Lesson Plan: The Beast of Loch Ness

Essential Questions

• How do legends form? What makes people believe legends?
• What is the role of science in determining what is true?

Literature Connection

• Novel: Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage
• Nonfiction: The Secret Life of the Loch Ness Monster (The Secret Lives of Cryptids) by Benjamin Harper

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article in their magazines or at Action Online. Preview the text features by asking the following questions:

• Read the article’s title and subtitle. Why do you think the subtitle (about a monster living in a lake) is a question? You can guess that the subtitle is a question because people (at least some people) aren’t sure about or can’t agree on the answer. If everyone agreed that there was a monster living in Loch Ness, the subtitle would say, “There is a monster . . . ” 
• Study the map “Where in the World: Scotland” and read its caption. Where is Scotland? Where is Loch Ness?  What are the Scottish Highlands? Scotland is on the Atlantic Ocean, bordering England. Loch Ness is located in the north of the country. The Scottish Highlands is a large region in the north of Scotland known for its beauty. Loch Ness is part of the Scottish Highlands.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (murky, tentacles, mythical, lurking, skeptics, sonar) aloud and discuss their definitions.
• Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

• Set a purpose for reading by telling students that the article “The Beast of Loch Ness” recounts the legend of the Loch Ness monster, explaining how adventurers and scientists alike have failed to find true proof of its existence time and again.
• Point out the Pause and Think boxes. Tell students they can check their understanding of what they’ve read by answering these questions.
• Tell students that as they finish each section, they should think about how the text features on the page (e.g., photos, captions, and section headings) relate to what they’ve just read.
• Point out the activity at the end of the article and tell students they’ll complete it after reading. Encourage them to keep the Think About It! question at the bottom in mind as they read.

Read the article. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)

• Long ago, those who believed in the beast of Loch Ness saw it as mysterious and scary.  How are people’s attitudes about Loch Ness and the creature different now? (inference) Today the loch and the creature are seen as fun and interesting. Tourists flock to the loch by the thousands to buy T-shirts, take boat tours, and try to spot the supposed monster. They even have a fun nickname for the monster, “Nessie.”
• Why do most scientists reject the idea that the Loch Ness monster exists? (key ideas and details) One reason scientists reject the idea that the Loch Ness monster exists is that few plants or fish can survive in the harsh conditions of Loch Ness; there is likely not enough food, light, or warmth to sustain such a creature. Another reason scientists reject the idea is that they have searched the lake thoroughly using sonar and other methods and found nothing unusual. 
• Why does the author include information about the giant squid in the article? (text structure) Many people once believed the giant squid was imaginary. They called it “the kraken.” The author includes information about the giant squid to support the idea that creatures widely believed to be imaginary—like the Loch Ness monster—do at least sometimes turn out to be real.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

• How convincing do you find the evidence for the idea that the Loch Ness monster exists? Explain. (critical thinking) Answers will vary. Students will likely say that the evidence is not convincing because it is based on what people claim they saw (which can be unreliable), stories that have been told for ages, and blurry photos and videos. Also, scientists have conducted several searches of Loch Ness and found no sign of a giant creature in the loch.
• Why do you think people continue to be interested in the story of the Loch Ness monster? (critical thinking) Answers will vary. Students will likely say that the fact that some imaginary creatures have turned out to be real drives some to believe that Nessie may eventually be confirmed as real too. They may also say that something in humans simply longs for magic and mystery—that we continue to be interested in Nessie’s story because we want to live in a world that science cannot fully explain.

• Have students work in pairs to complete the Spotlight Skill Workout: Text Evidence activity. 
• Have students work independently to complete our Sequence of Events Skill Builder, available in higher- and lower-level versions. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
• Writing prompt: Write a short story about seeing the Loch Ness monster. Imagine you are exploring the shores of Loch Ness when you come face-to-face with the famous creature. Describe the setting, your feelings, and your actions. Use details to bring your story to life.