Collaborative Problem-Solution Essay: Draft Conclusion | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G6:M2:U3:L6

Collaborative Problem-Solution Essay: Draft Conclusion

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • W.6.2f, W.6.4, W.6.5, L.6.3a

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • W.6.2c, W.6.2d, W.6.2e, SL.6.1, L.6.6
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can analyze the structure of the model essay conclusion. (W.6.2f)
  • I can determine the characteristics of a strong reflection by analyzing the model. (W.6.2f)
  • I can collaboratively write a conclusion with a strong reflection for a problem-solution essay about William. (W.6.2f)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket (L.6.3a)
  • Work Time A: Conclusion Paragraph strips (W.6.2f)
  • Work Time C: Draft Conclusion of Problem-Solution Essay (RI.6.1, RI.6.7, W.6.2a, W.6.2b, W.6.2c, W.6.2d, W.6.2e, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9b, SL.6.2, L.6.3a, L.6.6)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner – L.6.3a (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. The Painted Essay®: Sort and Color-Code the Parts of the Conclusion – W.6.2f (10 minutes)

B. Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion – W.6.2f (10 minutes)

C. Collaborative Writing: Draft Conclusion – W.6.2f (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Peer Review – SL.6.2 (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Independent Research Reading: Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • L.6.3a – Opening A: Students complete an entrance ticket in which they vary the pattern of a given sentence in order to avoid repetition.
  • W.6.2f – Work Time A: Students analyze the conclusion of the model essay, which provides a statement that follows from the information presented.
  • W.6.2f – Work Time B: Students participate in a Language Dive in which they explore a key sentence from the conclusion paragraph of the model essay, noting ways in which the sentence reflects upon and concludes information presented in the essay.
  • W.6.2f – Work Time C: Students collaborate to write concluding statements that follow from the information presented in their problem-solution essays.
  • W.6.4 – Work Time C: Students produce clear and coherent conclusions, organized with attention to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.6.5 – Work Time C: With support from their partners, students develop their writing by producing a collaborative draft of the conclusion.
  • W.6.5 – Work Time C: With support from their partners, students identify areas of strength in their writing and areas that need revision.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to contribute to a better world by using their strengths to help others grow when they provide feedback on their peers’ essay drafts in Closing and Assessment A.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Advanced writers might be interested in writing a Mini Language Dive using a sentence from their own essay. Invite students to find a "juicy sentence," one that is particular compelling because of its grammatical structure, its synthesis of key ideas, and/or its use of beautiful language. Ask students to "chunk" the sentence and explain their thinking. ▲
  • When writing conclusions, to extend learning encourage students to consider reflections and questions that extend the thinking of the reader beyond the content of the essay.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • Students have been analyzing a model and using their analysis to draft the introduction and proof paragraphs of a problem-solution essay. This lesson continues those routines to guide students in drafting their conclusion.

Support All Students

  • Review discussion norms before engaging in peer revisions during Closing and Assessment A. Writing is a personal task; students need to feel comfortable sharing their writing with their peers. Students must distinguish between feedback that is personal and feedback that is directly related to the written text.
  • Use language with a positive connotation during the peer review, such as “Stars and Stairs,” “Glows and Grows,” and “Medals and Missions,” to help students maintain a growth mindset about their progress as writers.

Assessment Guidance

  • Ensure that students understand all the components of a problem-solution essay prior to writing another essay independently in the next lesson and for the Mid-Unit 3 assessment. Remind students of all the many resources they have to be successful, such as models and anchor charts.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will use what they learned during the collaborative writing process to independently plan their problem-solution essay based on their research in Unit 2.

In Advance

  • Prepare Organize the Model: Conclusion strips for Work Time A. Cut them out in advance to save time during class.
  • Prepare Language Dive sentence chunk strips.
  • Gather blue and green colored markers for annotation work during the Language Dive.
  • Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the questions and goals suggested under each sentence chunk strip. Select from the questions and goals provided to best meet students' needs.
  • Review the student tasks and example answers to get familiar with what students will be required to do in the lesson (see Materials list).
  • Prepare copies of handouts for students, including the entrance ticket (see Materials list).
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules 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 6.I.A.1, 6.I.A.4, 6.I.B.6, 6.I.B.7, 6.I.C.10, 6.I.C.11, 6.I.C.12, 6.II.A.1, 6.II.A.2, 6.II.B.3, 6.II.B.4, 6.II.B.5, 6.II.C.6, and 6.II.C.7.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson features a Language Dive that helps students analyze the structure and function of a key sentence in the conclusion of the Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity." The sentence of focus in the Language Dive features a specific example of an impactful solution born out of design thinking and offers a structure that students can transfer to their own problem-solution essays during the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to preserve cohesion in an essay that is written across several lessons. Reiterate the importance of drafting and revising in order to improve transitions across ideas. Remind them that the Peer Review in this lesson may illuminate elements of their writing that they can improve in the essays they write independently during the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment.

Vocabulary

  • N/A

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity" (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Problem-Solution Writing Planner: William (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 2, Work Time B)
  • Informative Writing checklist (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 2, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Design Solution: William note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 13, Work Time A)
  • Problem-Solution Essay: William (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 3, Work Time B)
  • Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 8, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity" (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Problem-Solution Writing Planner: William (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 2, Work Time B)
  • Informative Writing checklist (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Design Solution: William note-catcher (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 13, Work Time A)
  • Independent reading journal (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 6 (example for teacher reference)
  • Organize the Model: Conclusion strips (answers for teacher reference) (one for display)
  • Language Dive Guide: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion (for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion sentence chunk strips (one per student and one for display)"
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 6 (one per student)
  • Organize the Model: Conclusion strips (one per pair)
  • Scissors (optional; one per partnership)
  • Colored pencils or markers (blue and green; one of each per student)
  • Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion note-catcher (one per student)
  • Lined paper or devices with word-processing software (one per partnership)
  • Sticky notes (two per student)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 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 students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

Opening

A. Engage the Learner - L.6.3a (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as previous lessons to distribute and review Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 6. Refer to the Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 6 (example for teacher reference) for possible responses.
  • Using a total participation technique, ask:

"Why do writers vary their word choice?" (To add interest and keep the piece from sounding repetitive.)

  • Explain that, as writing partners continue to draft their collaborative essays, they should be aware of their sentence structure and look for ways to make variations.
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. The Painted Essay®: Sort and Color-Code the Parts of the Conclusion – W.6.2f (10 minutes)

  • Move students into their predetermined writing partnerships.
  • Distribute Organize the Model: Conclusion strips and scissors. Direct students to cut out the strips.
  • Remind students of the parts of a conclusion:
    • Restated focus
    • Reflection
  • Explain that students should arrange the strips onto the provided table. Students will group the sentences by the purpose they are serving in the conclusion, either to restate the focus or to reflect on what the author and reader can take away from reading about this topic. Clarify that students are not putting the strips in the order that they appear in the essay but grouping them instead by their content.
  • Invite students to begin, and circulate to support students in reading and sorting the strips of the conclusion.
  • Refocus whole group. Display the Organize the Model: Conclusion strips (answers for teacher reference) and direct students to check their work. Point out that the conclusion has been labeled with a heading to support the reader in understanding the main idea of the paragraph.
  • Invite students to chorally read the conclusion together as a class, stopping after each sentence to explain its function in the paragraph.
  • N/A

B. Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion - W.6.2f (10 minutes)

  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive to analyze a concluding statement from the conclusion paragraph of the model essay and study the way that it synthesizes key ideas in the essay and addresses the guiding question, "How can design thinking help solve a critical problem?" Distribute blue and green markers or colored pencils to each student.
  • Reread aloud the excerpt from the Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity" starting at the heading "Using Design Thinking to Build a Better World" and ending with "Bridges to Prosperity uses design thinking to contribute to a better world."
  • Focus students on the sentence:
    • By "connecting the rural last mile to the rest of the world," B2P uses design thinking to have a profound impact on the lives of 1 million people (Bridges to Prosperity).
  • Use the Language Dive Guide: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion to guide students through a Language Dive conversation about the sentence. Distribute and display the Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion note-catcher, and the Language Dive Guide: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion sentence chunk strips. Refer to the Language Dive: Model Problem-Solution Essay: "Bridges to Prosperity," Conclusion note-catcher (example for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • Develop an extension to the Language Dive of Work Time B that invites students who need lighter support to scan the Model Problem-Solution Essay: “Bridges to Prosperity” for sentences that features the same focus structure as the Language Dive sentence (e.g., “B2P uses design thinking to create bridges specific to the needs of each community”—solution paragraph; “Bridges to Prosperity uses design thinking to contribute to a better world”—conclusion paragraph). Invite students who need lighter support to select one of these sentences and generate their own Mini Language Dive.
  • As another extension to the Language Dive of Work Time B, invite students who need lighter support to visually depict the literal versus figurative meanings of the word connecting as it is used in the Language Dive sentence. These images can be shared with students who need heavier support as a way to build upon earlier figurative language work from previous lessons in the module.

For Heavier Support

  • Develop an extension to the Language Dive of Work Time B for students who need heavier support. Focus on the multiple meanings of the word by, drawing special attention to the way the preposition by is used in the Language Dive to indicate an action that is done for a particular purpose (“By ‘connecting the rural last mile to the rest of the world,’ B2P…”). Provide students with simpler examples of this construction and facilitate more opportunities for them to practice using the structure in their own writing. Examples can be found below:
    • By talking about their feelings, the friends resolved their problem.
    • By making eye contact and asking questions, you show me that you’re listening.
    • By practicing guitar every day, she _____.
    • By _____, I _____.

C. Collaborative Writing: Draft Conclusion - W.6.2f (15 minutes)

  • Display and invite students to retrieve their Problem-Solution Writing Planner: William and their copy of the Informative Writing checklist. Point out the following characteristic on the checklist:

"W.6.2f: I have a conclusion that is clearly related to the focus and the information presented."

  • Ask:

"Are there any specific criteria you should be aware of and list in the second column on the checklist?" (The conclusion wraps up the essay by stating the impact this design has had on addressing the problem; it also makes connections to the habits of character demonstrated by the innovator.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses in the Characteristics of This Informative Essay column as needed. Refer to the Informative Writing checklist (example for teacher reference) as needed.
  • Explain that, in this lesson, students will work with their writing partner to draft Proof Paragraph 2, the solution paragraph of the problem-solution essay focused on William Kamkwamba. Students should base their draft on the information they gathered and organized on their Design Solution: William note-catcher and Problem-Solution Writing Planner: William. Students should label the conclusion paragraph with an appropriate heading as shown in the model.
  • Distribute lined paper or devices, and invite writing partners to begin.
  • Circulate and monitor, referencing the following resources as necessary:
    • Design-Solution: William note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
    • Problem Solution Writing Planner: William (example for teacher reference)
    • Problem-Solution Essay: William (example for teacher reference)
  • With two minutes remaining, refocus students and allow time for them to log off devices or put away materials.
  • Circulate to support students as they plan.
  • Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target, using a checking for understanding technique. Scan student responses, and make a note of students who might need support. Check in with them moving forward.
  • N/A

Closing & Assessments

Closing

A. Peer Review - SL.6.2 (5 minutes)

  • Ask students to retrieve their Informative Writing checklist. Group two writing partnerships to make a group of four, and direct partnerships to swap their essay drafts.
  • Distribute sticky notes for recording their feedback.
  • Focus students on the Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart, specifically "use my strengths." Remind students that because they will be working to give a critique to the other partnership, they will need to use their strengths.
  • Invite students to provide feedback to the other partners based on the criteria identified from the Informative Writing checklist, with at least one star (an area that is done well) and one step (an area for improvement).
  • Circulate to support students as they work together to give feedback to one another. Emphasize that students should not make revisions yet.
  • Invite students to reflect on their progress towards the relevant learning target, using a checking for understanding technique. Scan student responses and make a note of students who might need support to check in with them moving forward.
  • If productive, cue students to think about their thinking:

"How does our peer critique add to your understanding of planning for informative writing? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

Homework

Homework

A. Independent Research Reading

  • Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

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