ELA G1:M3:U1:L6

Reading and Writing: Group Research: Birds (Scholastic Discover More), Pages 8–9

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

RI.1.2: Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.3: Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
RI.1.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
RI.1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
RI.1.9: Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
L.1.1f: Use frequently occurring adjectives.
L.1.5d: Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.

Daily Learning Targets

I can read and discuss information about bird feathers using the texts Just Ducks and Birds (Scholastic Discover More). (RI.1.2, RI.1.3, RI.1.5, RI.1.7, RI.1.9, SL.1.1, SL.1.2)
I can create and label an observational drawing of a peacock. (W.1.8, L.1.1f, L.1.5d)

Ongoing Assessment

Continue to gather data on students' progress toward L.1.5d as you observe students distinguish shades of meaning among adjectives.
Continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist during the reading aloud to research bird feathers in Work Time A to track students' progress toward RI.1.5, RI.1.3, RI.1.2, RI.1.7, and RI.1.9 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
Continue to gather data on students' progress toward W.1.8, L.1.1f, and L.1.5d as you observe them draw, label, and write using descriptive adjectives about the peacock.

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Developing Language: Adjectives (10 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Engaging the Researcher: Just Ducks, Pages 16-17 (5 minutes) B. Reading Aloud to Research Bird Feathers: Birds (Scholastic Discover More), Pages 8-9 (20 minutes) C. Independent Writing: Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Working to Become Ethical People: Empathy (10 minutes)	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: Work Times A, B, and C contain repeated routines from Lesson 3-5. Refer to those lessons for more detail, as necessary. Students continue to engage with using adjectives and with distinguishing shades of meaning among adjectives as they begin to write a class poem about birds. Students help create a second Adjectives Shades of Meaning anchor chart that will include teacher suggestions. This lesson is the first of five that focus on using adjectives to write a poem, based on the shades of meaning. Continue to nurture an inquiry-rich classroom environment by inviting students to think and wonder about the Unit 1 guiding question--"What makes a bird a bird?"--as they continue to use informational text features during their research in Work Time B. As in Lesson 5, students label and add a caption to the drawing in their Birds Research notebook. Recall that these tasks are meant to reinforce students' growing knowledge of text features in informational text. During the Closing, students give kind, specific, and helpful feedback when sharing their observational drawings and showing empathy toward their classmates. How this lesson builds on previous work: In Lessons 3-5, students were guided through the use of different text features to help make meaning of informational text. In this lesson, they continue to practice using text features to learn about birds as they answer text-dependent questions in preparation for the Unit 1 Assessment. Continue to reinforce the routine established in Lessons 3, 4, and 5 for completing the Birds Research notebook. Areas in which students may need additional support: During the Opening, some students may need additional support with coming up with adjectives to describe the birds in the photographs. Consider posting several examples of descriptive adjectives that students can reference if needed. As in Lesson 5, some students may need additional support with writing a complete sentence when describing the bird. Consider reviewing with students how to use the words from the question as a cue to formulate the answer using a complete sentence. Down the road: In Lesson 7, students will use text features in the text Birds (Scholastic Discover More), along with their growing knowledge of birds, to answer several text-dependent questions independently. This activity is meant to scaffold students for the Unit 1 reading assessment that will measure their progress toward RI.1.5, RI.1.3, RI.1.2, and RI.1.7.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Adjectives (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Engaging the Researcher: Just Ducks, Pages 16-17 (5 minutes)

B. Reading Aloud to Research Bird Feathers: Birds (Scholastic Discover More), Pages 8-9 (20 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Working to Become Ethical People: Empathy (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

Work Times A, B, and C contain repeated routines from Lesson 3-5. Refer to those lessons for more detail, as necessary.
Students continue to engage with using adjectives and with distinguishing shades of meaning among adjectives as they begin to write a class poem about birds. Students help create a second Adjectives Shades of Meaning anchor chart that will include teacher suggestions. This lesson is the first of five that focus on using adjectives to write a poem, based on the shades of meaning.
Continue to nurture an inquiry-rich classroom environment by inviting students to think and wonder about the Unit 1 guiding question--"What makes a bird a bird?"--as they continue to use informational text features during their research in Work Time B.
As in Lesson 5, students label and add a caption to the drawing in their Birds Research notebook. Recall that these tasks are meant to reinforce students' growing knowledge of text features in informational text.
During the Closing, students give kind, specific, and helpful feedback when sharing their observational drawings and showing empathy toward their classmates.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

