Focused Read-aloud: Contrasting and Comparing My School and a Boat School in Bangladesh | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:M1:U3:L1

Focused Read-aloud: Contrasting and Comparing My School and a Boat School in Bangladesh

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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.2.7: Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
  • 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.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can compare and contrast my own school with a boat school in Bangladesh. (RL.2.1, RL.2.7, W.2.8)
  • I can build on others' ideas while participating in a collaborative conversation about how schools are different. (SL.2.1, SL.2.1a, SL.2.1b)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During Work Time B, circulate and observe students using the Word Wall words during independent writing (W.2.8).
  • During Work Time C, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor student progress toward SL.2.1a and SL.2.1b (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Unit 3 Guiding Question (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Focused Read-aloud: Off to Class, Pages 8-9 (20 minutes)

B. Responding to Text: How Is This School Different from Ours? (10 minutes)

C. Collaborative Conversations Protocol:  How Is This School Different from Ours? (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson begins the exploration of the similarities and differences between a student's school and the schools they read about. In this unit, students will reread two sections from Off to Class, as well as a new section, to develop skills around comparing and contrasting. In this unit, contrasting will often come first because it is easier for students to recognize differences. Materials will also be named with contrast first for consistency.
  • Unit 3 continues the studies from Unit 2 of schools around the world. Because the focus of this unit is "differences and similarities," talk with students about the importance of respect while having conversations about each school. Explain that differences do not make a school "bad" but rather unique and special. Revisit this conversation before each reading of Off to Class so students can participate in the focused read-alouds with understanding.
  • Remind students that although the text, Off to Class, presents informative profiles of schools and communities around the world, each chapter is not necessarily representative of all schools or communities in a given country or region. Consider researching each country and taking time to provide students with a brief tour of the diversity of experiences and communities within. Actively challenge the narrative that countries and cultures are monolithic.
  • Research the countries of origin of students and help all students make connections between their country of origin and the topic or text. Research and share different kinds of schools in the students' countries and communities of origin. Privately discuss what you found with students in advance of the lesson. During the lesson, tell students: "I searched online and found out that _____(country), where _____ (name of student) is from, has a very interesting type of school." Share the information you found on the topic or text, and invite the student to share his or her experience with the class. Record patterns in student responses on the Schools around the World anchor chart.
  • As an example, this lesson offers snowstorms as a possible contrast between a local school and the boat school in Bangladesh. However, depending on the climate of your location, consider using alternative examples.
  • Over the next couple of lessons, students complete focused read-alouds, answering text-dependent questions about the text after hearing it read aloud. Recall that these questions are found directly in the body of the lesson and have a skill-based focus for reading and include fewer questions per lesson than a close read-aloud does. Because students will be focusing on the new skill of comparing and contrasting during these focused read-alouds, the teacher will take ownership of taking notes for the class on the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart.
  • To allow for a volume of reading on the topic of school for this module, see the K-5 Recommended Text List. Ensure that a variety of informational and narratives texts below, on, and above grade level for this topic are available during independent reading in the K-2 Reading Foundations Skills Block.
  • In this lesson, students review and practice the last classroom discussion norm, "Respond to others' ideas by building on or asking questions." To help students build toward mastery of SL2.1b and SL2.1c, students are introduced to the Collaborative Conversations protocol in Work Time C. In this protocol, students use sentence starters to help them build on or question their group members during an active discussion. Begin assessing students in this lesson on their mastery of SL2.1b and continue using the Collaborative Conversations protocol in future lessons as a time to collect data on both SL2.1b and SL2.1c. The Unit 3 assessment is in Lesson 5, which will be the final lesson for collecting speaking and listening data.
  • In Work Time A, students participate in the Collaborative Conversations protocol. Consider how familiar students are with this protocol and reallocate class time spent introducing it as necessary.
  • This lesson is the first in a series of three that include built-out instruction for the use of Goal 2 Conversation Cues. Conversation Cues are questions teachers can ask students to promote productive and equitable conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O'Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer. Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2012. Based on Chapin, S., O'Connor, C., and Anderson, N. [2009]. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K-6. Second Edition. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications). Goal 2 Conversation Cues encourage students to listen carefully to one another and seek to understand. Continue drawing on Goal 1 Conversation Cues, introduced in Unit 1, Lesson 3, and add Goal 2 Conversation Cues to more strategically promote productive and equitable conversation. As the modules progress, Goal 3 and 4 Conversation Cues are also introduced. See the Tools page for additional information on Conversation Cues. Consider providing students with a thinking journal or scrap paper. Examples of the Goal 2 Conversation Cues you will see in this unit and Module 2, Unit 1 are (with expected responses):
    • To help students listen carefully to one another and seek to understand:

 "Who can repeat what your classmate said?"

"She said _____."

"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?"

 "He was saying that _____."

  • Speaking and Listening skills and writing skills have a close and crucial relationship in this unit. Students will talk with writing partners after each focused read-aloud to orally process their understanding of the text. Students will then practice writing notes as preparation for a larger group discussion. Students will use their notes to participate in a collaborative conversation where they build on group members' ideas with new or different details. The collaborative conversations serve as practice and assessment on speaking and listening skills as well as a scaffold for the writing they will be doing for their performance task book.

How this lesson builds on previous work:                                                                                                                                    

  • Informative writing continues to be a focus in Unit 3. Students continue their listening skills as the teacher takes public notes, and in this unit students use these notes to participate in collaborative conversations. Students also go through the full writing process in the second half of this unit while creating the book for their performance task.
  • The habits of character introduced in Units 1 and 2 are revisited in this unit. In Unit 3, students demonstrate respect while talking about schools' differences and similarities and collaborate during conversations and during group research time.
  • In Units 1 and 2, the speaking and listening standards (SL.2.1, SL.2.1a, SL.2.1b, SL.2.1c) were gradually introduced and reinforced in daily lessons. Unit 3 places a greater focus on students' practice of SL.2.1b and SL.2.1c through the use of protocols and sentence starters. Practice around these standards culminates in the collection of speaking and listening data through Lessons 1-5 of this unit.

Areas in which students may need additional support:                                                                 

  • In Work Time A, students listen to the text read aloud and indicate when they have heard a difference or a similarity. To help students find important details, give them prompts of specific details to listen for, such as "materials the students are using" or "what subjects the students are learning." For students who may not feel comfortable sharing with the class, invite them to whisper answers to a friend or write their answer on a whiteboard.
  • In Work Time B, students write a detail from the reading completed in Work Time A. For students who need more support with writing, invite them to draw a picture with labels for their notes.
  • In Work Time C, students participate in a small group discussion using sentence starters. For students who need more support with timing cues for verbal responding, invite the group to use a talking stick that can be passed to anyone who has a response when the previous speaker is finished speaking.

Down the road:

  • In this lesson, students start hearing and discussing similarities and differences between the boat school and their own school. In future lessons, students are going to do the same process with two new schools. In the first half of this unit, the information gained from these lessons will be used for their collaborative conversations to collect data on SL.2.1, SL.2.1a, SL.2.1b, and SL.2.1c. In the second half of this unit, the information gained from these lessons will be used for the students' performance task, when they will create a book after selecting details comparing and contrasting their school to another school.
  • In Lessons 6-9, students will use the public notes to write their performance task. The performance task is inspired by The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown. To expose students to the structure within this book, find times during the next few days to read aloud one or two pages from this book. This familiarity with the text will help students make meaning of the format of the text when the performance task is introduced (see Performance Task Overview and Resources).
  • In Lesson 10, students will present their learning at a celebration of learning with a kindergarten class at their school. Before the celebration of learning, confirm where the celebration will take place (perhaps in a shared space, such as the auditorium, or in a kindergarten classroom), what time it will take place, and which kindergarten class will participate.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine collaborative conversation groups of four or five students. Consider mixing students of different speaking and listening skill levels.
  • Consider copying the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet and Sentence Starters: Day 1 tracking sheet back-to-back on single sheets for less material management.
  • Prepare:
    • Our Study of School Word Wall cards for similar, different, compare, and contrast. Write or type each word on a card and create or find a visual to accompany it.
    • Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart, Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart, Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart, and Collaborative Conversations Protocol anchor chart (see supporting materials).
  • Distribute pencils and the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet at students' workspaces. Doing this in advance helps ensure a smooth transition during Work Time B.
  • Review the Think-Pair-Share and Collaborative Conversations protocols. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Post: Learning targets, Module Guiding Question anchor chart, Unit 2 Guiding Questions anchor chart, and Writing Partners anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Work Time A: If you recorded students participating in the Think-Pair-Share protocol in Unit 1, play this video for them to remind them of what to do.
  • Work Time A: Create Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart in an online format, for example a Google Doc, to display and share with families.
  • Work Time B: Students complete the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet note-catcher/graphic organizer 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.
  • Work Time C: Record students as they participate in the Collaborative Conversation protocol 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.
  • Closing and Assessment A: If students were recorded during Work Time C, consider replaying excerpts of these recordings to help students self-assess their learning.

