Reading Informational Texts: Summarizing and Explaining Factors for Success | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U1:L10

Reading Informational Texts: Summarizing and Explaining Factors for Success

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
  • RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
  • W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can summarize an informational text. (RI.5.2)
  • I can explain how people or events led to Jackie Robinson's success using specific information in the text. (RI.5.1, RI.5.3, W.5.2)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Class Jackie Robinson timeline (RI.5.1, RI.5.2)
  • Support from Family, Friends, and Fans paragraph or A Way to Communicate the Vision paragraph (RI.5.3, W.5.2)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading for Gist: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49 (10 minutes)

B. Summarizing the Text: Promises to Keep, Pages 30-49 (30 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Independent Writing: Explaining Factors for Success (15 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • Work Time A and the Closing contain a repeated routine from Lessons 2-8. Refer to those lessons for more detail, as necessary.
  • In this lesson, students finish reading "Play Ball!" and create a timeline of important events in Jackie's life described in the chapter. In this section of the text, Jackie's family travels to Florida, where Jim Crow laws were still in effect. Continue to be mindful that these issues may be sensitive for students, and monitor student reflections to determine if more discussion is necessary. They use the timeline to give an oral summary of the chapter, and then write an informational paragraph about a factor of Jackie's success identified in Lessons 8-9 (RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.3, W.5.2).
  • Note that when writing their informational paragraphs in the Closing, students choose one factor to write about: either how Jackie's friends, family, and fans led to his success or how Jackie's ability to communicate his vision led to his success.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become ethical people by showing respect as they reflect on the chapter read from Promises to Keep, and a characteristic of their choice in working to become an effective learner as they work with their group to create a timeline of important events in Jackie's life.

How it builds on previous work:

  • This is the final lesson in a three-lesson sequence of students reading the chapter "Play Ball!" from Promises to Keep and explaining factors of Jackie Robinson's success. It follows the same routine from previous lessons of reading for the gist and builds on students' understanding of summarizing informational texts from the first half of the unit. It follows the same routine from Lesson 6 of writing an informational paragraph about a factor for Jackie's success.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support in writing their informational paragraphs. Consider sitting those students together for teacher support when necessary, or providing a paragraph frame or sentences starters.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review student paragraphs to ensure students understand how to explain the relationship between people or events that led to Jackie Robinson's success.
  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist during students' group work in Work Time B (see the Tools page).
  • Consider using the Writing Process Checklist for Writing and Language Skills during students' writing time in Closing and Assessment A (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will read a new chapter from Promises to Keep and work in groups to reread sections to add to the factor for success anchor charts.
  • Students will repeat this routine of reading a new excerpt of Promises to Keep and explaining a factor for Jackie's success for the end of unit assessment in Lesson 12.

In Advance

  • Strategically group students into three groups for the timeline activity in Work Time B.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1 and 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 5.I.B.5, 5.I.B.6, 5.I.C.10, 5.II.A.1, 5.II.A.2, 5.II.C.6, and 5.II.C.7

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing the same routine for finding the gist and summarizing a text as in previous lessons, and for writing an informational paragraph as in Lesson 6. Additionally, it is beneficial for ELLs to work in groups with assigned pages of Promises to Keep as they create a class timeline in Work Time B, allowing them to focus on smaller portions of the text.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to write an informative paragraph in the amount of time allotted, because they need to revisit the factors of success anchor charts from previous lessons before they begin. Consider reviewing these anchor charts as a class before inviting students to write (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Challenge students to vary the linking words and phrases they use to connect their sentences as they write their informative paragraphs. For example, if they have often used also to connect ideas, encourage them to use Furthermore.

For heavier support:

  • Throughout the reading for gist, stop often to check for comprehension. Ask students to summarize the events and ideas in the text. When necessary, invite a more proficient student to paraphrase the events in more comprehensible language.
  • During Closing and Assessment A, consider providing the informative paragraph outline from Lesson 6 to help students organize their writing and make connections between the information on the factors for success anchor charts and the information they need to include in their informative paragraphs.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): This lesson offers a variety of visual anchors to cue students' thinking. Continue to support students by creating additional or individual anchor charts for reference and charting student responses during whole class discussions to aid with comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During independent writing, continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing need by offering students options for writing utensils. Also consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of student responses.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to remind students of the goal for the work they are doing with Promises to Keep. Returning to the learning goals lifts up their value and relevance to students.

