ELA G2:M1:U2:L4

Close Read-aloud, Session 3: “Out of the Rubble” from Off to Class, Pages 18–19

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

RI.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.2: Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
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.
W.2.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
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).
SL.2.1b: Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.
SL.2.1c: Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under discussion.
L.2.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.2.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

Daily Learning Targets

I can answer questions using key details about the problem in "Out of the Rubble" from Off to Class. (RI.2.1, RI.2.2, W.2.8, L.2.4, SL.2.1a)
I can write about the problem in the section "Out of the Rubble" using details from the text. (W.2.2, L.2.2)

Ongoing Assessment

During Work Time A, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor student progress toward SL.2.1a, SL.2.1b, and SL.2.1c (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
Collect students' Off to Class notebooks and collect data on their progress toward RI.2.1 (ability to take notes) and W.2.2 (informative writing).

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Engaging the Learner: Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Close Read-aloud, Session 3: Off to Class, Pages 18-19 (20 minutes) B. Independent Writing: Focus Statement and Information about the Problem (20 minutes) C. Revising and Editing: Focus Statement and Information about the Problem (10 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: This is the third of six close read-aloud sessions of Off to Class. In this session, students read the first few paragraphs of "Out of the Rubble" and learn about the problem this community faces in sending students to school. Similar to Sessions 1 and 2, students continue listening for important details and practicing taking notes (RI.2.1., RI.2.2, L.2.4). As with the previous section of the text, reinforce the idea that this section of the text is about one type of school in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Tell students that there are different types of schools in Haiti, and this section is about one kind of school. Research to make sure the text about the earthquake in Haiti is not traumatic for students who may have experienced a similar event. Consider whether the topic or text is too sensitive for a student to discuss in front of the class. Invite students and their families to have private conferences or simply allow students to reflect silently. In this lesson, students have various opportunities to share their thinking orally with a partner before they draw, write notes, and write their informative paragraphs. This oral processing serves as an important scaffold for students' writing in this lesson (SL.2.1). In Work Time B, students use their notes from the close read-aloud as they begin to write the first part of their informative paragraphs: the focus statement and information about the problem (W.2.2). This lesson introduces students to the idea of revising and editing as a regular routine within a writing lesson. Students learn that writers edit and revise their writing as they write to make sure their writing is clear and readable to others (W.2.2, L.2.2). How this lesson builds on previous work: Lessons 4-5 follow a similar pattern to Lessons 2-3. Although students are reading a new section of text from Off to Class, the text follows a similar problem and solution structure. Just as they did in Lessons 2-3 with the section "Protecting the Amazon," students now spend two days with this new section of the text. Here in Lesson 4, they will read and take notes on the problem. Students continue to work with their writing partners introduced in Lesson 2. Throughout Unit 1, students were introduced to various total participation techniques (e.g., cold calling, Think-Pair-Share, etc.). When following the directive "Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group," use one of these techniques or another familiar technique to encourage all students to participate. Down the road: In Lesson 5, students read the remainder of this section and answer questions that help them understand the solution to the problem they read about in this lesson. Students will focus on understanding how this community overcomes its challenges and finds a way for the children to go to school. This lesson prepares students for the Unit 2 Assessment in Lessons 6-7. Students continue to practice the skill of answering text-based questions and note-taking about the problem this community faces and receive deliberate instruction to begin crafting their problem and solution informative writing paragraphs. The Unit 2 Assessment happens over the course of Lessons 6-7. Those two lessons follow a similar routine as Lessons 4-5, so students should feel comfortable working with a new section of the text more independently.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Close Read-aloud, Session 3: Off to Class, Pages 18-19 (20 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Focus Statement and Information about the Problem (20 minutes)

C. Revising and Editing: Focus Statement and Information about the Problem (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

