Reading and Writing: Modeling Research with Little Kids First Big Book of Birds | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M3:U3:L4

Reading and Writing: Modeling Research with Little Kids First Big Book of Birds

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • 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.1.6: Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
  • RI.1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
  • 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.1.1c: Ask questions to clear up any confusion 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.
  • SL.1.3: Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
  • SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can research information about the cardinal using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds. (RI.1.6, RI.1.7, W.1.7, W.1.8)
  • I can draw a sketch of my expert bird that shows my understanding of placement and details. (W.1.7)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening, continue to observe students as they discuss and ask questions about the Mystery Riddles and gather data on their progress toward SL.1.1a and SL.1.1c.
  • During Work Time A, continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist during the reading aloud to research expert birds in Work Time A to track students' progress toward RI.1.5, RI.1.6, RI.1.7, W.1.7, and W.1.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Riddle Discussion Protocol: Mystery Bird Riddle #4 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research and Take Notes: Little Kids First Big Book of Birds (20 minutes)

B. Making Observations: Scientific Drawing, Placement, and Details (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Peer Feedback: Expert Bird Drawing, Draft 2 (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • During Work Time A, students are again asked to participate in shared research about the cardinal, this time using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, which was introduced in Lesson 1. During the shared research, students continue to build their research skills around informational text and practice using informational text features to help them find information. Students use these skills when they use this text to research their expert birds in the next lesson.
  • During Work Time B, students continue to refine their scientific drawing skills that they have been practicing throughout this module. During this lesson, students learn and practice how to pay attention to the placement of body parts on their drawing and how to add details to make their drawing realistic.
  • During the Closing, students continue giving kind, specific, and helpful feedback to their classmates based on a second draft of their expert bird drawing. The target of the feedback during today's lesson is on placement of body parts and details used in their second draft.
  • Students use the feedback received during the Closing to revise and improve their drawing as they complete their third draft during tomorrow's lesson. Consider stapling or attaching the drafts together so that students can begin to see the improvement in their drawings based on peer feedback.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • As in Lessons 2-3, students participate in the Riddle Discussion protocol in small groups.
  • As in Lesson 2, students participate in shared research as a class on the cardinal that serves as a model for the research in the upcoming lesson.
  • In Lesson 3, students were reintroduced to the process of giving kind, specific, and helpful feedback to a partner about their expert bird drawing. Students will continue to work on giving helpful and specific feedback during today's lesson.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Continue to follow the suggested supports from the Opening of Lesson 1.
  • During Work Time B, some students may want to provide greater detail in their drawing than time allows. For those students, consider presenting the activity as a playful challenge: "Can you sketch a bird in 5 minutes?" or provide time checks throughout this portion of the lesson.
  • In Work Time B, students may be challenged when thinking about the placement of body parts on their expert bird drawing. Consider having cut-out picture models of expert birds, where students can practice arranging body parts in the correct place.
  • Some students may need additional support with providing specific feedback during the Closing. Consider providing and posting sentence frames for students to reference. (Examples: "You did a good job of _______." "I think you should _______.")

Down the road:

  • In Lessons 5-6, students will again use Little Kids First Big Book of Birds when researching their expert birds in their research groups. Review students' Expert Birds Research notebooks to ensure that students are collecting enough information to be able to write their Expert Bird Riddle card.

In Advance

  • Prepare Mystery Bird Riddle Card #4, in color if possible.
  • Post: Learning targets 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 1-2 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.5, 1.I.B.6, 1.I.B.8, 1.I.C.9, 1.I.C.10, and 1.II.A.1

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by building confidence with riddles before writing their own for the performance task and opportunities to deepen their understanding of the process of feedback and critique.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to stay focused throughout the modeling of the scientific drawing (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Provide more time to take notes during Work Time A.

For heavier support:

  • Consider reviewing the list of what students need to do as they research information as well as the list of steps for completing the scientific drawing.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Similar to Units 1-2, this lesson offers a variety of visual anchors to cue students' thinking. Continue to support students by creating additional or individual anchor charts for reference and charting student responses during whole class discussions to aid in comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing need by offering students options for writing utensils. Also consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of student responses.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to foster collaboration and community by providing prompts that guide students toward knowing when and how to ask classmates or teachers for help.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • incubate, crest, flatten, placement (T)

Review:

  • kind, helpful, and specific feedback (L)

Materials

  • Mystery Bird Riddle Card #4 (one per group and one to display)
  • Riddle Discussion Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Beaks: Class Notes (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 6)
  • Feathers: Class Notes (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 3)
  • Expert Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; pages 1, 2, and 5; one per student and one for teacher modeling)
  • Expert Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
  • Little Kids First Big Book of Birds (from Lesson 1; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Expert Bird Scientific Drawing Criteria anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3)
  • Cardinal photograph (from Lesson 3; one to display)
  • Expert bird photographs (from Lesson 3; one per pair in each expert group and one to display)
    • Hummingbird photograph
    • Woodpecker photograph
    • Blue jay photograph
    • Pelican photograph
    • Penguin photograph
    • Wood duck photograph
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Pinky Partners Protocol anchor chart (begun in Module 1)

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. Riddle Discussion Protocol: Mystery Bird Riddle #4 (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Remind them of their work solving the Mystery Riddles over the past several lessons.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What was the mystery bird from the previous lesson?" (macaw)

"What clue helped you figure out the riddle?" (Responses will vary, but may include: It's a bright and colorful bird. It has a heavy, sharp beak to crush seeds.)

