- I can fluently read a poem aloud. (RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, RF.3.4c)
- I can refer explicitly to the text when answering questions about the text. (RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.4, RL.3.5, RF.3.3c, RF.3.4, L.3.1a, L.3.4a, L.3.4b)
- I can write the beginning of a pourquoi tale that establishes the situation and introduces the characters. (W.3.3a, W.3.4, W.3.5)
These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:
- RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
- RL.3.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
- RL.3.5: Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
- RF.3.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- RF.3.3c: Decode multisyllable words.
- 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.
- W.3.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
- W.3.3a: Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
- W.3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
- W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
- L.3.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
- L.3.3a: Choose words and phrases for effect.
- 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.
- L.3.4a: Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- L.3.4b: Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
Daily Learning Targets
Ongoing Assessment
- Choral reading of "The Wood Frog" (RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, RF.3.4c)
- Close Reading: "The Wood Frog" note-catcher (RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.4, RL.3.5, RF.3.3c, RF.3.4, L.3.1a, L.3.4a, L.3.4b)
- Participation in creation of the beginning of "Why Do Polliwogs Wiggle?" class narrative (W.3.3a, W.3.4, W.3.5)
Agenda
Agenda | Teaching Notes |
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1. Opening A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Close Reading: "The Wood Frog" (15 minutes) B. Analyzing a Model (15 minutes) C. Shared Writing: Drafting the Beginning of a Pourquoi Tale (20 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes) 4. Homework A. Vocabulary. Follow the directions in your Unit 1 homework packet. B. Choose and respond to a Narrative QuickWrite prompt in your Unit 1 homework packet. C. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal. |
Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:
How it builds on previous work:
Areas where students may need additional support:
Assessment Guidance:
Down the road:
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In Advance
- Read the Close Reading Guide: "The Wood Frog" to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students.
- Strategically pair students for partner work in Work Time A.
- Post: Learning targets.
Tech and Multimedia
- Work Time A: For students who will benefit from hearing the text read aloud multiple times to find the gists, consider using a text-to-speech tool like Natural Reader, SpeakIt! for Google Chrome, or the Safari reader. Note that to use a web-based text-to-speech tool like SpeakIt! or Safari reader, you will need to create an online doc, such as a Google Doc, containing the text.
- Work Time A: Use a search engine like Google Images or websites such as Flickr to find images or videos of poison dart frogs at the end of the close read.. Consider that YouTube, social media video sites, and other website links may incorporate inappropriate content via comment banks and ads. Although some lessons include these links as the most efficient means to view content in preparation for the lesson, be sure to preview links and/or use a filter service, such as SafeShare.tv, for viewing these links in the classroom.
- Work Time A: Students complete their note-catchers in 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.
- Work Time C: Digital narrative draft: Instead of using chart paper, record shared writing on a class Google Doc for students to refer to when working on their writing outside of class.
Supporting English Language Learners
Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.B.6, 3.I.B.8, 3.I.C.11, 3.III.
Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to talk explicitly about English during the close read of "The Wood Frog." Students discuss the meaning of vocabulary in context and focus on the function of the pronoun I, for example. The poem introduces an element of language play with the ending -sicle, which may help students enjoy and see other patterns in English.
- ELLs may find reading the two different genres of narrative and poetry challenging, as in the previous lesson. Some students unfamiliar with either the narrative or poetry formats--or both--may become confused. Make clear when transitioning between Work Times A and B that the class will be discussing a different kind of text. Compare and contrast each genre occasionally. Example: "How are poems different from narratives? Does this poem have a setting or a resolution? No, because poetry does not need settings or resolutions."
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- Invite students to notice other language patterns in "The Wood Frog" beyond the playful -sicle ending. Example: word forms froze, frozen, antifreeze.
- Ask students to compare the language used in "The Wood Frog" to "Why the Poison Dart Frog Is So Colorful." How are poetry and prose different? Example: The poem uses rhyming words and short lines, whereas the prose does not rhyme and has longer, more complex sentences.
For heavier support:
- Throughout the close read, stop often to check for comprehension. Ask students to summarize the events and ideas in the poem. When necessary, invite a more proficient student to paraphrase the events in more comprehensible language.
- Some students may not understand the word play based on icicle in "The Wood Frog." Consider displaying a picture of icicles before reading the poem and explaining what they are and how they happen. Tell students it is very important to know about icicles for the poem and invite them to try to guess why after reading the poem.
- In preparation for the mid-unit assessment, review the exit ticket after its completion or before the next lesson. Review the process of choosing the best answer for selected response questions. Observe students who have difficulty with these kinds of questions and review accordingly.