This is the third of six close read-aloud sessions of Off to Class. In this session, students read the first few paragraphs of "Out of the Rubble" and learn about the problem this community faces in sending students to school. Similar to Sessions 1 and 2, students continue listening for important details and practicing taking notes (RI.2.1., RI.2.2, L.2.4).
As with the previous section of the text, reinforce the idea that this section of the text is about one type of school in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Tell students that there are different types of schools in Haiti, and this section is about one kind of school.
Research to make sure the text about the earthquake in Haiti is not traumatic for students who may have experienced a similar event. Consider whether the topic or text is too sensitive for a student to discuss in front of the class. Invite students and their families to have private conferences or simply allow students to reflect silently.
In this lesson, students have various opportunities to share their thinking orally with a partner before they draw, write notes, and write their informative paragraphs. This oral processing serves as an important scaffold for students' writing in this lesson (SL.2.1).
In Work Time B, students use their notes from the close read-aloud as they begin to write the first part of their informative paragraphs: the focus statement and information about the problem (W.2.2).
This lesson introduces students to the idea of revising and editing as a regular routine within a writing lesson. Students learn that writers edit and revise their writing as they write to make sure their writing is clear and readable to others (W.2.2, L.2.2).

How this lesson builds on previous work:

Lessons 4-5 follow a similar pattern to Lessons 2-3. Although students are reading a new section of text from Off to Class, the text follows a similar problem and solution structure. Just as they did in Lessons 2-3 with the section "Protecting the Amazon," students now spend two days with this new section of the text. Here in Lesson 4, they will read and take notes on the problem.
Students continue to work with their writing partners introduced in Lesson 2.
Throughout Unit 1, students were introduced to various total participation techniques (e.g., cold calling, Think-Pair-Share, etc.). When following the directive "Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group," use one of these techniques or another familiar technique to encourage all students to participate.

Down the road:

In Lesson 5, students read the remainder of this section and answer questions that help them understand the solution to the problem they read about in this lesson. Students will focus on understanding how this community overcomes its challenges and finds a way for the children to go to school.
This lesson prepares students for the Unit 2 Assessment in Lessons 6-7. Students continue to practice the skill of answering text-based questions and note-taking about the problem this community faces and receive deliberate instruction to begin crafting their problem and solution informative writing paragraphs.
The Unit 2 Assessment happens over the course of Lessons 6-7. Those two lessons follow a similar routine as Lessons 4-5, so students should feel comfortable working with a new section of the text more independently.

In Advance

Set up a document camera to display Off to Class and documents throughout the lesson (optional).
Preview the Close Read-aloud Guide: Off to Class (Session 3) to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students.
Consider laying out the Off to Class notebooks in a way that makes it easy for students to access them during the close read-aloud.
Prepare:

Our Study of School Word Wall cards for Port-au Prince, Haiti; damaged; and destroyed. Write or type the word on a card and create or find a visual to accompany it.
Our Study of School Word Wall Cards Activity, by writing the word perfect on an index card.
Off to Class notebook (example, for teacher reference).
Informative Paragraph: "Protecting the Amazon": Teacher Model (see supporting materials from Lesson 2).
Focus Statement: Non-Example (see supporting materials).
Editing Example (see supporting materials).

Review the Think-Pair-Share protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
Post: Learning targets, How to Take Notes anchor chart, Parts of a Problem and Solution Informative Paragraph anchor chart, and Problem and Solution Informative Writing Model: "The Rainforest School."

Tech and Multimedia

Consider using an interactive whiteboard or document camera to display lesson materials.

Work Time B and C: Students complete and revise the Off to Class notebooks using a word processing tool, for example a Google Doc.
Work Time B: Students use Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software like Dictation.io.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.A.1, 2.I.A.3, 2.I.B.5, 2.I.B.6, and 2.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to read informational text closely to determine the topic and key details. This provides students with valuable experience reading and interpreting complex text, which will foster English language development by exposing them to academic vocabulary and syntax. Students also begin to construct a paragraph using a scaffolded and supportive approach, including a color-coding system.
ELLs may find it challenging to absorb the abundance of information and instruction provided before writing their focus statements and information about the problem sentences. Consider breaking up Work Time B so that students are able to focus on each task individually. Students may also become overwhelmed or self-conscious as they edit and revise their work with partners during Work Time C. To alleviate the stigma of making mistakes and to reinforce kind, helpful, and specific feedback, consider working closely with a small group of students who would benefit from additional guidance during the editing and revising process.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

During the Mini Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together." (Who is the sentence about? What is the challenge?)

