Reading Aloud and Writing: Umbrella, Part II and Weather Journals | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA GK:M2:U2:L14

Reading Aloud and Writing: Umbrella, Part II and Weather Journals

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
  • W.K.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
  • SL.K.2: Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
  • SL.K.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
  • L.K.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify the major events in the text Umbrella. (RL.K.3, SL.K.2)
  • I can use high-quality words and pictures to describe what I observe about the weather. (W.K.2, L.K.6, SL.K.5)
  • I can share a report of the weather with others. (SL.K.4, L.K.6, SL.K.1a)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During Work Times A and B, listen in as students Think-Pair-Share in response to questions about Umbrella. Track students' progress on the Reading Literature Checklist for this module. (RL.K.1, RL.K.3)
  • During Closing A, circulate and observe students as they complete page 9 of the weather journal independently. Watch for them to observe and accurately name and describe the day's weather conditions, as well as generate a quality illustration while completing Step 4. (W.K.2, SL.K.4)
  • During Closing B, circulate and observe students as they share their weather journal. Watch for them to use a strong, clear voice, look at their partner, and point to the weather icons when sharing. As needed, refer students to the Ways We Share Our Work and Things Meteorologists Do anchor charts to provide support and redirection. (SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, SL.K.6)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: "Clouds" Poem (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud: Umbrella, Pages 12-32 (15 minutes)

B. Role-Playing: Umbrella (10 minutes)

C. Shared Writing: Umbrella Story Elements (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Independent Writing: Weather Journals (15 minutes)

B. Small Group Share: Weather Journals (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In Work Time A, students continue to read Umbrella to keep thinking about how weather affects the main character, Momo. During this focused read-aloud, students answer text-dependent questions after hearing the text read aloud. These questions are found directly in the body of the lesson; they have a skill-based focus for reading and are fewer in number than in a close read-aloud. (RL.K.1, RL.K.3)
  • Students continue to build independence and stamina as writers as they complete all the sections of the weather journal and also select one criteria for quality to focus their work on. (W.K.2, L.K.6, SL.K.5)

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • The Work Time component follows the same sequence as Lesson 13. Students listen to Part II of Umbrella and role-play and identify major events. They track these on the Umbrella anchor chart, as in Lesson 13.
  • Students continue to work on their weather journals, this time completing the entire page with minimal modeling or instruction and sharing their weather journal pages with others.
  • Continue to use Goal 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • The concept of major events is discussed again in this lesson. If needed, continue to support students toward understanding major events vs. minor events by sharing the pictures and text excerpts associated with these events and thinking aloud.
  • Some learners may struggle with completing the entire page of their weather journal independently. Help those students target two sections that they want to focus on.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 15, students complete the Unit 2 Assessment, in which they work more independently with a new text about a character who is affected by the weather (One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews) and identify the character, setting, and major events of the text.
  • In Unit 3, students will write their own narrative stories about how the weather affected a character. They will apply their understanding of story elements as they plan, write, and revise their own stories.
  • In the latter part of this unit, students have worked to complete their weather journals independently. Just as they are doing with their weather journals, students will continue to identify and meet criteria of quality as they write their own narratives in Unit 3.

In Advance

  • Since many kindergarteners do not yet decode words independently, visuals are a helpful addition to anchor charts. Consider disassembling and cutting images from an extra copy of Umbrella to use on the Umbrella anchor chart. See recommended images on the Umbrella anchor chart in the supporting materials.
  • Distribute materials for Closing A at student workspaces to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Post: Learning targets, Weather Journal: Page 9 Model, Weather Journal: Page 9 Non-Model, and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • If you recorded students reading the "Clouds" poem or saying the rainbow cheer in Lesson 13, play these recordings for them to join in with.
  • If students were recorded participating in the Think-Pair-Share protocol in Unit 1 or role-playing in previous lessons, consider playing these recordings to remind students of the process.
  • Students complete their weather journals using word-processing software, such as Google Docs.
  • Students use speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or use an app or software like Dictation.io.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.I.B.6, K.I.C.10, and K.I.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself:

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing opportunities to deepen comprehension and practice oral language by acting out key events from the text Umbrella. This will help prepare them for sequencing events in Work Time C and for the Unit 2 Assessment.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to recall, identify, and sequence major events in a story. In preparation for the Unit 2 Assessment, consider spending additional time practicing this skill. See Levels of Support below and the Meeting Students' Needs column for details.

