Preparing for the Unit 3 Assessment: Identifying Reasons Plants Need Birds | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade 1 › ELA G1:M4 › ELA G1:M4:U3 ›

ELA G1:M4:U3:L5

Preparing for the Unit 3 Assessment: Identifying Reasons Plants Need Birds

In this Lesson

You are here:

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.1.8: 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).
Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify reasons an author gives to support the point that plants need birds in the text A Place for Birds. (RI.1.1, RI.1.3, RI.1.4, RI.1.8, W.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)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During independent and shared writing in Work Time C and 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: Choose the Reason (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Focused Read-aloud: A Place for Birds, Page 25 (15 minutes)

B. Language Dive: A Place for Birds, Page 25 (15 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Caring for Birds Notebook (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Shared Writing: We Need Birds Anchor Chart (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In Work Time A, students hear a new portion of A Place for Birds read aloud that focuses on a new point from the author: why other living things need birds to survive. The focused read-aloud gives students additional practice with listening for the reason an author gives to support the point and using vocabulary strategies to define a word. Students then complete similar independent work in Work Time C. Both Work Times provide students with practice in defining words and listening to a text read aloud to identify an author's reason, in preparation for the Unit 3 Assessment in Lesson 7.
  • In Work Time B, students participate in a Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from A Place for Birds. This Language Dive focuses on the verb phrase depend on, the adjective new, and the determiner many to help address the daily learning targets and L.1.1f. Students apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when determining the main idea of the text, when working with adjectives in the performance task, and in the Unit 3 Assessment when they identify the reasons the author gives to support the point that people need birds. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.
  • The Closing provides an opportunity to confirm student thinking or correct misunderstandings from the lesson's reading. Consider using this time as a pre-assessment to check student thinking before the Unit 3 Assessment.
  • Pay careful attention to the routines in this lesson, as they will repeat in Lesson 6.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • The Opening follows the routine established in Lesson 4.
  • In Lessons 2-4, students practiced listening to an author's point and determining the reasons she gives to support that point. This lesson changes the author's point and the structure of the text while continuing to practice the same skill.
  • Similar to Lesson 4, students continue to use icons to represent the reason an author gives to support her point in A Place for Birds.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • In Lessons 2-4, students focused on the first point the author makes in the book. In this lesson, the author begins a new point, which may be confusing for students. Explain that sometimes authors include more than one point in a text and as readers, that may feel confusing.
  • Support students in the Opening by rereading the text when necessary. Consider also talking about the icons and what each of them represents before they answer the question.
  • In Work Time C, students may need the text reread. Work with students individually to guide them through their thinking to arrive at an answer. Ask: "What are you listening for? What is the author's point? What vocabulary strategy did you try?"

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 6, students repeat the routines from this lesson in preparation for the Unit 3 Assessment in Lesson 7.

In Advance

  • Prepare the We Need Birds anchor chart by filling in the icons under the "Plants need birds" column before the lesson (see supporting materials).
  • Review the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart as needed (begun in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3).
  • 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.
  • 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 I.B.6 and I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through opportunities to practice listening to a text read aloud to identify an author's reason and to define words before the Unit 3 Assessment in Lesson 7.
  • Students may find it challenging to process the volume of information read aloud to them in the Opening and Work Time C (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • In Work Time A, review the author's use of when  to signal a cause or condition that must happen for birds to live and grow.
  • In Work Time A, remind students of the repeating pattern on the heading of each page (problem and solution).