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 explicit instruction in speaking and listening protocols. This will familiarize students with the conventions of participating in conversation and will prompt students to think more deeply about content. Students will also participate in a focused read-aloud with a familiar text. This will hone their interpretive skills as they explore similarities and differences between schools around the world and their own.
  • ELLs may find the abundance of information, materials, and new skills offered during this first lesson overwhelming. Consider gradually introducing some of the content over a series of lessons. For example, introduce each row on the Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart on a different day. Or encourage students to focus on using only one at a time.

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."

For heavier support:

  • While creating the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart, write similarities and differences using different colored markers. This will provide students with another means of representing and comprehending differences and similarities. Encourage students to use colored pencils when taking their own notes.
  • Show a brief video or a series of photographs to set the stage for the reading. Example: Display photos of life in Bangladesh. Briefly discuss the similarities and differences between these communities and the community in which the school is situated.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): During the Opening, students are introduced to the terms similarities and differences and are invited to compare a ham sandwich with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to practice applying these terms. In order to better grasp the concept of how some things can be simultaneously "similar" and "different," some students may benefit from a graphic organizer to visually make sense of the relationship between two kinds of sandwiches. Drawing and using a Venn diagram on the board can support comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During Work Time B, students complete the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet. Second-graders have a range of fine motor abilities and writing needs. When introducing independent writing, vary methods for fine motor response by offering options for drawing utensils, writing tools, and scaffolds.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): In Work Time C, students practice respectfully disagreeing with a classmate, using the Collaborative Conversations Protocol anchor chart. Students may have negative previous experiences with disagreement. Create an accepting and supportive classroom climate by reminding students about what respectful disagreement means, reinforcing the idea that disagreement can be positive and productive.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • differences, similarities, contrast, compare, build on, collaborative (L)

Review:

  • respect (L)

Materials

  • Questions from Kindergarteners anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Module Guiding Question anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Unit 2 Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 1)
  • Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Our Study of School Word Wall (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 1; added to during Opening)
  • Think-Pair-Share anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart (for teacher reference)
  • Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
  • Off to Class (from Unit 2, Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Writing Partners anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 2)
  • Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet (one per student and one to display)
  • Boat School Differences: Sample Student Response Sheet (for teacher reference)
  • Sentence Starters: Day 1 tracking sheet (one per student and one to display)
  • Collaborative Conversations Protocol anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)

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: Unit 3 Guiding Question (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Display the Questions from Kindergarteners anchor chart from Unit 1.
  • Say: "Do you remember those kindergarteners who asked us questions about schools? Well, we have been learning so much about schools, I thought it would be a good idea to tell them about how our school is similar to and different from other schools. Then we can invite them into our class so we can share our learning!"
  • Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Question anchor chart and read it aloud:
    • "What is school, and why are schools important?"
  • Tell students that they started their learning by thinking about what school is and why schools are important.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"Why are schools important?" (Responses will vary, but should reference a point from the Module Guiding Question anchor chart.)

  • If productive, use a Goal 2 Conversation Cue to encourage students to listen carefully:

"Who can repeat what your classmate said?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 2 Guiding Questions anchor chart and read it aloud:
    • "Why is it hard for children to go to school in their communities?"
    • "How do communities solve these problems so their children can go to school?"
  • Tell students that they continued learning about schools by traveling around the world to study communities that had problems getting students to school and how those communities were able to solve those problems.
  • Direct students to the text and anchor charts from Unit 2 to refresh their memories.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What is one solution a community used to solve its problem?" (Students should reference the school read about in Unit 2: a rainforest school in Brazil, tent schools in Haiti, boat schools in Bangladesh)

  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart and read it aloud:
    • "How are schools around the world different? How are they similar?"
  • Tell students that they will finish studying schools by finding differences and similarities between schools they have studied and their own school.
  • Show students the Our Study of School Word Wall card for differences. Say the word and show the picture.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What are differences?" (the parts of something that are different from something else)

