Preparing for Our Celebration of Learning: Editing My “Most Important Thing about Schools” Book | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:M1:U3:L9

Preparing for Our Celebration of Learning: Editing My “Most Important Thing about Schools” Book

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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.
  • W.2.5: With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
  • 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.2.4: Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.
  • L.2.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can edit my writing using the Revising and Editing Checklist. (W.2.2, W.2.5, L.2.2)
  • I can present what I have learned about schools by preparing for the Celebration of Learning. (SL.2.1a, SL.2.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During Work Time A, use the Informative/Explanatory Writing Checklist to document students' progress toward L.2.2 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During Work Time C, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor students' progress toward SL.2.1a (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Working with Our Writing Partners (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Editing My Writing: Using the Revising and Editing Checklist (25 minutes)

B. Speaking and Listening: Practicing Our Readers Theater Scripts (15 minutes)

C. Speaking and Listening: Practicing Reading Our "The Most Important Thing about Schools" Books (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • During Work Time A, students revisit their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books with their writing partners. After reading their work aloud to each other, they offer feedback to their partner and then edit their writing based on any feedback received. Students also focus on editing their work for writing conventions such as proper spacing and correct spelling. (W.2.5, L.2.2)
  • During Work Times B and C, students prepare for the upcoming Celebration of Learning by practicing reading what they will present during the celebration. Using the class-generated Performance Criteria anchor chart, students work on their presentation skills while they read their Readers Theater scripts and their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books. (SL.2.4)

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Throughout the module, students have self-reflected on their progress toward daily learning targets. In this lesson, they continue to self-reflect during the Closing and provide increasingly specific examples of their progress.
  • In Work Time C, students revisit the Performance Criteria anchor chart that they were introduced to in Unit 2. They use this anchor chart to practice their plays and practice reading their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" book.
  • Continue to use Goal 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • During Work Time B, for students who are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of editing they have to do, consider choosing just one thing on the Revising and Editing Checklist that they need to use.
  • During Work Time B, consider pulling a small group of students who frequently misspell words with similar phonemes and editing their books together.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 10, students will participate in a Celebration of Learning with kindergarteners from their school. At the celebration, they will sing the "What Is School?" song, perform their Readers Theater scripts on schools around the world, and present their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books.

In Advance

  • Pre-distribute:
    • "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books and Revising and Editing Checklists at student workspaces. This ensures a smooth transition to Work Time A.
    • Readers Theater scripts (boat, rainforest, and tent) in designated areas from Unit 2, Lesson 8. This ensures a smooth transition to Work Time A.
  • Be prepared to place students in their Readers Theater groups from Unit 2 during Work Time B.
  • Pre-determine groups of four or five for students' presentations of their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books.
  • Confirm a kindergarten class's attendance at the Celebration of Learning for Lesson 10.
  • Prepare:
    • Celebration of Learning anchor chart (see supporting materials).
  • Post: Learning targets, Writing Partners anchor chart, Revising and Editing Checklist anchor chart, Celebration of Learning anchor chart, and Performance Criteria anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Work Time A: Students revise their book using a word processing tool, for example a Google Doc.
  • Work Time B and C: Record students as they rehearse 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 B and 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, and 2.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to work closely with peers to revise their work using a structured and supportive protocol. Students will practice speaking and listening skills as they build fluency sharing their work and performing skits. Reading fluency and peer interaction are critical for English language development.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to provide feedback to one another using several different criteria. Consider allowing students to focus on just one or two criteria as they work with their partners so students can benefit from peer feedback without becoming overwhelmed.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • While practicing skits, invite an intermediate proficiency student to be the "director" and support beginning students to read with expression and emotion.