For heavier support:

During Work Time B, students may find it challenging to expand their notes into complete sentences. Consider providing additional practice with this skill as a shared class exercise. For students who need more support, consider creating a worksheet to provide more practice expanding notes into complete sentences. (Example: Provide two columns. One column has notes and other has sentences. Provide some model notes and sentences, as well as opportunities for students to expand notes into sentences and the other way around.)
To reinforce paragraph structure, consider creating a sentence scramble activity with the Problem and Solution Informative Model: "The Rainforest School" (from Lesson 3). On different sentence strips, write each sentence with different colored markers according to the color-coding system established in Lesson 3. Scramble the sentence strips so that they do not make sense. Challenge small groups of students to piece the paragraph together correctly. Probe students' thinking about the purpose of each sentence in the paragraph.

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students complete the informative paragraph table, which includes several steps. Some students may feel overwhelmed by the task and need additional support in organizing their ideas as they complete the table. Before students begin independent writing, model how to place a sticky note underneath the section of the table you are focused on completing. Demonstrate how to move the sticky note under the next section of the table to help guide you in completing the table. Invite students to do the same.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): After students have written their informative paragraphs, they revise and edit their writing. The revising and editing process includes attending to coherence, grammar, and punctuation. Some students may need additional support in self-monitoring each of these areas independently. When preparing for revising and editing, support students' self-monitoring by creating a checklist for students to use that includes each step of the revision/editing process.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): During the Closing, one student is invited to share her or his work with the class. Sharing a piece of writing with the whole group may feel intimidating. Create an accepting and supportive classroom environment by encouraging students to respect the student's work and willingness to take a risk by sharing it.

Vocabulary

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

New:

focus statement, revising, edit (L)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti; earthquake; powerful; damaged; destroyed; routine (T)

Review:

problem (L)

Materials

Close Read-aloud Guide: Off to Class (from Lesson 2; Session 3; for teacher reference)

Off to Class (from Lesson 2; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
Off to Class notebook (from Lesson 2; pages 5-6, one per student)
Off to Class notebook (from Lesson 2; example; for teacher reference)
How to Take Notes anchor chart (from Lesson 2)

Our Study of School Word Wall cards (new; teacher-created; three cards; see Teaching Notes)
Our Study of School Word Wall activity index card (new; teacher-created; one card; see Teaching Notes)
Our Study of School Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time A)
Parts of a Problem and Solution Informative Paragraph anchor chart (from Lesson 3)
Problem and Solution Informative Writing Model: "The Rainforest School" (from Lesson 3; one to display)
Off to Class Note-catcher: "Protecting the Amazon": Teacher Model (one to display)
Informative Paragraph: "Protecting the Amazon": Teacher Model (one to display)
Focus Statement: Non-Example (one to display)
Editing example (for teacher reference)
Sticky Notes

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. Engaging the Learner: Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) Gather students together whole group. Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read the first one aloud: "I can answer questions using key details about the problem in 'Out of the Rubble' from Off to Class." Invite students to whisper an answer into their hands and ask: "Do you notice any important words or phrases in our learning target that you have seen before?" (answer questions, details, problem) Say: "Our job today will be to look for details that help us learn something from the text." Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What are the details going to help us figure out?" (what the problem is) With excitement, tell students to put their wings on again because they are going to a new place today in the book Off to Class! Invite students to stand up, spread their arms out like wings, and pretend they are flying. Display pages 18-19 in Off to Class and tell students they have arrived at their new destination.	For ELLs: Check for comprehension by asking students to summarize and then to personalize the learning target. Ask them to paraphrase it and then to say how they feel about it: "Can you put the first learning target in your own words?" (I can answer questions about the problems in the text.) "How do you feel about that target?" (It might be a little hard, but it is interesting.) (MMR)

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Engaging the Learner: Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

"I can answer questions using key details about the problem in 'Out of the Rubble' from Off to Class."

Invite students to whisper an answer into their hands and ask:

"Do you notice any important words or phrases in our learning target that you have seen before?" (answer questions, details, problem)

Say: "Our job today will be to look for details that help us learn something from the text."
Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What are the details going to help us figure out?" (what the problem is)

With excitement, tell students to put their wings on again because they are going to a new place today in the book Off to Class! Invite students to stand up, spread their arms out like wings, and pretend they are flying.
Display pages 18-19 in Off to Class and tell students they have arrived at their new destination.

