ELA G3:M2:U1:L14

Reading For Gist: Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RF.3.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
RF.3.4a: Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
RF.3.4b: Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
RF.3.4c: Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
L.3.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Daily Learning Targets

I can read my pourquoi tale aloud accurately and with expression. (RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, RF.3.4c)
I can find the gist of Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle. (RI.3.1, RI.3.4, L.3.4)

Ongoing Assessment

Reading Fluency Self-Assessment Checklist (RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b. RF.3.4c)
Gist on sticky notes (RI.3.1, RI.3.4, L.3.4)

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. End of Unit Assessment, Part I: Frog Festival, Part II (25 minutes) B. Frog Festival, Part II: Reflections (5 minutes) C. Reading for Gist: Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle (20 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text (5 minutes) 4. Homework A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: Students who did not get to perform their pourquoi tale in the first part of the Frog Festival in Lesson 12 get to do so in Work Time A. In Work Time C, students read Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle. To ensure adequate time for this, students are provided with subject headers, which they record on sticky notes to help them find the gist: habitat, food, predators, finding a mate, life cycle. If students have been working on the Reading Fluency component of the Additional Language and Literacy block, they will already be familiar with excerpts of this text. As a result, this could be an opportunity to have students help you read the text aloud. The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to frogs and specifically frog adaptations. 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. Some students practice their fluency in this lesson by reading their pourquoi tale aloud during the Frog Festival. How it builds on previous work: The Frog Festival in this lesson provides students with a chance to perform their story as a read-aloud to an audience and to practice the reading fluency skills they have been working on. Continue to use Goals 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation. Areas where students may need additional support: Some students may require support reading their tales aloud in the Frog Festival, either because they require additional support reading the words or because they lack the confidence to perform to an audience. Assessment guidance: Writing rubrics can be found in the Grade 3 Writing Rubrics document. All other assessment materials (student copy, answer key, student exemplar) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources. Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist (Grade 3) to informally assess students as they read their stories aloud during Work Time A. Collect in Comparative and Superlative Adjectives homework from Lessons 11 and 12. See Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (answers, for teacher reference). Down the road: In Unit 2, students will research answers to their "why" questions about frogs.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. End of Unit Assessment, Part I: Frog Festival, Part II (25 minutes)

B. Frog Festival, Part II: Reflections (5 minutes)

C. Reading for Gist: Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text (5 minutes)

4. Homework

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

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

Students who did not get to perform their pourquoi tale in the first part of the Frog Festival in Lesson 12 get to do so in Work Time A.
In Work Time C, students read Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle. To ensure adequate time for this, students are provided with subject headers, which they record on sticky notes to help them find the gist: habitat, food, predators, finding a mate, life cycle.
If students have been working on the Reading Fluency component of the Additional Language and Literacy block, they will already be familiar with excerpts of this text. As a result, this could be an opportunity to have students help you read the text aloud.
The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to frogs and specifically frog adaptations. 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.
Some students practice their fluency in this lesson by reading their pourquoi tale aloud during the Frog Festival.

How it builds on previous work:

The Frog Festival in this lesson provides students with a chance to perform their story as a read-aloud to an audience and to practice the reading fluency skills they have been working on.
Continue to use Goals 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas where students may need additional support:

Some students may require support reading their tales aloud in the Frog Festival, either because they require additional support reading the words or because they lack the confidence to perform to an audience.

Assessment guidance:

Writing rubrics can be found in the Grade 3 Writing Rubrics document. All other assessment materials (student copy, answer key, student exemplar) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist (Grade 3) to informally assess students as they read their stories aloud during Work Time A.
Collect in Comparative and Superlative Adjectives homework from Lessons 11 and 12. See Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (answers, for teacher reference).

Down the road:

In Unit 2, students will research answers to their "why" questions about frogs.

In Advance

Prepare an order for students to perform in the Frog Festival.
Prepare a Reading Fluency Checklist for each student. This checklist will be used to assess fluency when they read their pourquoi tale aloud during the Frog Festival in Work Time C.
Consider inviting other students, teachers, and families to attend the Frog Festival. Plan this accordingly and invite an audience in advance.
Consider preparing a room or a space for the Frog Festival (e.g., with seats set up for an audience).
Post: Learning targets, Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart, Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

Work Time A: Record students reading their pourquoi tales aloud using software or apps such as Audacity or GarageBand.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.B.6, 3.III.

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to demonstrate their content and language knowledge in a Frog Festival built on their preparation and practice in previous lessons. They self-assess at the end of the lesson in order to celebrate their successes and chart a course for the future.
ELLs may find the End of Unit 1 Assessment challenging, as it may be a big leap from the heavily scaffolded classroom interaction. Before they begin, encourage students to do their best and congratulate them on the progress they've made learning English. For students who have trouble with fluency, it may be difficult and stressful for them to read aloud without support. If they ask for help, tell them they are great readers and they are doing well on their own.
Make sure that ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment questions themselves. For example, the reading fluency assessment requires some self-orchestration on the part of the students. Take some extra time to make sure they know what is expected of them. This way the assessment will go more smoothly with fewer interruptions from process questions. See additional support in the lesson.
After the assessment, ask students to discuss what was easiest and what was most difficult, and why. For example, while circulating during the closing, ask students which part of the Frog Festival was most difficult: reading in front of friends, reading with expression, or knowing what the words said.
In future lessons and for homework, focus on the language skills that will help students address these assessment challenges.
Throughout the reading for gist, stop often to check for comprehension. Ask students to summarize the events and ideas in the text. When necessary, invite a more proficient student to paraphrase the events in more comprehensible language.

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Provide pictures and simple definitions to ensure that those who may have limited background knowledge about frogs understand what each of the headings in Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle means. Consider inviting students to prepare their sticky note headings in advance by writing the heading and drawing a simple sketch to help them remember what each heading means.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): This lesson offers several opportunities for students to engage in discussion with partners. For those who may need additional support with expressive language, facilitate communication by providing sentence frames to help them organize their thoughts. This way, all students can benefit from peer interaction.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from previous lessons in this unit. This supports students in understanding the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Provide support for students who may need additional guidance in peer interactions and collaboration. For example, offer prompts or sentence frames that support students in asking for help or clarification from classmates. To support students who may need additional support in sustaining effort and/or attention, provide opportunities for restating the goal. In doing so, students are able to maintain focus for completing the activity.

Vocabulary

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

gist (L)

Materials

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (answers, for teacher reference)
Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
Reading Fluency Self-Assessment Checklist (from Lesson 11; one per student)
Reading Fluency Checklist (one per student; see Teaching Notes and Assessment Overview and Resources)
Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle (book; one per student and one to display)
Sticky notes (13 per student)
Vocabulary logs (from Module 1; one per student)
Academic Word Wall (started in Module 1)
Domain-Specific Word Wall (started in Lesson 1)
Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text (one per student and one to display)
Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart (from Module 1)
Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text (answers, for teacher reference)

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

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) Collect students' Comparative and Superlative Adjectives homework. See Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (answers, for teacher reference). Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and select a volunteer to read them aloud: "I can read my pourquoi tale aloud accurately and with expression." "I can find the gist of Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle." Remind students that they have seen the first learning target in previous lessons in this unit. Underline the word gist. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What is the gist? Why do we find the gist?" (what the text is mostly about; finding the gist helps us to understand the structure of the text to find information we are looking for quickly)	For students who may need additional support understanding the terms in the learning targets: Write synonyms or descriptions above key terms. For ELLs: Ask: "What does accurately mean?" (correctly; to read exactly what is on the page) "What does it mean to read with expression?" (to read with feeling; to change your voice depending on what is happening in the story)

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

Collect students' Comparative and Superlative Adjectives homework. See Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (answers, for teacher reference).
Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and select a volunteer to read them aloud:

"I can read my pourquoi tale aloud accurately and with expression."

"I can find the gist of Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle."

Remind students that they have seen the first learning target in previous lessons in this unit.
Underline the word gist. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist? Why do we find the gist?" (what the text is mostly about; finding the gist helps us to understand the structure of the text to find information we are looking for quickly)

For students who may need additional support understanding the terms in the learning targets: Write synonyms or descriptions above key terms.
For ELLs: Ask: "What does accurately mean?" (correctly; to read exactly what is on the page) "What does it mean to read with expression?" (to read with feeling; to change your voice depending on what is happening in the story)

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
A. End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Frog Festival, Part II (25 minutes) Focus students on the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart. Remind them that they reviewed the criteria on this anchor chart in Lesson 12. Invite students to retrieve their Reading Fluency Self-Assessment Checklist and to remind themselves of the criteria they highlighted in Lesson 11 to work on. Tell the class that those students who haven't had a chance to participate in the Frog Festival will do so today. Remind students of the importance of being a good audience member. Invite the first student to begin. Assess each student's performance using the Reading Fluency Checklist. Repeat with as many students as you have time for in this lesson.	For ELLs: Ensure that students know the process for participating in the Frog Festival to minimize any confusion. "Fishbowl" a small group for the class to provide a concrete model of the expected process and behavior.
B. Frog Festival, Part II: Reflections (5 minutes) Invite those students who read their pourquoi tales aloud to self-assess their performance with their Reading Fluency Self-Assessment Checklist, using a different colored pen or pencil than they used for the previous lesson. While performers are reflecting, invite audience members to pair up and share one thing they learned.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support reflecting on their learning: Provide a sentence frame and model using it. Example: "I learned that _______. For my turn, I want to remember to _______."
C. Reading for Gist: Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle (20 minutes) Refocus whole group. Distribute a copy of Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle to each student. Explain that, as part of the Frog Festival, students are going to read along silently while you read a new frog text aloud. Read Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle aloud without interruption. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What is this text about?" (Student responses may vary, but could include that it's about bullfrogs.) Tell students that they are now going to find the gist. Remind them that when they find the gist, they go through the text in chunks and identify what each chunk is mostly about. Pair students up. Write the following headings on the board: Habitat (where it lives) Physical features (how it looks) Diet (food) Predators (animals that are a threat) Life cycle (stages of life an animal goes through from birth to adult) Finding a mate Explain that to find the gist, students are going to work in pairs to go page-by-page through the book. On each page, they are going to write one of the headings on the board on a sticky note and stick it on the page to show what that page is mostly about. Ensure that students understand what each of the headings means. Distribute sticky notes. Ask students to look at the first page of Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle. Invite them to discuss with their partner and then invite responses from the group, using a total participation technique: "Which of the labels would you choose for the gist of this page? Why?" (habitat, because it describes where the bullfrogs live) Invite students to write habitat on a sticky note and add it to the first page. Repeat with the next page. Students may use more than one heading here: habitat, life cycle, and physical features. Invite students to repeat with the rest of the pages of the book. Circulate to support students in this process. Invite students to share any new words, adding any unfamiliar words to their vocabulary logs. Add any new words to the academic word wall and domain-specific word wall and invite students to add translations in native languages. Focus students on the learning targets. Read each one aloud, pausing after each to use a checking for understanding protocol for students to reflect on their comfort level with or show how close they are to meeting each target. Make note of students who may need additional support with each of the learning targets moving forward.	For students who may need additional support determining the gist: Consider highlighting or underlining key phrases in their individual copy of Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle in advance. This will lift the gist up for them as they read along silently in their heads. For students who may need additional support with fluency: Encourage students to point to each word as it is read aloud in Work Time C. For ELLs and students who may need additional support: When reviewing the headings for the sticky notes, make sure students are clear on what each one means. Have students in the pre-teaching group share the sketches they made and suggest that others sketch a quick picture on their sticky notes if it will help them remember the meaning of the headings. Example: "What does it mean if animals are a threat?" (animals that want to eat the frog) "What kind of animals eat frogs?" (birds) "Maybe if I sketch a bird here, I will remember that this gist is about predators." For ELLs: To address potential anxiety of students who may not comprehend some of the text, reassure the class that it is not necessary to understand every word to get the gist. Model determining the gist without understanding the words. Example: "On page 6, I see a lot of tricky words. But there is a big picture of the bullfrog, and I recognize the word yellow. I also see the words back and feet. So what do you think the gist is?" (physical features)

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text (5 minutes) Display and distribute Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text. Focus students on the Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart and remind them of the strategies they can use to answer these questions. Redirect students' attention to the exit ticket and read each question and the possible responses aloud. Give students a minute to select the correct answer. Cold call students to share their answers and justification. Refer to the Exit Ticket: Answering Questions about the Text (answers, for teacher reference). If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand: "Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)	For students who may need additional support with reading: Consider adding simple sketches to their exit ticket or reading the options aloud more than one time to ensure they know what each one says. For ELLs: To reinforce vocabulary and selected response answering strategy, in addition to reviewing the correct answers, review why the incorrect answers are inappropriate choices. Example: "For #3, why is moths an incorrect answer? What is a moth? Do moths eat frogs? How do you know?"

Closing