Setting Purpose: From Engagement Text to Decodables | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:S2:C11:L52

Setting Purpose: From Engagement Text to Decodables

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Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can retell the events from the current edition of the Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo."
  • Opening B (optional): Using evidence from the text, I can answer questions about the current edition of the Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo."
  • Work Time A: I can read irregularly spelled high-frequency words "finally," "guess," "through," "good." (RF.2.3f)
    • I can read second-grade words that "don't play fair" (irregularly spelled words).
  • Work Time B: I can read the decodable text: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo." (RF.2.3)
    • I can identify the sounds made by vowel teams.
    • I can use knowledge of vowel sounds to help me decode words with different spelling patterns.
    • I can read high-frequency words in text.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Work Time A. Determine whether they can read irregularly spelled high-frequency words and determine why they are irregular.
  • Observe students during Work Time B.
    • Determine whether they can independently find a given word.
    • Also determine whether they can decode two-syllable words, words containing vowel teams (one- or two-syllable) and irregularly spelled high-frequency words.
  • Exit ticket (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (3-5 minutes)

A. Engagement Text Read-aloud: Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo"

B. Comprehension Conversation (optional)

2. Work Time (10 minutes)

A. Snap or Trap: "finally," "guess," "through," "good," "they'll," "we'll," "it'll"

B. Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo"

3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning

4. Differentiated Small Group Instruction and Rotations (40-45 minutes)

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Snap or Trap T-chart
    • Snap or Trap Word Cards (write the following words on index cards: "finally," "guess," "through," "good," "they'll," "we'll," "it'll")
    • Interactive Word Wall (one to display)
    • Comprehension Conversation questions (if different from suggested questions)
  • Pre-determine partnerships for retelling during Opening A and Work Time B.
  • Gather materials for differentiated small group instruction (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Vocabulary

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

  • comprehension, grapple, responsibility, retelling (L)
  • additions, glimpse, litters (T)

Materials

  • Enlarged Engagement Text: Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo"
  • Snap or Trap Word Cards (see Teaching Notes, "In Advance" above; one of each)
  • Snap or Trap T-chart (on white board or chart paper; Snap on one side and Trap on the other; from Lesson 27)
  • Enlarged Decodable Reader: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo" (one to display)
  • Interactive Word Wall (one to display)
  • Decodable Reader: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo" (one per student)
  • Highlighter (one per student and one for teacher)
  • Highlighting tape (for the teacher to use to highlight the Decodable Reader; optional)
  • Snap or Trap Word List (see Teaching Notes, "In Advance" above; one of each)
  • Tape, magnet, or other material to fasten Snap or Trap Word Cards to the Snap or Trap T-chart

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Engagement Text Read-aloud: Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo"

  • (Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of "The More We Get Together"):

"Gather round together, together, together. It's time to hear a story, a story, a story. It's time to hear a story and say what you've learned."

  • Display Enlarged Engagement Text: Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo."
  • Begin a read-aloud of the Engagement Text: Sunnyside Gazette: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo."

1. Teacher says: "Listen carefully as I read today's edition of Sunnyside Gazette: 'Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo.' After I am finished reading, you will retell the story to a partner and answer some questions about it."

2. Teacher reads text without interruption, pointing out the accompanying illustrations.

3. Students turn to a partner and retell the events in the Sunnyside Gazette article: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo."

  • For students who need additional support, including ELLs: Consider providing picture cards of nouns in "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo" to support comprehension.

B. Comprehension Conversation (optional)

  • Teacher asks the following suggested comprehension questions:
    • Recall:

"What kind of babies were born at the zoo?" (baby cougars)

"How many cougar cubs were born?" (two)

"What do cougar cubs look like when they are born?" (brown fur, dotted with black spots)

    • Vocabulary and Language:

What does the word "litter" mean in this text?" (multiple baby animals born at the same time)

"In the text it says that if the students are lucky they might catch a glimpse of the cubs. What does 'glimpse' mean?"