Universal Design for Learning
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): For students who may need additional support analyzing narratives: Provide some direct instruction in advance. Read "Why the Poison Dart Frog Is So Colorful" and model how to color-code various narrative structures, using a format similar to the format used during the lessons. Discuss author's craft with these students and emphasize the importance of writing being organized to help readers understand.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): As there are many learning targets in this lesson and it requires students to shift the focus of their thinking multiple times, consider quickly revisiting and pointing out learning targets throughout the lesson as an indicator for students that they will now be working on referring explicitly to the text when answering questions, identifying structures of narratives, or finding the meanings of unfamiliar words. Some students who may need support attending to the task may also benefit from having a personal "map" of the lesson that they can physically point to or use to check off what they have accomplished and "see" what they need to focus on next.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): 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)
- establish the situation, introduce the characters, audience, purpose (L)
- frogsicle, logiscle, fogsicle, bogsicle, at ease, antifreeze (T)
- polliwogs, tadpoles, tails, forest (W)
Materials
- Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
- Close Reading: "The Wood Frog" note-catcher (one per student)
- Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
- Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (from Module 1)
- Close Reading Guide: "The Wood Frog" (for teacher reference)
- Vocabulary logs (from Module 1; one per student)
- Academic Word Wall (started in Module 1)
- Domain-Specific Word Wall (started in Lesson 1)
- Why? anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; added to in Work Time A)
- "Why the Poison Dart Frog Is So Colorful" (from Lesson 3; one per student and one to display)
- Narrative Texts handout (from Lesson 2; one per student and one to display)
- Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Why Do Polliwogs Wiggle?" (from Lesson 3; one per student and one to display)
- Narrative Template: "Why Do Polliwogs Wiggle?" (one for display)
- Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Why Do Polliwogs Wiggle?" (from Lesson 3; example, for teacher reference)
- Exit Ticket: Plot Structures (one per student)
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
Opening | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)
"I can fluently read a poem aloud." "I can refer explicitly to the text when answering questions about the text."
"I can write the beginning of a pourquoi tale that establishes the situation and introduces the characters."
"How do authors establish the situation in a narrative?" (They explain what is happening, when, and where.) "How do authors introduce characters in a narrative?" (They tell who the main characters are and describe them.)
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Work Time
Work Time | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Close Reading: "The Wood Frog" (15 minutes)
"What is this poem about?" (Responses will vary but may include that it is about how wood frogs freeze in winter.)
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B. Analyzing a Model (15 minutes)
"Based on what you know about the plot structure of a narrative, what structures are included on each page?" (page 1: establish the situation; page 2: introduce the characters; page 3: describe the problem; page 4: explain how the characters respond to the problem; pages 5-6: provide a solution/resolution; page 7: tell the point of the narrative)
"Why is it important for writers to organize narratives in this way?" (It makes the writing clearer for the reader.)
"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)
"Where and when does this story take place?" (long, long ago in a magical cave in South America) "Who is the main character?" (Ranna)
"Who are the other characters in this story?" (Drab, Ash, and Grey) "Based on the text, what are the characters like?" (Ranna is a boy; Drab, Ash, and Grey are tiny frogs with dull gray-green skin.) "What other details did the author give to tell the reader what is happening in the story?" (Ranna lives in the cave with his frogs.) |
"Place your finger on: Long, long ago, deep in South America, a boy named Ranna lived by himself in a secret, magical cave." "Why does the author write Long, long ago instead of just long ago?" (to show that it was really long ago) "Where is South America?" Locate South America on the map and ask students where deep in South America might be. "Has anybody been to South America? Is it like in the story, or is it different? Why do you think it might be different?" (The story is set in a different time, different place in South America. South Americais very big with lots of different countries and ecosystems.) "What does the author mean by deep in South America?" (very far inside South America; in the middle of South America) "What does the author mean by lived by himself?" (He lived alone.) "What is a cave?" (a space underground or on a hill or mountain that is big enough for people and animals to go inside) "What words does the author use to describe the cave? What do they mean?" (secret and magical; nobody else knew about it; it had magic or mystery in it) "How does this sentence tell us about the setting and characters?" (It tells about Ranna, the main character. It says he lived in a cave in South America.) |
C. Shared Writing: Drafting the Beginning of a Pourquoi Tale (20 minutes)
"Who is the audience of this narrative?" (other third- and fourth-grade students) "What is the purpose of the narrative?" (to tell a story that explains why polliwogs wiggle)
"What is happening in the beginning of our story? Where and when does it take place?'" (Responses will vary.)
"Is our 'Why Do Polliwogs Wiggle?' class narrative appropriate for the task and purpose? How do you know?" (Yes, because it tells the reader what is happening, where, and when, and introduces the main characters in the story.)
"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)
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Closing & Assessments
Closing | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes)
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Homework
Homework | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Vocabulary. Follow the directions in your Unit 1 homework packet. B. Choose and respond to a Narrative QuickWrite prompt in your Unit 1 homework packet. C. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal. |
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