ELA Lesson

Grade Level and Unit: Reading

Session and Description of Lesson Tasks: Identifying the Turning Point

Materials needed: ¨  Posters ¨  Loser by Jerry Spinelli

Grouping Decisions: Small group

Learning goals & Essential Questions What is a turning point? Objective(s) I can transfer knowledge from Writer’s Workshop to Reading Group. I know what a turning point is. I can find turning points in stories. I can use evidence from the text to prove an action or event in the text really is a turning point.	Language Objectives Turning point
MA Frameworks: Third Grade MA.8.A Identify elements of fiction (e.g. characters, setting, plot, problem, solution) Grade 4 3. Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g. a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

Connect: Today we talked about the turning point in our own writing.  Who can describe what the turning point is? Anticipate: A part of the story where something big changes, like in Mrs. Pemsler’s story when she decided to go swimming anyway* *example of writing instruction

Implementation Introduction Focus Questions/Hook/Launch: Do you think there is one big turning point in a story or can there be many? Explore: What were some times in Loser that we’ve noticed a big change or a turning point? Why?  Why not? Summary: Continue to independently read and jot down on your sticky notes times when you feel there is a turning point and why.   Show what changes.

Evidence: -poster with all group’s suggestions -stickys

Differentiated Instruction ELL IEP/Modification/Accommodation Extension

Notes and Reflections This was a particularly interesting discussion.  When we were introduced to the concept of turning points as a whole group in writing, I myself wasn’t too sure what was being implied here.  Was it the climax?  Was it just any random “Aha” moment in writing?  I think that having that uncertainty myself made for a more open discussion when I brought the concept into reading group.  This, for me, felt like a really good example of the positive side of not knowing something that you are trying to teach.  I didn’t have a hugely specific anticipated answer in my head, and my questions were not loaded – I was genuinely looking for kid’s answers and explanations.

ELA Lesson

Grade Level and Unit: Reading

Session and Description of Lesson Tasks: Characterization, Character Sketches

Materials needed: ¨  Posters ¨  Trumpet of the Swan ¨  Pencils & origami paper

Grouping Decisions: Small group

Learning goals & Essential Questions How do characters help us to understand the story? Objective(s) I can infer character traits. I can identify character traits. I can identify actions and examples from the text that show character traits.	Language Objectives trait
MA Frameworks: Reading Standards for Literature Grade 4 Key Ideas and Details 1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 3. Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g. a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

Connect: Let’s take a look at the poster we created at the beginning of reading group.  We have all the literary elements we learned about while reading Loser, and all of the Reading is Thinking pieces. As we continue to read Trumpet of the Swan, we are going to pay careful attention to characters and their traits.  Our writing prompt for the week was to write about a character from a book you love and describe three of that character’s traits.  What is a trait? Anticipate: Something about that person Their personality A characteristic

Implementation Introduction Focus Questions/Hook/Launch: Today as we read up to chapter seven, your job is to write down all the character traits of Louis on this special piece of white paper. Explore: Let’s share what we learned about Louis in today’s reading.  If you hear an idea that you really like and don’t have written down, feel free to add it to your paper. On the back of the white paper, we are going to note the actions that support Louis’s traits.  For example, if you say that he is bright, think of an example from the text that let’s you know he’s bright.  Did he learn a new word at school?  Did he do something other swans don’t normally do? Summary: We are going to take all of Louis’s character traits and all of the reasons why and build our own mini swans.  Max is going to share with us how to turn our white pieces of paper into origami birds.

Evidence: Did they- Identify characters that the character has? Back up those claims with evidence?

Differentiated Instruction ELL IEP/Modification/Accommodation Extension

Notes and Reflections This was a particularly fun reading group lesson.  The idea came to me when I noticed one of my students distracting other kids during independent reading a day earlier.  He had made a bunch of origami and was sharing his creations with other kids.  I sat him down prior to the lesson and asked him if he was comfortable teaching the group how to make paper cranes.  I told him we would have to pretend they were swans, since it’s not “Trumpet of the Cranes”.  I think that using the lesson characterization in a context of a special talent one student can share and teach others was a really fun thing to do.  Also, everyone hit the mark in explaining character traits.  Now we can use this knowledge to help us discover themes.