Levels of support:

For lighter support:

  • During Work Time C, return to the Mini Language Dive. Challenge students to place the event described in the sentence within the sequence of events on the Umbrella anchor chart.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time C, practice sequencing events by creating cards with illustrations of major events in familiar stories, such as Come On, Rain! or Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon. Invite students, with partners or as a whole class, to sequence each event. Prompt students to describe the sequence using the words first, next, and last.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): During Work Time A, students discuss different pages of the text with a partner. Some students might benefit from having a visual to contextualize this discussion. As you reread each page, provide alternatives for auditory information by displaying pages 12, 16, 18, 20, and 24 of the text on a document camera.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During Work Time C, students share their thinking about the events in Umbrella. Some students may prefer to express their ideas graphically, as opposed to sharing verbally. Provide options for communication by allowing students to draw the events on individual white boards with dry erase markers.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): During the Closing, students share their weather journals with their peers. This is a good opportunity to foster community and support students to ask each other questions. Before students share the weather journal pages, discuss strategies for how to ask a peer a question about her or his work.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • N/A

Review:

  • major, event

Materials

  • "Clouds" poem (one to display)
  • Umbrella (one for teacher read-aloud)
  • Think-Pair-Share anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Role-Play Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 11)
  • Umbrella anchor chart (begun in Lesson 13; added to during Work Time C; see supporting materials)
  • Umbrella anchor chart (for teacher reference)
  • Weather journals (from Lesson 6; page 9; one for teacher modeling and one per student)
  • High-Quality Work anchor chart (begun in Lesson 7)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Crayons (class set; variety of colors per student)
  • Paper microphones (from Unit 1, Lesson 12; one per group)
  • Rainbow cheer (from Lesson 13; for teacher reference)

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. Developing Language: "Clouds" Poem (5 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group. Tell them that they are going to practice the words and motions of the poem they learned in the last lesson.
  • Display the "Clouds" poem.
  • While still displaying the text, complete a first read of the poem, reading slowly, fluently, and without interruption.
  • Invite students to stand up.
  • Chorally read aloud the first two lines: "White sheep, white sheep/On a blue hill" and invite students to responsibly act out the motions they learned in the previous lesson. Model if necessary.
  • Repeat the above steps for lines 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8.
  • Read aloud the entire poem and act it out with the motions.
  • Invite students to sit back down.
  • Tell students that today they will continue reading Umbrella.
  • Invite students to push the button on their brain to show they are ready to learn!
  • Consider providing differentiated mentors by seating students who may be more comfortable reading aloud in a large group near students who may not feel as comfortable. (MMAE)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Aloud: Umbrella, Pages 12-32 (15 minutes)

  • Display Umbrella and briefly flip through pages 1-11.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What happened in Umbrella so far?" (Momo got an umbrella and red boots for her birthday. She waited and waited for a rainy day to use them, but so far there has only been a sunny and windy day.)

  • While still displaying the text, complete a first read of pages 12-32, reading slowly, fluently, with expression, and without interruption.
  • Tell students that you are going to read several pages from the text, and then they are going to use the Think-Pair-Share protocol to answer questions with an elbow partner. Remind them that they used this protocol in previous lessons and review as necessary using the Think-Pair-Share anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Reread the top of page 12. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"What was the surprise Momo's mother had for her?" (The rain came.)

  • Invite students to study the illustration on page 15 and then Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"What does Momo do to prepare for the rain?" (Momo puts on her red boots.)