  • Discuss the definition on the card as a class. Give examples of two things that have differences (Example: I have a ham sandwich for lunch, and you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. There are differences between my lunch and your lunch because we have different kinds of sandwiches.)
  • Show students the motion of two fists separated by space. Explain that they will use the motion to help them find differences during the read-aloud. Invite students to join you in the motion.
  • Encourage students to turn to an elbow partner and share the differences between a ham sandwich and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, using the sentence frame: "One difference is that the ham sandwich has _______ and the peanut butter and jelly sandwich does not."
  • Invite a few students to share their sentences.
  • Place the card and picture for differences on the Our Study of School Word Wall.
  • Show students the Our Study of School Word Wall card for similarities. Say the word and show the picture.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What are similarities?" (the parts of something that are like or are almost the same as something else)

  • Discuss the definition on the card as a class. Use the example of the peanut butter and jelly and ham sandwiches to identify similarities. (Example: "Let's look at our peanut butter and jelly and ham sandwiches again. I see that they both have bread. That's a similarity.")
  • Show students the motion of two fists together, touching. Explain that they will use the motion to help them find similarities during the read-aloud. Invite students to join you in the motion.
  • Encourage students to turn to an elbow partner and share the similarities between a ham sandwich and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, using the sentence frame: "One similarity is that the ham sandwich and the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches both have ________."
  • Invite a few students to share their sentences.
  • Place the card and picture for similarities on the Our Study of School Word Wall and invite students to repeat after you: "There are similarities between my face and your face."
  • Tell students they will be using the words differences and similarities to help them think about the schools they read about throughout the next several lessons.
  • For ELLs: While discussing the definitions of similarities and differences, display photographs or illustrations of a ham sandwich and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Refer to the visuals while discussing their similarities and differences. (MMR)
  • When comparing the ham sandwich and peanut butter and jelly sandwich, highlight their relationship by drawing a Venn diagram on the board. Label one side "ham sandwich" and one side "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" and post images next to each. Write students' responses about similarities and differences into the diagram. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Focused Read-aloud: Off to Class, Pages 8-9 (20 minutes)

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

"I can compare and contrast my own school with a boat school in Bangladesh."

  • Show students the Our Study of School Word Wall cards for compare and contrast.
  • Tell students they are going to share their ideas about these words with a partner using the Think-Pair-Share protocol. Remind them that they used this protocol in Units 1 and 2 and review as necessary using the Think-Pair-Share anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)

"What do you think we might be doing while we compare and contrast?" (finding differences, finding the similarities)

  • Discuss the definitions as a class.
  • Place the cards and pictures for compare and contrast on the Our Study of School Word Wall.
  • Focus students' attention on the Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart.
  • Point out to students that the chart has different sentence starters to use when they are having conversations about comparing and contrasting schools.
  • Read some of the examples out loud. Tell students that you will practice using them and they should try, too.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How can we show respect while we talk about similarities and differences between our school and another school?" (use kind words; find special things about other schools)

  • Remind students that showing respect means that you appreciate the qualities and talents of someone else.
  • Say: "While we are looking at another school, we are going to come across things that are not the same. That doesn't mean that either one is better; it just means there are differences. We can appreciate other schools because they are different and special in their own ways."
  • Direct students' attention to the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart. Tell students you will take notes on these charts while the students listen for differences and similarities as they read.
  • Display pages 8-9 from Off to Class.
  • Invite students to whisper a response into their hands:

"What do you remember about this school?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Students went to school on a boat.)

  • Tell students that first, they should be listening for things about the school that are different from their school, such as what the students learn, what materials they use, and what weather they experience.
  • Invite students to make the motion for differences (two fists with space between them). Encourage students to show this motion when they hear something that is different between the boat school and their own school.
  • While still displaying the text, begin reading on page 8 at "In Bangladesh, students can miss ..."
  • Stop reading after the sentence "Even when schools are open ..."
  • Model the use of the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart using the context of your school when contrasting. Refer to Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • Think aloud: "I heard a difference. I am going to use the Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart to help me talk about it. The boat school and our school are different because the boat school has floods and our school doesn't. In fact, our school has snowstorms."
    • Write "floods" as a difference under the Boat School column on the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart.
    • Write "snowstorms" as a difference under the Our School column on the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart.
  • Encourage students to continue listening and to show a motion for the next note to write on the chart.
  • Draw students' attention back to the text and continue reading on page 9, starting with "Boat school is the combination ..."
  • After reading two or three sentences, look for students to show a motion to indicate a difference.
  • Select a volunteer to share a detail with the class.
  • Before adding to the public notes, help students think through their details by prompting with questions:

"What detail did you hear in the book?"