For heavier support:

  • On a tablet computer or recording device, work with students to record themselves delivering their lines with a teacher or peer's support. Empower students to play back and listen to their recordings as they follow along with their scripts and practice their performances. If helpful, work with a group to perform and record an entire performance of the play so they can play it back and follow along as they practice. Provide opportunities for students to practice at home with family members.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): During the Closing, students share goals for the Celebration of Learning. As students share their ideas verbally, consider visually displaying their ideas by writing them on chart paper or the board.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During Work Time C, students practice reading their books for the celebration. Provide options for communication by allowing students with softer voices to read into a microphone.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): When reviewing how to give kind, helpful, and specific feedback during the Opening, personalize instruction by sharing positive examples of students working with writing partners based on observations from previous lessons.

Vocabulary

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

Review:

  • kind, specific, and helpful feedback, perseverance, revise, edit (L)

Materials

  • Writing Partners anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Revising and Editing Checklist anchor chart (begun in Lesson 8)
  • "The Most Important Thing about Schools" book (from Lesson 6; one per student)
  • Interactive High Frequency Word Wall (begun in the K-2 Skills Block)
  • Editing example (one to display)
  • Editing example (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Revising and Editing Checklist (from Lesson 8; one per student)
  • Informative/Explanatory Writing Checklist (for teacher reference; See Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Celebration of Learning anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Performance Criteria anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 8)
  • Readers Theater Script: Boat School (from Unit 2, Lesson 8; one per student in this group)
  • Readers Theater Script: Rainforest School (from Unit 2, Lesson 8; one per student in this group)
  • Readers Theater Script: Tent School (from Unit 2, Lesson 8; one per student in this group)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; See Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • "What Is School?" song (from Unit 1, Lesson 2; one to display)

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: Working with Our Writing Partners (5 minutes)

  • Invite students to sit next to their writing partner in the whole group area.
  • Direct students' attention to the Writing Partners anchor chart and quickly review it.
  • Point out the phrase:
    • "Give kind, specific, and helpful feedback to my writing partner."
  • Briefly review the definition of kind, specific, and helpful feedback (kind tells you what you did a good job on; helpful tells you what you could do better).
  • Tell students that today they will work with their writing partners to continue to give kind, specific, and helpful to improve each other's writing.
  • Invite students to give a thumbs-up if they are ready to give feedback that is kind, helpful, or specific to their writing partners about their writing.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How will you give kind, specific, and helpful feedback today?" (Responses will vary, but may include: "I will tell my writing partner what she did a good job on in her book. I will tell her nicely how she could make her book better.")

  • Remind students that it will be important to remember what they plan to focus on when working with their writing partner to give feedback.
  • When reviewing how to give kind, helpful, and specific feedback, personalize instruction by sharing positive examples of students working with writing partners based on your observation. (Example: "Yesterday I noticed David gave helpful and specific feedback to his partner by pointing out how adding punctuation to sentences could make the writing even better.") (MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Editing My Writing: Using the Revising and Editing Checklist (25 minutes)

  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on the perseverance they have showed thus far in writing their books. (Example: "You have challenged yourselves by researching a school you don't know. You have all continued to try to ask for help from those around you when something has been hard while writing your books.")
  • Remind students that helping one another improve their writing is another way to show perseverance.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can edit my writing using the Revising and Editing Checklist."