  • If productive, cue students with a challenge:

"What if it was snowing outside? Then how might Momo have prepared? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Reread page 16. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"What clues does the author give us that it's raining outside?" (pavement was wet; drawings were gone; raindrops were jumping all over)

  • Reread page 18 and show students the picture on page 19. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"Why does Momo say she has to walk like a grown-up?" (so she won't bump into people while she's carrying her umbrella)

  • Reread page 20 and show students the picture on that page. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"What does Momo think of the sound of the rain on her umbrella?" (She thinks it sounds like wonderful music.)

  • Reread page 24. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"How do we know Momo's umbrella is very special to her?" (She did not forget it like she did with her mittens or scarf.)
  • When rereading each page for the Think-Pair-Share, provide alternatives for auditory information by displaying pages 12, 16, 18, 20, and 24 of the text on a document camera. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of chunks of this key sentence from the text: "Momo watched it at times while she was playing the games at the nursery school." Write and display student responses next to the chunks. Examples:
    • Place your finger on the chunk "Momo watched it at times" and ask:
      • "What character is this sentence about?" (Momo)
      • "What is Momo watching? What is it? How do you know?" (the rain; I know because the sentence before it says it rained all day)
      • "What does it mean to watch something 'at times'?" (sometimes)
    • Place your finger on the chunk "while she was playing the games" and ask:
      • "What does this chunk tell us? How do you know?" (She was playing games as she was looking out the window. While means "at the same time.")
    • Place your finger on the chunk "at the nursery school" and ask:
      • "What does this chunk tell us? How do you know?" (the place or setting where Momo is looking out the window; the setting is the school. The word at is used to tell us a place.)
      • "What is the major event happening in this part of the story?" (It is raining.)
      • "How does this part of the story show how the weather affects the characters?" (The weather makes Momo excited because she loves using her umbrella.)

B. Role-Playing: Umbrella (10 minutes)

  • Tell students they are going to participate in the Role-Play protocol to better understand the text. Remind them that they used this protocol in previous lessons and review using the Role-Play Protocol anchor chart as necessary.
  • If necessary, model any steps from the protocol that were challenging for students during the previous lesson.
    • Invite students to stand up and face an elbow partner.
    • Reread page 14 of Umbrella aloud.
    • Invite students to engage in the Role-Play protocol. Circulate and support them as necessary.
    • Repeat the above steps with the text on pages 18, 22, and 28 of Umbrella.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on following specific steps of the Role-Play protocol. (Example: "I noticed that Jacqueline and Kiara really focused as I reread certain parts of the text so they knew exactly what they would role-play.")
  • Remind students that acting out parts of stories can help us understand the story better.
  • For ELLs: Clarify the meaning of "whisper to herself." (Example: "When you whisper to yourself, you do it so quietly that other people cannot hear you. Let's practice whispering to ourselves!")

C. Shared Writing: Umbrella Story Elements (10 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Umbrella anchor chart.
  • Tell students that now that they've had an opportunity to read and role-play portions of Umbrella, they will think about some of the important parts of the story. Specifically, they will identify the important events of the story.
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can identify the major events in the text Umbrella."

  • Invite students to take out their imaginary bows and take aim at the target.
  • Redirect their attention to the Umbrella anchor chart.
  • Briefly remind students that in the previous lesson, they added the character and setting to the anchor chart.
  • Remind students of the following definitions:
    • major (very important)
    • events (things that happen)
  • Put the two words together to further clarify the target for students: "Today we are going to find the very important things that happen in the story Umbrella."
  • Invite students to put on their imaginary reading detective glasses so they can look for clues that will help them identify the major events.
  • Display pages 4-5 and prompt students to look for clues in the pictures.
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner.

