Shared Writing, Part I: Birds’ Feathers Help Them Survive | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M3:U2:L4

Shared Writing, Part I: Birds’ Feathers Help Them Survive

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
  • W.1.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of "how-to" books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
  • 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.1.1a: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
  • 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.1.1.g: Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).
  • L.1.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can contribute to the focus statement and detail sentences in a piece of shared writing. (W.1.2, W.1.7, W.1.8)
  • I can explain the purpose of a contour feather using pictures and words. (W.1.8, L1f, L1.g)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Continue to review students' drawing and writing from Work Time B using the Informational Writing Checklist to check progress toward W.1.8, L1.1f, L1.1g (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Say It with Similes (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Shared Writing: Drafting Focus Statement and First Detail Sentences (25 minutes)

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

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Musical Circles Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson connects to Next Generation Science Standard 1-LS1-1. During Work Times A and B, students continue to focus on the following disciplinary core idea: All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. As students research, draw, and write about different types of bird feathers, they begin to notice the different ways birds use their feathers to help them survive.
  • In the Opening, students continue to learn about similes and how they are used in the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying to help the reader better understand the different functions of feathers.
  • During Work Time A, students use the Feathers: Class Notes to begin to write a portion of a shared informational paragraph about feathers. This experience is foundational as students work toward W.1.7.
  • During Work Time B, students create a scientific drawing of a specific type of feather and write a sentence to describe how that feather helps some birds survive. Through this experience, students continue to build their understanding of adjectives as they generate descriptions of how feathers function. The inclusion of the sentence frame with the conjunction so is intentionally built in to help students make progress toward L.1.1g, a standard that is carried through this unit and as students create their performance task in Unit 3.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 3, students gathered information from the key source Feathers, Not Just for Flying. During this lesson, they practice using research evidence to create the first portion of a class informational paragraph that answers the question "How do birds use their feathers to survive?"
  • During Work Time B, students continue the scientific drawing and writing routine laid out in Lesson 3.
  • In the Closing, students continue to reflect on their progress toward the academic goals laid out in the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support with the concept of similes in the Opening routine. Continue to reinforce the idea that feathers are not actually the objects pictured (blankets, sponges, etc.); rather, they are used like adjectives to help describe how the feathers work.
  • Students may find the terminology connected to the parts of informational paragraphs challenging. Use these words (focus statement, evidence/elaboration, and conclusion) as frequently as possible and encourage students to do the same during conversations about writing these paragraphs.
  • Students may need additional support as they create a scientific drawing of a feather. Encourage them to try their best and tell them they will have a lot of practice learning how to draw feathers throughout their study.

Down the road:

  • The shared writing from this lesson and Lesson 5 serves as a model when students write their own informational paragraphs later in the unit.
  • In Lesson 5, students will begin to think about the habits of character goals laid out in the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Bird Word Wall card for the word contour.
    • Select a short, familiar song to play during the Musical Circles protocol during the Closing and prepare necessary technology.
  • Pre-distribute Materials for Work Time B at workspaces.
  • Review the Role-Play protocol (for informational text). (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • 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.A.1, 1.I.B.5, 1.I.B.8, 1.I.C.10, and 1.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through opportunities to process content orally and to capture it in notes written in collaboration with others.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to use the information in the bullets of the Academic Goals column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart to reflect on their learning, because the wording of the chart can pose an extra demand for them (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During Work Time B, invite students (instead of the teacher) to model drawing the bird.