For ELLs: Check for comprehension by asking students to summarize and then to personalize the learning target. Ask them to paraphrase it and then to say how they feel about it:

"Can you put the first learning target in your own words?" (I can answer questions about the problems in the text.)

"How do you feel about that target?" (It might be a little hard, but it is interesting.) (MMR)

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
*A. Close Read-aloud, Session 3: Off to Class, Pages 18-19 (20 minutes)* Guide students through the close read-aloud for Off to Class using the *Close Read-aloud Guide: Off to Class* (Session 3; for teacher reference). Consider using the Speaking and Listening Checklist** during the close read-aloud (see Assessment Overview and Resources). Refer to the guide for the use of: Off to Class Off to Class notebook Off to Class notebook (for teacher reference) How to Take Notes anchor chart Following the close read-aloud, show students the Our Study of School Word Wall cards for damaged and destroyed. Remind students that they saw these words during the close read-aloud. Invite students to repeat the words damaged and destroyed after you. Invite a couple of volunteers to share what damaged and destroyed mean. If necessary, remind students that damaged means something that partly breaks, and destroyed means something that is completely ruined. Show students the index card with perfect written on it. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner: "If we needed to put these cards in an order that showed the word that means not broken to very broken, what card should we put first? What card should go second? What card should go third?" (Perfect would go first. Damaged would go second. Destroyed would be last.) (Refer to the Our Study of School Word Wall activity in the supporting materials as a reference.) Point out that the word destroyed means more broken than damaged, so it would go toward the "more broken" sign. Place the cards and pictures for damaged and destroyed on the Our Study of School Word Wall.	For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of this sentence from the text: "Life on the island slammed to a halt." Underline the word halt. Say: "Halt is a word you might not know. It means stop." Ask: "What is a word that means the same thing in our home languages?" (istaag (n) and istaagid (v) in Somali) Invite all students to repeat the translation in a different home language. Display the phrase "Life on the island." Ask: "What island is the sentence referring to?" (Haiti) "What was life in Haiti? What kinds of things do you think people did each day?" (went to school, worked, had fun) Display the phrase "slammed to a halt." Say: "Show me how you slam your hands together." Ask: "What do you think it means that life 'slammed to a halt'?" (Life stopped very quickly and suddenly. People could not do normal things anymore.) "Can you put the sentence in your own words?" (Responses will vary.) "What does this sentence tell us about life in Haiti?" (Responses will vary.) For ELLs: Illustrate or provide photographs corresponding to each index card during the Our Study of School Word Wall activity. (Example: Draw or paste pictures of a pencil representing each condition featured on the index cards.
B. Independent Writing: Focus Statement and Information about the Problem (20 minutes) Transition students to sit next to their writing partner in their workspaces. Invite them to place their Off to Class notebooks in their lap or under their bottom while they listen. Tell students that one way readers communicate what they have learned is by writing. Since their notes are not in complete sentences, they might be harder for someone else to read. Explain that students are going to take the notes they have just put in their Off to Class notebooks and communicate their thinking to others by starting an informative paragraph about what they learned from the section "Out of the Rubble." Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud: "I can write about the problem in the section 'Out of the Rubble' using details from the text." Point out to students that similar to how they used details from the text to answer questions during the close read-aloud, they will now use these details to help them write their informative paragraphs. Direct students' attention to the Parts of a Problem and Solution Informative Paragraph anchor chart. Remind them that in the last lesson, they looked at a model of a problem and solution informative paragraph and analyzed the parts of an informative paragraph when writers write about the problem and solution. Tell students that today they will write the first two parts of their informative paragraph, the focus statement and information about the problem, using information from their notes about the section "Out of the Rubble." Explain that the focus statement is the first sentence in the paragraph and introduces the reader to the topic, or what you are writing about. Invite students to point to the focus statement in the Problem and Solution Informative Writing Model: "The Rainforest School." Then, read it aloud: "In a rainforest in Xixuau, Brazil, it was hard for students to go to school, and their community solved the problem." Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What does this focus statement tell us?" (It tells us that in Xixuau, Brazil, it was hard for students to get to school, and they solved the problem.) Say: "This focus statement introduces the topic by telling the reader where the community is and that there is a problem and solution." Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with their writing partner: "For your paragraph, what will you want to make sure to communicate to your readers that the topic is?" (After the earthquake, students could not go to school, and the problem was solved.) Point out to students that the focus statement does not tell all the details about the problem or solution; that comes later in the paragraph. The focus statement gives the reader an idea what the paragraph is about. Tell students that after some think time, they will have a chance to share their focus statement with their writing partner. Remind students that working with writing partners is an important part of writing; they help with planning and thinking about writing. Invite students to open their Off to Class notebook and focus them on page 6. Provide them with some silent think time about what their focus statement will be. Tell students that they should share exactly what they plan to write on their paper with their writing partner. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with their writing partner: "What will you write for your focus statement?" (Responses will vary. See Off to Class notebook example in Lesson 2 as a reference.) Display page 6 of the Off to Class notebook. Focus students on the left-hand side and point out the model. Then, focus students on the right-hand side and ask them to put their finger on the box labeled "Focus Statement." Tell them this is where they will write their focus statement. Tell students that before they write their focus statement, they are going to plan the second part of their paragraph with their writing partner: developing information about the problem. From the Problem and Solution Informative Writing Model: "The Rainforest School," read aloud information about the problem: "The problem is that the school was small and only went up to third grade. There was also no electricity in the village, so learning was more challenging." Explain that the second part of the paragraph describes the problem using details from the text. Display the Off to Class Note-catcher: "Protecting the Amazon": Teacher Model and think aloud: "I am going to show you how I used the notes from my Off to Class notebook to help me think of the sentences I wrote about the problem in 'Protecting the Amazon.'" "I know that I'm only looking for information in my notes about the problem in the rainforest in Brazil, and that is right here in the box that says 'Problem.'" "Let me remind myself of the notes that I took: This says 'small school,' and there is a picture of a small school. This says 'only to third grade.' (Read through the rest of the notes and pictures in front of students in the Problem box.) "Well, I know I can't just write 'small school,' because that won't make sense to the reader. I need to write complete sentences. For this note about 'small school,' I will write, 'The problem is that the school in the village was very small.' I think I will add to this sentence and write, 'and the school only went up to third grade.'" "Writers, did you see how I looked carefully through my notes about the problem and reminded myself of what they said? Then I worked on turning those notes into complete sentences that other people could understand." "I would then put those sentences on page 6 of my Off to Class notebook, in the box labeled Information about the Problem." Display Informative Paragraph: "Protecting the Amazon": Teacher Model for students to see where you have written your focus statement and information about the problem. Tell students that they are going to have a chance to use the notes from their notebook and think about the sentences they will write about the problem from the section "Out of the Rubble." Tell students that after some think time, they will have a chance to share their information about the problem with their writing partners. Invite students to use the notes in the Problem box on page 5 of their notebooks. Tell students that they should share with their partner exactly what they plan on writing on their paper. Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with their writing partner and to use the sentence starter, "My notes say _____, so the sentence I will write is _____.": "What information will you include about the problem?" (Responses will vary. Refer to the Off to Class notebook (example, for teacher reference) from Lesson 2 as necessary.) Tell students they are now ready to write their focus statement and information about the problem on the right-hand side of page 6 in their Off to Class notebook. Transition students to their workspaces. Invite students to turn to page 6 in their notebook and write their focus statement and information about the problem in the space provided. Circulate and support students by directing them to the classroom supports (anchor charts, Interactive High Frequency Word Wall, etc.) After 10 minutes, tell students to return to the whole group area with their Off to Class notebook and sit next to their writing partner.	For ELLs: Display the relevant pages of the notebook on a document camera or display an enlarged copy of it to help direct students to the appropriate pages and sections while providing instructions. Model and think aloud responding to a sample question. Provide sentence frames for students to support their thinking and writing. (Example: "In Haiti, _______, and their community ______.") (MMR) For ELLs: Encourage students to briefly discuss the task in their home languages.) Example: "This task may be very difficult. To make it easier, you can take 2 minutes to talk about this with a partner who shares your home language. Then we can share in English. _____ (student's name), since you are the only student who is able to speak in wonderful ____ (e.g., Urdu), feel free to think quietly or write in _____ (e.g., Urdu).") (MMR, MMAE) For ELLs: Display the sentence frame so students can refer to it as they write their focus statements and information about the problem. For students who may need additional support with writing, consider writing the sentence frame for them so that they can complete their writing as a cloze exercise. (MMR, MMAE) Before students begin independent writing, facilitate managing information by modeling how to place a sticky note underneath the section of the informative paragraph table you are focused on completing. Demonstrate how to move the sticky note under the next section of the table to help guide you in completing the table. Invite students to do the same. (MMR, MMAE)
C. Revising and Editing: Focus Statement and Information about the Problem (10 minutes) Tell students that they will now do something that all writers do as they write: revise and edit their writing. Remind students that they did a lot of revising and editing as first-graders. Writers revise and edit their writing to make sure it is clear and readable to others. Remind students that when writers reread their writing to make sure it makes sense and that each part of their writing is doing its own job, this is called revising. Remind students that when writers edit their writing, they do their best to make sure it is correct and to fix any mistakes they notice. Tell students that they are going to have a chance to revise and edit their focus statement first. Say: "I am going to share a focus statement with you about the rainforest school. As I read it aloud, I am going to ask myself, 'Does this make sense? Does the focus statement do its job?'" Display and read aloud the Focus Statement: Non-Example. Think aloud: "Does this focus statement make sense? (Read it aloud again.) Yes, it does make sense." "Now, let me see if the focus statement does its job of telling the reader what the paragraph will be about." (Reread the focus statement.) Invite students to give a thumbs-up if they think the focus statement does its job or a thumbs-down if it does not do its job. Look for students' responses. Say: "This focus statement does tell the reader where the school was and that there was a problem, but it does not tell us that they solved the problem. It should say, 'In a rainforest in Xixuau, Brazil, it was difficult for students to go to school, and the community worked together to solve this problem.' So, I am going to cross out this sentence out and write it again to make sure it does its job." Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What did I do to revise my writing today?" (read it aloud, made sure it made sense, made sure the focus statement did its job) Explain that students will now take turns reading their focus statement aloud to their writing partner and revising their sentences to ensure they make sense and do their job. Invite students to begin sharing and revising with their writing partners. Encourage students to check and make sure their partner's focus statement makes sense and does its job. After 5 minutes, refocus whole group. Explain that another thing writers do as they write is edit their writing. When writers edit their writing, they do their best to make sure it is correct and to fix any mistakes they notice. Read students the sentence you just wrote: "In a rainforest in Xixuau, Brazil, it was difficult for students to go to school, and the community worked together to solve this problem." Point out that the sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. Model for students how to reread their focus statements aloud and edit their writing. If a capital letter is missing at the beginning of a sentence, show students how to cross out the first word and write it again with a capital letter at the beginning. If punctuation such as a period, question mark, or exclamation point is missing at the end of a sentence, show students how to reread their writing and place the correct punctuation at the end of the sentence. (Refer to the editing example as necessary.) Invite students to stay in the meeting area to edit their focus statements on page 6 of their notebooks with their writing partner. Tell students to read their sentences out loud to their writing partners so they can help them edit their work. Tell students they are now going to revise and edit the information about the problem in their informative paragraphs. Model a similar process for students to support them in revising the information about the problem: "Remember that revising my writing means to make sure the information makes sense and that this part of the paragraph is doing its job." "The information about the problem should describe the problem using details from the text, so I am going to need to check for that as I am rereading my writing." Read students the following sentences from the Problem and Solution Informative Writing Model: "The Rainforest School": "The problem is that the small school only went up to third grade. There was also no electricity in the village, so learning was more challenging." Invite students to give a thumbs-up if these sentences make sense to them. Look for students to give you a thumbs-up. Invite students to give a thumbs-up if this part of the paragraph does its job: describe the problem using details from the text. Look for students to give a thumbs-up. Invite a few students showing a thumbs-up to share examples about how they know this part of the paragraph does its job. (small school, only went up to third grade, no electricity) Tell students that they are going to work with their writing partner to revise their information about the problem from the section "Out of the Rubble." Invite students to begin sharing and revising with their writing partner. Encourage them to check and make sure that their partner's information about the problem makes sense and does its job. After 5 minutes, refocus whole group. Say: "You just spent time revising the information about the problem." Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What do we need to do now?" (edit the information about the problem) Remind students that when they edit today, their job is to make sure that their sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Invite students to stay in the meeting area to edit their information about the problem on page 6 of their notebook with their writing partner. Tell students to read their sentences out loud to their writing partners, so they can help them edit their work. While students are working, find a student who has successfully drafted, revised, and edited his or her focus statement and information about the problem in the Off to Class notebook. Ask this student if you can share his or her work during the Closing. Collect students' Off to Class notebooks.	For ELLs: Point out that "make sense" are words we hear a lot together. Example: "Remember, when we make sense, we are not really making anything. It means we are writing or speaking in a way that agrees with what we know to be true or seems right." Prompt students to practice using the phrase "make sense" by making statements that make sense and statements that do not make sense. Example: "I ate a swimming pool. Does that make sense?" (No, that does not make sense!) When preparing for revising and editing, support students' self-monitoring by creating a checklist for students to use that includes: Read to see if it makes sense; check for capital letters; check for punctuation. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes) Tell students you are now going to display one of their classmates' Off to Class notebook. Thank this student for being willing to share his or her writing in front of the class and display the notebook. Tell students that they will look at this student's notebook to remind them of all the things they did as writers today. Display page 5 of the student's Off to Class notebook. Read the notes the student has written in the boxes labeled School, Location, and Problem. Then, ask the student to read the start to his or her problem and solution informative paragraph on page 6 from the Off to Class notebook. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What did you notice this student did with his or her notes?" (used the notes and turned them into sentences) If productive, cue students to clarify the conversation by confirming what they mean: "So, do you mean _____?" (Responses will vary.) Reread the student's work on page 6 from the Off to Class notebook. Show students how this student also revised and edited the writing so it is clear and readable to others. Invite students to give a thumbs-up if they did one of those things in their writing today. Invite students to give a round of applause to their classmate for sharing his or her writing. Direct students' attention back to the learning targets and reread the second one aloud: "I can write about the problem in the section 'Out of the Rubble' using details from the text." Invite students to turn to an elbow partner and share one thing they did today to meet the learning target.	For ELLs: As students interact, jot down some verb tense errors that are impeding communication. Briefly review the verb tense for the whole class. Encourage the group to identify the verb that communicates the message clearly and accurately. (MMR) Before displaying a student's piece of work, create an accepting and supportive classroom environment by encouraging students to respect the student's work and willingness to take a risk by sharing it with the whole class. Say: "Kyra has agreed to share what she was working on in her Off to Class notebook. Sharing a piece of your own work with the whole class can feel a little risky, so we want to be respectful of her efforts. We are going to try to notice things that Kyra did well in her writing." (MME)