  • Briefly review the definitions of revise (when writers reread their writing to make sure it makes sense and that each part of their writing is doing its own job) and edit (when writers do their best to make sure their writing is correct and fix any mistakes they notice).
  • Remind students that they have a tool to help them with revising and editing, and direct students' attention to the Revising and Editing Checklist anchor chart.
  • Review the last four sentences on the chart by reading them aloud, starting with "My sentences start with a capital letter" and ending with "I sounded out tricky words and wrote the sounds I heard."
  • Tell students that today they will work with their writing partner and focus on making sure they have done the following in their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" book:
    • Included spaces between the words
    • Spelled words from the Interactive High Frequency Word Wall correctly
    • Spelled words with sounds they have already learned correctly
  • Tell students you will now model reading and reviewing writing with a student volunteer.
  • Select a volunteer to stand with you at the front of the whole group area.
  • Display the editing example and model with your partner by:
    • Reading the editing example aloud.
    • Asking your partner to give feedback on the editing example by using the sentence frames:
      • "You did a good job of ________."
      • "Would you consider______?"
    • Thanking your partner for offering kind, specific, and helpful feedback and asking him or her to return to his or her seat.
    • Thinking aloud to notice whether or not there are spaces between all the words. (Example: "I notice that I forgot a space between the words a and school.")
    • Rewriting the words a and school with a space between them.
    • Using the Interactive High Frequency Word Wall to make sure high frequency words are spelled correctly. Say: "I notice that the word every is spelled differently in my writing than on the Interactive High Frequency Word Wall."
    • Refer to editing example (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Rewriting and spelling aloud the word every to reflect the correct spelling, referencing the Interactive High Frequency Word Wall to ensure the correct spelling.
    • Rereading the entire sentence and thinking aloud about how the word floats is spelled incorrectly. Say: "I notice that boat and float sound the same, but I spelled them differently. I know that the long o vowel team is spelled with o and a, so I need to fix that in the word float."
    • Rewriting and spelling aloud the word float to reflect the correct spelling.
    • Rereading the sentence with the corrections made.
  • Post the following directions and review them with students:
  1. Label yourselves A and B.
  2. Partner A reads his or her work aloud.
  3. Partner B offers partner A feedback using the Revising and Editing Checklist.
  4. Switch roles and repeat.
  5. Both partners edit their work using their partner's feedback and the Revising and Editing Checklist.
  • Point out to students that their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books and Revising and Editing Checklists are already at their workspaces.
  • Transition students back to their workspaces and focus students' attention on page 11 of their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" book (Revising and Editing Checklist).
  • Invite students to begin reviewing and editing their work with their writing partners.
  • Circulate to support students as they work with their writing partners. Use the Informative/Explanatory Writing Checklist to gather data on students' progress toward L.2.2.
  • Consider stopping students after 7-8 minutes and encouraging them to switch roles.
  • Explain to students that they now have a chance to work on the third sentence of the checklist: "My sentences start with a capital letter and end with the correct punctuation." Tell them they will independently (not with their writing partners) read their entire "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books one more time and edit their writing for capital letters and correct punctuation.
  • After about 5-6 minutes, invite students to turn to page 11 of their books and put a check mark next to the first and last boxes.
  • For ELLs: As students work with their writing partners, invite them to connect two things they liked about their partner's writing with language for similarities from Lesson 8. (Example: "You also did a good job of _____. Would you consider _____, too?")

B. Speaking and Listening: Practicing Our Readers Theater Scripts (15 minutes)

  • Invite students back to the whole group area.
  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on their work reviewing and editing their writing. (Example: "I noticed that everyone really used the resources around the room to make sure they were spelling words correctly in their writing.")
  • Remind students that they will be reading their books to the kindergarten visitors during the Celebration of Learning in the next lesson.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can present what I have learned about schools by preparing for the Celebration of Learning."

