Prepare for Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G7:M1:U1:L14

Prepare for Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RL.7.2, SL.7.1

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.

  • RL.7.1, RL.7.10, W.7.8, L.7.6
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify how themes in A Long Walk to Water have developed in chapter 11. (RL.7.2)
  • I can prepare for a text-based discussion about how themes are developed in A Long Walk to Water. (RL.7.2, SL.7.1)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 14 (W.7.8)
  • Work Time A: Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water note-catcher (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, SL.7.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.7.8 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Read A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 11 (15 minutes)

B. Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion - RL.7.2 (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Peer Feedback - SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Preread Anchor Text: Students should preread chapter 12 of A Long Walk to Water in preparation for studying the chapter in the next lesson

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • Repeated routines occur in the following:
    • Opening A: The entrance ticket activity prepares students to think about quoting accurately from a text, which they will need to do as they add evidence to their text-based discussion note-catchers. 
    • Opening A: Students review learning targets.
    • Work Time A: Students read the next chapter of the text, noting unfamiliar vocabulary and the gist of the chapter. 
    • RL.7.2 – Work Time B: Students analyze the development of theme in chapter 11.
  • New skills are introduced in the following:
    • SL.7.1 – Work Time B: Students gather evidence to prepare for a text-based discussion on the analysis of theme development in A Long Walk to Water.
    • Closing and Assessment A: Students use the Think-Pair-Share protocol to engage in collaborative discussions about habits of character and academic mindsets.
  • In this lesson, students discuss compassion as a habit of character and add it to the Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart in preparation for giving peer feedback.
  • The Think-Pair-Share protocol is used in this lesson. Protocols are an important feature of our curriculum because they are one of the best ways we know to engage students in discussion, inquiry, critical thinking, and sophisticated communication. A protocol consists of agreed-upon, detailed guidelines for reading, recording, discussing, or reporting that ensure equal participation and accountability in learning.
  • In the chapter of A Long Walk to Water read in this lesson, Nya’s fellow villagers work together to prepare the space for water, which demonstrates collaboration. Also, Salva continues on to make it to the camp even though it is hard and his uncle and friend and family are not there to help him, which demonstrates perseverance.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • In Work Time B, release students to read and complete their note-catcher independently.
  • Challenge students to make claims about and find evidence for multiple themes that may or may not be related to adversity (RL.7.2). Then, if they finish their note-catcher early, they can form a small group and begin to discuss their note-catcher, respectfully challenging one another’s claims and evidence, pushing one another to make clearer, stronger claims and use the most effective evidence. Provide students with feedback on their discussion, and then in Closing and Assessment A, release them to join other groups of students to guide the note-catcher sharing and discussion.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In previous lessons, students closely read the first ten chapters of A Long Walk to Water and analyzed how setting shapes characters and plot, how the author develops and contrasts different points of view, and how themes develop. In this lesson, students build on this previous work by analyzing how theme develops through setting, characters, plot, and point of view.

Support All Students

  • At this point, students should be reading the text independently. However, if some or all students need more support, read several pages aloud and then release students to read independently, in pairs, or in small groups.
  • The subject matter in this chapter includes burial of a family member and introduction to a refugee camp. Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this chapter that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.
  • Note there is a differentiated version of Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water Note-Catcher used in Work Time B in the supporting materials download. ▲
  • Students may need additional support working independently to prepare for the text-based discussion. Work with students who will find this challenging in a small group.

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ note-catchers to ensure that they are fully prepared for the discussion.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will participate in the text-based discussion as Part II of the End of Unit 1 Assessment.

In Advance

  • Prepare optional materials (sticky notes) for Work Time A.
  • Strategically pair students for work in this lesson, with at least one strong reader per pair.
  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 14 at each student's workspace.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Opening A: Online or print dictionaries (including ELL and home language dictionaries) as necessary.
  • Work Time A: Audiobook version of A Long Walk to Water as an option for fluent reading. Digital sticky notes for gist to support engagement and organization. ▲
  • Work Time B: Students may complete their note-catchers
    • using a word-processing tool—for example, a Google Doc, or
    • in a word-processing document—for example, a Google Doc—using speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or using an app or software such as http://eled.org/0103. ▲

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 7.1.A.1, 7.1.A.3, 7.I.B.5, and 7.I.B.6.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson provides opportunities for students to gather evidence for answering and discussing text-dependent questions related to theme and character development.
  • ELLs may find getting and giving feedback about the text-based discussion note-catchers challenging because they may not know the phrases and language used for getting and giving feedback on theme. Therefore, use the lighter and heavier supports listed below to support this work.