    • Digging Deeper: Extension Questions:

"Why do the cougar cubs stay close to their mother for their first few weeks?" (Answers will vary.)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Snap or Trap: "finally," "guess," "through," "good," "they'll," "we'll," "it'll"

  • Begin the Snap or Trap instructional practice:

1. Teacher says: "Today we're going to look at some words and figure out if they are snap or trap words. If they are trap words, we're going to figure out what makes them hard to read and spell."

2. Teacher displays a list of Snap or Trap Word Cards ("finally," "guess," "through," "good") and a Snap or Trap T-chart.

3. Teacher reads all words aloud.

4. Teacher reads "finally."

5. Teacher asks:

"How many syllables does this word have?" (three)

6. Teacher says: "I notice the letters 'all' in the second syllable, but when I say 'finally,' I don't hear /a/, /ll/, or 'all.' That part of the word is not making the sound we would expect it to, so I will put it in the Trap column."

7. Teacher puts "finally" card in the Trap column.

8. Teacher asks:

"Can anyone see any other trap words?"

9. Student volunteer selects a trap word. ("guess," "through," "good")

10. Teacher asks:

"Why do you think it's a trap word?" (Answers will vary based on word selected.)

11. Teacher says: "Right! _____ is a trap word because it doesn't sound like it is spelled. It belongs in the Trap column."

12. Teacher adds selected word to the Trap column.

13. Students and teacher completes steps 8-11 until all trap words are found.

14. Students and teacher chorally read list of trap words together.

15. Teacher displays the remaining Snap or Trap Word Cards ("they'll," "we'll," "it'll).

16. Teacher says: "Clearly these words all have something in common. Turn to an elbow partner and tell them what you notice about all of these words."

17. Teacher invites a student to share what they noticed ("ll" at the end of all of the words).

18. Teacher points to the "'ll" in each word asks:

"What might this be?"

19. Teacher invites students to listen carefully as he or she gives them a clue.

20. Teacher points to each of the words as he or she says them aloud while saying the following: "They'll be here soon. We'll be glad to see them. It'll be a fun day."

21. Teacher points to the "'ll" in each word and asks:

"Now what do we think this might be?" (stands for "will")

22. Teacher points to the word "they'll" and asks:

"Does anyone know what two words we also use to say the same thing as 'they'll'?" (they will)

23. Teacher says: "When we shorten two words into one, it is called a 'contraction.' The word 'contract' means to make something smaller. Last week we looked at contractions with 'is.' This week, let's see how we make contractions with 'will.'"

24. Teacher reminds student of the role of the apostrophe, explaining that the apostrophe's job is to hold the place where the letters 'wi' are in the word 'will.'"

25. Teacher invites students to name the two words that are used to say the same thing as "we'll" and "it'll."

  • Encourage students to grapple with their knowledge of letter-sounds to decide if a high-frequency word is a snap or trap word.
  • Encourage students to read a high-frequency word as a whole word and analyze the word after reading it.

B. Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read: “Baby Cougars at the Zoo”

  • (Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of “The More We Get Together”):

“Now you will read a story, a story, a story. Now you will read a story with words that you know.”

  • Begin the Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays the Enlarged Decodable Reader: “Baby Cougars at the Zoo.”

2. Teacher says: “First we read an article from the Sunnyside Gazette: ‘Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo.’ Now we will read a story about characters from Sunnyside: ‘Baby Cougars at the Zoo.’ This story is filled with words that YOU can read! There are decodable words, and there are some words that ‘don’t play fair,’ like ‘through’ and ‘finally.’”

3. Teacher draws students’ attention to words on the Interactive Word Wall.

4. Teacher distributes the Decodable Reader: “Baby Cougars at the Zoo” and highlighters to each student.

5. Teacher says: “Before you read the book with your partner, we are going to be detectives. We are going to look for some of the high-frequency words. Remember, some of these words ‘don’t play fair,’ which means they are not easily decodable.”

6. Teacher models. Teacher thinks aloud as he or she notices one of the high-frequency words. Teacher highlights it with highlighter or highlighting tape in the book. Model again as needed.

7. Partners search for high-frequency words in the Decodable Reader: “Baby Cougars at the Zoo” together and highlight in their own book.

8. Teacher circulates to help partners find words as needed, focusing especially on those words that “don’t play fair.”

9. Teacher says: “Now you are ready to read the Decodable Reader with your partner. Some of the words in the story will be familiar because you have learned them in previous lessons. And some of the words you will see for the first time, but don’t worry: Each of the words that you will see for the first time includes only sound spelling patterns that you have learned. There are lots of words that have the patterns we’ve learned that make the /ū/ and /ōō/ sounds.”

10. Students read “Baby Cougars at the Zoo” with a partner. Partners may take turns (by page or whole text), read in unison, or both.

  • If readers in the Pre-Alphabetic or Partial Alphabetic phase need additional support to find the high-frequency words, consider allowing a reader in the Full or Consolidated Alphabetic phase to help them. Or consider asking them to find the beginning letter of the word instead of the whole word.
  • If readers need more practice with words that "don't play fair," direct them to the Interactive Word Wall. Or have them read the rest of the sentence and think about which high-frequency word would make sense in the blank.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

  • Emphasize that successful learners take responsibility for their own learning. Invite students to reflect on ways they took responsibility for their learning during whole group or how they plan to take responsibility during differentiated small group instruction. Example:
    • "I found all of the irregularly spelled words in the Decodable Reader and highlighted them."
  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:
    • "When reading the words for Snap or Trap, I _____."
    • "When I work by myself during small group time, I will _____."

Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher

Suggested Plan: Teacher works with students in the Partial Alphabetic and Full Alphabetic groups. If possible, teacher should also meet with the Consolidated Alphabetic group at least once per week.

Note: Groups not working with the teacher at a given time should be engaged in purposeful independent rotation work. Refer to the Independent and Small Group Work guidance document for more details (see K-2 Skills Resource Manual).

All Groups

Either today or another day this week after the Decodable Student Reader has been introduced, follow the Decodable Student Reader routine with each group. Differentiate the routine as needed based on students' microphase. See Lesson 7 or Independent and Small Group Work document for full routine. See Supporting Materials for Decodable Student Reader Planning and Recording Template.

Partial Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students read the Decodable Reader: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo."
    • Students highlight each word that contain "oo," "ou," "ui," "ue," and "ew," or students highlight words with spelling patterns they are working on (CVC, CCVC, etc.).
    • Look over the exit tickets with student(s). Analyze words that were more challenging and discuss why.
  • Use the Assessment Conversion chart to determine appropriate Grade 1 lessons and Activity Bank ideas to use in daily small group instruction.

Full Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students read the Decodable Reader: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo."
    • Students highlight each word that contains "oo," "ou," "ui," "ue," and "ew."

OR:

    • Students work with teacher to write a new page in the Decodable Reader: "Baby Cougars at the Zoo" using words that contain "oo," "ou," "ui," "ue," and "ew."

OR:

    • Students work with teacher or a partner to provide a written response to the prompt:

How would you care for baby cougars if you worked at the zoo?

  • Look over the exit tickets with student(s). Analyze words that were more challenging and discuss why.

Consolidated Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students read the Engagement Text: "Baby Cougars Born at City Zoo." Students provide a written response to the prompt:

Imagine you are one of the new baby cougar cubs born at the zoo. What do you think your first few days there would be like?

OR:

What would you think about all the visitors coming to see you?

    • Students should try to use words that contain "oo," "ou," "ui," "ue," and "ew."
    • Students should use a Writing Checklist (example found in supporting materials) to self-check or partner-check writing conventions.
  • Look over the exit tickets with student(s). Analyze words that were more challenging and discuss why.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Writing Checklist (one per student)

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