  • Inform students that during the Celebration of Learning they will share all of their hard work from the unit.
  • Direct students' attention to the Celebration of Learning anchor chart and review what will happen during the celebration by reading the chart aloud:
    • "Perform 'What Is School?' song."
    • "Perform Readers Theater scripts."
    • "Present 'The Most Important Things about Schools' books in groups of four or five."
  • Tell students they will have a chance to practice reading their books, but first they are going to practice reading their Readers Theater scripts that they will also present at the Celebration of Learning.
  • Direct students' attention to the Performance Criteria anchor chart and review the criteria by reading each one aloud:
    • "I can speak loudly enough for the audience to hear me."
    • "I can read smoothly and with emotion."
    • "I can listen to others to keep track of my turn."
  • Tell students that they will now get a chance to work on meeting these criteria while they practice their Readers Theater scripts in their Readers Theater groups.
  • Point out to students that the Readers Theater Scripts: Boat School, Rainforest School, and Tent School have been placed in their designated areas around the room.
  • Invite students to move to their designated area in the classroom with their Readers Theater group and begin practicing their scripts. Remind students of their groupings and assigned areas as necessary.
  • Circulate to support students as they practice their scripts and prompt them using the Performance Criteria anchor chart as necessary. Observe students using the Speaking and Listening Checklist.
  • For ELLs: Some students may be nervous or may still grapple with the speaking skills necessary for reading their parts. Allow students to observe and repeat interactions according to their comfort and ability level. Consider allowing two students to share the same parts to scaffold participation. Encourage students to participate even if they are uncomfortable, but refrain from pressuring them. (MMAE, MME)
  • When discussing the Performance Criteria anchor chart, create an accepting and supportive classroom climate by acknowledging that performing a Readers Theater play may feel risky, and brainstorming ideas to help classmates feel comfortable. (Example: "Performing a Readers Theater script involves reading and acting in front of others. That's a lot of things to do at once! Some of you may feel very comfortable performing in front of others, and some people might not feel as comfortable. That is okay. What are some ways we can support all our classmates in feeling comfortable taking a risk and trying Readers Theater today?") (MME)

C. Speaking and Listening: Practicing Reading Our "The Most Important Thing about Schools" Books (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on their Readers Theater script presentation practice. (Example: "I heard many of you using loud voices while reading your lines from the script, so I know that your audience will be able to hear you.")
  • Tell students that now they will get a chance to practice reading their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" book.
  • Tell students that during the Celebration of Learning, while they share their books, they should pay attention to the same criteria from the Performance Criteria anchor chart that they focus on while they read their Readers Theater scripts.
  • Move students into pre-determined book reading groups and assign them to an area of the room to practice. Invite students to take their books and move to their designated areas.
  • Refocus whole group, and invite students to determine in which order they will read their books during the Celebration of Learning.
  • Invite students to raise their hand if they will read first. Repeat this until all students have raised their hands.
  • Invite students to begin practicing reading in order.
  • Circulate to support students as they practice. Prompt students to use the Performance Criteria anchor chart as necessary. Using the Speaking and Listening Checklist, document students' progress toward SL.2.1a.
  • After all students have practiced reading their books, invite students to sing the "What Is School?" song as they transition back to the whole group area.
  • For ELLs: Provide dialogue to help students decide who would like to read their books. Examples:
    • "Would you like to share first?"
    • "Yes, I would."
    • "No thanks, I would prefer to go second."

Consider writing the dialogue in a speech bubble and holding it up with a Popsicle stick.

  • For ELLs: While circulating to support pronunciation, focus on correcting errors that affect comprehensibility, especially intonation and sentence stress. Celebrate accents and avoid focusing on the pronunciation of single words.
  • As students practice reading their books, provide options for communication by allowing students to read into a microphone. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on their work practicing for the Celebration of Learning. (Example: "The kindergarteners are going to be so excited to learn about all of these different schools, and they will learn so much because you all read your books with loud, clear voices.")
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and reread the second one aloud:
    • "I can present what I have learned about schools by preparing for the Celebration of Learning."
  • Remind students that during today's lesson they prepared for the Celebration of Learning by practicing their Readers Theater scripts and practicing reading their "The Most Important Thing about Schools" books.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"When you were practicing reading your scripts and books today, which criteria from the Performance Criteria anchor chart did you try to follow?" (Responses will vary.)

"Which criteria would you like to do better on in the next lesson during the Celebration of Learning?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Refocus students whole group and select a few volunteers to share out.
  • If productive, cue students to listen carefully:

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

  • Remind students that in the next lesson they will get to share all of their learning and hard work with the kindergarten visitors during the Celebration of Learning!
  • As students share goals for the Celebration of Learning, display their ideas by writing them on chart paper or the board. (MMR)

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