For heavier support:

  • Ensure students understand each bullet in the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart that they will be using to reflect on their learning today. Provide opportunities to process in home language groups.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support students as they incorporate the most valuable information from the text into existing knowledge. Providing explicit cues or prompts support students in attending to the features that matter most. Before reading the text, activate background knowledge by previewing the questions you will ask.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): During this lesson, some students may need additional support with sustained effort. Provide targeted feedback that encourages sustained effort during each activity and encourages the use of specific supports and strategies, such as the Word Wall and peer support.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • contribute, focus statement, detail sentences (L)
  • soak up, sponge, contour (T)

Review:

  • simile, trace, rachis, barbs (L)

Materials

  • Feathers, Not Just for Flying (from Lesson 2; one per pair and one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Feather Similes anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3; added to during the Opening; see supporting Materials)
  • Feather Similes anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3; example, for teacher reference)
  • Simile icons (from Lesson 3; used by the teacher on the Feather Similes anchor chart during the Opening)
  • Role-Play Protocol anchor chart (for informational texts) (new; teacher-created; see supporting Materials)
  • What Researchers Do anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Parts of an Informational Paragraph anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting Materials)
  • Shared Writing Template: Feathers (one for teacher modeling)
  • Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference)
  • Feathers: Class Notes (from Lesson 3; one to display)
  • "Spied a Feather" (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Bird Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; one)
  • Bird Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time B; see Teaching Notes)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; page 3 added to during Work Time B; one per student and one for teacher modeling)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Short, familiar song (play in entirety; see Teaching Notes)
  • Musical Circles Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)

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: Say It with Similes (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Briefly invite students to recount the work they did with similes in the previous lesson. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do we call a comparison between one object and another using the words like or as?" (simile)

"Why do writers use similes?" (to better describe something)

  • Remind students that in the previous lesson they read and acted out two similes in the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying.
  • Tell students that they will practice the Role-Play protocol again today with new similes in the text.
  • Display and read aloud the phrase at the top of page 11 of Feathers, Not Just for Flying:
    • "Feathers can soak up water like a sponge."
  • Define soak up (to take in water).
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is a sponge?" (a block of soft material with many small holes that takes in water)

"Why do you think the author says feathers can 'soak up water like a sponge'?" (Some feathers can take in water.)

  • Direct students' attention to the Feather Similes anchor chart.
  • In the first column of the third row beside the phrase "soak up water like a sponge," add the corresponding simile icon to the second column.
  • Repeat the above process with the similes on pages 12-14:
    • Read the simile.
    • Define and discuss the Vocabulary connected to the simile.
    • Read the simile phrases and add the simile icons to the Feather Similes anchor chart.
  • Move students into pre-determined pairs and tell them they are now going to act out these similes using the Role-Play protocol (for informational texts). Remind students that acting out different parts of the text can help them understand it better.
  • Referring to the Role-Play Protocol anchor chart (for informational texts), explain the steps:
    • Point to the image of the book. Tell students they will listen to a certain part of the text again.
    • Point to the image of two people talking. Tell students that with their partners, they will think and talk about how to act what was read. Tell them they may use the Feather Similes anchor chart if they need help.
    • Point to the image of the director's slate. Tell students that when they hear, "Action!" they will act out the part of the text as you read it aloud. (Example: On page 6, students may act out lying down and placing their head on a pillow.)
    • Point to the image of the check mark. Tell students when they hear, "Cut!" they should safely make a tent with their arms. (This shows that they are done.)
  • Model completing the steps of the protocol with a student. Answer clarifying questions.
  • Reread page 11 and invite students to begin the Role-Play protocol.
  • Repeat with pages 12-14.
  • Refocus students whole group and offer specific, positive feedback on their role-playing.
  • Tell them they will have a chance to role-play similes again in the next lesson.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Sketching Similes) Students can sketch and discuss each object compared in a simile to reinforce their understanding of how they are similar. (Example: Students can draw a sponge and a feather absorbing water.) (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Defining Words: Similes) When reminding students that in the previous lesson they read and acted out two similes in the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying, invite students to explain how similes can help them understand the text better.
  • For ELLs: (Strategic Grouping: Similar Proficiency) Create pairs with similar levels of language proficiency. Use this opportunity to assess students' understanding of similes in the text.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Writing: Drafting Focus Statement and First Detail Sentences (25 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the What Researchers Do anchor chart and read aloud the last row:
    • "Share what you learned with others through writing."
  • Tell students that they will help create a shared writing piece that will answer our research question.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can contribute to the focus statement and detail sentences in a piece of shared writing."