"How does that detail show a difference between the boat school and our school?"

  • If productive, use a Goal 2 Conversation Cue to encourage students to listen carefully and seek to understand:

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

  • Model writing student ideas as phrases on the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart.
  • Draw students' attention back to the text and finish reading the text on page 9 in chunks of two or three sentences, stopping to call on students when they show the differences motion and adding notes to the anchor chart.
  • Tell students that they should be listening now for things about the school that are similar to their school, such as what the students learn, what materials they use, and what weather they experience.
  • Invite students to make the motion for similarities (two fists together, touching). Encourage students to show this motion when they hear something that is similar between the boat school and their own school.
  • Draw students' attention back to the text and begin reading page 9, starting with "Boat school is the combination ..."
  • Repeat the process of reading to the end of the text in chunks of two or three sentences, calling on volunteers and adding notes to the anchor chart.
  • When the public notes are completed, invite students to stand in their spot to do a cheer or celebration of their work or incorporate a short movement break.
  • For ELLs: During the focused read-aloud, provide sentence frames for Think-Pair-Shares. (Example: "One detail is _____.") (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: During the focused read-alouds, display the text on a document camera or an enlarged copy of the text to help direct students to the appropriate sentences on each page. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of the sentence from the lesson/text: In Bangladesh, students can miss months of school during monsoon season, when heavy rains cause floods. Examples:
    • "What do you think monsoon season is?" (a season when there are lots of heavy rains)
    • "What is another way of saying the phrase students can miss months of school?" (Students sometimes miss school for months.)
    • "When do they miss so much school? Which word tells us when they miss school?" (In monsoon season. The word during tells us.)
    • Point to the phrase when heavy rains cause floods. Say: "This phrase tells us more about what happens during monsoon season. How do heavy rains cause floods?" (It rains so much that lots of water collects on the ground.)
  • "Let's think about some differences between our school and the school in Bangladesh. We can rewrite the sentence with information about our school."
  • Work with students to rewrite the sentence using the frame: "In _________, students can miss ____ of school during ________, when _________ cause(s) ________. (In Wisconsin, students can miss days of school during winter, when heavy snow causes slippery roads.)
  • For ELLs: Check for comprehension by cold calling an ELL to share a detail about a similarity and difference. Use Conversation Cues to help clarify the student's thinking. (Example: "I heard you say floods. Can you say more about that?")

B. Responding to Text: How Is This School Different from Ours? (10 minutes)

  • Give students specific feedback for their work listening for details in the text. (Example: "I noticed you worked really hard to listen for differences about the boat school.")
  • Tell students they will get a chance to write a note about a difference they read about after talking with their writing partners.
  • Direct students' attention to the Writing Partners anchor chart and review it.
  • Invite students to move to sit next to their writing partner.
  • Display the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with their writing partner:

"What is one difference you could write on your sheet?" (Boat schools have floods.)

  • Tell students that their own copies of the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet are already at their workspace, and they will use these to write about what they read today.
  • Remind students how to transition back to their seats for independent work as necessary.
  • Invite students to return to their workspace and begin working.
  • Circulate and support students as they write. Give frequent time reminders and encourage students to locate a detail from the Public Notes: Boat School anchor chart to include in their writing. Refer to the Boat School Differences: Sample Student Response Sheet (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • When 2 minutes remain, ask students to wrap up their writing.
  • When 1 minute remains, encourage students to share their work with their writing partner. Remind them to try to use the sentences on the Language for Comparing and Contrasting anchor chart as they share.
  • Invite students to give their writing partner a handshake or high-five for the work they have done.
  • For ELLs: Display an enlarged or projected copy of the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet. Model and think aloud checking the public notes and deciding what to write on the response sheet. (Example: "Hmmm ... I see lots of differences listed here, but I will choose has monsoons. Oh look, I know how to spell it because it is right here!") (MMR)
  • When introducing the Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet, vary methods for fine motor response by offering options for drawing utensils (e.g., thick markers or colored pencils), writing tools (e.g., fine-tipped markers, pencil grips, slant boards), and scaffolds (e.g., shared writing, extended time). (MMAE)

C. Collaborative Conversations Protocol: How Is This School Different from Ours? (15 minutes)

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

"I can build on others' ideas while participating in a collaborative conversation about how schools are different."