In Lessons 3-5, students were guided through the use of different text features to help make meaning of informational text. In this lesson, they continue to practice using text features to learn about birds as they answer text-dependent questions in preparation for the Unit 1 Assessment.
Continue to reinforce the routine established in Lessons 3, 4, and 5 for completing the Birds Research notebook.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

During the Opening, some students may need additional support with coming up with adjectives to describe the birds in the photographs. Consider posting several examples of descriptive adjectives that students can reference if needed.
As in Lesson 5, some students may need additional support with writing a complete sentence when describing the bird. Consider reviewing with students how to use the words from the question as a cue to formulate the answer using a complete sentence.

Down the road:

In Lesson 7, students will use text features in the text Birds (Scholastic Discover More), along with their growing knowledge of birds, to answer several text-dependent questions independently. This activity is meant to scaffold students for the Unit 1 reading assessment that will measure their progress toward RI.1.5, RI.1.3, RI.1.2, and RI.1.7.

In Advance

Prepare the close-up bird and peacock photographs in color, if possible.
Preview:

Feathers response sheet (see supporting Materials).
Page 5 of the Birds Research notebook.

Pre-distribute Materials for Work Time C at student workspaces.
Post: Learning targets, "To the Pond" poem, and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

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 1.I.B.6, 1.II.A.1, 1.II.A.2, 1.I.C.10, 1.I.A.1, 1.I.A.3, 1.II.B.4, and 1.I.B.8

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through opportunities to practice writing complete sentences and answering text-dependent questions as a class to prepare them for the Unit 1 Assessment.
ELLs may find answering the short response questions on the Feathers response sheet challenging, because the wording of questions can pose an extra demand for them (see "Levels of support" and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

Encourage students to reflect on their answers to the short response questions on the Feathers response sheet by inviting them to consider if their response answers the question and if there is anything else they could add to the response to make it stronger.

For heavier support:

If necessary, consider rephrasing the questions on the Feathers response sheet using simpler language. (Examples: "How do feathers help birds?" "What do these pictures of feathers teach you?")

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students engage with two texts and then use this information to create an observational drawing. Continue to provide scaffolds to students to support diverse abilities in using these strategies, such as manipulatives to guide students in new understandings.
Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students continue to research birds and translate their learning into writing. Continue to supports students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): As students engage with the texts during this lesson, continue to support students in linking the information presented back to the learning target to emphasize and remind them of the instructional goal.

Vocabulary

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

New:

table of contents (L)

Review:

heading, empathy (L)

Materials

"To the Pond" (from Lesson 3; for teacher read-aloud)
Bird photographs (from Lesson 1; photos 1-4; one to display)
Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart (new; co-created with students during the Opening; see supporting Materials)
Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart (answers, for teacher reference)
Just Ducks (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
Birds (Scholastic Discover More) (one to display for teacher read-aloud, and one per pair)
Physical Characteristics of Birds anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4; added to during Work Time B; see supporting Materials)
Physical Characteristics of Birds anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
Feathers response sheet (one to display)
Feathers response sheet (answers, for teacher reference)
Peacock photograph (one to display)
Bird Experiences anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time C)
Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; page 6; one per student)
Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; answers, for teacher reference)
Empathy anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3)