Vocabulary

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

  • timeline (L)
  • exhibition, difference, ranked, victory (T)
  • support, positive, important, succeed, recognition, communicate, vision, integration, appreciated, share, message (W)

Materials

  • Promises to Keep (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49 (one per student and one to display)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49 (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Vocabulary logs (begun in Module 1; one per student)
  • Academic Word Wall (begun in Module 1; added to during Work Time A)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time A)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Index cards (five per group and one for teacher modeling)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Jackie Robinson timeline (example, for teacher reference)
  • Paper (lined; one piece per student)
  • Informative Writing Checklist (from Lesson 7; one per student and one to display)
  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Support from Family, Friends, and Fans paragraph (example, for teacher reference)
  • A Way to Communicate the Vision paragraph (example, for teacher reference)
  • Factor for Success: Support from Family, Friends, and Fans anchor chart (begun in Lesson 8)
  • Factor for Success: A Way to Communicate the Vision anchor chart (begun in Lesson 9)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. 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. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can summarize an informational text."
"I can explain how people or events led to Jackie Robinson's success using specific information in the text."

  • Remind students that they worked toward these targets throughout the unit.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Choose a person or event that led to Jackie's success. Explain how he or she, or the event, led to his success in breaking the color barrier in baseball."
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: Invite students to share one way that they worked toward each learning target in previous lessons. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Varying Linking Words) As students share about a person or event that led to Jackie's success, encourage them to use varying linking words to connect their ideas.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading for Gist: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49 (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to take out Promises to Keep and turn to page 46.
  • Display page 46 and read pages 46-49 aloud, as students read along silently in their heads.
  • Turn and Talk, and use a total participation technique to invite responses from the group:

"What is the text about?" (Jackie's success with the Dodgers)

  • Share that today they will read these pages for the gist and then summarize the entire chapter.
  • Distribute Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49. Follow the same routine as in Work Time A of Lesson 2 to guide students through reading this text. Refer to the following resources as necessary:
    • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart
    • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49 (answers, for teacher reference)
    • Vocabulary logs
    • Academic Word Wall
    • Domain-Specific Word Wall
    • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support determining the gist: Continue to highlight or underline key phrases in their individual copy of Promises to Keep in advance. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Continue to add visual support for new Vocabulary words as they are added to the Word Walls. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Continue to provide options for expression by offering a copy of Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 46-49 that includes lines. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Summarizing) Before reading, invite students to summarize the main ideas from the previous section of Promises to Keep in 1 minute or less (with feedback) and then again in 30 seconds or less with a partner.
  • For ELLs: (Explaining Strategies) Invite students to explain how they determined the meaning of unfamiliar Vocabulary words, emphasizing the strategies of using context, and affixes and roots, as clues. (Example: "Exhibition is an unfamiliar Vocabulary word. I know exhibit means to display something publicly, and -tion means the state or condition of something, so I think exhibition means the state of showing something publicly.")

B. Summarizing the Text: Promises to Keep, Pages 30-49 (30 minutes)

  • Point out that in this chapter, Sharon Robinson described many important events in Jackie's life. Tell students that in a moment, they will work as a class to create a timeline of the events described in this chapter, clarifying what a timeline is as necessary. They will then use this timeline to give an oral summary of the chapter.
  • Display 30 page of Promises to Keep and model rereading it and identifying an important event from Jackie's life, writing it on an index card as follows:
    • February 10, 1946: Jackie and Rachel get married. Page 30.
  • Move students into pre-determined groups.
  • Direct students' attention to the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and invite students to briefly reread it to themselves. Tell them to choose a habit to focus on as they work with their group today.
  • Assign pages and distribute index cards.
  • Post and review the following directions.

