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

You are here

ELA G2:S3:C17:L82

Setting Purpose: From Engagement Text to Decodables

You are here:

Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can tell what I learned from the Engagement Text: "The Rules of Watering."
  • Opening B (optional): Using evidence from the text, I can answer questions about the Engagement Text: "The Rules of Watering."
  • Work Time A: I can read high-frequency words: "different," "doesn't," "frequent," "weather," "whole," "won't," "yourself." (RF.2.3f)
    • I can read second-grade words that "don't play fair" in isolation.
  • Work Time B: I can read the decodable text: "Watering Your Garden." (RF.2.3)
    • I can use knowledge of vowel sounds to help me decode words with different spelling patterns.
    • I can read second-grade words that "don't play fair" in text.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Work Time A.
    • Determine whether they can read high-frequency words.
    • Also determine why the words are regularly or irregularly spelled.
  • Observe students during Work Time B.
    • Determine whether they can independently find a given word.
    • Also determine whether they can decode words containing "-ch" and "-tch," 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: "The Rules of Watering"

B. Comprehension Conversation (optional)

2. Work Time (10 minutes)

A. Snap or Trap: "different," "doesn't," "frequent," "weather," "whole," "won't," "yourself"

B. Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read: "Watering Your Garden"

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: "different," "doesn't," "frequent," "weather," "whole," "won't," "yourself")
    • Interactive Word Wall
    • Comprehension Conversation questions (if different from suggested questions)
  • Predetermine 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)
  • conserve, garden, healthy, impatient, mulch, sprinkler (T)

Materials

  • Enlarged Engagement Text: "Rules of Watering"
  • Snap or Trap Word Cards (see supporting materials)
  • Snap or Trap T-chart (on whiteboard or chart paper; Snap on one side and Trap on the other; from Lesson 62)
  • Enlarged Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" (one for display)
  • Interactive Word Wall
  • Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" (one per student)
  • Highlighters (one per student and one for teacher)
  • Highlighting tape (for the teacher to use to highlight the Decodable Reader; optional)
  • 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: "Rules of Watering"

  • (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: "Rules of Watering."
  • Begin a read-aloud of the Engagement Text: "Rules of Watering":

1. Teacher says: "Listen carefully as I read this text: 'Rules of Watering.' After I am finished reading, you will tell what you learned to a partner and answer some questions about it."

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

3. Students turn to an elbow partner and each partner retells the main points in the Engagement Text: "Rules of Watering."

  • For students who need additional support, including ELLs: Consider providing picture cards of nouns in "Rules of Watering" to support comprehension.
  • Consider asking students to make connections to the text, such as whether they have helped take care of plants at home.

B. Comprehension Conversation (optional)

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

"What type of text is this?" (nonfiction; informational)

"How do you know?" (Answers will vary.)

"What are some things the author tells about watering your garden?" (Water lightly; water early in the day; use mulch; lawn sprinklers are good to use.)

    • Vocabulary and Language:

"The author says to allow the soil to get 'nice and moist.' What does 'moist' mean?" (wet)

"The author says that mulch will 'conserve' water in the soil. What does 'conserve' mean?" (to keep water in the soil)

    • Digging Deeper: Extension Questions:

"Why will 'moist' soil encourage the roots to grow deep?" (Answers will vary.)

"What other things could be important to know about watering a garden?" (Answers will vary.)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Snap or Trap: "different," "doesn't," "frequent," "weather," "whole," "won't," "yourself"

  • Begin the Snap or Trap instructional practice:

1. Teacher says: "We know some words can be hard to read and spell because they don't look and sound like they should. We call those words 'words that don't play fair.' Today we're going to look at words like this and figure out what makes them hard to read and spell."

2. Teacher shows students a list of Snap or Trap Word Cards ("different," "doesn't," "frequent," "weather," "whole," "won't," "yourself") and a Snap or Trap T-chart.

3. Teacher says: "All of these words are high-frequency words, which means we see them a lot when we read and use them a lot when we spell. Some of them are regularly spelled; they 'play fair.' Some of them are irregularly spelled, so they 'don't play fair.' We will figure out which ones should go in the Snap column and which ones go in the Trap column."

4. Teacher reads all words aloud.

5. Teacher reads "different."

6. Teacher says: "Take a minute to think about this word and read it to yourself."

7. Teacher asks:

"Do you think this is a snap or trap word?" (snap)

"And who would like to share why this is a snap word?" (because it is spelled just as it sounds)

8. Teacher adds word to Snap column on chart.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 with remaining words until all words are identified as snap or trap.

10. Students and teacher chorally read list of snap and trap words together.

  • Encourage students to grapple with their knowledge of letter sounds to decide whether high-frequency word is a snap or trap word.
  • Encourage students to explain their thinking when identifying words as snap or trap.
  • Encourage students to read each high-frequency word first and then analyze the word after reading it.
  • Encourage students to share their thinking when identifying words as snap or trap. This analysis supports future learning in morphology.

B. Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read: "Watering Your Garden"

  • (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 Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden."

2. Teacher says: "First we read the text together, 'Rules of Watering.' Now we will read a related text, titled 'Watering Your Garden.' This text is filled with words that YOU can read! There are decodable words, and there are some words that don't play fair, like 'yourself.'"

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

4. Teacher distributes the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" 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 and so we identified them as trap words."

6. Teacher models with Enlarged Decodable Reader and thinks aloud as she notices one of the high-frequency words. Teacher highlights it with a highlighter or highlighter tape. Model again as needed.

7. Partners search for high-frequency words in the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" 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 patterns that you have learned. So, you just need to say the sound that goes with each of the spelling patterns you see in the word, then blend them together to read the word. You will also see a lot of words the /ch/ ending spelled 'tch' or 'ch.'"

10. Students read "Watering Your Garden" 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 extra 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 in any organization made up of a group of people working toward a common goal, everyone has their own responsibilities, but they also collaborate (work together) so that everyone can "grow and flourish" or "be the best they can be." Consider using a metaphor, such as a sports team, city government, or other group, that may be familiar to students. Invite students to share how the classroom community is such an organization. It is made up of a group of people (students and teachers) working toward a common goal (everyone becoming proficient readers and writers).
  • To support students' reflection of their own role in collaboration, consider inviting them to reflect on one or more of the following questions:

"What can I do today that will help to create a classroom community where all of us can 'grow and flourish' as readers and writers/become proficient readers and writers?" Encourage specificity.

"How can I ask for help so I can 'grow and flourish' as a reader/writer or 'become proficient' as a reader/writer?" (Example: "I can ask someone to look over my work and give me feedback.")

  • Depending on students' comfort level, consider inviting them to share their own personal goals (based on feedback from mid- or end-of-module assessments or self-identified goals based on daily work).
  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:
    • "When I see someone _____, I'll make sure to _____."
    • "If someone asks me to _____, I'll _____."
    • "If I have a question about or need help with _____, I'll _____."

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: "Watering Your Garden."
    • Students highlight each word that contains "-ch" and "-tch."

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: "Watering Your Garden."
    • Students highlight each word that contains "-ch" and "-tch."

OR:

    • Students work with teacher to write a new page in the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" using words that contain "-ch" and "-tch."

OR:

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

"What is important to remember when you are watering a garden?"

    • 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: "Rules for Watering." Students provide a written response to the prompt:

"Write an article for the Sunnyside Gazette's new Home & Garden section that tells readers how to take care of a garden."

    • Students should try to use words that contain "-ch" and "-tch."
    • 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)

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up