Writing a Reading Contract: Analyzing a Model | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M1:U3:L5

Writing a Reading Contract: Analyzing a Model

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RF.3.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
  • W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • SL.3.5: Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can use The Painted Essay® structure to analyze a model. (W.3.2, W.3.5)
  • I can fluently read an excerpt of text aloud for an audiobook. (RF.3.4, SL.3.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • The Painted Essay® template (W.3.2)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Reader (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Analyzing a Model (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reading Fluency Practice: Role-Alike Pairs (20 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Practice reading your excerpt aloud for the End of Unit 3 Assessment audiobook.

B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

C. For ELLs: Complete Language Dive II Practice in your Unit 3 Homework.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students analyze a model reading contract using the Painted Essay structure in order to generate criteria for their own reading contracts (W.3.2, W.3.5).
  • The Painted Essay(r) (Diana Leddy, Vermont Writing Collaborative) guides students to code each section of their essay a different color to understand each part, the content of each part, and how the different parts connect. The Painted Essay(r) template and the Painting an Essay lesson plan will be referred to both throughout the unit and the school year.
  • The Writing Contract: Teacher Model is provided as a model to create a shared vision of what students are aiming for: what constitutes a high-quality reading contract. For teachers, this process informs instruction and planning; for students, it promotes critical thinking, creativity and craftsmanship. The model is referred to throughout the unit as students draft their own contracts.
  • Lessons 1, 2, and 4 featured built-out instruction for Goal 2 Conversation Cues. Moving forward, this will appear only as reminders after select questions. Continue using Goal 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation. Refer to the Lesson 1 Teaching Notes and see the Tools page for additional information on Conversation Cues.
  • At the end of the lesson, students practice reading their fluency excerpt in role-alike pairs, pairs reading the same part, in preparation for Part I of the End of Unit 3 Assessment (RF.3.4, SL.3.5).
  • The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to overcoming challenges in access to education, books, and reading near and far. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the previous lesson, students used the Idea Shop protocol to identify personal reading challenges and some strategies to overcome those challenges. As they analyze the model reading contract in this lesson, they begin to consider how they will record their challenges and how they intend to overcome them in their own reading contract.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Students may require additional support when reading for gist. Consider pairing students heterogeneously for this activity, or consider grouping students who may need additional reading support together while you read aloud for them.
  • Students who require an extension can read more than one excerpt in the reading fluency practice.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Some students may require additional support reading their fluency excerpt aloud since this is only the second time they will have practiced in class. Consider inviting students who are reading the same excerpt to sit together while you read their excerpt aloud for them, so that they can hear a model.

Assessment guidance:

  • Throughout Work Time A, frequently review students' Painted EssayO templates to ensure they are color-cording them accurately.
  • In the Closing, listen to students reading aloud to each other in order to identify any common issues that can be used as teaching points in the next lesson.
  • Consider using Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist during students' fluency practice in Closing and Assessment A.
  • Consider using Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist (Grade 3) during students' fluency practice in Closing and Assessment A.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will begin writing the introduction of their reading contract.

In Advance

  • Prepare the materials required for the Painted Essay and review the Painting an Essay lesson plan (see supporting materials).
  • Review the Thumb-O-Meter protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.).
  • Post: Learning targets, Peer Critique Protocol anchor chart, and Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Rather than using colored pencils on the displayed Writing Contract: Teacher Model, consider highlighting or using colored text on a word processing document.
  • Closing and Assessment A: Record students reading aloud for them to listen back using audio or video recording software or apps such as Audacity or GarageBand. If available, you may consider using a microphone to ensure a good-quality recording.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.C.9 and 3.I.C.10.

Important points in the lesson itself:

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to unpack an example of the work they are expected to complete during the remainder of the unit. They are also empowered to use a color-coding system that will help them understand essay structure using visual prompts.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to absorb an abundance of information and terminology about essay structure. Remind students that this structure is an expanded version of the paragraph structure they completed during the previous unit. Think aloud each part while analyzing the model essay in order to clarify the purpose of each component of the structure. Reassure students that even if they do not understand everything today, they will have plenty of opportunities to work with the concepts throughout the unit and the year.
  • In Work Time A, ELLs are invited to participate in a Language Dive conversation (optional). This conversation guides them through expanding the meaning of the focus statement in the Writing Contract: Teacher Model. It also gives students further practice using the sentence structure from the writing contract focus statement. Students may draw on this sentence when writing their reading contracts later in the unit. Review the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the questions and goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the questions and goals provided to best meet your students' needs.

Levels of Support

For lighter support:

  • During the Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together." (What is dialogue?)

For heavier support:

  • Create a puzzle of the Writing Contract: Teacher Model using sentence strips or index cards. Use one sentence strip or index card for each paragraph and color-code the text according to the established Painted Essay colors. Challenge students to put the paragraph together in the correct order without looking at their papers. Illustrate key words on the paragraph for extra support.
  • During Work Time A, after determining the gist of each paragraph of the Writing Contract: Teacher Model, invite bilingual students to interpret the gist in their home languages.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: In the basic structure of this lesson, students get multiple representation cues with the color-coding provided by the Painted EssayO template. However, some students may find covering the entire essay in one lesson overwhelming. Consider chunking the explicit instruction for each part of the essay into multiple lessons to provide time for students to comprehend new information.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Fluency is a major learning target in this unit. Fluency is best practiced on or below students' independent reading levels. When necessary, provide students with alternative excerpts that are appropriately leveled for them to practice fluency. Continue formative reading assessments to ensure an appropriate match between reading materials and reading level over time.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: The writing contract is a major assignment in this unit. However, the concept of a contract may not seem relevant to students since they may have never encountered one before. Help build context around contracts by providing real-life examples of times when adults write contracts (accepting a job offer, buying a car, etc.). Tell students that writing and understanding contracts will be important life skills.

Vocabulary

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

  • analyze, Painted Essay, structure (L)

Materials

  • Writing Contract: Teacher Model (one per student and one to display)
  • Writing Contract: Annotated Teacher Model (for teacher reference)
  • End of Unit 3 Assessment, Part II Prompt (from Lesson 1, one per student and one to display)
  • Vocabulary logs (from Unit 1, Lesson 5; one per student)
  • The Painted Essay(r) template (one per student)
  • Paintbrushes (one per student)
  • Red, yellow, blue, and green watercolor paints (one set per pair)
  • Cups of water (one per pair)
  • Painting an Essay lesson plan (for teacher reference)
  • Red, yellow, blue, and green colored pencils (one of each for teacher)
  • Paper (blank; one piece per student)
  • Language Dive Guide: Writing Contract: Teacher Model (optional; for ELLs; for teacher reference)
    • Language Dive Sentence strip chunks: Writing Contract: Teacher Model (for ELLs; one to display)
    • Language Dive Note-catcher: Writing Contract: Teacher Model (optional; for ELLs; one per student and one to display)
  • End of Unit 3 Assessment excerpts (from Lesson 3; one per student)
  • Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3)
  • Peer Critique Protocol anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 10)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. 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 Reader (10 minutes)

  • Distribute and display the Writing Contract: Teacher Model.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the model aloud.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the purpose of this document?" (It is a contract explaining the writing challenges the author faces and the strategies he or she intends to implement to overcome those challenges.)

"What are the challenges?" (writing sentences that make sense and punctuating dialogue)

"What are the strategies for overcoming those challenges?" (reading the sentence aloud, asking someone else to read it aloud, referring to a model, and asking a peer to focus on this challenge when providing peer feedback)

  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment, Part II Prompt and read it aloud.
  • Remind students of the work they did in the previous lesson identifying some personal reading challenges, as well as some strategies for overcoming those challenges. Tell them they will be using these to write a reading contract, much like the writing contract in today's lesson. 
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Read the Writing Contract: Teacher Model aloud twice, each time framing and contextualizing the document, to provide additional opportunities to process and comprehend the language within. If necessary, pause to check for comprehension after each paragraph. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need support with comprehension: Color-code each part of the Writing Contract: Teacher Model displayed for the class. Use the colors that students will later use to paint each component of the essay: red, green, yellow, blue, and green. Using the respective color for notes corresponding to each part when annotating and illustrating the model. Invite students to do the same as they annotate their own copies. (MMR, MMAE)
  • Make the concept of writing a contract relevant to students' lives by discussing important moments in their lives when they will need to sign contracts (e.g., accepting a job offer, buying a car, etc.). (MME)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and select a volunteer to read them aloud:

"I can use the Painted Essay structure to analyze a model."
"I can fluently read an excerpt of text aloud for an audiobook."

  • Remind students that for their end of unit assessment they will be reading an excerpt of either Rain School or Nasreen's Secret School aloud for an audiobook.
  • Underline the words Painted Essay and explain that this is something they have not seen before but will learn about in this lesson.
  • Underline the word structure. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does structure mean?" (how something is organized, arranged, or put together; if students are unsure, invite a student to look it up in the dictionary for the group)

"What is the translation of structure in our home languages?" (sostav in Russian) Invite students to use their translation dictionary if necessary. Call on student volunteers to share. Ask other students to choose one translation to quietly repeat. Invite students to say their chosen translation out loud when you give the signal. Choral repeat the translations and the word in English. Invite self- and peer-correction of the pronunciation of the translations and the English.