  • If productive, cue students to compare their ideas:

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

  • Tell students that today they will learn about a new mystery bird.
  • Using Mystery Bird Riddle Card #4, follow the routine from the Opening of Lesson 1 to guide students through listening to and acting out the riddle card.
  • Tell students they are now going to use the Riddle Discussion protocol to try to solve the riddle. Remind them that they used this protocol in the previous lesson, and review as necessary using the Riddle Discussion Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Move students into pre-determined groups and guide them through the protocol.
  • Reveal that the flamingo is the mystery bird in the riddle.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their work with using clues and questions to figure out the riddle.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Defining Words) Invite students to explain the meaning of the word filter. Prompt students to recall any relevant prior knowledge. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Solving Riddles) Before doing a microphone share, invite a student to share out notices and wonders about the bird and how resources around the classroom helped him or her determine the mystery bird.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support in self-monitoring: (Solving Riddles) Invite students to share what evidence from the Mystery Riddle helped them decide what the mystery bird was. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "It has an upside-down beak/that helps it catch and filter food."
    • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
  • "What is this chunk about?" This sentence is about the beak of a mystery bird.
  • catch and filter food: "What does the beak help the bird do?" The beak of this bird helps it catch and filter food. This means the mystery bird uses its beak to grab and sift food: They place their beaks upside down in the water and suck water into their beaks and out, trapping tiny animals and plants.
  • Practice: " Help it _____ and ____ food."
    • Reconstruct: Reread the sentence. Ask:

"Now what do you think the sentence means?"

"How does this mini Language Dive add to your understanding of the riddle?"

    • Practice: "It has a ________ that helps it ________." Ask:

"Can we divide this sentence into two or more sentences? How?"

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Aloud to Research and Take Notes: Little Kids First Big Book of Birds (20 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Direct their attention to the Beaks: Class Notes and Feathers: Class Notes and remind them they used these notes in Lesson 2 to begin researching the cardinal.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"On which chart did we find information about the cardinal?" (Feathers: Class Notes)

"What information did we find about the cardinal on the chart?" (The cardinal's feathers are colored to match its habitat and to help it hide from enemies.)

  •  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."

  • Display page 1 of the Expert Birds Research notebook and remind students that they began to record information about one body part on this page during Lesson 2.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can research information about the cardinal using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds."

  • Tell students that today they will research more about the cardinal and continue to take notes about a new body part using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What are other body parts that we might collect information about?" (beaks, wings, feet)

  • If productive, cue students to listen carefully:

"Who can repeat what your classmate said?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Display the table of contents in Little Kids First Big Book of Birds and say: "Remember 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 numbers."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What page should we turn to in order to learn about the cardinal?" (page 62)

  • 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? I'll give you time to think."

  • Display and read aloud pages 62-65, including the headings, text boxes, captions, and labels on each page.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What text features did you notice on these pages?" (illustrations, headings, text boxes, labels)

  • Remind students that as we use this text to research more about the cardinal, we should use these different text features to find new information.
  • Display page 2 of the Expert Birds Research notebook and read aloud the first question:
    • "What is your expert bird?"
  • Write "cardinal" on the line. Tell students that today they will research new information about an additional body part of the cardinal.
  • Read the next two questions aloud:
    • "What body part helps the bird survive?"
    • "How does this body part help the bird survive?"
  • Reread pages 62-65 once more and think aloud to model how to find and add new information to the notebook. Say:
    • "I already found information about the feathers, so I want to search for information about another body part. As I look back through the pages, I am interested in learning more about this bird's beak. The cardinal has a large, cone-shaped beak. I wonder what it uses it for?"
    • "I will then go back and reread pages 62-65. As I reread the pages, I notice more information about the feathers. I already know about the feathers, so I will keep looking. I am still looking for information about beaks, so I want to study the illustrations to see if they provide me with any new information. I notice that the beak is cone-shaped, and I wonder if this shape helps the cardinal eat."
    • "I will also read some of the text boxes to see if they tell me anything about the beak. When I read the fact box on page 62, I notice that the cardinal eats seeds, fruit, and insects. I think that the cardinal's large, cone-shaped beak helps it eat seeds, fruit, and insects. The cardinal's beak is like the sparrow's beak on the Beaks: Class Notes. The sparrow uses its beak to crack seeds, so I think this is what the cardinal does with its beak."
  • Model answering the questions on page 2 of the Expert Birds Research notebook.
    • "What body part helps the bird survive?" (beak)
    • "How does this body part help the bird survive?" (The beak helps the cardinal eat seeds, fruit, and insects.)
  • Tell students that you will work only on answering the questions today, and that you will add illustrations in an upcoming lesson.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What did I have to do to find information in the text?" (You reread the text and used text features such as illustrations and text boxes.)

