- I can listen with care when I participate in conversations with my classmates. (SL.2.1a)
- I can draw and write what I already know about school. (W.2.2)
These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:
- W.2.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
- SL.2.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
- SL.2.1a: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
Daily Learning Targets
Ongoing Assessment
- During the Think-Pair-Share protocol in Work Time B, listen as students converse about what they already know about school. Use this information to inform instruction about conversation norms in subsequent lessons. (SL.2.1)
- Collect students' What Is School? notebooks from Work Time C to gather initial evidence on what they already know about school, as well as evidence to help inform writing instruction in subsequent lessons. (W.2.2)
Agenda
Agenda | Teaching Notes |
---|---|
1. Opening A. Introducing Learning Targets: "The Magic Bow" Story (10 minutes) B. Discovering Our Topic: Mystery Questions (10 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Introducing the Guiding Question (5 minutes) B. Structured Discussion: Sharing What I Already Know about Schools (10 minutes) C. Independent Writing: What Is School? Notebook (20 minutes) 3. Closing A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes) |
Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:
How this lesson builds on previous work:
Down the road:
|
In Advance
- Prepare:
- A location for whole group gathering (e.g., a large rug or floor area). This space is used in most lessons. Making this an inviting area in your classroom, with a rug or warm lighting, can help students develop a sense of comfort and belonging.
- Prepare (cont'd):
- Questions from Kindergarteners, Module Guiding Question, and Think-Pair-Share anchor charts (see supporting materials).
- "Learning Target" poem, by writing it on a large piece of chart paper (see "The Magic Bow" story in supporting materials).
- The questions from kindergarteners included in this lesson are questions that came from kindergarten students in EL Education schools across the country. Consider collecting questions from the kindergarteners at your own school to help students connect to these questions more deeply.
- Set up a document camera to read "The Magic Bow" story and other documents throughout the lesson (optional).
- Determine student conversation partners for the Think-Pair-Share protocol. Consider creating a Conversation Partner chart for students to refer to during the lesson (a large chart with students' names and/or photos designating their partner and which is partner A and which is partner B).
- Distribute pencils and the What Is School? notebook at students' workspaces. Doing this in advance helps ensure a smooth transition during Work Time C.
- Review the Think-Pair-Share protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
- Be aware that partnering with the opposite gender during the Think-Pair-Share protocol may be uncomfortable and inappropriate for some students. If necessary, seek alternative arrangements for these students according to their cultural traditions.
- Post: Learning targets, Questions from Kindergarteners anchor chart, Module Guiding Question anchor chart, "Learning Target" poem, Think-Pair-Share anchor chart.
Tech and Multimedia
Consider using an interactive whiteboard or document camera to display lesson materials.
- Work Time B: Create the Think-Pair-Share anchor chart in an online format, such as a Google Doc, to display.
- Work Time B: Record students as they Think-Pair-Share to listen to later to discuss strengths and what they could improve on, or to use as models for the group. Most devices (cell phones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video and audio recording apps or software.
Supporting English Language Learners
Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.A.1 and 2.I.C.10
Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to engage prior knowledge about school before beginning to explore the topic in more depth. Establishing schema is especially important for ELLs, as they may lack the shared cultural understanding of native speakers. This lesson also supports ELLs by introducing a protocol for facilitating oral language between peers. Structured opportunities to engage in discussion will facilitate English language development.
- Some ELLs may find the Think-Pair-Share protocol challenging because they may not feel comfortable speaking. ELLs, especially beginning proficiency students and newcomers, may take time to begin to feel comfortable speaking. Prompt students to repeat words and phrases. Encourage them to try their best but avoid pressuring them to participate.
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- When asking about the learning target sentence during Closing and Assessment, challenge students by asking more open-ended questions. (Example: "What does this learning target mean to you? Can you give me an example of how we achieved the learning target?")
For heavier support:
- During Work Time C, if students struggle to put words to their ideas, invite them to mime their thoughts. Remind students of the word or concept they recalled and have them repeat it. Prompt them to repeat the words back after scribing them.
Universal Design for Learning
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students are introduced to "The Magic Bow" story to introduce learning targets. Students may not have background knowledge to interpret what a bow is through auditory information only. Before reading "The Magic Bow," activate or supply background knowledge by introducing a picture of a bow and physically demonstrating how it is used.
- Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During Work Time C, students are expected to write independently. Second-graders will have a range of fine motor abilities and needs. As you introduce independent writing, vary methods for fine motor response by offering options for drawing utensils (e.g., thick markers or colored pencils) and writing tools (e.g., fine-tipped markers, pencil grips, slant boards).
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): This lesson begins a unit premised on helping kindergarteners learn about school. Students may need additional prompting to reflect on why kindergarteners might need their help with this.
Vocabulary
Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)
New:
- important, participate, conversations (L)
Materials
- Document camera (optional)
- "The Magic Bow" story (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
- Questions from Kindergarteners anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
- Module Guiding Question anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
- "Learning Target" poem (written on chart paper; one to display)
- Think-Pair-Share anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
- What Is School? notebook (one per student and one to display)
- What Is School? notebook (Page 1, one per student)
- What Is School? notebook (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
Opening | Meeting Students' Needs |
---|---|
A. Introducing Learning Targets: "The Magic Bow" Story (10 minutes)
"What was this story mostly about?" (focusing on learning something new) "At the beginning of the story, how did the people think the bow helped them?" (It helped them learn new things.) "What happened to the bow?" (It was stolen.) "What did the women help the people realize after the bow was stolen?" (It wasn't the bow that helped them learn something new. Working hard and believing in themselves helped them learn new things.)
|
|
B. Discovering Our Topic: Mystery Questions (10 minutes)
"What do these pieces of paper have in common?" (They are all questions. They are questions about school.)
|
Work Time
Work Time | Meeting Students' Needs |
---|---|
A. Introducing the Guiding Question (5 minutes)
"Why do you think I underlined these two words?" (Responses will vary, but may include because they are special or important words in the target.)
"What is the translation of important in our home languages?" (importante in Spanish) Call on volunteers to share. Ask other students to choose one translation to quietly repeat. Invite them to say their chosen translation out loud when you give the signal. Chorally repeat the translations and the word in English. Invite self- and peer correction of the pronunciation of the translations and the English.
|
|
B. Structured Discussion: Sharing What I Already Know about Schools (10 minutes)
"What do you notice about the two people here?" (There is a partner A and a partner B.)
|
|
C. Independent Writing: What Is School? Notebook (20 minutes)
"I can draw and write what I already know about school."
"How are drawing and writing different?" (We make pictures to draw, and we use letters to write.)
"What do you already know about schools?" "What picture will you draw to show that idea?" "What words will you write to match your drawing?" "If it's easier, you can tell me your ideas in your home language first."
|
|
Closing & Assessments
Closing | Meeting Students' Needs |
---|---|
A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)
"I can draw and write what I already know about school."
|
|
Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.