Focused Read-aloud and Writing, Session 2: Pierre the Penguin | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M4:U1:L5

Focused Read-aloud and Writing, Session 2: Pierre the Penguin

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • RL.1.2: Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
  • RL.1.3: Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
  • W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • SL.1.1b: Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.
  • SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
  • L.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.1.1g: Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).
  • L.1.1j: Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.
  • 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.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can describe the solution and ending in the text Pierre the Penguin. (RL.1.1, RL.1.2, RL.1.3)
  • I can write about the solution and ending in Pierre the Penguin using evidence from the text. (W.1.8, L.1.1 g, L.1.1j)
  • I can discuss how Pam shows respect and compassion in Pierre the Penguin. (RL.1. 2, SL.1.1b)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening and Work Time C, continue to use the Language Standards Checklist to track student progress toward L.1.1g and L.1.1j (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Collect students' Stories of Bird Helpers response journals and continue to use the Reading Literature Checklist and Language Standards Checklist to track student progress toward RL 1.1, RL 1.3, RL 1.9, and L.1.1j (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Compound Sentences (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Language Dive: Pierre the Penguin (15 minutes)

B. Focused Read-aloud, Session 2: Pierre the Penguin, Pages 13-28 (15 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Stories of Bird Helpers Response Journal (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Icon Sentences Protocol: Compassion and Respect in Pierre the Penguin (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson follows a similar structure to Lesson 3 as students engage in Session 2 of a focused read-aloud of Pierre the Penguin. They continue to answer text-based questions as they identify the solution and ending of the story. Students also build more competence with determining the meaning of unknown words using multiple vocabulary strategies (L.1.4).
  • In Work Time A, students participate in a Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from Pierre the Penguin. The focus of this Language Dive is producing and expanding complete compound sentences in response to prompts (L.1.1j). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when writing their literature responses to prompts in this unit and as they write an opinion paragraph in Unit 2. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In the Opening, students continue to practice forming compound sentences. They also continue writing a compound sentence in response to a text-based question during Work Time C.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Continue to support students as they build confidence and competence during their work with compound sentences.
  • Continue to model creating a sentence with the icon set using a specific classroom example during the Closing as needed.

Down the road:

  • Students will compare and contrast the experiences of the characters in The Lion and the Bird and Pierre the Penguin in Lesson 6.
  • In Lesson 6, students will learn about two-voice poetry as they engage with a poem about a bird and a bird helper. Consider asking another adult to help read the poem aloud and record it so that students can listen to it through multiple lessons.

In Advance

  • Prepare Pierre the Penguin sentence card sets and place them in plastic sandwich bags for easier distribution and cleanup.
  • Distribute materials for Work Time C at student workspaces.
  • Review the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart as needed (begun in Module 3).
  • Strategically pair students for partner work in the Closing.
  • Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the language goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the language goals provided to best meet your students' needs.
  • Preview page 4 of the Stories of Bird Helpers response journal to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students.
  • 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 1-3 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.A.3, 1.I.B.5, 1.I.B.6, 1.I.B.8, 1.II.C.6, and 1.l.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to engage in rigorous work with compound sentences and story elements through reading quality literature.
  • ELLs may find the work with compound sentences challenging, particularly when to use the conjunctions and, so, and because (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Review the Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart, focusing on the questions in each strategy.
  • Add the words wear and wears to the Base Words and Word Parts 1 chart started in Lesson 1.

For heavier support:

  • In Work Time A, to help students understand which conjunction might work best when writing compound sentences, create a chart titled Conjunctions, with examples of and, so, and because: To show the reason that something happened, use because. (Example: Bird couldn't fly because his wing was hurt.) To add one thing to another, use and. (Example: The lion and the bird are sleeping.) To show purpose or reason, use so. (Example: Lion watered his garden so it would grow.)
  • Help students make compound sentences orally by manipulating the sentence construction cards with the words Pierre, because, so, she, and he and the phrases Pam helps, by making a wetsuit, can swim again, his feathers grow back, and is warm. Remind them that instead of using the word Pierre twice, they can use the word he (see the Tactile Writing Practice in the Meeting Students' Needs column in Work Time C).

