
Not all questions are answered in
any one book—sometimes we
read and then we formulate new
questions.

ENGAGE STUDENTS IN CHORAL READING

1
3
1

PARTNER READING

1
3
3

You may have more
questions about energy.
Think about what they are.

SET NEW FOCUS FOR PARTNERS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

COMPREHENSION
DISCUSSION

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

Why is the shape of the Hoover Dam special?

1

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

2

What are some problems caused by using too much fossil fuels?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

3

What does it mean to say that solar energy is renewable?

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

How would a nuclear power plant be different from a hydroelectric
plant?

4

ENGAGE IN COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION

How would a wind turbine be similar to a waterwheel?

5

WRITTEN RESPONSE

ASSIGN WRITTEN RESPONSE

1
4
1

Reread the section on other types of energy. Think about what
the costs and benefits of each type may be. Make an
argument that one type is best.

1