Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Answering Selected Response Questions about The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:M2:U1:L9

Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Answering Selected Response Questions about The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
  • RL.2.2: Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
  • RL.2.3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
  • RL.2.7: Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
  • W.2.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • 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 about key details in the text The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs. (RL.2.1, RL.2.2, RL.2.3, RL.2.7)
  • I can describe what a paleontologist does. (W.2.8, L.2.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During Work Time A, refer to the 2M2 Assessment Overview and Resources for details about the Unit 1 assessment. (RI.2.1, RI.2.2, RI.2.5, RI.2.7, SL.2.2)
  • During Work Time C, listen as students share their responses for the shared writing. As needed, clarify misconceptions about the definition of a paleontologist. (W.2.8)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Curiosities Museum (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Answering Selected Response Questions about The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs (30 minutes)

B. Engaging the Learner: Who Are Paleontologists? (15 minutes)

C. Shared Writing: Writing What We Learned about Paleontologists (5 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Building Vocabulary: Fossils Word Wall (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson contains Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment. Students also revisit one of the Unit 1 guiding question: "What do paleontologists do?" Lessons 2-7 focused on answering guiding question #2: "How does a character respond to an event?" This lesson signals a transition in the unit toward exploring what paleontologists do in their daily work to discover and study fossils.
  • As in previous lessons, students add a fossil photo to the Curiosities Museum. They continue to build their descriptive language skills and knowledge about fossils through this activity.
  • Although this lesson is the second part of a formal assessment of RL.2.1, RL.2.2, RL.2.4, RL.2.5, and RL.2.7, students should experience the lesson as routine. Do not overemphasize the assessment; instead, use this as an opportunity to continue to gather meaningful data.
  • Since RL.2.2 also includes fables and folktales, this standard will also be taught and assessed in Module 3.
  • As in Lesson 8, students view a video in Work Time B and reflect on their learning through shared writing in Work Time C. This video contains information about the work paleontologists do.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 8, students begin to learn about fossils through the "All about Fossils" video clip. In this lesson, students continue to build their content knowledge about paleontologists through the "Dig in to Paleontology" video clip.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Some students may need additional time to complete the selected response questions on the Unit 1 Assessment. Consider allowing additional time as needed.

Down the road:

  • In Lessons 10-12, students will begin to write in response to focused read-alouds about paleontologists' tools. They will use information gathered as a class on various anchor charts to inform their writing.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment (see Assessment Overview and Resources) and place at students' workstations, along with pencils and copies of The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs.
    • Technology necessary to play the "Dig in to Paleontology" video during Work Time B.
    • Fossils Word Wall cards for paleontologist and study. Write or type each word on a card and create or find a visual to accompany each one.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Work Time B: Video: SciShow Kids. "Dig in to Paleontology." YouTube. N.p., 2015. Web. 25 June 2016. (For display. Used by permission.)
  • Work Time C: Record the shared writing in an online format--for example, a Google Doc--to display and for families to access at home to reinforce the learning.
  • Closing: Create the Fossils Word Wall in an online format--for example, Padlet--to share vocabulary words with families.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.B.6, 2.1.C.10, 2.1.C.12, 2.II.A.1, and 2.II.A.2

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by inviting them to complete assessment tasks similar to the classroom tasks completed in Lessons 2-7. Although the text used for the assessment is new, it covers the same topic as the text used in the first half of this unit and students have the opportunity to hear it read aloud several times during the assessment.
  • The Unit 1 Assessment may be challenging for ELLs, because it is a big leap from the heavily scaffolded classroom interaction for some ELLs. ELLs will be asked to not only independently apply cognitive skills developed in Lessons 1-7, but also to independently apply new linguistic knowledge introduced in those lessons.
  • Allow students to review language displayed on the Word Wall, anchor charts, and other environmental resources.
  • Make sure that ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment prompts themselves. See additional support in the lesson.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students again engage with The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs. Some may need support in identifying the key ideas and links between ideas. Provide differentiated scaffolds to support comprehension. (Example: Consider highlighting or underlining key phrases and ideas in their individual copy of the text in advance or offer a graphic organizer or concept map with the key ideas.)
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Throughout this lesson, students engage with the content in several ways (read aloud, video, discussion). Some may need support in planning and strategy development through each learning activity. Provide support for students as they plan effective strategies for reaching the learning targets, monitor their progress, and modify strategies. (Example: Provide modeled think-alouds for the process. Say: "I know that during the read-aloud, I need to be listening for ideas that help me know what a paleontologist does. I will remember that target as I am listening to the text.")
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Some students may need support in sustaining effort and persistence throughout this lesson. Offer reminders of the targets for each learning activity and invite students to restate these before each transition. For some students, a visual reminder may be helpful in maintaining effort and concentration. (Example: Provide an index card with the target for each activity.)

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • study (L)

Review:

  • paleontologist (L)

Materials

  • Curiosities Museum (begun in Lesson 3; added to during the Opening)
  • Fossil photo #4 (one to display)
  • Fossil photo #4 caption (blank; co-created with students during the Opening)
  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs (one per student and one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Answering Questions about a Literary Text (one per student; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Unit 1 Guiding Questions anchor chart (from Lesson 1; one to display)
  • "Dig in to Paleontology" (video; play 0:00-4:11; see Teaching Notes)
  • What I Learned about Fossils anchor chart (begun in Lesson 8; added to during Work Time C)
  • Fossils Word Wall (begun in Lesson 8; added to during the Closing)
  • Fossils Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; two)

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: Curiosities Museum (5 minutes)

  • Invite students to the whole group area.
  • Share with students that they have another fossil to add to the Curiosities Museum!
  • Display fossil photo #4 and follow the same process from Lesson 3 to add it to the Curiosities Museum. Use the name of the fossil (sauropod leg) and the following sentence frame as needed for the fossil photo #4 caption:
    • "This is _____. He is _____." (This is Garrison Loope. He is digging up a sauropod leg at Dinosaur National Monument.)
  • Remind students that, as they continue to collect curiosities, the museum will grow larger!
  • For students who may need additional support with oral language or processing: Scaffold students' Think-Pair-Share as needed using explicit prompting or a sentence frame. Examples:

"Who do you notice?"

"What do you notice about him?"

"What do you notice about what he might be doing?" (MMAE)

  • For ELLs: Invite students to choose nouns and adjectives from the Adjective Construction board introduced early in the unit to describe what they notice in the photograph.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Answering Selected Response Questions about The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs (30 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Remind students that, in the previous lesson, they responded to questions about key details and retold the beginning, middle, and end of the text The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs.
  • Direct students' attention the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:
    • "I can answer questions about key details in the text The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs."
  • Remind students that answering selected response questions may feel challenging and may require perseverance.
  • Direct students' attention to the Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart and briefly review the strategies.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How could perseverance help you to complete your work today?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Display The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs and read the title aloud.
  • Share that today you will read the same part of the text aloud, and then students will respond to some questions about it.
  • Invite students to listen carefully as you read aloud.
  • While still displaying the text, read pages 5-15 aloud slowly, fluently, with expression, and without interruption.
  • Transition students back to their workspaces.
  • Point out the Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Answering Questions about a Literary Text, pencils, and copies of The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs already at students' workspaces.
  • Read the directions aloud for the selected response questions. Tell students you will read each question aloud, and then they will circle the correct answer. Remind them of the strategies/steps they have learned to answer these kinds of questions. Also, remind students to refer to their copy of the text.
  • Read each question aloud and give students 1-2 minutes to answer before moving on to the next question.
  • When all students have completed the selected response portion of the assessment, collect students' assessments.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"How did you use perseverance to complete this task?" (Responses will vary.)

  • After 1-2 minutes, invite students to stand up, stretch their arms and legs, and give two or three classmates a high-five for working hard to show their reading knowledge!
  • For students who may need additional support with oral language and processing: Provide ample wait time as students use their strategies for selecting the answer in response to each question. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Ask students to recall and describe one way they worked toward a similar learning target in previous lessons.
  • For ELLs: Ensure that students clearly understand all assessment directions. Rephrase test directions for them. Monitor during the assessment to see that students are completing the assessment correctly. Stop students who are on the wrong track and make sure they understand the directions.