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffolding connections for students. Continue to provide a visual display of questions and student responses on chart paper or the board during discussions.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): This lesson offers several opportunities for students to engage in discussion with partners. Continue to support those who may struggle with expressive language by providing sentence frames to help them organize their thoughts.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Recall that some students may need examples of how to problem-solve when they want to write a word with tricky spelling. Continue to emphasize sustained effort and process by modeling how to sound out a word with tricky spelling and demonstrate how to use environmental print to support spelling accuracy.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • -less (L)
  • wetsuit, featherless (T)

Review:

  • compound, conjunction, solution (L)

Materials

  • "African Penguins" (from Lesson 4; one to display)
  • Types of Sentences anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Pierre the Penguin (from Lesson 4; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Chart paper (one piece; used by the teacher to record sentences)
  • Language Dive Guide: Pierre the Penguin (for teacher reference)
    • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive (begun in Module 3)
    • Chunk Chart: Pierre the Penguin (for teacher reference)
    • Sentence Strip Chunks: Pierre the Penguin (one to display)
  • Stories of Bird Helpers anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; added to during Work Time B; see supporting materials)
  • L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Pierre the Penguin Icon Set, #1-7 (from Lesson 4; one to display)
  • Stories of Bird Helpers anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
  • Stories of Bird Helpers response journal (from Lesson 2; added to during Work Time C; page 4; one per student and one to display)
  • Stories of Bird Helpers response journal (from Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
  • Icon Sentences Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Classroom Icon Set (from Lesson 2; one set per pair)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

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: Compound Sentences (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group by singing "African Penguins."
  • Tell students that they will continue to practice forming compound sentences today during conversations and when they write.
  • Direct students' attention to the Types of Sentences anchor chart and review the structure and purpose of compound sentences.
    • Say:

"When we connect two simple sentences, we make a compound sentence. We use conjunctions, or linking words, to connect the simple sentences. Common conjunctions are so, because, and and. A compound sentence is two simple sentences or two parts of sentences put together to make a longer one. When writers and speakers use compound sentences, they sound a bit more interesting. If we only spoke or wrote simple sentences, we might start to sound like a robot!"

  • Use the same routine from the Opening of Lesson 4 to guide students through creating a compound sentence based on an illustration in Pierre the Penguin.
    • Display and read aloud pages 11-12 of Pierre the Penguin.
    • Ask:

"What is braying?" (a loud, harsh sound that some animals, like donkeys, make)

    • Using a total participation technique, invite students to form a complete sentence in response to the question:

"What are the three penguins doing?" (The penguins are braying at Pierre.)

    • Write this sentence on a blank piece of chart paper.
    • Repeat this process with the following question:

"Why are the penguins braying?" (The penguins are scared of Pierre.)

Conversation Cue: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

    • Say and think aloud:

"Now we are going to practice connecting these two sentences with a conjunction to form a compound sentence!"

"We have two simple sentences: 'The penguins are braying' and 'The penguins are scared of Pierre.'"

    • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which conjunction might work well here if we want to form a compound sentence?" (for)

Conversation Cue: "Can you figure out why that conjunction might work well in this sentence? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

    • Think-Pair-Share:

"Share a compound sentence with your partner using the conjunction because." (The penguins are braying, for they are scared of Pierre.)

    • Write this compound sentence on the Types of Sentences anchor chart.
    • Invite students to read the compound sentence aloud as you point to each word.
    • Ask students to stand up and act out the compound sentence as you read it aloud.
  • Tell students they will practice writing a compound sentence in their response journal later in the lesson.
  • For ELLs: (Clarifying Meaning: Conjunctions) Clarify the meaning and function of different conjunctions to help students understand which one might work best when writing compound sentences or using them in conversation (see Supporting English Language Learners).
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider writing the two simple sentences on sentence strips and inviting students to "join" the sentence strips with an index card prewritten with the conjunction (because) in green. (MMR, MMAE)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Language Dive: Pierre the Penguin (15 minutes)

  • Invite students to play a couple of rounds of Bird Simon Says.
  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive.
  • Direct students' attention to the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is one question you can ask during a Language Dive?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Display and reread page 7 of Pierre the Penguin.
  • Focus on the sentence:
    • "One day aquatic biologist Pam, observing the penguins, saw one in a jam."
  • Use the Language Dive Guide: Pierre the Penguin, Chunk Chart: Pierre the Penguin, and Sentence Strip Chunks: Pierre the Penguin to guide students through a Language Dive of the sentence.
  • For students who may need additional support with oral language and processing: Allow ample wait time after asking questions during the Language Dive. (MME, MMAE)

B. Focused Read-aloud, Session 2: Pierre the Penguin, Pages 13-28 (15 minutes)

  • Invite students to stand up and sing "African Penguins."
  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the Stories of Bird Helpers anchor chart and review the characters, setting, and problem in Pierre the Penguin.
  • Share with students that today they will listen to the rest of the story read aloud and will continue to add icons to the anchor chart for this particular text.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can describe the solution and ending in the text Pierre the Penguin."

  • Define solution (an answer to a problem).
  • Tell students that today they should listen for information that identifies the solution and ending of the story.
  • While still displaying the text, complete a first read of pages 13-28.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What was this part of the book mostly about?" (Pam created a small wetsuit for Pierre to keep him warm. He also grew new feathers.)