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does it mean to build on in this sentence?" (to add more details to, to use what has been said and add more)

  • Display the Sentence Starters: Day 1 tracking sheet.
  • Remind students of the sentence starters they can use to build on others' ideas by reading through each sentence starter on the page.
  • Invite volunteers to help point out other important words in the target and define them (participate, conversation, different)
  • If students have not pointed out the word collaborative, underline the word and read it aloud.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"If you know what the word collaboration means, what do you think it means to be collaborative?" (It means the group is cooperating and working together.)

  • Tell students they will now share their Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet with a small group using the Collaborative Conversations protocol.
  • Referring to the Collaborative Conversations Protocol anchor chart, explain the expectations:
    • Point to the first step on the Collaborative Conversations Protocol anchor chart. Tell students they will be assigned to a group. The group members will need to sit in a circle facing one another.
    • Point to the image of a person holding a paper. Tell students they will receive a sentence starter tracker to help them build onto their teammates' ideas and they should read through the sheet to themselves first.
    • Point to the image of the ear. Explain that the teacher will announce a question for the group to discuss and every group member needs to listen carefully.
    • Point to the image of one group member talking. Tell students that one group member should start by offering an answer to the question with some details.
    • Point to the image of many group members talking. Tell students that they will use their notes from Off to Class to take turns responding to their group member's answer. Each time they respond, they should try using a sentence starter from their tracking paper.
    • Point to the final image of a paper with check marks. Explain to students that when they use a sentence starter to help them discuss a question, they should put a check mark on their paper to show they have used it.
  • Ask two student volunteers to help you model how to build onto a group member's idea:

1. Sit or stand face-to-face with the volunteers.

2. Ask one volunteer:

"What is one difference between our school and the boat school?"

3. After the student answers, think aloud: "I heard what she said. I will reread the sentences on my tracker to help me add new details to what he said. Let me think."

4. Practice using the sentence starters to respond to the volunteer's answer. Say: "I would like to add to Mary's idea with new details. I agree the boat school looks different because ..."

5. Turn to the second volunteer. Tell the class: "This partner has heard what Mary said and what I have said. Now he will think about whether he wants to add to or disagree with the details he has."

6. Invite the second volunteer to respond using one of the sentence stems.

    • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How will you show your partner you are listening to him or her?" (use eye contact; answer the questions they ask me)

  • Designate groups.
  • Invite students to retrieve their Boat School Differences: Student Response Sheet and move them into pre-determined groups, assigning each group to a different area of the room.
  • Guide students through each step of the Collaborative Conversations protocol using the question:

"How is the boat school different from our school?"

  • Circulate to observe students as they discuss and gather data on SL.2.1b using the Speaking and Listening Checklist. Prompt students with questions to help them expand on their ideas:

"Could you give me some more information about your idea?"

  • For ELLs: Create groups with varying levels of language proficiency. The students with greater language proficiency can serve as models in the group, initiating discussions and providing implicit sentence frames. If possible, consider grouping students who speak the same home language together to help one another interpret and comprehend the conversation in their home languages.
  • For ELLs: Invite volunteers to fish bowl a collaborative conversation for the class using the protocol. Prompt and narrate the conversation step by step. This will better prepare students for participating in the conversation independently.
  • When introducing the Collaborative Conversations Protocol anchor chart, create an accepting and supportive classroom climate by reminding students about what respectful disagreement means. Reinforce the idea that disagreement can be positive and productive. (Example: "If my classmate disagrees with my ideas, that is okay. It does not mean that my classmate does not like me or does not appreciate my ideas. It just means my classmate had a totally different idea from mine. My classmate and I can learn from each other's perspectives.") (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Invite students to return to the whole group area.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How did you do using the sentence starters to build on others' ideas today?" (Responses will vary, but should may include: I did well because I used my Sentence Starters: Day 1 tracking sheet.)

  • If productive, use a Goal 2 Conversation Cue to encourage students to listen carefully:

"Who can repeat what your classmate said?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students they will get a chance to practice again in coming lessons.
  • For ELLs: Assess students' comfort using sentence starters by offering statements such as: "I didn't understand what they meant" or "I found the sentence starters helpful." Students can raise their hands if the statements apply to them. To reduce stigma, ask students to close their eyes during the activity. (MME)

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