1. Reread your group's assigned pages:

  • Group 1: pages 30-35
  • Group 2: pages 36-41
  • Group 3: pages 42-49

2. As you read, think about whether the event being described is important in Jackie's life.

3. Record the event and page number on an index card.

4. Place your index cards in chronological order.

  • Answer clarifying questions and invite students to begin working.
  • Circulate to support students as they work and to identify common issues to use as whole group teaching points. Refer to the Jackie Robinson timeline (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • After 20 minutes, refocus whole group. Invite each group to share the events their group identified, compiling students' index cards and posting to create the class Jackie Robinson timeline.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Share an oral summary of 'Play Ball!' using the class Jackie Robinson timeline." (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand:

"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the first learning target and the habit from the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart they decided to focus on today.
  • For students who may need additional support with reading: Consider providing a recorded reading of the pages assigned to their group. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Sticky Notes to Mark Dates) Consider inviting students to mark the dates on their group's assigned pages with a sticky note before filling out their index cards. Once they have marked all of the dates, focus students on the start of the sentence, "Eighteen days later," at the top of page 31. Explain that this also signals a date, and that students need to look at a previous date to determine when this event took place. Invite students to look for language that signals a date in a less explicit way, and to add sticky notes where important events are signaled.
  • For ELLs: ("Summarizing a Section" Chart: Referencing) Consider reviewing this chart (see Lesson 3, For heavier support) with students before they give an oral summary of "Play Ball!" Encourage students to vary the linking language they use in their summaries and to refer to the displayed shared summary as a model.
  • For ELLs: (Errors: Verb Tense) As students Think-Pair-Share, jot down examples of verb tense errors that are impeding communication. Share these with the class, and briefly review verb tenses. Encourage students to identify the verb tense that communicates the message clearly and accurately. Add examples to the Verb Tenses anchor chart introduced in Lesson 2.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Independent Writing: Explaining Factors for Success (15 minutes)

  • Tell students that in a moment, they will independently write a paragraph about a factor that led to Jackie Robinson's success, using evidence from "Play Ball!" Remind students that in Lesson 6 they wrote a paragraph explaining how support from decision makers led to Robinson's success. Tell students that this time, they will write about a factor they identified in Lessons 8 and 9.
  • Follow the same routine from the Closing of Lesson 6 to guide students through writing a paragraph about a factor that led to Jackie Robinson's success:
    • Distribute paper.
    • Invite students to retrieve and review the Informative Writing Checklist.
    • Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart and focus them on the second guiding question. Tell students this will be the topic of their paragraphs. Tell students they can choose to explain how Jackie's friends, family, and fans led to his success or explain how Jackie's ability to communicate his vision led to his success.
    • Invite students to begin working. Circulate to support students as they work. Refer to Support from Family, Friends, and Fans paragraph (example, for teacher reference) and A Way to Communicate the Vision paragraph (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Refer students to the following resources as necessary:
  • Factor for Success: Support from Family, Friends, and Fans anchor chart
  • Factor for Success: A Way to Communicate the Vision anchor chart
  • Informative Writing Checklist
    • After 15 minutes, invite students to record "Y" for "Yes" and the date in the final column of their Informative Writing Checklist if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.
    • Collect students' paragraphs to assess their progress toward explaining how people or events led to Jackie Robinson's success.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the second learning target.
  • For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: Use a timer and provide a clear routine for what to do with unfinished work. (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Oral Processing before Writing) Before inviting students to write, consider providing time for students to orally process the information on the factor for success anchor charts with a partner, discuss the factor they will write about, and identify information they will include in their paragraph.
  • For ELLs: ("Factors for Success Paragraph" Chart: Referencing) Consider reviewing this chart (see Lesson 6, For heavier support) with students and inviting them to suggest new words or phrases to add to the linking language bank. Encourage students to vary the linking language they use in their paragraphs and to refer to the displayed shared informative paragraph as a model for their writing.

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs
  • Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Students may benefit from discussing and responding to their prompt orally, either with a partner or a family member or by recording their response. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with reading: Continue to support students in selecting a prompt to respond to, rephrasing the prompt, and thinking aloud possible responses. (MMR)

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