Watch a Video: Drone Zone
After watching, ask: What are some of the ways today’s drones are being used?
Students will identify ways drone technology is helping humans in emergency situations.
Lesson Plan - Drones to the Rescue
Learning Objective
Text Structure
Description, Problem and Solution
Content-Area Connections
Technology
Standards Correlations
CCSS: RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.4, RI.4.5, RI.4.7, RI.4.8, RI.4.10, L.4.4, SL.4.1
NGSS: Engineering Design
NCSS: Science, Technology, and Society
TEKS: Science 4.20
1. Preparing to Read
Drone Zone
Watch a video to learn more about drones.
Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.
- aerial
- terrain
Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them identify different ways drones are helping to save lives.
2. Close-Reading Questions
1. Based on the article, what do all drones have in common? While drones come in many sizes, the article explains that all drones are aircraft with no crew or passengers onboard.
(RI.4.5 COMPARISON)
2. Why does Olivier Defawe of VillageReach call drones a “game changer”? Defawe calls drones a “game changer” because they have completely changed the way health centers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can get lifesaving supplies. It can take up to 12 hours to deliver medicine or other supplies by car or bike. Drones can deliver supplies in just 20 minutes.
(RI.4.1 TEXT EVIDENCE)
3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “Meet SnotBot”? The purpose of the sidebar is to inform readers about a drone that collects whale mucus in order to give scientists information about the whale’s health.
(RI.4.7 TEXT FEATURES)
3. Skill Building
FEATURED SKILL: Reading Closely
Use the Skill Builder “Read Closely” to have students complete tasks as they read the article three times for different purposes.
(RI.4.1 CLOSE READING)
Text-to-Speech