Vocabulary

  • discussion, text-based (A)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 4, Opening A)
  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Opening A)
  • Text Guide: A Long Walk to Water (for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening B)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening B)
  • Questions about A Long Walk to Water anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Questions about A Long Walk to Water anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 13, Work Time C)
  • Vocabulary log (one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • A Long Walk to Water (text; one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time C)
  • Themes and Summary: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 7 (one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 10, Work Time B)
  • Themes and Summary: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 8 (one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 11, Work Time B)
  • Themes: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 10 (one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 13, Work Time B)
  • Online or print dictionaries (including ELL and home language dictionaries)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 14 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 14 (one per student)
  • Synopsis: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 11 (one per student)
  • Sticky notes (one of each gist color per student)
  • Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water note-catcher (one per student and one for display)
  • Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water note-catcher ▲
  • Quote Accurately from the Text (one 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 - W.7.8 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 14. Students will review their responses to the entrance ticket in Work Time B.
  • 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.
  • With students, use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to deconstruct the words discussion (talking about something in a formal or serious way) and text-based (using or referring to a text or reading). Record on the academic word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record words in their vocabulary logs.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Read A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 11 (15 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: follow the same process as with previous lessons for students to read chapter 11 of A Long Walk to Water, using the Text Guide: A Long Walk to Water as necessary. If students do not finish reading the chapter within the allotted time, use the Synopsis: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 11 document to review the key details from chapter 11. Then have students identify the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, reflect on their reading as they choose, and record the gist on sticky notes using the following resources as appropriate: vocabulary logs, Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart, and Questions about A Long Walk to Water anchor chart.
  • Gists:
    • Nya: village clears land; how will water come from dry ground?
    • Salva: makes it to camp, very crowded, looks for family, sees mother?
  • Once students have finished reading and reflecting on the chapter, ask them to Think-Pair-Share:

"Which habits of character did you see in this chapter? Who demonstrated them? What did they look and sound like?" (Possible response: Nya's fellow villagers collaborate to prepare the space for water. Also, Salva perseveres to make it to the camp even though it is hard and his uncle and friend and family are not there to help him.)
  • N/A

B. Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion – RL.7.2 (15 minutes)

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

“I can identify how themes in A Long Walk to Water have developed in chapter 11.”

“I can prepare for a text-based discussion about how themes are developed in A Long Walk to Water.”

  • Distribute and display the Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water note-catcher and Prepare for a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water note-catcher ▲ as necessary for students who need extra support. The differentiated note-catcher supports students’ analysis with sentence starters. ▲
  • Read, reread, and rephrase the prompt at the top of the note-catcher aloud for the group:

“How do Salva and Nya overcome adversity? What theme might the author be developing through these characters?”

  • Tell students that in this lesson, they will be gathering evidence from the novel to answer this prompt in preparation for discussing this prompt. If necessary, for support, ask students to Think-Pair-Share about what they need to do in order to complete the note-catcher. During the share, record accurate student responses on the board. (We have to review our notes and the novel to see how Salva and Nya overcome problems. Then we have to record this and the evidence or examples of this on our note-catcher. Then we have to review these examples and decide what theme the author is developing. We record this theme on our note-catcher and find more evidence to support this theme.) ▲
  • Review the entrance ticket activity:

“Linda Sue Park shows the group’s collaboration when she writes, ‘Immediately, the group began making preparations to cook and eat the bird’” (61).

“This is a quote from A Long Walk to Water. Looking at this model, what are two criteria you might generate for quoting accurately from the text?”

