Close Read: “This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever” | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G6:M4:U1:L5

Close Read: “This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever”

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.4, RI.6.6

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.

  • RI.6.7, RI.6.10, SL.6.1

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text about the Space Race, including technical meanings. (RI.6.4)
  • I can determine the author's purpose and point of view in a text about the Space Race. (RI.6.6)
  • I can determine the central ideas and how they are conveyed in a text about the Space Race. (RI.6.2)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Picture Puzzles (RI.6.7)
  • Work Time A and Closing and Assessment A: Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher (RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.4, RI.6.6)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - RI.6.7 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" - RI.6.4, RI.6.6 (30 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Close Read Culminating Task - RI.6.6 (5 minutes)

4. Homework

None for this lesson

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RI.6.1 – Work Time A: Students participate in a close read of a new text, “This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever.” They use textual evidence to answer questions about the text.
  • RI.6.2 – Work Time A: During the close read, students identify details that convey central ideas in the text.
  • RI.6.4 – Work Time A: During the close read, students determine the meanings and connotations of words as they are used in the text.
  • RI.6.6 – Work Time A: During the close read, students analyze the author’s point of view toward the Space Race.
  • RI.6.6 – Closing and Assessment A: As part of a culminating task for the close read, students determine the author’s purpose for writing the article and identify words and phrases that indicate that purpose.
  • In Work Time A, students participate in a close reading of “This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever.” During this close read, students focus on determining the meanings of unfamiliar words by utilizing the context, their knowledge of affixes, and reference resources. By gaining a basic understanding of the text, students can then analyze it for the author’s point of view and purpose. The Close Reading Guide lists the text excerpts, key questions to ask students, and instructional moves required. Continue to use discussion protocols (e.g., Think-Pair-Share, Conversation Cues, and total participation techniques) to engage all students in a collaborative discussion about the text.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Encourage students to explore the USA Today project “1968: The Year That Transformed the Nation” (http://eled.org/0266) to build more background knowledge of the time period that is the focus of this module. Allow students to decide how they want to demonstrate their learning for their peers (e.g., bulletin board, slide show, or audio recording).

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In the first half of the unit, students read several informational texts, examined primary resources to build context about the Space Race, the major events of this time, and the major players who are often presented as the center of the story. For the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment in the previous lesson, students analyzed an informational text for the author’s point of view and how it was conveyed through key details as well as figurative and connotative language. In the second half of the unit, students continue to examine the scientific, political, and social context of the Space Race through texts that present an argument about this historic time period.

Support All Students

  • Students may need additional support with recording their answers on their note-catchers. Group those students together for additional support when necessary.
  • During the close read, use strategic combinations of Conversation Cues to help ELLs clarify their ideas, listen carefully to one another, and deepen their thinking. ▲ Some examples are given below:
    • “I’ll give you a minute to think and write or sketch.” (Goal 1)
    • “So, do you mean ___?” (Goal 1)
    • “What in the text makes you think so?” (Goal 3)
    • “Who can repeat what your classmate said?” (Goal 2)
    • “Who can add on to what your classmate said?” (Goal 4)

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ Close Read note-catchers to ensure students understand different strategies for determining technical vocabulary and how to use their new learning to infer the author’s point of view toward the Space Race and purpose for writing the article. Remind students that, although this is an argument text, they will not be required to trace the argument in the text until Lesson 7.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive about “This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever” and read and annotate a new supplemental text for central idea.

In Advance

  • Prepare the Picture Puzzles: Space Race and the Cold War resource:
    • Print each image on cardstock, including the caption.
    • Cut off the caption to use as a guide to help students understand the type of image they should be assembling.
    • Cut each picture puzzle image into several pieces. Place all of the pieces of each puzzle in a plastic bag or envelope with the corresponding image number.
    • Make several copies of each puzzle so students can work in small groups (some groups will assemble the same puzzle).
    • Make one copy of each complete picture image and caption to display in Opening A.
  • Plan triad for the close read.
  • Display a world map for use during the close read.
  • Provide print or online dictionaries for a few students to reference and share out during the close read.
  • Preview the Close Reading Guide: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" and Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher. Note that the Culminating Task for this close read is completed in Closing and Assessment A of this lesson.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Use a brief, age-appropriate video on the Cold War and the political relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union at that time to provide students with more context for the article.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 6.I.A.1, 6.I.A.2, 6.I.B.6, 6.I.B.7, 6.I.B.8, 6.II.A.1, 6.II.A.2, 6.II.B.3, 6.II.B.4, 6.II.B.5, and 6.II.B.6.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson features a close read that guides students through a new text, "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever." Close reads support ELLs by slowing the pace of student reading and inviting students to answer questions that clarify and challenge their understanding of the text's central ideas and supporting details.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to interpret the new text in Work Time A. The texts of Lessons 2-4 presented a chronological series of events, culminating with the Apollo 11 moon landing. The texts of this and the following lesson build upon students' understanding of Apollo 11 events and introduce them to arguments for and against the Space Race. If students struggle to interpret the text, tell them that they will have multiple opportunities to break down and analyze the text's ideas: the same text will be examined again, for a new purpose, in the following lesson. Knowing that they have sufficient time with the new text may help ease students' nerves about their level of comprehension.

Vocabulary

  • intercontinental, legacy, paradigm shift, tipping point, zeal (A)
  • Cold War, national security (DS)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Homework: Evaluate a Claim (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Homework A)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Opening A)
  • Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Work Time A)
  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Homework: Evaluate a Claim (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Homework A)
  • Affix list (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Opening A)
  • Vocabulary logs (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time B)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • World map (one for display)
  • Close Reading Guide: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" (for teacher reference)
  • Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher (answers for teacher reference)
  • Picture Puzzles: Space Race and the Cold War (one per small group; see In Advance)
  • Text: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever"
  • Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher (one per student and one for display)
  • Print or online dictionary (several per class)

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 - RI.6.7 (10 minutes)

  • Using a preferred classroom routine, review Homework: Evaluate a Claim. Refer to Homework: Evaluate a Claim (example for teacher reference) as needed.
  • Move students into small groups, and distribute one picture puzzle to each group. Explain that each puzzle depicts an important event that will provide background information and context for the text students will analyze in today's lesson. Invite students to begin; encourage them to find and read the caption before beginning to assemble the puzzle. Refer to Picture Puzzles: Space Race and the Cold War to see the completed images.
  • Using a total participation technique, ask groups to share what information they learned from their picture puzzle.
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as in previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar to or the same as previous lessons. Invite students to choose a habit of character focus for themselves for this lesson.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" - RI.6.4, RI.6.6 (30 minutes)

  • Review the learning targets relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text about the Space Race, including technical meanings."

"I can determine the central ideas and how they are conveyed in a text about the Space Race."

  • Focus students on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart. Remind them that digging deeper into the text can help them understand it better, so they are going to read closely to dig deeper into an informational article.
  • Move students into predetermined triads.
  • Distribute and display Text: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever."
  • Direct students' attention to the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, and review what collaboration looks and sounds like.
  • Use Close Reading Guide: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" (for teacher reference) to set the purpose of the close read and to guide students through a close read of this excerpt. Refer to the guide for how to integrate the following:
    • Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher
    • World map
    • Affix list
    • Print or online dictionary
  • Refer to Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher (example for teacher reference) as necessary. Note that the culminating task for this close read is not completed until Closing and Assessment A of this lesson.
  • Update the academic and domain-specific word walls with new vocabulary acquired during the close read.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • N/A

For Heavier Support

Distribute the Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher in advance of the close read in Work Time A, and allow students to review the questions. Knowing what information to look for to respond to these questions will help to guide students' attention as they read, helping them to focus on essential information and language.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Close Read Culminating Task - RI.6.6 (5 minutes)

  • Review the learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can determine the author's purpose and point of view in a text about the Space Race."

  • Ask students to focus on the culminating task question and then complete it independently.
  • After 4 minutes, refocus whole group to review student responses or collect the note-catchers as a formative assessment. Refer to Close Read: "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" note-catcher (example for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their habit of character focus for this lesson.

For Lighter Support

  • In the following lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive using a sentence from an excerpt from "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry." Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need lighter support to paraphrase the sentence in their own words before the Language Dive. In the Reconstruct section of the Language Dive, students will be asked to complete a similar task. Students can compare their original paraphrases to those they produce during the Language Dive. If their sentences are markedly different, students may wish to reflect on the role of the Language Dive in helping to clarify understanding of the sentence.

For Heavier Support

  • In the following lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive using a sentence from an excerpt from "This Is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry." Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need heavier support to use translation or learners' dictionaries to translate the sentence into their home languages.

Homework

Homework
  • None for this lesson

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