Exploring Text Features: What is Pollination? | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:M3:U2:L2

Exploring Text Features: What is Pollination?

In this Lesson

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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.2.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
  • RI.2.7: Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can use text features to efficiently locate information about pollinators. (RI.2.1, RI.2.5, RI.2.7)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the reading to explore in Work Time A, use the Reading Informational Text Checklist (RI.2.1, RI.2.2, RI.2.3, RI.2.4, RI.2.5, RI.2.6, RI.2.7) to track students' progress toward these reading standards (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • After Work Time B, collect students' Plants and Pollinators research notebook, Part II and use page 3 to document progress toward RI.2.5 and RI.2.7.

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Introducing the Second Module Guiding Question (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading to Explore Text Features: What Is Pollination? (30 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Plants and Pollinators Research Notebook, Part II (20 minutes)

3. Closing

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students are introduced to the second module guiding question, which has a literacy focus: "How do we build our research skills and share our learning?" This question sets the stage for the work of Units 2 and 3: researching to collect information about pollinators and sharing that information through the performance task.
  • To guide the focus of students' research, students are presented with the Unit 2 Guiding question: "How do pollinators help plants to grow and survive?" This question builds on the Unit 1 guiding question and invites students to focus on pollinators throughout their research in Unit 2.
  • In Work Time A, students are introduced to the text  i?, which will be used throughout Unit 2 as students research pollinators. To familiarize themselves with the text and how to navigate it, begin by focusing on its text features (RI.2.5). A guided exploration of the text features, and using the text features to hunt for information in the text, helps students build their research skills.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Similar to Unit 1, students refer to the What Researchers Do anchor chart to support their thinking about researchers and help them as they reflect on developing the skills and habits of character that researchers exhibit.
  • During Unit 1, students practiced using text features as they read Seed to Plant. In this lesson, they further refine these skills by exploring a more complex text, What Is Pollination?, and navigating that text with a partner.
  • In Unit 1, students reflected on what initiative helped them learn about plants and pollinators. In this lesson, students reflect on both how they took initiative as well as what they learned about plants and pollinators.
  • Continue to use Goals 1-4 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • For some students, navigating the layout of informational text may be a challenge. Consider providing additional time for those students to explore text features. Also, consider providing additional examples of the text features named in the lesson using informational texts in your classroom library.

Down the road:

  • In Lessons 3 and 4, students will revisit the text What Is Pollination? to hear it read aloud for gist and to read it closely. Engaging with the same text over multiple days prepares students to use it to collect information through research reading in Lessons 5 and 8.

In Advance

  • Strategically pair students for work during Work Times A and B, with at least one strong reader per pair.
  • Post: Learning targets and all applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1 and 2 to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.B.6 and 2.II.A.1

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to use text features to support reading for information.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to keep track of the different text features introduced in this lesson. When adding to the Text Features anchor chart, illustrate it with specific examples from What Is Pollination? Consider pasting photocopies of examples of text features from the book onto the Text Features anchor chart. During Work Time B, as students complete their Text Features Hunt, consider supporting them to identify on the anchor chart which text features they will use for each question.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During Work Time B, invite students to create their own Text Features Hunt question for their partners to answer.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time B, consider working closely with students who need heavier support to ensure that they understand each question on the Text Features Hunt. Invite them to rephrase what each question is asking in their own words. Support them in determining the meaning of each by simplifying the language or helping them chunk each part of the question.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Throughout this lesson, embed support for unfamiliar Vocabulary by providing explanation and visual examples. This helps students make connections and support construction of meaning with this text. (Example: Support comprehension by pre-teaching unfamiliar Vocabulary or inviting students to provide synonyms for key words or phrases.)
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students explore text features in the text, What Is Pollination? Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): As students engage with the text during this lesson, continue to support students in linking the information presented back to the learning target to emphasize and remind them of the instructional goal.