For heavier support:

  • Support students individually in Work Time C by asking them to discuss different ways they can arrive at an answer. (Examples: "What are you listening for? What is the author's point? What vocabulary strategy did you try?")
  • Support students by rereading the text as needed in the Opening and in Work Time C.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support students by charting their responses during whole class discussions to aid comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing needs by offering students options for writing utensils. Also consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of their responses.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to provide prompts and sentence frames for those students who require them to be successful in peer interactions and collaboration. Also support students in sustaining effort and/or attention by restating the goal of the activity.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • harmed, release waste, surviving (T)

Materials

  • A Place for Birds (from Lesson 2; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Listening Exercise 2, Pictures A and B (one of each to display)
  • We Need Birds anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • We Need Birds anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • L.4 Vocabulary Strategies anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 3)
  • Language Dive Guide II: A Place for Birds (for teacher reference)
    • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Module 3)
    • Chunk Chart II: A Place for Birds (for teacher reference)
    • Sentence Strip Chunks II: A Place for Birds (one to display)
  • Caring for Birds notebook (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time C; page 4; 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: Choose the Reason (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Remind students that they have been reading A Place for Birds to find the reasons the author gives to support her point.
  • Tell students that they will practice listening to a portion of the book read aloud to identify the reason the author gives. At the end of the read-aloud, they will choose an icon that represents the reason they heard in the text.
    • Follow the same routine from the Opening in Lesson 4 to complete the listening exercise.
    • Display page 2 in A Place for Birds and read it aloud: "If we work together to help these amazing winged creatures, there will always be a place for birds."
    • Display pages 23-24 and read them aloud: "Many birds live on land that is perfect for building homes and growing crops. When people protect these natural areas, birds can live and grow."
    • Say: "

"We are listening for the reason the author gives. Listen closely: What is something people can do to help make a place for birds?"

    • Turn and Talk:

"What are you listening closely to figure out?" (something people can do to help birds)

Conversation Cue: "Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Reread pages 23-24 aloud.
    • Display Listening Exercise 2, Pictures A and B.
    • Reread the question: "What is something people can do to help birds?"
    • Invite students to take time to independently consider each icon.
    • After 10 seconds, invite students to respond by either choosing listening exercise Picture A by placing their hands on their head or listening exercise Picture B by placing their hands on their knees.
    • Invite a few students who have chosen the second picture (natural areas) to explain why they have chosen that picture and confirm their thinking.
    • Correct misconceptions about the first picture (birdhouses) by telling students that birdhouses are a way to help birds but were not mentioned here by the author.
  • Tell students they will do more work with identifying the author's reasons in small groups later in the lesson.
  • For ELLs: (Clarifying Vocabulary: Protect) While reading the sidebar on page 24 of A Place for Birds, clarify the meaning of the word protect (preserve). Say: "Birds can live and grow when people protect natural areas."
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Discussing Icons) Discuss what each picture (A and B) from Listening Exercise 2 represents. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with auditory processing: Provide visual support with a copy of A Place for Birds for students to follow along as it is read aloud. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Focused Read-aloud: A Place for Birds, Page 25 (15 minutes)

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

"I can identify reasons an author gives to support the point that plants need birds in the text A Place for Birds."

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

  • Remind students that these are two learning targets they have been working as they read A Place for Birds.
  • Display pages 25-26 and read the tops of the pages.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What is the author's point?" (Many things need birds to survive.)

Conversation Cue: "Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Focus students on the header on page 25.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What will this paragraph be about?" (ways plants need birds)

  • Say:

"You will now listen carefully to a paragraph called 'Plants Need Birds.' It is about why birds are important to plants. The author gives some reasons to support the point that birds are helpful to plants. Your job as you listen is to identify these reasons."

  • Direct students' attention to the We Need Birds anchor chart.
  • Write the following on the anchor chart under the icon. Refer to the We Need Birds anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • "Plants need birds."
  • Consider telling students that the text has some facts that might sound silly. Tell them that when they feel like laughing, they should take a breath and return to listening for important facts.
  • Read aloud the sidebar on page 25.
  • 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 harmed (hurt or injured).
  • Reread the next sentence:
    • "When the bird releases its wastes, the seeds land on the ground."
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Restate that sentence in your own words. What does it mean to release waste?" (bird droppings)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback for bringing their attention back after a silly part of the text.
  • Direct students' attention to the We Need Birds anchor chart.
  • Remind students that you are selecting the icon that shows the reason the author gave to support her point.
  • Point to each icon and read aloud each phrase.
  • Model thinking aloud by saying:

"The first one says, 'Plants need birds.' That is true, but is it a reason the author gives? The second one says, 'Birds drop seeds in waste cans.' I do remember the word waste in the text. The third one says, 'Birds release seeds in droppings.'"

