Research Writing: Analyzing a Model | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M3:U2:L11

Research Writing: Analyzing a Model

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
  • W.1.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of "how-to" books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
  • W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • L.1.5d: Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can analyze a model to learn about the parts of an informative paragraph. (W.1.2, W.1.8)
  • I can draw a bird beak by using accurate shapes and colors. (W.1.7)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening, use the Language Checklist to monitor students' progress toward L.1.5d (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Song and Movement: "Birds in the Wilderness" (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Research Writing: Analyzing a Model (25 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In the Opening, students continue to practice shades of meaning among verbs by singing and acting out pairs of verbs in the song "Birds in the Wilderness." Encourage students to participate in the actions to solidify their understanding of the strength of the verbs. By using the verb pairs associated with birds they have already read about, students also reinforce their understanding of how birds' body parts help them to survive. Use the Language Standards Checklist to keep track of students' progress on L1.5d as well as students who may still need more support.
  • In Work Time A, students analyze the Shared Writing: Feathers piece they wrote earlier in the unit. This is the first of several lessons in which students more independently write the parts of an informative paragraph about how birds use their beaks to survive. The writing takes place across several lessons with support to prepare students to write more independently during the Unit 2 Assessment in Lessons 15-16.
  • In Work Time B, students continue to closely examine beaks and practice drawing them to better understand how birds' body parts differ.
  • In the Closing, students transfer their class learning goals to personal learning goals. This is meant to help them stay focused while the work in coming lessons becomes more independent. Students will choose a personal goal in this lesson and reflect on their progress toward that goal in future lessons.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Students use the understanding they have built about shades of meaning (Units 1-2) and verbs (Unit 2) to sing and act out pairs of verbs in the song "Birds in the Wilderness."
  • Students use their research and shared writing experiences in Lessons 2-10 to help them write more independently in this and future lessons.
  • Students use the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart to create their personal learning goal.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Allow students to find a buddy to share crayons with during Work Time A, and encourage partners to talk through using the correct crayon color as well as tracking each sentence together as it is read aloud.
  • Apply any supports from Lesson 9 to the drawing in Work Time B of this lesson.

Down the road:

  • The verb pairs used in the Opening of this lesson will be used again in future lessons to help students understand the concept of shades of meaning.
  • In this lesson, students analyze an informative paragraph to identify the parts of the paragraph and the purpose of each part. Students will use this to practice writing each part to complete a paragraph about beaks. This scaffolding will eventually lead to the Unit 2 Assessment on W.1.2.
  • Students will draw pictures to match their Unit 2 informative paragraph. Each of the drawing sessions leading up to the assessment will help them create drawings that are realistic and accurate.

In Advance

  • Prepare copies of the heron photograph in color, if possible (see supporting Materials).
  • Consider playing an instrumental version of "The Old Gray Mare" during the Opening.
  • Pre-distribute Materials for Work Time A at student workspaces.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Consider using an interactive white board or document camera to display lesson Materials.

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 1.I.B.8 and 1.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through opportunities to analyze a model to understand the structure and language needed to write an effective paragraph about beaks starting in the next lesson. This lesson scaffolds to the Unit 2 Assessment on W.1.2.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to stay focused throughout the directions for color-coding on the model (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Invite a student to explain the parts of an effective informational paragraph by pointing to the color-coded paragraph and the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart.

For heavier support:

  • Consider using the cards from the Shades of Meaning Charades to review Vocabulary. Have students make the pairs of cards and discuss their rationale for pairing certain verbs together. Encourage a conversation about the subtle differences among the verbs.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffold connections for students. Continue to provide visual display of questions and student responses on a chart or the board during discussions.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to offer scaffolds for students learning to set appropriate personal goals. Recall that appropriate goal-setting supports development of executive skills and strategies.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to support sustained engagement and effort for students who benefit from consistent reminders of learning goals and their value or relevance. Recall that students who may struggle with sustained effort and concentration are supported when these reminders are built into the learning environment.

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

Review:

  • verb, analyze, informative (L)

Materials

  • "Birds in the Wilderness" (from Lesson 10; one to display)
  • Verbs Shades of Meaning anchor chart (begun in Lesson 8)
  • Language Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Shared Writing: Feathers (completed in Lesson 5; one per student and one for teacher modeling)
  • Annotated Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference)
  • Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4)
  • Crayons (red, yellow, green, blue; one of each color per student)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; page 7; one per student and one for teacher modeling)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Heron photograph (one per pair)
  • Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)

Assessment

Each unit in the K-2 Language Arts Curriculum has one standards-based assessment built in. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Song and Movement: "Birds in the Wilderness" (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Display "Birds in the Wilderness."
  • Direct students' attention to the Verbs Shades of Meaning anchor chart.
  • Tell students they will get to sing and act out the song again with a new bird and set of verbs to practice the different strengths of the verbs.
  • Follow the routine from the Opening of Lesson 10 to sing the song, using a new bird and set of verbs.
    • Consider using the Language Checklist to collect data on students' progress toward L.1.5d.
    • Repeat the process as time permits, using new birds and verbs from the Verbs Shades of Meaning anchor chart.
  • For ELLs: (Reviewing Words: Zipper Song) Invite a student to recall what a zipper song is (most of the verse remains the same each time you sing it, but you substitute one or more words each time).
  • For ELLs: (Reviewing Words: Shades of Meaning Anchor Chart) Some students would benefit from reviewing the meaning and pronunciation of the verbs in the Verbs Shades of Meaning anchor chart.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Writing: Analyzing a Model (25 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Direct their attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:
  • "I can analyze a model to learn about the parts of an informative paragraph."
  • Remind students that analyze means to examine something closely.
  • Focus students on the word informative and define it for them (writing that informs the reader using facts and details about a subject).
  • Tell students that they will analyze the paragraph they have written together about feathers to help them write a new paragraph about beaks.
  • Display Shared Writing: Feathers and read it aloud.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What was this paragraph mostly about?" (how feathers help a bird survive)

