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: