ELA G1:M3:U3:L8

Unit 3 Assessment: How Do Specific Birds Use Their Body Parts to Survive?

Like what you see?

Order printed materials, teacher guides and more.

How to order

Help us improve!

Tell us how the curriculum is working in your classroom and send us corrections or suggestions for improving it.

Leave feedback

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.1c: Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Daily Learning Targets

I can participate in a Science Talk about how my bird uses its body to survive. (SL.1.1c, SL 1.5)

Ongoing Assessment

During Work Times B and C, use the Unit 3 Assessment Rubric to assess students' progress toward SL.1.1c and SL.1.5 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (10 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 3 Assessment and Expert Bird Puppets (5 minutes) B. Unit 3 Assessment with Group A: Science Talk (20 minutes C. Unit 3 Assessment with Group B: Science Talk (20 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: During Work Times A and B, as half of the class works with the teacher to participate in the Science Talk for the Unit 3 Assessment, the other half of the class creates a puppet of their expert bird to use during a song presentation at the Celebration of Learning in Lesson 12. The Science Talk asks students to share pertinent information and visuals from their Expert Birds Research notebooks (SL.1.1c, SL.1.5). Participating in small groups allows for focused observation of students' speaking and listening skills. Although a Science Talk is similar to a Collaborative Conversation, a Science Talk is focused on answering a science-related question. These talks provide a window into students' thinking that helps teachers figure out what students really know and what their misconceptions may be. Consider how familiar students are with this protocol and reallocate class time spent introducing it as necessary. In the Closing, students continue to think about the habit of character of perseverance and reflect on their progress toward showing perseverance while participating in the Science Talk. How this lesson builds on previous work: During the Science Talk, students synthesize their expert bird research from the earlier lessons in the unit. They use information (including visuals) from their Expert Birds Research notebook to discuss how their expert bird uses its body to survive. Students use their Expert Bird Scientific Drawing cards as the template for the puppets they create in this lesson. Areas in which students may need additional support: Some students may need reminders to use the Science Talk sentence starters during their conversation. Ensure these sentence starters are visible to all groups as they engage in the assessment. Down the road: The Science Talk serves as oral rehearsal for the Expert Bird Riddle writing that students will engage in during Lessons 9-10. Students will use their Expert Bird puppets when they perform the "Amazing Birds" song in the end of module Celebration of Learning in Lesson 12. They will use these puppets to act out the verses of the song that describe how specific birds use their body parts to survive. Between Lessons 9 and 10, allow time to give students feedback on their Expert Bird Riddles (see the Expert Bird Riddle Checklist in Lesson 9).

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 3 Assessment and Expert Bird Puppets (5 minutes)

B. Unit 3 Assessment with Group A: Science Talk (20 minutes

C. Unit 3 Assessment with Group B: Science Talk (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

During Work Times A and B, as half of the class works with the teacher to participate in the Science Talk for the Unit 3 Assessment, the other half of the class creates a puppet of their expert bird to use during a song presentation at the Celebration of Learning in Lesson 12. The Science Talk asks students to share pertinent information and visuals from their Expert Birds Research notebooks (SL.1.1c, SL.1.5). Participating in small groups allows for focused observation of students' speaking and listening skills.
Although a Science Talk is similar to a Collaborative Conversation, a Science Talk is focused on answering a science-related question. These talks provide a window into students' thinking that helps teachers figure out what students really know and what their misconceptions may be. Consider how familiar students are with this protocol and reallocate class time spent introducing it as necessary.
In the Closing, students continue to think about the habit of character of perseverance and reflect on their progress toward showing perseverance while participating in the Science Talk.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

During the Science Talk, students synthesize their expert bird research from the earlier lessons in the unit. They use information (including visuals) from their Expert Birds Research notebook to discuss how their expert bird uses its body to survive.
Students use their Expert Bird Scientific Drawing cards as the template for the puppets they create in this lesson.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

Some students may need reminders to use the Science Talk sentence starters during their conversation. Ensure these sentence starters are visible to all groups as they engage in the assessment.

Down the road:

The Science Talk serves as oral rehearsal for the Expert Bird Riddle writing that students will engage in during Lessons 9-10.
Students will use their Expert Bird puppets when they perform the "Amazing Birds" song in the end of module Celebration of Learning in Lesson 12. They will use these puppets to act out the verses of the song that describe how specific birds use their body parts to survive.
Between Lessons 9 and 10, allow time to give students feedback on their Expert Bird Riddles (see the Expert Bird Riddle Checklist in Lesson 9).

In Advance

Prepare:

Enlarged copies of students' final Expert Bird Scientific Drawing cards on cardstock, if possible. Students will cut these and use them as the base for their own Expert Bird puppet.
Materials for students to use when they create their Expert Bird puppets. Suggested Materials: sticks to tape puppets onto, colored tissue or construction paper, colored feathers, glue, and markers or colored pencils. Distribute Materials in baskets or bins and place in student workspaces.

Pre-determine:

Triads for the Interactive Word Wall protocol during the Opening.
Groups A and B for Work Times A and B. Within each group (A and B), determine Science Talk groups by dividing students into heterogeneous groups based on their expert birds (see supporting Materials).

Preview the Unit 3 Assessment to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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.
Consider recording students singing "Amazing Birds" so that they can replay the track to practice and sing along to in future lessons.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 1.I.B.5 and 1.I.C.9

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by inviting them to complete assessment tasks similar to the classroom tasks completed in previous lessons, including a discussion using the Science Talk protocol.
ELLs may find the assessment challenging, because it is a big leap from the heavily scaffolded classroom interaction. ELLs will be asked not only to independently apply cognitive skills developed throughout the unit, but also to independently apply new linguistic knowledge.
Ensure ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supporting them with the skill being assessed. See additional support in the lesson.
After the assessment, ask students to discuss what was easiest and what was most difficult on the assessment, and why. In future lessons, focus on the language skills that will help students address these assessment challenges.
Allow time for students to grapple with completing this assessment independently before providing support. Grappling will help students build independence and offers an opportunity to assess what they are able to do independently.

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): To set themselves up for success for the unit assessment, students need to generalize the skills that they learned from the previous sessions. Similar to Units 1-2, before administering the assessment, activate their prior knowledge by recalling the learning targets from the previous lessons. Also present the directions for the assessment both visually and verbally.
Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students engage in a Science Talk for the unit assessment. Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from previous lessons to help them understand the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Continue to provide prompts and sentences frames for those students who require them.

Vocabulary

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

Review:

participate (L)

Materials

Interactive Word Wall Protocol anchor chart (begun in Module 2)
Interactive Word Wall cards (from Lesson 6; one set per triad)
Arrow cards (from Lesson 6; one set per triad)
Cardinal Expert Bird puppet (one for teacher modeling)
Copy of Expert Bird Scientific Drawing card (one per student; see Teaching Notes)
Materials for Expert Bird puppets (one basket per workspace)
Science Talk Groups chart (one to display)
Expert Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; one per student)
Science Talk Protocol anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
Classroom Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 10)
Science Talk sentence starters (from Lesson 7; one to display)
Unit 3 Assessment Rubric (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
Perseverance anchor chart (begun in Lesson 6)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

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.

Download this Lesson's Assessment

Opening

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (10 minutes) Invite students to the whole group meeting area. Tell them they are going to use the Interactive Word Wall protocol to practice using and connecting important Vocabulary about birds and their physical features. Remind them that they used this protocol in Lessons 6-7 and review as necessary using the Interactive Word Wall Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.) Move students into pre-determined triads and guide them through the protocol using the Interactive Word Wall cards and Arrow cards. After 8 minutes, refocus whole group and debrief as time permits. Tell students that their work with the Interactive Word Wall will help them talk about their expert bird's body during today's Science Talk and will also support their riddle writing in future lessons.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with verbal expression: (Using Sentence Frames) Provide sentence frames to support oral language processing. (Example: "I connected the words _____, _____, and _____ because ______.") (MMAE) For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Paraphrasing) Check for comprehension by inviting students to paraphrase the rationale for each connection in their own words. (MME)

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (10 minutes)

Invite students to the whole group meeting area.
Tell them they are going to use the Interactive Word Wall protocol to practice using and connecting important Vocabulary about birds and their physical features. Remind them that they used this protocol in Lessons 6-7 and review as necessary using the Interactive Word Wall Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
Move students into pre-determined triads and guide them through the protocol using the Interactive Word Wall cards and Arrow cards.
After 8 minutes, refocus whole group and debrief as time permits.
Tell students that their work with the Interactive Word Wall will help them talk about their expert bird's body during today's Science Talk and will also support their riddle writing in future lessons.

For ELLs and students who may need additional support with verbal expression: (Using Sentence Frames) Provide sentence frames to support oral language processing. (Example: "I connected the words _____, _____, and _____ because ______.") (MMAE)
For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Paraphrasing) Check for comprehension by inviting students to paraphrase the rationale for each connection in their own words. (MME)

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 3 Assessment and Expert Bird Puppets (5 minutes) Refocus students whole group. Tell them that they have done a lot of research during this module to learn all about birds. Explain that in the next lesson, they will write the riddle card about their expert bird. Tell students that one way they will prepare to write is by sharing their knowledge of their expert bird's body through a Science Talk. Remind students that they prepared for a Science Talk in the previous lesson and that they will have a chance to participate in the Science Talk in today's lesson. Direct students' attention to the posted learning target and read it aloud: "I can participate in a Science Talk about how my bird uses its body to survive." Define the word participate (to take part in). Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What is one thing you should do to help our Science Talk be successful?" (Responses will vary.) If productive, cue students to add on to what a classmate said: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." Briefly share that the class will split into two groups for today's lesson. Both groups will participate in two activities during the lesson: the Science Talk and making Expert Bird puppets for a new song they will perform for guests during the Celebration of Learning. Display the Cardinal Expert Bird puppet and share with students that they will have a variety of Materials to create their own puppet. Briefly review the steps to create the puppet: Cut out the copy of your Expert Bird Scientific Drawing card. Add details using the Materials for Expert Bird puppets on the table. Write your name on the back when it is finished. Tell students that you will be with those students who are participating in the Science Talk, so it will be very important for those who are making their puppets to support one another and make safe and respectful choices as they are working. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What are some important things for the puppet makers to remember as they work?" (Responses will vary, but may include: take turns with Materials, keep their voices soft, and support classmates who might need help.) If productive, cue students to explain why a classmate came up with a particular response: "Who can explain why your classmate came up with that response? I'll give you time to think." Display the Science Talk Groups chart and point out that group A will begin with the Science Talk and group B will begin with the puppets. Transition students to their respective workspaces.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Adding Visuals) Consider making a list of the steps students need to take to create the puppet for students to refer to as they work independently. (MMAE, MME)
B. Unit 3 Assessment with Group A: Science Talk (20 minutes) Once students are settled in, invite group B members to begin creating their puppets. Invite group A students to sit facing their pre-determined Science Talk group members in the whole group area. Distribute group A's Expert Birds Research notebooks. Remind students that in the previous lesson, they marked the information that they wanted to share by placing a sticky note on the top of the page. Lead students in group A through the Unit 3 Assessment: Remind students that they will use the Science Talk protocol to discuss the question: "How does my bird's body help it survive?" Review the Science Talk Protocol anchor chart and Classroom Discussion Norms anchor chart as necessary. Display the Science Talk sentence starters and briefly review them. Remind students that as they engage in the Science Talk protocol, they should use one of the sentence starters to add on or to build on what another group member might have said. Also remind students that as they talk they should show the pictures from their Expert Birds Research notebook. This will help the members of their group better understand what they are describing. They should also be sure to share the information that they selected and marked with a sticky note during yesterday's lesson. Invite students to begin discussing how their expert bird uses its body to survive. As students discuss, circulate to track assessment information on the Unit 3 Assessment Rubric. When 3 minutes remain, invite students in group B to clean up and place any puppet Materials neatly at their workspaces. Signal students in group A to stop working and collect their Expert Birds Research notebooks. Refocus the whole group. Help group B transition to the whole group area and group A to the puppet-making area.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Rereading) Provide time for students to reread the information from their Expert Birds Research notebooks that they chose to share during the Science Talk. (MMAE) For ELLs and students who may need additional support in organizing ideas for verbal expression: (Using Science Talk Starters) Review how to use the Science Talk sentence starters. Ask: "Which sentence starter will you use if you want to tell what someone else has said in your own words?" ("I think he/she means _________.") "Which sentence starter will you use if you want to say more about what someone else has said?" ("I'd like to add _________.") "Which sentence starter will you use if you have a connection with what someone else says?" ("This makes me think _____ because ________.") (MMAE, MME)
C. Unit 3 Assessment with Group B: Science Talk (20 minutes) Invite group members to transition to their new workspaces and repeat the process from Work Time A.	For ELLS: Refer to supports suggested for Work Times A and B.

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes) Gather students whole group. Briefly review the Perseverance anchor chart. Tell students that they will reflect on their perseverance as a learner today in a fun way. Share that they will first think of how they showed perseverance and then think of an action that matches this. Think aloud to model how to reflect on perseverance: Say: "When I was participating in the Interactive Word Wall protocol during the Opening, I was trying hard to figure out how to make new connections between my words. So, I am going to act that out by pretending to move my Word Wall cards and Arrow cards around." Briefly model acting out that scenario, showing awareness of body space and safety. Invite students to think about how they showed perseverance and ask them to put a thumb on their knee when they have an idea. When students are ready, invite them to stand up quietly in their workspace. Tell them that when you give a signal, they can begin showing their perseverance in action. Give the signal and invite students to act out. After 15-20 seconds, signal students to stop acting and sit back down quietly. If time permits, invite a couple of students to act out for the whole class. Preview tomorrow's work by telling students that tomorrow they will learn a new song as well as begin to write their Expert Bird Riddle.	For ELLs: (Celebrating Learning) Consider inviting an ELL to act out their scenario of how he or she showed perseverance today. This will help the student build his or her self-confidence and to identify and repeat that success next time. For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to recall one way they recently showed perseverance outside of the classroom. (MMR)

Closing