 Poster from beginning of lesson

5 Lesson Series: Science & Writing Unit

Grade Level and Unit: 4th Grade Science & Writing Unit

Session and Description of Lesson Tasks: Day 1 of 5-Day Research Project Series on “Our Changing Earth” Research

Materials needed: ¨  Sets of age-appropriate books separated by topic, placed in book bags ¨  Post-its ¨  Chart paper ¨  Pencils & markers

Grouping Decisions: Whole group on rug Independent work, physically next to partner, at various areas of the room

Learning goals & Essential Questions How do rapid processes and big geological events change our earth? How do print and online sources help me better understand science? What information is most essential? How can I organize gathered data into a cohesive written presentation? What is important in presenting scientific information? What are the conventions of informational writing?  What makes nonfiction text interesting and useful? Objective(s) I can use nonfiction text to gather information. I can find the most essential information, using questions to guide. I know the form, function, cause, effect, & examples of a rapid process that changes the earth.

Language Objectives research essential content-specific tier three vocabulary* *each pair has their own set of important new vocabulary dependent on their topic, ie:      -earthquake      -tectonic plate      -seismologist etc.

MA Frameworks: Earth and Space Science, Grades 3 – 5 12. Give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. Writing Standards Grade 4 College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Text and Purposes 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g. headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Research to Build and Present Knowledge 7. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. 8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information.

Connect: We have learned a lot about weathering, erosion, stream tables, floods and glaciers.  We are about to embark on a project that will continue to expand and fuel our understanding of how the earth changes.  Last week you voted on which of the earth changing natural disasters you are most interested in working on.  Some wrote in an earth-changing event they felt compelled to work on. Today is the beginning of a very exciting and very short project on changing earth.  Ultimately we looking to answer the question, how does this change the earth? Every pair has an earth-changing event that they are going to become absolute experts in.  In order to become experts we first need to do some research.  We are going to do research using nonfiction books and articles and information that we gather from multiple sources.  I’m going to model for you all how we are going to begin that research today in reading group.  I’m going to pretend that my topic for this research project was landslides, and I have been given this packet of information to study landslides with.  When I read my books, I am going to look for some very particular information – the most important information that I need to know to teach others about earth changing landslides.  To make sure I am only finding the most important information, I am going to use questions that will guide me to discover how landslides change the earth.  What are some questions I might want to answer when learning about landslides? Anticipate: Students will come up with questions that are specific to landslides, and with that I will rephrase their questions to make them generalized and therefore usable for all topics later on.

Implementation Introduction Focus Questions/Hook/Launch: So as I go through, I’m going to stop and write down this important information on  stickys (post-its). Read-aloud with modeling Explore: Read through the different books and articles about your topic.  As you read, your job is to make stickys that answer the questions we came up with to guide our research. You and your partner are sharing materials, but unless otherwise told, this is an independent study time.  You will be comparing and talking with your partner at a later time.  If we don’t finish reading through and making notes, we will have a chance to continue later on in the day. Summary: Summarized in next lesson.

Evidence: Post-its are compiled together by group & compared alongside learning targets. Looking for: -information retold in own words -whether they answered the guiding & essential questions -have information that sums the form, function, cause & effect of their earth changing process or event

Differentiated Instruction ELL Books on tape Videos online IEP/Modification/Accommodation Books on tape Videos online Extension Research beyond pre-chosen material i.e. library website encyclopedia search, monitored internet searches

Notes and Reflections I should have been clearer in my expectations of the sticky content.  I don’t think I explicitly told them to write down facts and information in their own words.  This will have to be addressed in a future lesson.