  • Add this word to the Academic Word Wall and invite students to add it to the front of their vocabulary logs.
  • Underline the word analyze. Remind students that they have seen this word before and invite them to review the word on the Academic Word Wall and in their vocabulary logs.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does analyze mean?" (examine in detail)

"Why might we want to analyze the model? How will it help us?" (to understand the structure of the model in order to apply that to writing our own contract)

  • If productive, use a Goal 2 Conversation Cue to encourage students to listen carefully and seek to understand:

"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Buy or ask for large paint chips from a local hardware or paint store, or print them online. Write the words structure, arrangement, organization, and composition, each one on a different shade of the paint chip. Place them on the wall and discuss the shades of meaning in relation to the writing process.
  • Provide background knowledge by connecting the meaning of the word structure to architecture. Discuss how architects build different structures based on their need such as a house versus a skyscraper versus an airport. Connect this to writing by saying that authors use different text structures based on each author's purpose. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Analyzing a Model (25 minutes)

  • Refocus students on the Writing Contract: Teacher Model.
  • Invite them to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read aloud the first paragraph.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What is the gist of this paragraph?" (Writing is an important skill, but it can be challenging because there are a lot of rules to learn.)

  • Cold call students to share the gist with the whole group and record it next to the first paragraph on the displayed model. Refer to the Writing Contract: Annotated Teacher Model (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Repeat this process with each of the remaining paragraphs.
  • Inform students that they are going to analyze the structure of this model in more detail using colored paints to help them remember the purpose of each part of the essay.
  • Distribute Painted Essay(r) template; paintbrushes; red, yellow, blue, and green watercolor paints; and cups of water.
  • Tell students that today they will learn about the Painted Essay structure for writing a clear and concise informational piece. Explain that the reading contract they will write is an informative essay.
  • Guide students through the Painting an Essay lesson plan. Refer to the lesson plan for how to use the red, yellow, blue, and green colored pencils on the displayed version of the Writing Contract: Teacher Model as you guide students.
  • Distribute paper.
  • Direct students' attention to the first learning target and read it aloud.
  • Invite students to spend 1 minute painting a red, yellow, or green shape for how close they feel they are to meeting that target now. Scan student responses and make a note of students with red or yellow shapes, meaning they may need more support with this moving forward.
  • Collect students' supplies.
  • For ELLs: During Work Time A, lead students through the Language Dive (see supporting materials). Refer to the Language Dive Guide: Writing Contract: Teacher Model (for teacher reference). Follow the guide for the use of the Language Dive sentence strip chunks: Writing Contract: Teacher Model and Language Dive Note-catcher: Writing Contract: Teacher Model. Instead of cold calling students, minimize risk by asking students to paraphrase what their partner said or repeating another student's response. (MMAE)
  • Consider chunking the Painting an Essay lesson plan over multiple lessons to minimize the complexity of the comprehension task. (MMR)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Fluency Practice: Role-Alike Pairs (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment excerpts and to pair up with someone reading the same excerpt.
  • Direct students' attention to the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart and review the criteria on it.
  • Direct students' attention to the Peer Critique Protocol anchor chart and remind them of what peer critique looks and sounds like.
  • Tell students they are going to use the Peer Critique protocol to provide their partner with kind, specific, and helpful feedback regarding their fluency. Remind students that they used this protocol in Unit 2 and review as necessary. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Guide students through the Peer Critique protocol, using the anchor chart and encouraging students to provide feedback to their partner based on the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
  • Circulate to support students in reading aloud and listen for common issues to be used as teaching points in the next lesson.
  • Guide students through the Thumb-O-Meter protocol using the second learning target. Note students showing a thumb-sideways or thumb-down, so you can check in with them.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading: Invite two students to fishbowl the process of reading the fluency text and using the Peer Critique protocol in front of the class before directing students to do so on their own. This provides students with a model and minimizes confusion about the activity. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Pair students with a partner who has more advanced or native language proficiency. The partner with greater language proficiency can serve as a model in the pair, initiating discussions and providing examples of effective feedback.
  • Reading fluency is best practiced on text that is at or below students' independent reading level. For students whose independent reading levels are below their excerpt, allow them to use an excerpt from their independent reading book to practice fluency. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with fluency: Encourage students to choral read with a highly fluent reader such as the teacher or a peer model. (MMR, MMAE)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Practice reading your excerpt aloud for the End of Unit 3 Assessment audiobook.

B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

C. For ELLs: Complete Language Dive II Practice in your Unit 3 Homework.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Discuss and respond to your prompts orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from grades 1 or 2, or record a response. (MMAE)

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