Conversation Cue: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

  • Direct students' attention to the L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart and review as needed. Tell students that they will continue to work on using these strategies to figure out the meaning of unknown words.
  • Follow the same routine from Work Time C of Lesson 4 to guide students through using the L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart to determine the meaning of the word wetsuit:
    • Focus students on the first strategy on the anchor chart.
    • Reread the last two sentences on page 13, prompting students to listen for the other words that might help them figure out what the word means.
    • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does the word wetsuit mean?" (a tight-fitting rubber suit that helps people stay warm in the water)

"How do you know?" (The text says that Pam's dog wears a raincoat, so a wetsuit might be like a raincoat that keeps things warm and dry.)

    • Turn to pages 15-16 and ask students to look closely at the picture. Ask:

"What are Pam and her friend doing?" (making the wetsuit for Pierre)

    • Repeat this process with the word featherless on page 17 using the second strategy on the anchor chart again:

"What might the extra word -less mean?" (not having)

"So if we know what the base word feather and the extra piece -less mean, what does featherless mean?" (not having feathers)

    • Say:

"That matches what we already know about Pierre. He does not have feathers."

  • Continue the read-aloud by displaying page 21 and reading it aloud. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What did Pierre do?" (He dove into the water.)

  • Reread page 26 and invite students to study the picture on page 25. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Why is Pam happy?" (Pierre grew new feathers!)

Conversation Cue: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

  • Direct students' attention back to the Stories of Bird Helpers anchor chart and focus them on the last three columns.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Who helps Pierre?" (Pam, the biologist)

"What does she do?" (makes a wetsuit for Pierre)

"What happens at the end of the story?" (Pierre grows new feathers and is warm again.)

Conversation Cue: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

  • Invite a student volunteer to come up and place icons 5-7 from the Pierre the Penguin Icon Set, #1-7 in the corresponding columns.
  • Review the three columns once completed. Refer to the Stories of Bird Helpers anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • For ELLs: (Annotating Text Context Clues) Write the sentences "'My dog wears a raincoat,' she told the vet" and "Could Pierre wear a wetsuit?" on the board. Annotate them when thinking aloud about clues in other words in the sentence to figure out the meaning of wetsuit. (Examples: Circle the word raincoat and connect it with an arrow to the word wetsuit, write the word warm by raincoat, and underline the words wear and wears.)
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension by activating prior knowledge of the text: Invite students to retell what happens on pages 1-12 of Pierre the Penguin in 30 seconds with a partner. (MMR)

C. Independent Writing: Stories of Bird Helpers Response Journal (10 minutes)

  • Refocus students and remind them that readers often write about the text after they have read, thought, and talked about it. When learners read, think, talk, and write about texts, they understand them better.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can write about the solution and ending in Pierre the Penguin using evidence from the text."

  • Follow the same routine from Work Time C of Lesson 2 to guide students through completing page 3 of their Stories of Bird Helpers response journal. Note: Students will write their response in the form of a compound sentence.
    • Display page 4 of the response journal and Think-Pair-Share:

"Who helps Pierre? Use the Stories of Bird Helpers anchor chart if you need a reminder." (Pam helps Pierre by making him a wetsuit.)

"How does this solve the problem?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Pierre is warm; Pierre can swim again; Pierre's feathers grow back.)

Conversation Cue: "What, in the text, makes you think so?" (Responses will vary.)

    • As students share out, capture the simple sentences on the board.
    • Remind students of the purpose of conjunctions and point out that so might be a helpful conjunction to use here.
    • Turn and Talk:

"What compound sentence will you write in your response journal?" (Pam makes Pierre a wetsuit, so he can stay warm and swim again.)

    • Transition students to their workspaces by having them waddle like penguins and invite them to complete page 4.
    • Circulate to support students as they write. Refer to the Stories of Bird Helpers response journal (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • When 1 minute remains, invite one or two pre-selected students to read their sentences aloud.
  • For ELLs: (Tactile Writing Practice) Help students make compound sentences orally by manipulating the sentence construction cards (see Supporting English Language Learners).
  • For ELLs: (Review Meaning: Conjunctions) Review the meaning and function of the conjunction so. Remind students that so is used to show purpose or reason.
  • For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: Use a visual timer and display a reminder for students to complete the writing prior to illustrating. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Icon Sentences Protocol: Compassion and Respect in Pierre the Penguin (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the third one aloud.

"I can discuss how Pam shows respect and compassion in Pierre the Penguin."

  • Tell students that they are going to use the Icon Sentences protocol to look at how the characters in the story showed habits of character. Remind them that they used this protocol in Lessons 2-4 and review as necessary using the Icon Sentences Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
    • Move students into pairs and distribute the Classroom Icon set.
    • Guide students through the protocol using the following prompt:
      • "How did Pam's actions show compassion and respect toward Pierre?"
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on following specific steps of the Icon Sentences protocol.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Student Modeling) Invite a student to review the Icon Sentences Protocol using the chart. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Reviewing Icons) Quickly review the meaning of each picture from the Classroom Icon Set.

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