Research Reading, Session 1: “What’s Best? The Debate about Pale Male’s Nest” | EL Education Curriculum

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Research Reading, Session 1: “What’s Best? The Debate about Pale Male’s Nest”

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • RI.1.2: Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
  • RI.1.4: Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases 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.
  • RI.1.8: Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
  • 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).
  • 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.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.1.1h: Use determiners (e.g., articles, demonstratives).
  • L.1.1j: Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.
  • L.1.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
  • 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 identify the determiners that match with each noun picture card. (L.1.1h)
  • I can research information about Pale Male using the text "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest." (RI.1.1, RI.1.2, RI.1.4, RI.1.6, RI.1.7, RI.1.8, W.1.7)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening, observe students as they begin to connect determiners with nouns and gather data on their progress toward L.1.1h.
  • During the sentence sort in Work Time A and the independent reading to research Pale Male in Work Time B, use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.1.1, RI.1.1, RI.1.4, RI.1.6, RI.1.7, and RI.1.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Determiners Matching Game (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Text-Based Discussion: Sentence Sort from "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" (20 minutes)

B. Reading Independently to Research Pale Male: "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In the Opening, students practice when and how to use determiners. Recall that in this unit, students will focus on the determiners this, that, these, and those (L.1.1h).
  • During the Opening, students learn how to play the determiners matching game. Although the game is typically played in pairs, students are led through it today as a whole group. This whole group introduction supports students' thinking about what determiners are and how to connect them to nouns. This whole group instruction will support students in playing the game in pairs in Lessons 5-6.
  • During the text-based discussion in Work Time A, students work together to read and sort selected sentences from the text "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest," which was first read in Lesson 3. The sentence sort activity is meant to encourage students to discuss the text and to identify the two different opinions along with the reasons that support each opinion (RI.1.8).
  • During Work Time B, students synthesize the sorted sentences into short phrases in their individual notes. This activity encourages students to begin to think about the most important part of the sentence and encourages them to state the reason in their own words so that they can remember.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 3, students first read the text "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" and discussed specific story elements. In this lesson, they reread the text and begin to discuss the two different opinions about Pale Male's nest.
  • In Lessons 2-3, students were reintroduced to the character trait of empathy during the Closing. In this lesson, students continue to think about empathy but will also be reintroduced to the character trait of respect, specifically how respect relates to having opinions.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Some students may find it challenging to reread the selected sentences from "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" during Work Time A. Strategically group students so they can support one another well as they read, research, and sort these sentences, ensuring that proficient readers are grouped with readers who need support. Additionally, think about reading aloud selected sentences to the whole class.
  • Some students may need additional support when writing their individual Pale Male notes during Work Time B. Remind them to use the tools around the room such as the Bird Word Wall and the High Frequency Word Wall. Consider encouraging students to complete their notes using both pictures and words.
  • Some students may need additional support turning sentences into short phrases during Work Time B. Consider having several examples available for students to reference as they work in small groups.

Down the road:

  • Students will continue to play the determiners game during Lessons 5-6 to reinforce their understanding of how to use and connect determiners to nouns. Students will notice the use of determiners in the jazz chant and in the "Feed the Birds" two-voice poem throughout this unit.
  • In Lesson 5, students will meet with a partner who researched the opposing opinion about Pale Male's nest. They will share notes and work together to create a comprehensive set of notes for both opinions in the debate that includes reasons for each opinion.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine groups of three or four for Work Times A and B. Consider keeping groups the same for both Work Times.
  • 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.B.6, 1.I.B.8, 1.II.C.6, 1.l.C.10, and 1.I.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through opportunities to use their knowledge of determiners through a matching game and to understand the debate about Pale Male's nest by looking closely at opinions on both sides of the debate.
  • Students may find it difficult to explain why the two cards connect as they play the determiners matching game in Work Time A (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Review determiners in home languages and discuss concrete examples.

For heavier support:

  • Preview the determiner cards for the matching game in the Opening. Hold up the cards one at a time, reading the words aloud and making sure students understand them. Hold up each noun picture card and explain that these picture cards represent one thing or more than one thing and that these pictures also show things that are close by or far away.
  • Use sentence frames to help students explain why the two cards connect in the determiners matching game during the Opening. (Example: _______ is a word I use when I am talking about something _____ and when I am referring to ______. Those is a word I use when I am talking about something far away and when I am referring to more than one thing).