  • Turn and Talk:

"Which icon shows the reason the author gave in this text?" (third; birds eat and release seeds)

Conversation Cue: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Circulate to listen in as students discuss and choose a student to share with the whole group.
  • Cross out the first and second icons and circle the third icon (Birds eat and release seeds).
  • Finish rereading the paragraph.
  • Tell students you heard another reason in there that you hope they'll be able to pull out on their own!
  • For ELLs: (Clarifying Vocabulary: Moist) While reading the sidebar on page 25 of A Place for Birds, clarify the meaning of the word moist  (damp, a little wet). Say: "If the soil is wet, the seeds will grow."
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Discussing Icons) Discuss what each picture from the We Need Birds anchor chart represents. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with motivation: Invite students to restate what they will be do after they listen to the paragraph (identify the author's reason from the text). (MME)

B. Language Dive: A Place for Birds, Page 25 (15 minutes)

  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive.
  • Focus students' attention on 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.)

  • Reread the sidebar on page 25 of A Place for Birds.
  • Focus on the sentence:
    • "Many plants depend on birds to carry their seeds into new places."
  • Use the Language Dive Guide II: A Place for Birds  and Chunk Chart II: A Place for Birds  to guide students through a Language Dive of the sentence. Display the Sentence Strip Chunks II: A Place for Birds.
  • 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)

C. Independent Writing: Caring for Birds Notebook (10 minutes)

  • Use the Bird Boogie transition from Module 3 to transition students back to their workspaces.
  • Tell students you will reread the text about how birds help plants so that they can listen for a second reason the author gives to support her point.
    • Invite students to open their Caring for Birds notebook to page 4.
    • Read the Part 1 prompt aloud.
    • Turn and Talk:

"What will you be listening for?" (A second reason why birds help plants.)

Conversation Cue: "Who can explain why your classmate came up with that response?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Invite students to listen as you reread the text aloud.
    • Reread the tops of pages 25-26 and the sidebar on page 25.
    • Invite students to look at the icons in their notebook and circle the one that shows the reason the author gives in the text.
    • Circulate to support students. Refer to the Caring for Birds notebook (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • When students have finished with Part 1, read aloud Part 2 and the sentence with it.
    • Turn and Talk:

"What does surviving mean?" (staying alive)

    • Invite students to write their answer on the line provided in their notebook.
    • When students are done, direct them to bring their notebooks to the whole group area to check their thinking.
  • For ELLs: (Reviewing Icons) Review what each picture from the We Need Birds anchor chart represents before inviting students to circle the icon that shows the reason the author gives in the text.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: Invite students to first verbally share their answer and then state it again as they write their sentence in Part 2. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Writing: We Need Birds Anchor Chart (10 minutes)

  • Turn and Talk:

"What icon did you choose?" (The first icon with the wings, seeds, and plants.)

    • Invite a few volunteers to share out the icon they chose and why they chose it.
    • Confirm or correct student thinking.
  • Direct students' attention to the We Need Birds anchor chart.
    • Cross out the second and third icons. Circle the first icon. (Birds carry seeds on wings.)
    • Invite a few volunteers to share out their definition of surviving and their strategy for figuring it out.
    • Define the word as growing, living, not dead.
    • Give students specific, positive feedback for their work with the author's reason.
  • Tell students they will get to practice the same thing again in the next lesson, when they learn how animals need birds!
  • For ELLs: (Using Icons) Discuss why the second and third icons need to be crossed out.

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback