Writing a Reading Contract: Drafting the Conclusion | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M1:U3:L9

Writing a Reading Contract: Drafting the Conclusion

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.3.2d: Provide a concluding statement or section.
  • 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 write a concluding paragraph for my reading contract. (W.3.2d)
  • I can fluently read an excerpt of text aloud for an audiobook. (RF.3.4, SL.3.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Conclusion to reading contract (W.3.2d)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Shared Writing: Writing a Concluding Paragraph (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reading Fluency Practice: Book Group (15 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.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students write the concluding paragraph of their reading contracts. Since this paragraph is very similar for all students, this is written as a group, and students add their individual challenges at the end (W.3.2d).
  • At the end of the lesson, students use the Peer Critique protocol when practicing their reading fluency in book groups in preparation for Part I of the End of Unit 3 Assessment in the next lesson (RF.3.4, SL.3.5). If you noticed any common issues when listening to students read aloud in the previous lesson, use these as teaching points in this lesson.
  • If there are not complete groups for reading fluency, invite students who feel comfortable doing so to take over the missing parts. Ensure they understand that they won't be assessed on the extra parts they are reading.
  • In this lesson, the habit of character focus is on working to become an ethical person. The characteristic students are reminded of specifically is integrity, as it relates to them completing their research reading homework.
  • 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 Lesson 5, students analyzed the structure of the Writing Contract: Teacher Model using The Painted Essay(r) template. In Lessons 6-8, they wrote their introductory and proof paragraphs. In this lesson, they write their concluding paragraph.
  • Continue to use Goal 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Students may require additional support writing their concluding paragraphs. Consider using technology to provide students who need additional support with a copy of the student-generated conclusion, so that they only have to add in the sentence about their specific challenges.
  • Students who require an extension can write their own concluding paragraphs rather than using the one generated by the class.
  • Students who require an extension can also read more than one excerpt in the reading fluency practice.

Assessment guidance:

  • Collect students' reading contracts at the end of the lesson to provide them with feedback. In Lesson 12, students will revise their writing based on your feedback for Part II of the End of Unit 3 Assessment. Use the Grade 3 Informative Writing Rubric, specifically rows B, C, D, and F, to assess work and provide students with feedback (see Grade 3 Writing Rubrics on the Tools page).
  • Consider using Writing Informal Assessment: Writing and Language Skills Checklist (Grade 3) during students' writing in Work Time A.
  • 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 record the audiobooks in their book groups for Part I of the End of Unit 3 Assessment.

In Advance

  • Prepare a research reading share using the Independent Reading: Sample Plan (see the Tools page) or using your own independent reading routine.
  • Review the Thumb-O-Meter protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Post: Learning targets, Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart, Reading Contract anchor chart, Peer Critique Protocol anchor chart, and Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Write the class-generated concluding paragraph on a collaborative document--for example, a Google Doc--for students to copy into their own document.
  • Work Time A: Students write their concluding paragraphs on a word processing document--for example, a Google Doc.
  • Work Time A: Students write their concluding paragraphs on a word processing document, for example a Google Doc using Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software like Dictation.io.
  • 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 work closely with essay structure, building on their understanding one paragraph at a time. In this lesson, students focus exclusively on the concluding paragraph of their reading contracts. Students continue to benefit from the color-coding system established in prior lessons for visual support.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to keep pace with the class as they work through each sentence of the concluding paragraph. Consider providing additional writing time between sentences to accommodate students who may need more time to process language. Alternatively, during the Closing, consider working with a small group of students to complete any unfinished writing from Work Time.

Levels of Support

For lighter support:

  • Before providing templates or additional support during Work Time A, observe students' work and allow them to grapple. Provide supportive materials only after students have grappled with the task. Observe the areas in which they struggle to target appropriate support in preparation for the end of unit assessment.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, distribute a template with a cloze version of a reading contract concluding paragraph. Allow students who need prompting or who may be overwhelmed starting from scratch to use this version. (Example: "Reading can be _________, but it is an important skill because _______________. I'm going to become a _______________ by working to _________________. This will help me at ________ and when I need to read things like _____ and ______ at home.)

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: In this lesson, students write the conclusion to their reading contract. This will require drawing on several tools such as The Painted Essay(r) template, the model writing contract, and their Informative Writing Checklist. Whenever possible, use think-alouds and/or peer models to make this thought process explicit. (Example: Offer a think-aloud to show how you incorporate ideas from the Writing Contract: Teacher Model into an original paragraph.) Students will not only see the model visually this way, but also understand the thought processes behind it.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: This lesson provides 25 minutes of writing time. Some students may need additional support building their writing stamina over such a long time period. Support students in building their stamina and focus by providing scaffolds that build an environment that is conducive to writing (see Meeting Students' Needs).
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Students who may need additional support with writing may have negative associations with writing tasks based on previous experiences. Help them feel successful with writing by allowing them to create feasible goals and celebrate when these goals are met. For instance, place a sticker or a star at a specific point on the page (e.g., two pages) that provides a visual writing target for the day. Also, construct goals for sustained writing by chunking the 25-minute writing block into smaller pieces. Provide choice for a break activity at specific time points when students have demonstrated writing progress. Celebrate students who meet their writing goals, whether it be length of text or sustained writing time.

Vocabulary

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

  • concluding, restate, state (L)

Materials

  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 2)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (see the Tools page; for teacher reference)
  • End of Unit 3 Assessment, Part II Prompt (see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Informative Writing Checklist (from Lesson 6; one per student and one to display)
  • Informative Writing Checklist (for teacher reference)
  • Reading Contract anchor chart (begun in Lesson 6; added to during Work Time A; see supporting material)
  • Reading Contract anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Reading contract conclusion (example, for teacher reference)
  • Reading contracts (begun in Lesson 6; added to during Work Time; one per student)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • End of Unit 3 Assessment, Part I Prompt (from Lesson 3; one per student)
  • 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)

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. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart. Remind students of: I behave with integrity. This means I am honest and do the right thing, even when it's difficult, because it is the right thing to do.
  • Remind them that this includes doing homework even when there may be other things they want to do after school. Remind them that the purpose of research reading is to build background knowledge and vocabulary on a topic so that they can gradually read more and more complex texts on that topic.
  • Refer to the Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading share, or use your own routine.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with new vocabulary: Check for comprehension by asking students to share a time when they showed integrity. Ask:

"When did you show integrity?"

"Can you think of a time it was hard to do the right thing, but you did it anyway?" (MMR)

  • Some students may need additional examples of showing integrity (e.g., doing the right thing even if the teacher is not looking at you or not looking at someone else's assessment and copying their answers). (MMR)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

"I can write a concluding paragraph for my reading contract."
"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 word concluding. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is a concluding paragraph? What is the purpose of it?" (It is the paragraph that wraps up a piece of writing. It restates the "what?" and adds some reflection by the author about the "so what?")

  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment, Part II Prompt. Ask them to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read it aloud. 
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with new vocabulary: Point out that concluding is an adjective that comes from the verb conclude. Invite students to record the word conclude in their vocabulary logs. Ask:

"What does conclude mean?" (to end or to finish)

"Why do you think the paragraph we are working on today is called the concluding paragraph?" (It is the end of the contract.) (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A.  Shared Writing: Writing a Concluding Paragraph (25 minutes)

  • Display and invite students to retrieve their Informative Writing Checklist.
  • Focus students on the criterion:
    • W.3.2d: I have a conclusion that restates the focus of the piece.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"Restate this criterion in your own words." 

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the focus of the piece?" (reading challenges and strategies to overcome them)

"What does the prefix re- mean?" (again)

"What does it mean to state something? (to say something or make a point)

"What do you think it means to restate something?" (To say something again. To make the point again.)

  • Model how to record this (by sketching or writing) on the displayed Informative Writing Checklist and invite students to do the same. Refer to the Informative Writing Checklist (for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What have you been writing about in this reading contract?" (reading challenges and strategies to overcome them)

"Why? What will this help you to do?" (to be able to read independently and proficiently)

  • 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.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses on the Reading Contract anchor chart. Refer to the Reading Contract anchor chart (example, for teacher reference).
  • Invite students to use the Writing Contract: Teacher Model, the criteria recorded on the Reading Contract anchor chart, and the Informative Writing Checklist to help you write a concluding paragraph. The final sentence of the conclusion outlining the two challenges will vary from student to student, so create a sentence starter for this sentence, but do not complete it. Refer to the reading contract conclusion (example, for teacher reference) as a guide, but as far as possible allow this to be student-generated.
  • Invite students to retrieve their reading contracts and to use the class-generated conclusion to write their own on a new line after proof paragraph 2. Remind students to leave a line between each line of their writing and to refer to the domain-specific word wall as they write.
  • Invite students to begin writing.
  • Circulate to support students, particularly in writing their own challenges.
  • Tell students they are going to use the Thumb-O-Meter protocol to reflect on their progress toward the first learning target. Remind them that they participated in this protocol in the first half of the unit and review as necessary. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Guide students through the Thumb-O-Meter protocol using the first learning target. Note students showing a thumb-sideways or thumb-down, so you can check in with them.
  • Invite students to record 'Y' for 'Yes' and the date in the final column of their Informative Writing Checklist if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the sentence from the model writing contract: I am going to become a better writer by working to make sure my sentences make sense and my punctuation is correct. Examples:

"What is the gist of this sentence?" (Responses will vary.)

Underline the phrase I am going to become a better writer. "What is the focus of this part of the sentence? Does it do a good job of restating the focus of the piece? How do you know?" (The author will get better. Yes, it does. The essay is about becoming a better writer.)

"Why does the author use the word by?" (She uses by to tell us how she plans to do what she says.)

Underline the -ing in the word working. "Remember that we always see the suffix -ing on verbs after the word by. How does she plan to become a better writer?" (by working to make sure her sentences make sense)

"I see two things she is going to do to become a better writer. Can someone write the numbers 1 and 2 next to each of her plans?" (1 near sentences make sense and 2 near punctuation)

"Let's look at the focus statement of this essay. Does this sentence from the concluding paragraph restate the focus statement? How?" (Yes, it does. Just like the focus statement, it says the two things the author will do to become a better writer.)

"Think about your focus statements. How can you rephrase your reading contract focus statements? Use the sentence frame: I am going to become a better reader by ____ing to _________ and ____________."(Responses will vary.)

  • Consider offering lined paper where every other line has an X or is highlighted in order to remind students to skip lines. (MMR)
  • Before students begin writing, consider creating a writing goal that is appropriate for the individual student (e.g., two pages). Place a star or sticker at the goal point so that they can self-monitor their progress as they write. (MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Consider offering them supportive tools (e.g., pencil grip, slanted desk, or use of a word processor). (MMAE)
  • Minimize distractions during independent writing by providing tools such as sound-canceling headphones or individual dividers. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support in building writing stamina: Consider offering built-in breaks, where students can choose an activity such as getting water or stretching. Reduce the number of these breaks over time as students increase their stamina. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Fluency Practice: Book Group (15 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Remind students that in the next lesson they will record their audiobooks with their book groups for Part I of the end of unit assessment. Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment, Part I Prompt. Ask them to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read it aloud for the group.
  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment excerpts and move to sit with their book group from the previous lesson.
  • Use any common issues identified in Lesson 8 as teaching points for the whole group.
  • Tell students that similar to the previous lesson, they are going to read their excerpts in the order in which they appear in the book.
  • Invite students to arrange themselves in the proper order.
  • Direct students' attention to the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart and review it as necessary.
  • 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 group members 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 each group member 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 before they record their audiobooks in the next lesson. Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they showed integrity in this lesson.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with fluency: When practicing, it may be helpful for some students to repeat individual sentences several times in order to master pacing, volume, and pronunciation in smaller segments. This may prevent students from feeling overwhelmed, and it will help them gain confidence.
  • 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 them 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.
  • 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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