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 visual display of questions and student responses on chart paper or the board during discussions.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students as they set appropriate goals for their level and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to encourage self-regulatory skills and help students anticipate and manage frustration by modeling what to do if they need help from their partners. Recall that offering these supports for engagement promotes a safe learning space for all students.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • sort, phrase (L)

Review:

  • determiner, debate, opinion, respect (L)

Materials

  • Determiners anchor chart (new; teacher created; see supporting materials)
  • Determiners anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Determiner cards (one set per class)
  • Noun picture cards (one set per class)
  • "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" (from Lesson 3; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" sentence strips (one set per group)
  • "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" sorting sheets (one of each per group)
  • Glue stick (one per pair)
  • Pale Male research notebook (from Lesson 2; added to during Work Time B; page 3; one per student)
  • Pale Male research notebook (from Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 2)
  • Respectful Opinions anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Respectful Opinions anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)

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: Determiners Matching Game (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can identify the determiners that match with each noun picture card."

  • Direct students' attention to the Determiners anchor chart and remind them that in the previous lesson they began to look at determiners while participating in the jazz chant. Refer to the Determiners anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Remind students that a determiner is a word that helps the listener understand which thing you are talking about in a sentence.
  • Review the four determiners found on the chart (this, that, these, those).
  • While referencing the anchor chart and using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"When would I use the words this or these?" (when I am talking about something close by)

"What's different about using the words this and these?" (You use the word this when you are talking about one thing. You use the word these when you are talking about more than one thing.)

"When would I use the words that or those?" (when I am talking about something far away)

"What is different about the words that and those?" (You use the word that when you are talking about one thing. You use the word those when you are talking about more than one thing.)

Conversation Cue: "How does our discussion add to your understanding of determiners? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students that today you will teach them a new vocabulary game to practice using determiners.
    • Invite students to move to a spot around the edge of the whole group meeting area. As needed, remind them to move safely and make space for everyone.
    • Lay the determiner cards and noun picture cards on the floor in the middle of the whole group area, leaving space between the cards.
    • Invite students to look at the cards laid out on the floor, and then point to the place in the classroom where they have seen the same words (e.g., the "Two Sides of the Story" jazz chant, Bird Word Wall, Determiners anchor chart).
    • Hold up each determiner card, reading the words aloud.
    • Hold up each noun picture card and explain that these picture cards represent one thing or more than one thing and explain that these pictures also show things that are close by or far away. Point out that the cards with the dotted line are meant to show things far away.
    • Share that now the class will connect a determiner card with a noun picture card.
    • Tell students that they should look to make connections between a determiner and a noun picture card that is appropriate (e.g., this -> close-up picture of a nest).
    • Tell students to think about how to connect determiners with nouns that agree in number and closeness.
  • Model making a connection between two cards.
    • Choose a determiner card. Read the word on the card aloud (e.g., those).
    • Search for a noun picture card that agrees with number and proximity (e.g., those -> "far away picture of eggs").
    • Explain why the two cards connect (e.g., Those is a word I use when I am talking about something far away and when I am referring to more than one thing).
      • Invite students to help you repeat this process by matching two more cards (e.g., these -> "close-up picture of eyes").
  • Tell students that in the next lesson they will get to participate in the determiners matching game with a partner!
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Defining Words) Define agree as something that is appropriate or something that matches. The determiner card needs to agree or match with a noun picture card. For cards to agree, they must be appropriate and match in number and proximity. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Adding Visuals) Consider making a brief list of the steps in the game (read a card, find a noun card, explain why they match). (MMAE)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Text Based Discussion: Sentence Sort from "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" (20 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group and give them specific, positive feedback on their work matching determiners with noun pictures.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can research information about Pale Male using the text 'What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest.'"

  • Display "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest." Remind students that in the previous lesson they began to learn about the debate about Pale Male.
  • Review the definition of debate (a discussion involving people who have different opinions).
  • Today students will continue to research more about Pale Male and will begin to research about the two different opinions of the debate.
  • Ask:

"What were the two different opinions about Pale Male's nest from the text?" (One opinion was to leave it up; the other opinion was to take it down.)

  • Read the text aloud, inviting students to think about each side of the debate as you read.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What do the birdwatchers want?" (They want to leave the nest up.)

"Why?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Tall buildings are good places for nests; Pale Male could find food; the birds are fun to look at.)

"What do the people who live in the apartment building want?" (They want the nest to be taken down.)

"Why?" (Responses will vary, but may include: The nest is messy; the area is becoming crowded.)