B. Engaging the Learner: Who Are Paleontologists? (15 minutes)

  • Invite students back to the whole group area.
  • Display The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs.
  • Share that students heard a part of the text read aloud, and now they will hear the rest of the text read aloud so they can learn more about Mary Anning's life.
  • Begin reading on page 17 and read the remainder of the text aloud.
  • Remind students that they have heard two stories about Mary Anning, who loved fossils and grew up to become a famous paleontologist.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:
    • "I can describe what a paleontologist does."
  • Confirm that students know about some things a paleontologist does after reading about Mary Anning.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Who are paleontologists?" (scientists who study fossils or ancient life)

  • Define study (to try to gain knowledge or skill).
  • Share that paleontologists are scientists who learn about the earth long ago by studying fossils.
  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 1 Guiding Questions anchor chart and read the first guiding question aloud:
    • "What do paleontologists do?"
  • Preview for students that, in the next few lessons, they will study what paleontologists do in their work. They will learn all about the tools they use and the ways they use them.
  • Share that now students will watch a short video to learn who paleontologists are and what they do.
  • Play "Dig in to Paleontology."
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What is one thing you have learned about who paleontologists are?" (scientists who study dinosaurs and scientists who study fossils)

  • Before engaging students with the text and video, provide white boards and white board markers as an option for students to record (drawing or writing) their ideas. This helps scaffold active listening for key details, which supports students as they Think-Pair-Share afterward. (MMR, MMAE)
  • Pair students with strategic elbow partners to ensure that they have a strong, politely helpful partner to support their efforts at creating and sharing what they have learned. (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: Watch the "Dig in to Paleontology" video twice. Students will be able to absorb and comprehend more information during their second viewing after they understand the general idea during the first viewing. Consider making the task more manageable by asking students to focus on listening for one thing about who paleontologist are.
  • For ELLs: Provide sentence frames for students to use during the Think-Pair-Share. Examples:
    • "One thing paleontologists do is _____."
    • "I learned that paleontologists are ______."

C. Shared Writing: Writing What We Learned about Paleontologists (5 minutes)

  • Display the What I Learned about Fossils anchor chart from Lesson 8.
  • Remind students that, in the last lesson, they recorded a few sentences about what they learned about fossils.
  • Share that now students will work together to add on a few sentences about what they have learned about paleontologists.
  • Follow the same process as Lesson 8 to provide sentence frames, invite students to share out based on their Think-Pair-Share, and record one or two complete sentences about what students have learned about paleontologists:
    • Sentence frames:
  • "I learned that paleontologists are _____."
  • "One thing paleontologists do is _____."
    • Possible responses:
  • "Paleontologists study dinosaurs."
  • "Paleontologists study fossils."
  • "Paleontologists look for clues about dinosaurs/plants and animals from long ago."
  • After recording students' learning, invite a volunteer to read the sentences aloud to the whole group.
  • For students who may need additional support with shared writing: Offer options for participation so that all students can contribute. (Example: Scaffold the spelling of difficult words or ask a student to act as the punctuation checker for the group's work.) (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Building Vocabulary: Fossils Word Wall (5 minutes)

  • Share that now students will post two important words from the lesson on the Fossils Word Wall.
  • Show students the Fossils Word Wall card for paleontologist and follow the same routine established in Lesson 8: Provide its definition, clap out its syllables, use it in a sentence, and place the Word Wall card and picture for it on the Fossils Word Wall.
  • Repeat this process for the Fossils Word Wall card for study.
  • Share that students will continue to learn more about paleontologists by reading and writing about the tools paleontologists use to discover fossils!
  • To foster a sense of community and provide options for physical action after students have added the words to the Fossils Word Wall, invite the whole class to join you in a special applause (e.g., silent cheer, firecracker, hip-hip hooray). (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: Provide visual support next to the word paleontologist on the Word Wall and invite students to share the translation of the words paleontologist and study in their home languages.

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