"Was it easy to find information about the beak?" (no)

  • 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? I'll give you time to think."

"What did I have to do to find information about the beak?" (You had to think about what the beak looks like and read the information about what the cardinal eats.)

  • Tell students that in the next lesson, they will use the same text and follow a similar process to find new information about their expert bird while collaborating with their expert bird research groups.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Reviewing) Invite students to recall the text features studied in Unit 2 (table of contents, index, illustrations, headings, text boxes, labels). (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with auditory processing: (Adding Visuals) Create a list of what students need to do as they research information (find the section using text features, read, reread, and use text features such as illustrations). (MMR)

B. Making Observations: Scientific Drawing, Placement, and Details (20 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Remind them that in the previous lesson, they completed the first draft of their scientific drawing of their expert bird and received feedback from a classmate about how to make the drawing better.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud.

"I can draw a sketch of my expert bird that shows my understanding of placement and details."

  • Direct students' attention to the Expert Bird Scientific Drawing Criteria anchor chart, and point to and read aloud the last two rows:
    • "Think about placement."
    • "Think about details."
  • Explain to students that today they will work on their second draft of their expert bird drawing, paying attention to placement and details.
  • Remind them that in the previous lesson they paid attention to shape and size.
  • Tell students that now you will model how to draw the second draft of a scientific drawing of a cardinal, paying close attention to placement of body parts and details.
  • Display the cardinal photograph and ask:

"Where do you notice the different body parts placed on the bird's body?" (Responses will vary.)

"Are there specific details that we should make sure to include in our second draft?" (The feathers are sticking up on top of the head.)

  • 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."

  • Display page 5 of the Expert Birds Research notebook and follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lesson 3 to think aloud and model drawing the cardinal:
    • Observe the cardinal photograph and notice shapes, size, placement of body parts, and details.
    • Trace shapes, body parts, and details on the photograph with your finger.
    • Draw a sketch of the cardinal on the page, paying attention to shapes, size, placement of body parts, and details.
    • Incorporate peer feedback from the previous lesson into your second draft.
  • Tell students they will now follow these same steps (and those from Lesson 3) to complete the second draft of their expert bird drawing.
    • Transition students to their workspaces with their Expert Birds Research notebooks and point out the Expert Bird photographs and pencils already there. Tell students they should share their photograph with another person in their expert group.
    • Invite students to begin sketching.
    • Circulate to support students as necessary.
    • As you circulate, consider asking: "Where do you notice the placement of the body parts?" "What details do you see and need to include?"
    • When 1 minute remains, signal all students to stop working and refocus whole group.
    • Tell students to place their Expert Birds Research notebooks next to them.
  • Tell students that in the next part of the lesson, they will have a chance to share the second draft of their drawing with a partner and ask for new feedback to make the drawing even better.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Defining words) Clarify the meaning of the word placement as the location or position of different body parts in the scientific drawing. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Adding Visuals) Consider adding on to the list of what students need to do as they complete their scientific drawing that they started in Lesson 3 (notice placement of body parts and details).
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Supporting Revision) To help students incorporate peer feedback from the previous lesson into their second draft, remind students that they can look for the star they added to mark the part(s) of their draft they got feedback on in order to make their drawing better. (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Peer Feedback: Expert Bird Drawing, Draft 2 (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group and give them specific, positive feedback on their work completing their second draft of their expert bird drawing.
  • Tell students that today they will share the second draft of their expert bird drawing with a partner and will give feedback to their partner.
  • Review the definition of kind, helpful, and specific feedback (suggestions for how to make your work better that are kind).
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is one piece of feedback that you received in the previous lesson that you used today on your second draft?" (Responses will vary.)

"What worked well yesterday when giving and receiving feedback?" (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, encourage 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."

  • Use the same routine from the Closing of Lesson 3 to guide students through giving and receiving peer feedback using the Pinky Partners protocol. Review the Pinky Partners Protocol anchor chart as necessary.
  • Refocus students whole group and ask:

"What is one piece of feedback that you received from a partner to make your drawing better?" (My partner told me to think about where to place the feet.)

"How will the feedback help you make your drawing better?" (It will help me focus on areas to change.)

  • 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? I'll give you time to think."

  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on their work with providing feedback to their classmates. Tell students that they will be able to apply this partner feedback during the next lesson when they draw their third draft of their expert bird drawing.
  • For ELLs: (Modeling: Giving Feedback) Consider inviting an ELL volunteer to help model giving kind, specific, and helpful feedback using a think-aloud, the peer feedback sentence frames, and the Expert Bird Scientific Drawing Criteria Brainstorm anchor chart.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning for revision: (Supporting Revision) Consider having students add a star to the part(s) of their draft they got feedback on to make their drawing better. This can help them remember what to work on in the next lesson. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with sustained motivation: (Supporting Revision) By the end of this section, some students might still perceive the feedback to mean their drawing is bad and needs correction. Consider reassuring all students again that the feedback will help them make their drawing even better so it is the best it can be for the end of module celebration. (MME)

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