Grade Level and Unit: 4th Grade Science & Writing Unit

Session and Description of Lesson Tasks: Day 2 of 5-Day Research Project Series on “Our Changing Earth” Organizing In Preparation for Typing the 1st Draft

Materials needed: ¨  Sets of age-appropriate books separated by topic, placed in book bags ¨  Post-its ¨  Chart paper ¨  Pencils & markers ¨  Moveable graphic organizer materials

Grouping Decisions: Whole group instruction Partner work at same space pair worked previously

Learning goals & Essential Questions How do rapid processes and big geological events change our earth? How do print and online sources help me better understand science? What information is most essential? How can I organize gathered data into a cohesive written presentation? What is important in presenting scientific information? What are the conventions of informational writing?  What makes nonfiction text interesting and useful? Objective(s) I can identify information that supports the question: how does this change the earth? I can categorize information. I can convey information clearly in the first draft of my report.

Language Objectives organize label categorize research essential content-specific tier three vocabulary* *each pair has their own set of important new vocabulary dependent on their topic, ie:      -earthquake      -tectonic plate      -seismologist etc.

MA Frameworks: Earth and Space Science, Grades 3 – 5 12. Give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. Writing Standards Grade 4 College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Text and Purposes 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g. headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Research to Build and Present Knowledge 7. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. 8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information.

Connect: With all the information we gathered yesterday, we need to take some steps to make sure all of our information is organized clearly.  Why is it important to clearly organize information or to put information in order? Anticipate: Possible answers: “So it makes sense.” “So the reader knows what we’re talking about.”

Implementation Introduction Focus Questions/Hook/Launch: I have prepared strips of paper that say all of the guiding questions we came up with yesterday.  In your pairs, you are going to share your stickys, and then decide which ones answer which question.  I’ll show you how this would like with my topic, landslides. (Anticipate) It’s important that you share the information with your partner.  You are going to be creating one poster together, so it wouldn’t make much sense for both you and your partner to write the same information in two different papers.  You can pick and choose who will write each of the different pieces, and decide which ones you might both want to write about. Explore: Children create their own graphic organizers in pairs. Summary: The “So what? “ You have all of the important information about your earth-changing event clearly organized on your sheets.  What will this help us to do next? Write our drafts.

Evidence: Is the right information under the right heading? Is all the essential info there? A & F Yes No C & H Yes No D & M Yes No J & R Yes Yes L & M Yes Yes M & O Yes Yes M & T Yes No

Differentiated Instruction ELL IEP/Modification/Accommodation Explicit, one-on-one instruction Extension More research

Notes and Reflections When all the essential information wasn’t there, students were given a chance to go back and add information.  Unfortunately, I had schedule the computer lab for a very specific time, so drafts got typed up that could have benefitted from more research to completely meet the goal of learning how that rapid process changed the earth. That being said, it did feel like everyone moved on to the draft at his or her own pace. I think that using post-its and having a physically interactive graphic organizer was one of my better choices.  It was engaging for kinesthetic learners in a way that just normal notation followed by filling in a graphic organizer worksheet wouldn’t have satisfied.  They were able to physically control the order of their report.

Grade Level and Unit: 4th Grade Science & Writing Unit

Session and Description of Lesson Tasks: Day 3, 4 of 5-Day Research Project Series on “Our Changing Earth” Self-Editing, Leads, & Conclusions in Preparation for Project Completion

Materials needed: ¨  Sets of age-appropriate books separated by topic, placed in book bags ¨  Moveable graphic organizers or first draft ¨  Writer’s Notebook ¨  Self-editing checklist

Grouping Decisions: Whole group > independent work

Learning goals & Essential Questions How do rapid processes and big geological events change our earth? How do print and online sources help me better understand science? What information is most essential? How can I organize gathered data into a cohesive written presentation? What is important in presenting scientific information? What are the conventions of informational writing?  What makes nonfiction text interesting and useful? Objective(s) I can introduce my topic in a grabbing lead. I can find mistakes like missed punctuation in my writing. I can format my presentation correctly.