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

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Developing Language: Adjectives (10 minutes) Gather students whole group by reciting "To The Pond." Display the Bird photographs (1-4) and the Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart. Tell students that after reading the poem about birds, you thought they could use some of their research about birds to help write a new poem. Share that you'd like to hear some new adjectives from them to describe the birds' bodies and fill in their new chart. Turn and Talk: "Choose a picture. What adjective would you use to describe it?" If productive, cue students to agree or disagree and explain why: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think." Invite students to share out their adjectives and add them to one column of the Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart. Encourage students to offer adjectives that may mean the same thing or point out when students have suggested words that have similar but slightly different meanings (e.g., big, humongous). Write the accompanying shades of meaning for each adjective written on the chart. Refer to Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart (answers, for teacher reference) to think aloud ways to describe the bird pictures and add the words to the chart. Briefly review any definitions as necessary. Share that they will be able to use some of the adjectives to help them start writing a new poem in the next lesson.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Using Adjectives) Some students might find it challenging to come up with their own adjectives. Consider asking students what they notice about the photos and prompting or suggesting an adjective to describe what they notice. (MMR, MME) For ELLs: (Correcting Errors) As students interact, jot down and share with the class samples of effective communication and one or two common language errors (pervasive, stigmatizing, critical). For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider adding a quick sketch for each adjective as it is added to the Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart. (MMR)

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Developing Language: Adjectives (10 minutes)

Gather students whole group by reciting "To The Pond."
Display the Bird photographs (1-4) and the Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart.
Tell students that after reading the poem about birds, you thought they could use some of their research about birds to help write a new poem.
Share that you'd like to hear some new adjectives from them to describe the birds' bodies and fill in their new chart.
Turn and Talk:

"Choose a picture. What adjective would you use to describe it?"

If productive, cue students to agree or disagree and explain why:

"Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think."

Invite students to share out their adjectives and add them to one column of the Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart.
Encourage students to offer adjectives that may mean the same thing or point out when students have suggested words that have similar but slightly different meanings (e.g., big, humongous).
Write the accompanying shades of meaning for each adjective written on the chart.
Refer to Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart (answers, for teacher reference) to think aloud ways to describe the bird pictures and add the words to the chart. Briefly review any definitions as necessary.
Share that they will be able to use some of the adjectives to help them start writing a new poem in the next lesson.

For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Using Adjectives) Some students might find it challenging to come up with their own adjectives. Consider asking students what they notice about the photos and prompting or suggesting an adjective to describe what they notice. (MMR, MME)
For ELLs: (Correcting Errors) As students interact, jot down and share with the class samples of effective communication and one or two common language errors (pervasive, stigmatizing, critical).
For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider adding a quick sketch for each adjective as it is added to the Adjectives Shades of Meaning, Version 2 anchor chart. (MMR)