  • Define contribute (to give something). Tell them that they will need to contribute ideas to their partner and, at times, the whole class, during today's writing work.
  • Briefly point out that when researchers share information with others through writing, they must include important parts in the paragraph so the reader can really understand the information.
  • Direct students' attention to the Parts of an Informational Paragraph anchor chart.
  • Tell students that they will create only part of their feathers informational paragraph today:
    • the focus statement and first detail sentences
  • Read through each part and explain that they'll talk more about each one as they write it.
  • Say:

"The first sentence we will write is called the focus statement. The focus statement tells the "big idea" of our piece.

  • Turn and Talk:

"What's the big idea of our piece?" (Birds' feathers help them to survive.)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen in to target a few students to share out with the whole group.
  • Invite one or two students to share out.
  • Based on the ideas students share, model how to write a focus statement based on the big ideas they have articulated. Write the focus statement on the Shared Writing Template: Feathers. Refer to Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • The next parts of the paragraph are the detail sentences. The detail sentences help the reader understand the focus statement by telling information from the research. Tell students you will work together to add your detail sentences one at a time.
  • Turn and Talk:

"As we look at the first column on our Feathers: Class Notes, what is one detail we could add about how birds' feathers help them to survive?" (Responses will vary, but should include a fact from the first column of the Feathers: Class Notes.)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen in to pre-select a few students to share out.
  • Invite one or two students to share out.
  • Based on the ideas students share, model how to write a sentence based on the detail they have found. Write the first detail sentence on the Shared Writing Template: Feathers. Refer to Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Say:

"We need to tell the reader one more detail to explain the first detail sentence we wrote. We need to tell the reader why some birds have ____ feathers (whatever is written as the first detail sentence).

    • Turn and Talk:

"What sentence would explain this first detail?" (Answers will vary, but should be pulled from the Feathers: Class Notes and align with the first detail.)

    • As students talk, circulate and pre-select students to share out.
  • Repeat the same modeling process with the second detail sentence.
  • Reread the focus statement and first two detail sentences.
  • Offer specific, positive feedback on how students used the information from their research to begin to write their class informational paragraph about feathers.
  • Invite students to stand up and sing the "Spied a Feather" song from Lesson 2.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Summarizing the Target) Ask students to summarize and then to personalize the learning target. Ensure that students name the Parts of an Informative Paragraph anchor chart as the tool to analyze the model. (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Rereading) Ensure students can read and understand the Feathers: Class Notes before inviting students to turn and talk.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with working memory: (Providing Think Time) Ensure students have ample quiet time to think after the question "What is the big idea of our piece?" is posed and before turning to talk to a partner.

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

  • Direct students' attention back to the What Researchers Do anchor chart. Tell them that they are now going to practice two other important skills as researchers:
    • Looking closely
    • Drawing and writing about what they see
  • Remind them that they did this in the previous lesson when they practiced drawing semiplume feathers.
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can explain the purpose of a contour feather using pictures and words."

  • Define the word contour by reading aloud the text below the contour feather on page 30:
    • "Contour feathers cover most of a bird's body. They give birds their shape and colors."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do contour feathers do?" (keep birds' shape and color)