"What is the first very important thing that happens in the story?" (Momo gets a pair of red rubber rain boots and an umbrella for her birthday.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses on the Umbrella anchor chart in the first event box and add visuals to accompany it (see Teaching Notes). Refer to the Umbrella anchor chart (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • While still displaying the text, slowly flip through pages 6-11 and invite students to look for clues in the pictures about the major events.
  • Ask:

"What are two or three other important events that happened in the story? It might be helpful to think about some of the events that we acted out during our role-play." (It was a sunny day, so Momo could not use her umbrella. Then it was a windy day, and Momo still could not use her umbrella. Finally, the rain came, and Momo put on her boots!)

  • As students share out, capture their responses in the middle events box of the Umbrella anchor chart, along with corresponding visuals. Refer to the Umbrella anchor chart (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Again, invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"What are the important events at the end of the story?" (Momo carries her umbrella as she walks in the rain to school. After school, she carries her umbrella home again in the rain.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses in the third events box of the Umbrella anchor chart, along with corresponding visuals. Refer to the Umbrella anchor chart (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students that you have one final question for them to think about on their own.
  • Ask the final synthesis question:

"How did the weather affect Momo?" (She was so happy when it rained because she got to carry her umbrella and wear her boots. She watched the rain while she was at school, too. Momo thought the sound of the rain on the umbrella was wonderful music.)

  • Invite students to think independently and then put a hand on their head when they have an idea.
  • If productive, cue students to provide evidence:

"What in the text makes you think so?" (Responses will vary.)

  • After 30 seconds of think time, call on two or three students to share their ideas. As students share out, capture their responses on the bottom of the Umbrella anchor chart.
  • When inviting students to share their thinking about the events in Umbrella, provide options for communication by allowing some students to draw the events on individual white boards with dry erase markers. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Practice sequencing events by prompting students to discuss some of the major events that take place each day at school. (Example: "First, we have morning message. Next, we eat lunch. Last, we line up to go home.")

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Independent Writing: Weather Journals (15 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning target and read the second one aloud:

"I can use high-quality words and pictures to describe what I observe about the weather."

  • Invite them to take out their imaginary bows and take aim at the target.
  • Direct students' attention to the High-Quality Work anchor chart and review as necessary.
  • Share that today students are going to complete all parts of page 9 of the weather journal.
  • Direct students' attention to the High-Quality Work anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Ask:

"Which of these do you feel like you want to think about extra hard today when you complete your journal?"

  • Invite students to put their hand on their head when they've identified a criterion.
  • Tell students that when you read aloud their focus criterion, they should tiptoe to their workspace and begin working with their pencils, crayons, and weather journals.
  • Read aloud each criterion again and signal students to transition as their "goal" criterion is named.
  • Circulate as students work and inquire about which aspect of quality they are working hard to meet today.

B. Small Group Share: Weather Journals (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the third one aloud:

"I can share a report of the weather with others."

  • Invite students to take out their imaginary bows and take aim at the target.
  • Tell students they will again share their weather report with a small group of classmates.
  • Tell students that today they will choose only one step of their weather journal that best shows how they met the criteria for quality.
  • Model sharing Step 4 on page 9 of the weather journal, using a paper microphone: "Today, I worked hard to add details to my drawing, and you can see those details in Step 4."
  • Remind students that the person with the microphone is the one who shares, and then passes the microphone to the next person.
  • Move students into groups and distribute paper microphones.
    • Invite students to begin sharing their weather journals.
    • As students share, circulate and provide reminders about sharing and taking turns as needed.
    • After 3-4 minutes, signal students to stop working through the use of a designated sound, such as a chime or whistle.
  • Gather students back together and give them specific, positive feedback regarding their sharing. (Example: "I noticed Damien read his weather report slowly and clearly as he shared, and Octavia listened carefully as her group members shared their reports.")
  • Lead students through the Rainbow cheer. Refer to the Rainbow cheer (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Before students share the weather journal pages, foster community by discussing how to make a comment on a peer's work. (Example: "When someone in my group is sharing, I might see something I have a question about. When that person is done sharing, it is a good time to ask my question. What are some kind ways we might ask a question about someone's work?") (MME)

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