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
*A. Engaging the Researcher: Just Ducks,* Pages 16-17 (5 minutes)** Refocus whole group. Follow the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 4 to read pages 16-17 of Just Ducks, paying careful attention to the illustrations and words used to describe the mallard duck's feathers. While pointing to the illustrations of the duck and the drake on page 16, ask: "Why are the drake's feathers different colors than the duck's feathers?" (The drake has bright feathers to show off for the girl duck.) "Why is the drake trying to show off to the other ducks?" (He's trying to find a mate before the ducks will lay their eggs.) If productive, cue students to add on to what a classmate said: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." Invite students to act out showing off their imaginary feathers to another duck. Tell students that they will now continue to research other types and specific jobs of bird feathers.	For ELLs: (Defining words) Point to the word sometimes on page 16 and read the sentence again. Ask: "Why do you think the author used the word sometimes here?" (to tell that drakes don't always chase, fight, and splash; they do that occasionally, every once in a while)
*B. Reading Aloud to Research Bird Feathers: Birds (Scholastic Discover More),* Pages 8-9 (20 minutes)** Refocus students whole group. Invite students to move to sit with their book buddy. Distribute copies of Birds (Scholastic Discover More) to pairs. Direct their attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud: "I can read and discuss information about bird feathers using the texts Just Ducks and Birds (Scholastic Discover More)." Tell students they will now continue to compare their research about feathers from Just Ducks to their research about feathers from Birds (Scholastic Discover More). Display pages 8-9 and read the heading on page 9. Invite pairs to follow along in their book. Point out that an additional text feature that readers use when reading informational text is called the Table of Contents. Display page 3 and ask: "Do you see the heading 'Feathers' on this page? Give a silent thumbs-up if you see it." "What do the numbers next to the words mean?" (I think they tell us the page number.) Tell students that the Table of Contents is usually found at the beginning of an informational text and includes headings of particular pages and their corresponding page number. Ask: "What page should we turn to if we want to learn about feathers? (page 8) If productive, cue students to explain why a classmate came up with a particular response: "Who can explain why your classmate came up with that response?" Turn back to pages 8-9 and tell students to think about the research question as they listen to these pages read aloud. Display and read pages 8-9 aloud, making sure to read labels and captions. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What text features do you notice on these pages?" (heading, photographs, captions) "What are the photographs under the duck showing us on page 8?" (different types of bird feathers) Direct students' attention to the top of page 9 and read the sentence aloud: "Feathers have different jobs." With their book buddy, tell students to point to the pictures on page 9 that show us the different jobs that feathers have. Turn and Talk: "What are some different jobs that feathers have?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Helping the bird fly; keeping the bird warm; helping the bird show off.) Read the caption under the peacock on page 9 aloud: "Some birds use their feathers to show off! The male peacock fans out his amazing tail feathers." Ask: "Thinking about your research from Just Ducks, what do the drake and the peacock have in common in terms of their feathers?" (They both show off their feathers.) Direct students' attention to the Physical Characteristics of Birds anchor chart and briefly review it. Follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lesson 4 to guide students through considering their research question and adding their learning to the Physical Characteristics of Birds anchor chart. Refer to Physical Characteristics of Birds anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Refocus whole group and tell students that they will now work together as a class to practice answering questions about what we read about feathers. Display the Feathers response sheet and read the instructions aloud: "With your book buddy, open to pages 8-9 in Birds (Scholastic Discover More) and follow along as we answer these questions." Direct students' attention to Question 1 on the Feathers response sheet and read the question aloud: "Look at the photographs on page 9. What are some examples of the different jobs that feathers do?" Using a total participation technique, invite responses from two or three students. As students share out, clarify and capture their responses on the response sheet. Refer to Feathers response sheet (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary, Read the completed response. Repeat this routine with Question 2 on the response sheet. Offer students specific, positive feedback on their ability to help answer questions about feathers using evidence from the text. Tell students that in the next lesson they will work to answer questions independently about what they read.	For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "Stiff tail feathers / help them change direction / in flight." Deconstruct: Invite students to discuss the meaning of the sentence and grapple with the meaning of each chunk. Encourage extended conversation and practice with the focus structure in the highlighted chunk, keeping the following language goals in mind: feathers: "What?"/ Meaning: feathers are one part of the bird's body that helps them fly. Suggested questions: "What kind of feathers are these? How do you know?" (noun) tail feathers: "What?"/ Meaning: tail feathers are the kinds of feathers that help birds turn when they fly. Suggested questions: "What do tail feathers refer to in this chunk? How do you know?" (adjective) stiff: "What?"/ Meaning: not easily bent or changed in shape, rigid. Suggested questions: "What kind of feathers help birds fly? What, in the sentence, makes you think so?" "Why do you think the feathers have to be stiff?" "What is another way to say this chunk?" (help them fly; when they fly, birds use their tail feathers to turn; tail feathers help birds fly) (adjective) Practice: "Can we say 'tail stiff feathers'? Why do you think that?" (No, we have to use this order in English.) Reconstruct: Reread the sentence. Ask: "Now what do you think the sentence means?" "How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of the page? Practice: Consider inviting students to use the sentence frame "______ feathers help them _____. " to talk or write about other facts from page 9. (Example: "Small, soft body feathers help them stay warm.") Continue to provide white boards and dry-erase markers as an option for students to record (in drawing or writing) their ideas. This helps scaffold active listening for key details. (MMR, MMAE) For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Include a quick sketch to accompany each physical characteristic of birds on the anchor chart. (MMR)
C. Independent Writing: Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes) Refocus students and give them specific, positive feedback on their research about the different types of bird feathers. Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud: "I can create and label an observational drawing of a peacock." Tell students that today they will observe a photograph of a peacock, create a new drawing, label the feathers, and write a sentence and caption about the feathers in their notebook. Display the peacock photograph. Follow the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 1 to ask students what they think about peacocks and if anyone they know has had experiences with them and to capture their thinking on the Bird Experiences anchor chart. Display page 5 of the Birds Research notebook and follow the routine from Work Time C of Lesson 3 to guide students through observing and creating an observational drawing of a peacock. Refer to Birds research notebook (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary. Note: As in Lesson 5, students add a sentence and caption to their observational drawing.	For ELLs: (Using Charts) Consider reminding students of the What Researchers Do anchor chart: Record observations using pictures and words. For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Drawing) Display the peacock photograph and point to the shapes and body parts while thinking aloud to model how to complete the observational drawing. (MMAE) For ELLs: (Prompting Adding More to Their Writing) While circulating, support students in writing complete sentences by prompting them to reflect on their work. For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development for written expression: (Verbal Writing Practice) Allow students to discuss and rehearse their sentences before writing. (MMAE) For ELLs: (Using Sentence Frames) Invite students to use language drawn from the Language Dive practice from Lessons 3. (The beak is _____ and _____.) For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: When giving students a warning before the transition, continue to provide a clear routine for what to do with unfinished work and use a timer. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Working to Become Ethical People: Empathy (10 minutes) Display the Empathy anchor chart. Turn and Talk: "What does it mean to show empathy?" (to try to understand how someone is feeling) "What are some ways we can try to understand how someone is feeling?" (body language; think about the situation; ask them) Tell students that they will now share page 5 of their Birds research notebook with a partner. After doing so, they will try to show empathy as they give their partner kind, specific, and helpful feedback. Guide students through sharing: Turn to an elbow partner and label yourselves A and B. Invite partner B to ask partner A "How are you feeling about sharing today?" and listen to the answer. Invite partner A to share his or her bird drawing for 30 seconds. Invite partner B to share one piece of kind, specific, and helpful feedback. Switch roles and repeat the process. Give specific, positive feedback for students' work on showing empathy while sharing. Collect the Birds Research notebooks for tomorrow's lesson.	For ELLs: (Student Modeling) Before students share, consider inviting an ELL volunteer to help model sharing work (what to do and what to say) and showing empathy while sharing work. For ELLs and students who may need additional support with monitoring progress: (Using Anchor Charts: Setting Goals) Note how those students who had a thumbs-down in response to any of the questions in Lesson 5 are sharing, and find an opportunity to encourage them as they progress toward the goals they set yesterday regarding the Empathy anchor chart. (MME)