Conversation Cue: "How did our discussion add to your understanding of the debate about Pale Male's nest? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Display the "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" sentence strips and read them aloud.
  • Tell students that they will now split up into research groups to further discuss the debate about Pale Male. Students will work in groups to reread each sentence taken from "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest"and will sort (put into groups) sentences according to the two different opinions (leave the nest up or take the nest down).
  • Display the "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" sorting sheets and tell students that each group should sort their sentences onto the appropriate sorting sheet. Once groups have agreed where to place the sentences, they should adhere them with a glue stick.
  • Tell students that sentences that do not fit either opinion should be put aside.
  • Move students into pre-determined groups and distribute the sentence strips and sorting sheets.
  • Transition groups to places around the room. Once groups have settled, reread each sentence strip aloud and direct students to follow along as you read. Pause after reading each sentence strip and give students time to sort the sentence.
  • Circulate to support students and help groups by rereading the sentences aloud as they follow along, if necessary. Consider prompting students with questions such as: "Which opinion does the sentence support?" "What evidence from the sentence tells you that?"
  • After 12-15 minutes, refocus whole group. Instruct students to leave their completed sorting sheets at their workspaces and return to the whole group area to sit with their group.
  • Invite each group to share out one sentence they sorted.
  • Tell students they are now going to look at one opinion in depth as each group takes notes about one side of the debate using the sorted sentences.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Adding Visuals) Add pictures to the "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" sentence strips to facilitate independent reading of the strips. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with managing resources: (Discuss Opinion Statements) Warn students that there will be sentences that don't belong in either category. Discuss how those sentences don't state an opinion. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with auditory processing: Provide individual copies of "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" for students to follow along as it is read aloud. (MMR, MME)

B. Reading Independently to Research Pale Male: "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback for their work in small groups sorting sentences about the debate about Pale Male.
  • Display page 3 of the Pale Male research notebook and read the question aloud:
    • "What should happen to Pale Male's nest?"
  • Tell students that today they will create individual notes to record information about one side of the debate about Pale Male's nest.
  • Note: Students will continue to work in their small groups from Work Time A and will be assigned one opinion to take notes about. Each group should work with the sentences that they sorted during the previous Work Time.
  • Post and review the following directions:
    1. Work with your group to reread each sorted sentence.
    2. Restate the sentence in a shorter phrase (group of words that makes up part of a sentence). Remind students that notes are meant to remind them of their research, not to restate every word of it.
    3. Record the short phrase on page 3 of the Pale Male research notebook, titled "Pale Male: Student Notes."
  • Think aloud to model this process:
    • "One sentence says, 'Tall buildings are good places for homes because they are similar to trees, a hawk's natural nesting place.'"
    • "I sorted this sentence onto the 'Leave the Nest Up' page."
    • "If I wanted to make this sentence a shorter phrase, I could say, 'Hawks like tall buildings for their home.'"
    • Demonstrate how to record this note under the Leave the Nest Up column of the notes sheet on page 3. Refer to the Pale Male research notebook (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Distribute Pale Male research notebooks and tell each group which opinion they will take notes on: "Leave the Nest Up" or "Take the Nest Down."
  • Direct groups to their "What's Best? The Debate about Pale Male's Nest" sorting sheets from Work Time A at their workspaces and invite them to quietly begin working.
  • Circulate to support students and help groups by rereading the sentences aloud as they follow along, if necessary. Consider prompting students with questions such as: "What does that sentence mean?" "How could you say that sentence in fewer words?" "What could you record in your notes?"
  • After 12-15 minutes, refocus whole group.
  • Invite several students to share the notes they recorded for each opinion.
  • Collect the Pale Male research notebooks and tell students that they will use these notes in the next lesson when they share information with a partner who researched the opposing opinion. 
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: (Verbal Writing Practice) Allow students to discuss and rehearse their shorter phrases before writing. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart.
  • Read aloud the definition for respect:
    • "This means I treat myself, others, and the environment with care."
  • Emphasize that when listening to the different opinions of others, there are many moments when we need to think about how to treat others with respect.
  • Provide examples of when you may want to show respect while listening to others' opinions. (Examples: when someone says something that I don't agree with; when someone doesn't let me share my opinion)
  • Think-Pair Share:

"What does respect have to do with sharing opinions?" (I need to remember to treat others with care when they are sharing their opinion.)

Conversation Cue: "Can you give an example?" (Responses will vary.)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen in and target a few students to share out with the whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the Respectful Opinions anchor chart.
  • Tell students that there are three ways to show respect with opinions. Point to and read the headings of each row under the first column aloud. Refer to the Respectful Opinions anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • "Listening to others' opinions respectfully"
    • "Responding to others' opinions respectfully"
    • "Sharing my opinion respectfully"
  • Tell students that over the next several lessons they will practice thinking about what each of these "looks like" and "sounds like."
  • Tell students that throughout this unit they will continue to practice showing respect to each other as they share different opinions about Pale Male.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading fluency: (Adding Visuals) Add visuals to each of the statements in the first column of the Respectful Opinions anchor chart. (MMR, MMAE)

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