Closing

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Tell students you are now going to display one of their classmates' Off to Class notebook.
Thank this student for being willing to share his or her writing in front of the class and display the notebook. Tell students that they will look at this student's notebook to remind them of all the things they did as writers today.
Display page 5 of the student's Off to Class notebook. Read the notes the student has written in the boxes labeled School, Location, and Problem. Then, ask the student to read the start to his or her problem and solution informative paragraph on page 6 from the Off to Class notebook.
Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What did you notice this student did with his or her notes?" (used the notes and turned them into sentences)

If productive, cue students to clarify the conversation by confirming what they mean:

"So, do you mean _____?" (Responses will vary.)

Reread the student's work on page 6 from the Off to Class notebook. Show students how this student also revised and edited the writing so it is clear and readable to others.
Invite students to give a thumbs-up if they did one of those things in their writing today.
Invite students to give a round of applause to their classmate for sharing his or her writing.
Direct students' attention back to the learning targets and reread the second one aloud:

"I can write about the problem in the section 'Out of the Rubble' using details from the text."

Invite students to turn to an elbow partner and share one thing they did today to meet the learning target.

For ELLs: As students interact, jot down some verb tense errors that are impeding communication. Briefly review the verb tense for the whole class. Encourage the group to identify the verb that communicates the message clearly and accurately. (MMR)
Before displaying a student's piece of work, create an accepting and supportive classroom environment by encouraging students to respect the student's work and willingness to take a risk by sharing it with the whole class. Say: "Kyra has agreed to share what she was working on in her Off to Class notebook. Sharing a piece of your own work with the whole class can feel a little risky, so we want to be respectful of her efforts. We are going to try to notice things that Kyra did well in her writing." (MME)

EL Education Curriculum