  • Use total participation techniques to select students to share their ideas with the whole group. (Responses will vary but may include the following: comma before quotation mark, page number without “p.” in parentheses after quotation mark, and period after parentheses.)
  • Display and distribute the Quote Accurately from the Text handout, and invite students to note the ones they identified within the class and to add anything they found that isn’t represented. Tell students that when recording evidence from the text on their note-catcher today, they should use these criteria to quote accurately.
  • Because this is part of the assessment, students should complete the note-catcher independently. However, if students need support, they can work with a partner. ▲ Invite those who want to work with someone to move to a certain area of the room to pair up with someone else who wants to work with a partner. Invite students to verbally complete the note-catcher in home language groupings. They can then focus on writing notes in their home language or English, or making sketches as placeholders, and finally discussing in English.
  • Invite students to begin working. Remind them to retrieve and refer to their note-catchers from previous lessons:
    • Themes and Summary: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 7
    • Themes and Summary: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 8
    • Themes: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 10
  • Circulate to support students in completing their note-catcher. If students are struggling, pull them into a small group and work with them to identify themes and their development in chapter 11 of A Long Walk to Water. Ask supporting questions to guide student thinking:

“What obstacles, problems, or adversity does Salva face?” (He must run away from home. He doesn’t have his family. The war and animals are dangerous. He doesn’t have enough food.)

“How does he overcome these?” (He trusts and relies on others. He keeps walking. He takes each problem one step at a time.)

“What obstacles, problems, or adversity does Nya face?” (She has to walk a long way or dig a long time for water. The ground has thorns, and there is fighting around her. The water they have makes them sick.)

“How does she overcome these?” (She works hard. She keeps trying even when it is hard. She perseveres.)

“What message about life is the author making through these characters?” (Even when things are difficult, if you persevere, you can succeed. Nature sometimes overpowers people. Collaboration can help solve big problems. You can succeed at something big if you take it one step at a time.)

“What evidence from the novel shows that the author is giving this message?” (Responses will vary.)

  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • In Work Time B, invite a student to paraphrase the directions for using the note-catcher to find text-based evidence in more comprehensible language.

For Heavier Support

  • In Work Time B, write and post a numbered list of the steps for finding evidence to fill in the note-catcher. This will provide a visual for the directions which ELLs can refer back to as they work in case they did not understand all of the oral directions for filling out the note-catcher.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Peer Feedback - SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

  • Explain that students will now share their note-catchers with one or more classmates to get feedback on their claims (statements about theme) and their evidence to support their claims. Note that this is a chance to practice their discussion norms and ideas before the assessment in the following lesson.
  • Focus students on the Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart, specifically on compassion.
  • Read aloud the habit of character recorded:

"I show compassion. This means I notice when others are sad or upset and try to help them."

  • Invite students to Turn and Talk to an elbow partner:

"Using the anchor chart as a guide, what does compassion mean in your own words?" (being sensitive to others' feelings and helping them when they need it)

  • Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What does compassion look like? What might you see when someone is showing compassion toward someone else?" See Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

"What does compassion sound like? What might you hear when someone is showing compassion to someone else?" See Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

  • Remind students to refer to the following anchor charts to guide them in respectfully challenging their peers to make strong, clear claims and provide strong, applicable evidence.
    • Discussion Norms anchor chart
    • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart
  • If necessary, model with a volunteer, sharing from each other's note-catchers and respectfully challenging each other's claims and evidence. Use the cues and responses from the Discussion Norms anchor chart.
  • Incorporate reflection on and awareness of the following academic mindset: "I belong in this community."

"How does compassion help you feel a sense of belonging to our classroom community?" (Possible response: When people treat me with compassion, kindness, and understanding, I feel like I belong to this class, that I am welcome here.)

For Lighter Support

  • Work with a student volunteer to model giving feedback and then write down some of the key phrases that were used. Students can use these phrases themselves when giving and receiving feedback. Combining modeling with a written chart supports ELLs by demonstrating the language they need to complete a task in multiple ways.
  • Also, remind students of the Conversation Cues they can use to help keep the conversation going with their partner if they are unsure of the language they need to extend and deepen their feedback conversation:
    • Can you say more about that?
    • Can you give an example?
    • So do you mean . . .?

For Heavier Support

  • For students who need more support with participating in partner feedback, provide sentence frames for replying to the three Conversation Cues suggested under Lighter Support:
    • Sure, I think that _____.
    • OK, one example is _____.
    • You've got it./No, sorry, that's not what I mean. I mean _____.
  • Model how to use the sentence frames to respond to the Conversation Cues with examples that apply to the text-based discussion feedback task before expecting students to use the frames themselves.

Homework

Homework

A. Preread Anchor Text

  • Students should preread chapter 12 of A Long Walk to Water in preparation for studying the chapter in the next lesson.

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