Language Objectives

MA Frameworks: Earth and Space Science, Grades 3 – 5 12. Give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. Writing Standards Grade 4 College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Text and Purposes 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g. headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Research to Build and Present Knowledge 7. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. 8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information.

Connect: What draws a reader in?  What makes writing exciting and interesting and appealing and something that you just have to read right away?  What pulls you in and makes you want to read more? Leads. Now, we know a lot about lead from our personal narratives.  What are some types of leads that we used to grab readers when we wrote personal narratives. Anticipate: Setting!  Sound effect!  Identifying characteristic!

Implementation Introduction Focus Questions/Hook/Launch: Let’s make a prediction.  Do you think we are going to use the same types of leads for a different type of writing?  We’re not writing personal narratives, we are writing scientific reports!  What do you think?  Let me see your thumbs, thumbs up for the same leads, thumbs down for different leads. I’m going to show you a couple different examples of leads for scientific research project reports to help us solve this problem. -Question -Setting -Factual statement -Combination -Sound effect Explore: Everyone open your Writer’s Notebook and write down at least two leads for your report. Summary: Once you have written down some leads, pick your favorite and you can add it to your draft.

Evidence: Assessment of leads, conclusions, & editing skills measured by final product. Exceeds Meets Below Presentation Final product contains 2 photographs, 1 graph, personal & relevant added creativity (design, extra illustration, etc.) Final product includes at least 2 relevant photographs with captions & at least 1 relevant graph. Final product includes less than 1 graph, 2 pictures and/or no captions.  Pictures and graph may be irrelevant or inaccurate. Writing Conventions Correct usage of punctuation, capitalization, and indents.  Less than two mistakes. Correct usage of punctuation, capitalization, and indents.  Few mistakes. Many mistakes. Science Content Includes all 5 geological event pts. __ Form (what does it look like) __ Function (what happens) __ Cause (/how was it formed) __ Effect (damage, people) __ Examples (where, when, interesting data) Reader clearly gets the idea that this process has changed the earth. Includes 4 out of 5 of geological event pts. __ Form (what does it look like) __ Function (what happens) __ Cause (/how was it formed) __ Effect (damage, people) __ Examples (where, when, interesting data) Reader clearly gets the idea that this process has changed the earth. Includes 2, 3 out of 5 geological event pts. __ Form (what does it look like) __ Function (what happens) __ Cause (/how was it formed) __ Effect (damage, people) __ Examples (where, when, interesting data) Reader has a vague idea that this process has changed the earth. Cohesion & Higher Order Thinking Ideas are grouped together logically in paragraphs between a lead and a conclusion. Ideas are grouped together logically in sections between a lead and a conclusion. Ideas are scattered and/or no lead, no conclusion.

Differentiated Instruction ELL IEP/Modification/Accommodation Explicit, one-on-one instruction Extension

Notes and Reflections This last lesson plan is a little hodge podge.  Over the course of a day and a half I fit in all three lessons separately (leads, conclusions, & editing workshop). I only typed the implementation of the leads lesson, but the assessment is based on not only the leads but the conclusions and the editing as well. I really liked the checklist I created because it really touched upon all the grammatical conventions and writing strategies 4th grade has been working on as they apply to science writing.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints, it might have ultimately been too ambitious of an endeavor to complete during this mini-unit.  Although the children knew what each point referred to, we could have used practice in searching through a piece of writing with the intent of finding mistakes and changing them.  I think this was a skill I anticipated them having, but in actuality it might be too advanced to spring on at the last minute.  Lesson learned.  Next time I think I might change it to peer editing where they look at sentences and decide if it needs a capital letter change or a punctuation mark. My rubric is based off of the MA Curriculum Frameworks illuminated by this unit.

Example of final product: