Whole Group Research Reading: A Place for Birds, Pages 3–4, 15–16, and 19–20 | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M4:U3:L3

Whole Group Research Reading: A Place for Birds, Pages 3–4, 15–16, and 19–20

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.1.3: Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
  • RI.1.4: Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
  • RI.1.7: 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.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
  • L.1.4: 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.
  • L.1.4a: Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
  • L.1.4b: Use frequently occurring affixes as a clue to the meaning of a word.
  • L.1.4c: Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g., look) and their inflectional forms (e.g., looks, looked, looking).
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify the reasons the author gives to support her point in the text A Place for Birds. (RI.1.1, RI.1.3, RI.1.4, RI.1.7, RI.1.8, SL.1.2)
  • I can use different strategies to determine the meaning of new words. (RI.1.4, L1.4, L.1.4a, L.1.4b, L.1.4c)
  • I can write about a reason the author gives to support her point in the text A Place for Birds. (RI.1.8, W.1.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the research reading and independent writing in Work Times A and B, use the Informational Reading Checklist to track student progress toward RI.1.1, RI.1.3, and RI.1.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During the Closing, use the Language Checklist to track student progress toward L.1.4, L.1.4a, L.1.4b, and L.1.4c (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: "Fascinating Birds" Jazz Chant (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Whole Group Research Reading: A Place for Birds, Pages 3-4, 15-16, and 19-20 (25 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Caring for Birds Notebook (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • Students help the teacher build class notes in Work Time A by reading through the text A Place for Birds to identify the reasons that support the author's point. The process of reading the page and then capturing notes as a phrase and an image prepares students to work independently on research reading and note-taking in Lesson 4. Students reread the author's point several times throughout the lesson to remember the point for which they are trying to find support.
  • Students practice taking their own notes in Work Time B after watching the teacher model note-taking in Work Time A. This helps students prepare for their assessment by listening to the text being read aloud in order to pull out information and answer a question. The independent writing also acts as a scaffold for research reading and note-taking before they work in small groups to research new pages in the book in Lesson 4.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Recall that students spent time in Unit 2 learning how to support an opinion with reasons. In this unit, they learn to identify the reasons an author gives to support the main idea of the text.
  • In Module 3, students worked in small groups to research a topic and take independent notes to contribute to one set of class notes. Students replicate that process in this lesson and in Lesson 4.
  • Students continue to use the L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart during reading.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may still need help using vocabulary strategies. Consider walking them through the steps of using a strategy by modeling or using prompts to guide them through the process. (Examples: "Which strategy could we try first? What should I look for in the word? Do you notice anything that will help you? How does that help you understand the word?")
  • Students may need help paraphrasing their notes. Invite them to draw their picture or icon first and then choose a word to label their icon to help them remember the text.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 4, students work in small groups to research different pages of the book A Place for Birds and take notes. The notes are added to the Caring for Birds: Class Notes.
  • Students will continue to practice identifying the reasons an author gives in the Openings of Lessons 4-6 by listening to the text read aloud.

In Advance

  • Distribute Caring for Birds notebooks for Work Time B at student workspaces.
  • Post Learning targets, "Fascinating Birds" jazz chant, 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 I.B.5, I.B.6, and I.C.10

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 class notes written in collaboration with others. This lesson builds toward independent work in Lesson 4 and prepares students for the Unit 3 Assessment in Lesson 7.
  • Some students may find it challenging to listen to the high volume of text from A Place for Birds  being read for research, especially if they do not understand some of the language and concepts (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Review the Caring for Birds: Class Notes at the end of Work Time A to understand the reasons the author gives to support her point that people harm birds, but they can help them, too.

For heavier support:

  • Before Work Time B, consider pulling students aside to preview the Caring for Birds notebook by inviting them to place their finger on the author's point and read it aloud. Show them page 2, read it together, and explain how it will be used. Tell students they are going to listen for a reason the author gives to support her point.
  • To review the Language Dive sentence from Lesson 2 in this and future lessons, consider preparing a sentence frame with the sentence structure: "When people _____________, birds can live and grow."

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to embed support for unfamiliar vocabulary by providing explanation and visual examples. This helps students make connections and supports comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support strategy during independent writing by modeling how to physically touch the words/spaces on the sentence frame and draw lines for additional words you intend to write. This helps students recall their original ideas later in the writing process.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to foster collaboration and community by providing prompts that guide students in 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:

  • reasons, support (L)
  • sandy, joggers (T)

Materials

  • "Fascinating Birds" jazz chant (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • A Place for Birds (from Lesson 2; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3)
  • Caring for Birds: Class Notes (new; co-created with students during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
  • Caring for Birds: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference)
  • Caring for Birds notebook (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time B; page 2; one per student)
  • Caring for Birds notebook (from Lesson 1; 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. Engaging the Learner: "Fascinating Birds" Jazz Chant (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Follow the same routine from the Opening of Lesson 2 to guide students through the jazz chant:
    • Display the "Fascinating Birds" jazz chant and read the title.
    • Invite students to join in as you say the entire chant, slowly, fluently, with expression, and without interruption while clapping the 1, 2, 3, 4 beat.
    • Direct students' attention back to the chant. Focus them on the underlined adjectives in the chant and read them aloud. Ask:

"What person, place, or thing are these adjectives describing?" (They are describing birds and birds' body parts.)

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

    • Invite students to chorally say the lines in the chant and clap the 1, 2, 3, 4 beat.
  • Invite students to create movements to use throughout the chant. (Example: Students can pretend to have feet that grab fish from lakes, wings that allow them to fly.)
  • As time permits, repeat the chant chorally while clapping the 1, 2, 3, 4 beat.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Annotating Jazz Chant) Review the annotated jazz chant and continue to annotate it to show major stresses, intonation, and linking. (Examples: Place backward slashes to show phrases and pauses, circle words that are stressed, connect words that link together and sound almost like one word.) (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Pronunciation Practice) Invite students to practice pronouncing the adjectives in the jazz chant.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Whole Group Research Reading: A Place for Birds, Pages 3-4, 15-16, and 19-20 (25 minutes)

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

"I can identify the reasons the author gives to support her point in the text A Place for Birds."

  • Display A Place for Birds and Turn and Talk:

"What was the author's main point of this book?" (People harm birds but can find ways to help them.)

"What does the author use to support her point?" (reasons)

  • Define reason (an explanation).
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"If the author is using explanations to support her point, what does the word support mean?" (hold up, help, assist)

  • Remind students that understanding the words in the text is an important part of comprehending the details and main idea.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can use different strategies to determine the meaning of new words."

  • Direct students' attention to the L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Display the Caring for Birds: Class Notes and read aloud the unit guiding question at the top.
  • Tell students they will take notes together on the chart.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the author's point in this text?" (Birds have problems, but people can find ways to help them.)

  • Next to "author's point," write the following. Refer to the Caring for Birds: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • "Birds have problems, but people can find ways to help them."
  • Point to the "reasons" section and share that students will write each way the author explains her point in the book. Remind students that in this book, the author explains how birds have problems and the ways people help them as a support to the author's point.
  • Display pages 3-4 of A Place for Birds and read the tops of both pages and the sidebar on page 3.
  • Follow the same routine from Units 1-2 to guide students through using the L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart to determine the meaning of the word sandy:
    • Reread a sentence from the sidebar on page 3: "Because the eggs and chicks blend in with their sandy surroundings, sunbathers and joggers may step on them by accident."
    • Think-Pair-Share:

"What does the word sandy mean?" (with sand)

"What strategy did you use to help you figure out its meaning?" (I found the base word, sand, and noticed that the word has an extra part on the end, -y. The ending -y means "made up of." The word sandy must mean to be made up of sand.)

Conversation Cue: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why?"

    • Invite volunteers to share the meaning of the word and the strategy they used to determine it.
  • Follow this same process to determine the meaning of the word joggers.
  • Model thinking aloud about the author's reason. Say: "The author states a reason here by saying how a bird has a problem and how we can help fix that problem. Here it says people step on the eggs; that's a problem."
  • Display the Caring for Birds: Class Notes again and write the following in the first "Bird Problems" box and draw an image. Continue to refer to Caring for Birds: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • "Step on eggs"
  • Model thinking aloud again. Say: "The author said the eggs get stepped on. I'm looking at the picture to remind me that she also says we can help birds by protecting parts of the beach for birds to lay their eggs safely."
  • Write the following in the first "Ways People Help" box and draw an image:
    • "Beach space"
  • Turn and Talk:

"Tell your partner the first reason the author gave to support her point that people harm birds but can help them, too." (People step on bird eggs, but they can protect parts of the beach for birds to lay eggs safely.)

  • Display pages 15-16 of A Place for Birds and read the tops of both pages and the sidebar on page 15.
  • Turn and Talk:

"How are birds harmed?" (crash into windows)

  • Write the following in the second "Bird Problems" box and draw an image:
    • "Birds crash"
  • Turn and Talk:

"How can people help?" (by marking windows)

  • Write the following in the first "Ways People Help" box and draw an image:
    • "Mark windows"
  • Follow this same process using pages 19-20 of A Place for Birds without adding anything to the class notes.
    • Read the tops of both pages.
    • Invite students to turn and talk about the problem for birds. (Their homes are taken when trees are destroyed.)
    • Invite students to turn and talk about how humans can help. (People can protect the land.)
  • Tell students they will get a chance to add their ideas to a chart in their notebooks back at their workspace.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with text structures: (Identifying Sentence Structure) Remind students of the repeating pattern on the big print on each page (problem and solution). (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Recalling Language Dive) Review the Language Dive sentence from Lesson 2 to reinforce the use of when to tell us a cause or condition that must happen for birds to live and grow. (Example: "When _____ [people action or condition], _____ [positive impact on birds].)
  • For ELLs: (Clarifying Vocabulary: Fooled) While reading the sidebar on page 15 of A Place for Birds, clarify the meaning of the word fooled (tricked): The birds are tricked by the reflection of the trees on windows.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with vocabulary: (Using Strategies to Determine the Meaning of a Word: Finding Suffixes) To give extra practice with this strategy, circle or underline the extra part in the word smelly and ask students how it helped them figure out the meaning of the word. (MMR)

B. Independent Writing: Caring for Birds Notebook (20 minutes)

  • Use the Bird Boogie transition from Module 3 to transition students back to their workspaces.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the third one aloud:

"I can write about a reason the author gives to support her point in the text A Place for Birds."

  • Tell students they will get to write their own notes about the author's reason in their notebook.
    • Display and invite students to open to page 2 in their Caring for Birds notebook.
    • Invite students to place their finger on the author's point and read it aloud.
    • Remind students that they are going to listen for a reason the author gives to support her point.
    • Reread page 19 in A Place for Birds.
    • Invite students to write a phrase and draw a picture to describe the birds' problem on page 2, similar to the way you have been doing on the Caring for Birds: Class Notes.
    • Circulate to support students as they write and draw. Refer to the Caring for Birds notebook (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • After a few minutes, refocus whole group and reread page 20.
    • Invite students to write a phrase and draw a picture in their notebooks to describe how people can help.
    • Circulate to support students as they write and draw.
  • When 5 minutes remain, refocus whole group and call on a few volunteers to share out.
  • Confirm students' thinking about the problem and how humans can help (trees cut/save trees). Record these, along with images, on the class notes.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on listening for and taking notes on the author's reasons.
  • For ELLs: (Clarifying Vocabulary: Logging) While reading the sidebar on page 19 of A Place for Birds, clarify the meaning of the word logging (cutting down trees). Share that spotted owls can't live and grow if the trees where they make their homes are cut down.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: (Verbal Writing Practice) Invite students to orally describe the bird's problems before writing. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Reread the unit guiding question at the top of the Caring for Birds: Class Notes:
    • "How can people care for birds to help them live and grow?"
  • Turn and Talk:

"Which ways did the author suggest we can help birds live and grow?" (set aside beach space; mark windows; save trees)

"Which of these ways do you think you can help birds live and grow in your own house, community, or here at school?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Remind students that they will continue to hear about more ways to help birds in the coming lessons.
  • For ELLs: (Review Class Notes) Review the Caring for Birds: Class Notes before posing the question: "Which ways did the author suggest we can help birds live and grow?"
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for verbal expression: (Using Sentence Frames) Use a sentence frame for students to answer the question: "Which ways did the author suggest we can help birds live and grow?" (Example: "When people _____________, birds can live and grow.") (MMAE)

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