  • Show students the Bird Word Wall card for contour and follow the same process established in previous lessons: Provide its definition, clap out its syllables, use it in a sentence, and place the Word Wall card and picture for it on the Bird Word Wall.
  • Tell students that they will first create a scientific drawing and then they will write about their drawing.
  • Invite students to watch and listen carefully as you think aloud about how to create a scientific drawing of a contour feather.
  • Think aloud:
    • Say: "I know that feathers can be all different shapes, so the first thing I am going to do is trace the feather with my finger to identify what kind of lines it has."
    • Say: "I'm going to draw this brown feather. When I trace the contour feather with my finger, I see that it has both curved and pointy lines."
    • "Now I'm going to draw the shape of the lines of a contour feather."
    • Display page 3 of Birds Research notebook, Part II.
    • Say: "I'm going to start at the bottom of the feather and work my way around the edge, making sure I draw what I see. The first part is just curved, and then some lines start to point out on this side. This is going to help me make sure my drawing is accurate, which is important in a scientific drawing.
    • Draw the outline of the contour feather in the box on page 3 of the Birds Research notebook, Part II. Refer to Birds Research notebook, Part II (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Say: "I also need to add details because I know that a scientific drawing is detailed. I see that the rachis is kind of curved, so I am going to draw that curved."
    • Model drawing the rachis of the feather.
    • Say: "When I look really closely at the barbs, I see that they are kind of slanted and point up a bit."
    • Sketch the barbs coming out from the rachis.
  • Tell students that now they are going to have a chance to practice drawing the contour feather. Briefly tell them that they can try drawing either the brown or the gray feather.
  • Remind them that they will share a copy of the text with their book buddy, so they should take turns tracing the feather and looking closely at the details.
  • Distribute copies of Feathers, Not Just for Flying to pre-determined book buddies.
  • Follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lesson 3 to guide students through drawing a contour feather on page 3 of their Birds Research notebook, Part II:
    • Dismiss students to their workspaces and invite them to begin working.
    • As students draw, circulate and offer guidance, support, and time checks as necessary.
    • After 10 minutes of drawing, tell students to find a good stopping point in their work.
    • Direct them to the sentence frame at the bottom of page 3 of the Birds Research notebook, Part II.
    • Reread the contour caption aloud.
    • Turn and Talk:

"Why do some birds have contour feathers? Use the sentence frame "Some birds have contour feathers so _____________." (Responses will vary, but may include: Some birds have contour feathers so they can give a bird its shape and color.)

    • Invite one or two students to share out.
    • Ask students to write their idea in their notebook.
    • Again, circulate as students write and offer guidance and support as necessary.
    • After 2-3 minutes of writing time, invite book buddies to quietly hop back to the whole group meeting area.
  • For ELLs: (Using Visuals: Steps) Invite a student to read the steps for drawing at the top of page 1 of the Birds Research notebook before students begin drawing.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing their ideas for written expression: (Verbal Writing Practice) Allow students to discuss and rehearse their sentence before writing. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: When you give students a warning before the transition, provide a clear routine for what to do with unfinished work and use a timer. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Musical Circles Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group and offer specific, positive feedback on completing their scientific drawings and explanations.
  • Follow the same routine from the Closing of Lesson 2 to guide students through considering what academic goal they worked on today:
    • Focus students on the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart and briefly review the Academic Goals column.
    • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which academic goals did we work on in today's lesson?" (writing a shared piece about feathers research, creating scientific drawings of feathers, and describing how feathers help a bird survive)

    • Invite students to silently consider:

"Which academic goal did you work hard on today? What did you do to work on that goal?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Provide a sentence frame as needed.
    • Guide students through the Musical Circles protocol using the short, familiar song and the following prompt:

"Which academic goal did you work hard on today? What did you do to work on that goal?"

    • Refer to the Musical Circles Protocol anchor chart as necessary.
    • If productive, use a Goal 4 Conversation Cue to encourage students to compare ideas:

"How is what _____ said the same as/different from what _____ said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

    • Circulate to support students and use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to gather data on students' progress toward SL.1.1 and SL.1.2.
    • Invite students to return to their seats.
  • Share that in the next lesson they will start to think about their character goals for this unit during the reflection time.
  • For ELLs: (Student Modeling) Before students share, consider inviting an ELL to model using the academic column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart to set goals.
  • For students who may need additional support with verbal expression: Invite them to write down their idea on an index card to use as they share during the protocol. (MMAE, MME)

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