Closing

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Working to Become Ethical People: Empathy (10 minutes)

Display the Empathy anchor chart.
Turn and Talk:

"What does it mean to show empathy?" (to try to understand how someone is feeling)

"What are some ways we can try to understand how someone is feeling?" (body language; think about the situation; ask them)

Tell students that they will now share page 5 of their Birds research notebook with a partner. After doing so, they will try to show empathy as they give their partner kind, specific, and helpful feedback.
Guide students through sharing:

Turn to an elbow partner and label yourselves A and B.
Invite partner B to ask partner A "How are you feeling about sharing today?" and listen to the answer.
Invite partner A to share his or her bird drawing for 30 seconds.
Invite partner B to share one piece of kind, specific, and helpful feedback.
Switch roles and repeat the process.

Give specific, positive feedback for students' work on showing empathy while sharing.
Collect the Birds Research notebooks for tomorrow's lesson.

For ELLs: (Student Modeling) Before students share, consider inviting an ELL volunteer to help model sharing work (what to do and what to say) and showing empathy while sharing work.
For ELLs and students who may need additional support with monitoring progress: (Using Anchor Charts: Setting Goals) Note how those students who had a thumbs-down in response to any of the questions in Lesson 5 are sharing, and find an opportunity to encourage them as they progress toward the goals they set yesterday regarding the Empathy anchor chart. (MME)

EL Education Curriculum