Vocabulary

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

New

  • bold print, photograph, illustration (L)

Review

  • research, text features, efficiently, headings (L)

Materials

  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; added to in advance; see supporting Materials)
  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • What Researchers Do anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 2)
  • Unit 2 Guiding Question anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting Materials)
  • Unit 2 Guiding Question anchor chart (example, for teacher reference; see supporting Materials)
  • Text Features anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3; added to during Work Time A; see supporting Materials)
  • What Is Pollination? (one per pair and one to display)
  • Text Features anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3; example, for teacher reference)
  • Plants and Pollinators research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; page 3; one per student and one to display)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Plants and Pollinators research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference

Assessment

Each unit in the K-2 Language Arts Curriculum has one standards-based assessment built in. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Introducing the Second Module Guiding Question (5 minutes) 

  • Gather students in the whole group meeting area.
  • Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart and read the second question aloud. Refer to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • "How do we build our research skills and share our learning?"
  • Review the definition of research (dedicated study of something to gain information about it or solve a problem).
  • Direct students' attention to the What Researchers Do anchor chart and remind students that they have already begun building their research skills as they learned about plants and will continue to build these skills as they research pollinators.
  • Remind students that after taking initiative to work as researchers, they will share their learning with others at a celebration of learning!
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "How do we/build our research skills/and share our learning?"
  • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
    • "What?" / Meaning: The action we are doing is building our research skills. (verb phrase)
    • build: "What?" / Meaning: Students will not physically build anything; it means expand, grow, add to. (verb)
    • research skills: This refers to skills related to doing research. (noun phrase)
    • Practice: We will also build our _____ skills. (writing; reading)
    • Reconstruct: Reread the sentence. Ask:

"Now what do you think the sentence means?"
"How does your understanding of this guiding question add to your understanding of what we will study during the module?"

    • Practice: How do we build our _____ skills about _____ and _____? Ask:

"Can we divide this sentence into two or more sentences? How?

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading to Explore Text Features: What Is Pollination? (30 minutes)

  • Referring to the first bullet on the What Researchers Do anchor chart, read it aloud:
    • "Ask and search for answers to questions."
  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 2 Guiding Question anchor chart and read it aloud. Refer to the Unit 2 Guiding Question anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • "How do pollinators help plants to grow and survive?"
  • Confirm that students will be working as researchers to answer this question.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning target and read it aloud:
    • I can use text features to efficiently locate information about pollinators."
  • Direct students' attention to the Text Features anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Review the definition of text features (all the other parts that give the reader more information about the topic and help them find information efficiently).
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How do text features help us as researchers?" (They help us find information efficiently or quickly; they give us extra information.)

  • Review the definition of efficiently (operating well without much waste).
  • Confirm that students will use text features to find information efficiently in a new text.
  • Display the cover of What Is Pollination? and read the title aloud.
  • Share that now students will work with a partner to explore various text features in What Is Pollination?
  • Move students into pre-determined pairs and distribute copies of What Is Pollination?
  • Display page 3 of the text and instruct pairs to turn to the same page in their copy.
  • Remind students that the table of contents contains the names of all the chapters in a text. Tell students that now they will search for chapters that might help them answer the Unit 2 guiding question.
  • Reread the Unit 2 guiding question:
    • "How do pollinators help plants to grow and survive?"
  • Share that many of the chapters in this text are named for different types of pollinators.
  • Read an example chapter title aloud:
    • "Bees are best!"
  • Confirm that this chapter probably contains information about this type of pollinator, bees, and how they help plants grow and survive.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Which other chapters might help us in our research as we work to answer the Unit 2 guiding question?" ("Do We Need Pollinators?""Insect Pollinators", "Butterflies and Moths", "Wasps and Flies", "Beetle Pollinators", "Bird Pollinators", "Lizards, Bats, and Possums")

  • Refocus whole group and invite several pairs to share out.
  • Confirm that many chapters in this text will help students answer the Unit 2 guiding question.
  • Display page 8 of the text and instruct pairs to turn to the same page in their copy.
  • Referring to the Text Features anchor chart, briefly review the meaning of headings (tells what a section of text is about).
  • Ask:

"What do you notice about the headings at the top of the page?" (yellow, bold print, tells more about what you will read)

  • Confirm that the headings tell students more about the types of pollination in this chapter.
  • Invite pairs to turn back to the table of contents (page 3) and choose a chapter about a specific type of pollinator that they would like to visit. Prompt pairs to quietly touch the chapter title they would like to visit to show they are ready.
  • When all students are ready, invite pairs to turn to the chapter they have selected and read the headings on those pages.
  • After 30 seconds, prompt students to turn to page 16.
  • Display page 16 and point out the bold print words in the text: "social","colonies", and "hive."
  • Share that bold print means words that look larger or darker in the text so they stand out.
  • Add "bold print" to the Text Features anchor chart. Refer to the Text Features anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How does bold print help the reader?" (helps you notice important words)

  • Add "helps you notice important words" to the Text Features anchor chart. Continue to refer to the Text Features anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to look carefully at the photographs on pages 16-17.
  • After 30 seconds, refocus students whole group.
  • Share that photographs and illustrations are another important text feature in informational text.
  • Share that a photograph is a picture taken with a camera, while an illustration is a picture or drawing used to explain something.
  • Add "photographs and illustrations" to the Text Features anchor chart.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How do photographs and illustrations help the reader?" (shows you more information about the topic)

  • Add "shows you more information about the topic" to the Text Features anchor chart.
  • Briefly revisit the learning target and invite students to turn and talk:

Name one text feature you used in What Is Pollination? to find information efficiently." (table of contents, headings, bold print, photographs and illustrations)

  • If productive, cue students to think about their thinking:

"How does using text features help you find information in the text? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Invite students to stand quietly in their spots and choose one of the following pollinator movements:
    • "buzz like a bee"
    • "crawl like a beetle"
    • "flutter like a butterfly"
  • Allow students 30 seconds to move around in their spot like their chosen pollinator and then sit down again in the whole group meeting area.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Generating Examples) Invite students to generate examples of working efficiently and working inefficiently. (Example: "If I have to look at every page to find information about bees, that is inefficient. It is more efficient if I can look in the table of contents--I can go right to the page about bees!") (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with information processing: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud) Model and think aloud the cognitive process of using text features to find information. (MMR, MMAE)

B. Independent Writing: Plants and Pollinators Research Notebook, Part II (20 minutes) 

  • Referring to What Is Pollination?, share that now students will go on a special adventure through the text: a Text Features Hunt!
  • Distribute students' Plants and Pollinators research notebook, Part II and pencils, and orient students to the directions on page 3.
  • If needed, briefly review the text features listed on the Text Features anchor chart.
  • Confirm that students will work with their partner to complete the Text Features Hunt, and they will need to take initiative to search through the text to find the answers.
  • Invite pairs of students to move to workspaces around the room to begin working. Allow students 10-12 minutes to work with their partner to complete the Text Features Hunt. As students work, circulate and provide reminders about the directions as needed. Also, refer students to the Text Features anchor chart for help using text features to locate information successfully.
  • After 10-12 minutes, refocus students whole group and invite pairs to come back to the whole group area, bringing their Plants and Pollinators research notebook, Part II and copies of What Is Pollination? with them.
  • Display page 3 of the Plants and Pollinators research notebook, Part II (example, for teacher reference) and confirm the correct answers for Questions 1-6 on the Text Features Hunt.
  • As time permits, invite students to continue exploring the text, using text features to help them.
  • Invite volunteers to share something interesting they learned about pollinators as they did the Text Features Hunt.
  • For ELLs: (Whole Class Practice) Work as a class to practice answering the first question of the Text Features Hunt.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Previewing Questions) Invite students to preview each question of the Text Features Hunt and determine which text features they will need to use for each question. Invite them to annotate each question with the text feature they plan to use. (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Unpacking Language) When confirming the correct answers for the Text Features Hunt, consider unpacking the language in each question. Invite students to share and to discuss in detail how they found each answer.
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained effort: Increase mastery-oriented feedback by providing feedback that is frequent, timely, and specific to individual students. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes) 

  • Referring to the What Researchers Do anchor chart, remind students that they took initiative as researchers today.
  • Invite students to think quietly of an answer and ask:

"How did you take initiative as a researcher today?" (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by saying more:

"Can you say more about that?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Turn and Talk:

"How did you take initiative as a researcher today?" (Responses will vary.)

  • After 1 minute, refocus students whole group and confirm that students took initiative to explore the text features in What Is Pollination? and to complete the Text Features Hunt.
  • Repeat this process with the following question:

"How did taking initiative help you learn more about plants and pollinators?" (various facts related to pollinators in the text)

  • Preview tomorrow's work by sharing that students will continue to build their research skills by reading What Is Pollination? and exploring the Vocabulary in the text!
  • For ELLs: (Recalling Language Dive) Invite students to use language from the Mini Language Dive in Opening A to discuss how they took initiative as researchers. (Example: "I used research skills like finding text features.")
  • For students who may need additional support with working memory: Display a list of the activities in this lesson for students to reference as they think about how they took initiative today. (MMAE)

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