  • Direct students' attention to the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart.
  • Remind students that each part of the informative paragraph has a job to help the reader's understanding of the information. It is our job as writers to make sure we include all of the parts in our writing to help the reader understand our topic.
  • Transition students back to their workspaces using the Bird Boogie routine from Lesson 9.
  • Point out the Shared Writing: Feathers paragraphs and crayons already at students' workspaces.
  • Tell students that they will use the crayons to help them look closely at the paragraph to find all the important parts of an informative paragraph.
  • Together, read the first sentence aloud.
  • Say:

"This is the focus statement. It tells what the piece is about. Lightly shade the first sentence green."

  • Give students 1 minute to color the focus statement green. While they color, lightly color the focus statement box green on the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart.
    • Together, read the last sentence aloud.
    • Say: "This is the conclusion statement. It says almost the same thing as the focus statement. Lightly shade the last sentence green."
    • Give students another minute to color the concluding statement green. Color the concluding statement box green on the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart.
    • Have students put their finger on the second sentence (beginning with "Some birds").
    • Together, read the second and third sentence aloud.
    • Point to the second sentence. Say: "This is our first piece of evidence. It is a fact from our research. It helps prove what we said in our focus statement. Lightly color this sentence yellow."
    • Give students a minute to color the second sentence yellow.
    • Point to the third sentence. Say: "This is elaboration. It explains more about our fact from research. It tells why our fact is important. Because this sentence explains the last sentence, color it yellow also."
    • Give students another minute to color the third sentence yellow. Color the first piece of evidence and elaboration box yellow on the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart.
    • Have students put their finger on the fourth sentence (beginning with "Other birds").
    • Together, read the fourth and fifth sentences aloud.
    • Point to the fourth sentence. Say: "This is our second piece of evidence. It is a different fact from our research. It also helps prove what we said in our focus statement. Lightly color this sentence blue."
    • Give students another minute of coloring time.
    • Point to the fifth sentence. Say: "This is elaboration. It explains more about our second fact from research. It tells why the second fact is important. Because this sentence explains the last sentence, lightly color it blue also."
    • Give students another minute of coloring time. Color the second piece of evidence and elaboration box blue on the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart. Refer to Annotated Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students you will read the paragraph slowly. Invite students to hold up the color crayon that matches the part of the paragraph you are reading.
  • Read the paragraph aloud slowly, pausing after each sentence to check the crayons students are holding up.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What did we just do?" (used crayons to identify the parts of an informative paragraph)

  • If productive, cue students with a challenge. Using a total participation technique, ask:

"Can you figure out why it is important to know about and write each part of the informative paragraph?" (It helps the reader understand the topic; it makes sure we include enough details.)

  • Invite students to help clean up their workspace and put their Shared Writing: Feathers paragraph to the side.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Review Anchor Chart) Remind students that they used the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart during Lessons 4-5 to write the Shared Writing: Feathers paragraph. Reread the chart together. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Summarizing the Target) Ask students to summarize and then to personalize the second learning target. Ensure students name the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart as the tool to analyze the model. (MME)

B. Independent Writing: Drawing in Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes)

  • Invite students to stand and participate in Bird Simon Says. After a few minutes, invite students to take their seats.
  • Distribute the Birds Research notebooks, Part II and heron photographs.
  • Follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lessons 3-4 to model and guide students through completing page 7 of their Birds Research notebook, Part II. Refer to Birds Research notebook, Part II (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Share with students that they will be writing in their notebooks, so they should close them for now or place them to the side.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: (Verbal Writing Practice):  Allow students to discuss and rehearse their sentences before writing. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames: Heavier Support) Use sentence frames to prompt writing. (Example: Some birds have _____, ______beaks, so they can ______.) Before providing sentence frames or additional modeling during writing, observe student interaction and allow students to grapple.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Direct their attention to the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Invite students to use a thumbs-up, thumbs-sideways, or thumbs-down to respond to the following:

"How are we doing with meeting our class goals?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Share with students that over the next couple of days, they will be working hard on their own to write a paragraph and will be working as part of a team to complete some challenges. They will need to make a goal for themselves as they complete all this work.
  • Display page 8 of the Birds Research notebook, Part II. Tell students this is where they will write their personal goal.
  • Invite students to place a thumbs-up against their chest if they think:
    • They could work on their writing by choosing juicy adjectives or verbs or including all the parts of the informative writing.
    • They could work on being a more compassionate teammate by thinking about what their group members need.
    • They could work on closely reading and viewing how beaks really help a bird survive.
  • Model choosing a personal goal by thinking aloud: "What is something I really want to work on over the next couple of days? I think I may need to work on my writing. I am having a hard time choosing juicy adjectives to describe birds' body parts."
  • Demonstrate writing "I can use good adjectives in my writing" in the Birds Research notebook, Part II.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is your personal goal?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Invite students to open their notebooks to page 12 and write their goal.
  • Tell students that they will get a chance to work toward their goal soon!
  • For ELLs: (Using Anchor Charts: Assessing Goals) Invite a student to share his or her goal using the Habits of Character Goals column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with engagement: (Using Anchor Charts: Setting Goals) Notice if students find it challenging to set goals and support them by pointing them to the Habits of Character Goals column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart and helping them choose a goal. (MME)

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