- I can form and use regular and irregular verbs in the simple tenses. (L.3.1d, L.3.1e)
- I can write an introduction paragraph for my informational essay that describes my freaky frog, its habitat, its predators, and its prey. (W.3.2a, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.6)
These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:
- RI.3.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
- W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
- W.3.2a: Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
- 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.
- W.3.6: With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
- L.3.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
- L.3.1d: Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
- L.3.1e: Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
Daily Learning Targets
Ongoing Assessment
- Draft introduction paragraph (W.3.2a, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.6)
Agenda
Agenda | Teaching Notes |
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1. Opening A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Mini Lesson: Forming and Using Verbs in the Simple Tenses (15 minutes) B. Guided Practice: Drafting an Introduction (20 minutes) C. Research Reading Share (15 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes) 4. Homework A. Complete Verbs I in your Unit 3 homework packet. B. 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
- Prepare a research reading share using with the Independent Reading: Sample Plan standalone document, or using your own independent reading routine.
- Post: Learning targets.
Tech and Multimedia
- Work Time A: Students are using word-processing tools to write their informative texts. See the Unit 3 Overview for suggested word-processing tools.
Supporting English Language Learners
Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.A.1, 3.I.A.2, 3.I.B.6, 3.I.C.10, 3.II.A.1, 3.II.B.3.
Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with an explicit focus on the multi-draft writing process and verb tense. This approach gives ELLs the opportunity to confirm or correct their language over time and to investigate the way the classroom English grammatical system works--something that native speakers may know innately.
- ELLs may find it challenging to independently draft an introduction. In addition to reviewing the checklist, consider drafting a quick model introduction as an interactive writing/think-aloud piece using the checklist. This can be done for the entire class at the beginning of Work Time B or in a small group of ELLs while the rest of the class is working independently.
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- During the Mini-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." (Who is the sentence about? What are readers?)
For heavier support:
- Make sure students understand that a draft is only their first try and that it is important for them to write as much as they can. The draft does not need to be perfect, so they should not be afraid of making spelling mistakes.
- Review the structure of informational essays and the vocabulary used in your instruction: essay, introduction, focus, purpose, etc.
- As part of the game in Work Time A, write base forms of verbs on verb strips. Include an illustration of the meaning of the verbs for additional support. As students take their turns completing the sentence frames, they can hold up the correct verb strip and say will or the -ed suffix with the verb. Prompt students to use adverbs (yesterday, long ago, tomorrow, next year) and hand motions (motioning over shoulder for the past and ahead for the future) to reinforce the verb tenses.
- In preparation for the mid-unit assessment, provide additional practice identifying and explaining simple tenses. Consider using formats similar to the assessment, and inviting students who need lighter support to write similar questions for students who need heavier support.
- For each sentence, tell whether it is written in the present or past tense. Explain what, in the sentence, makes you think so.
- Glass frogs come out at night when they are even harder to see.
- present tense past tense
- Complete the sentence with the verb in the past tense.
- The leaf _____ above a stream. (is)
Universal Design for Learning
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In addition to reviewing the checklist, consider drafting a quick model introduction as an interactive writing/think-aloud piece using the checklist. This can be done for the entire class at the beginning of Work Time B or in a small group of students who need writing support while the rest of the class is working independently.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in building their writing stamina and effort by providing scaffolds that build an environment which is conducive to writing.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Some students may need additional support in linking the information presented back to the learning targets. Invite students to make this connection by explicitly highlighting the utility and relevance of the text to the learning target.
Vocabulary
Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)
- purpose, introduction, verb tense, focus statement (L)
- physical adaptations, behavioral adaptations, special, unique, survive, habitat, predator, prey (W)
Materials
- Irregular Verbs handout (from Unit 2, Lesson 6; one per student and one to display)
- Regular Verbs handout (from Unit 2, Lesson 3; one per student and one to display)
- Informative Writing Checklist (from Lesson 3; one per student and one to display)
- Poison Dart Frog Model (from Lesson 2; one per student and one to display)
- The Painted Essay(r) template (from Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 5; one per student)
- Computer with word-processing tool (optional; one per student)
- Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (from Unit 1, Lesson 1)
- Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
- Informational Texts handout (from Unit 2, Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
- Informational Writing Planning graphic organizer (from Lesson 3; one per student and one to display)
- Domain-Specific Word Wall (started in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
- Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (from Module 1)
- Independent Reading: Sample Plan (standalone document)
- Index cards (one per student)
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)
"What is the purpose of our informational essays?" (to teach third- and fourth-grade students about our freaky frogs and their adaptations)
"I can form and use regular and irregular verbs in the simple tenses." "I can write an introduction paragraph for my informational essay that describes my freaky frog, its habitat, its predators, and its prey."
"What is the purpose of an introduction in informational writing?" (to introduce the topic to our readers) "What is the purpose of the introduction in our freaky frog essays?" (to give readers important information about our frog that they will need to understand what makes it unique)
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Work Time
Work Time | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Mini Lesson: Forming and Using Verbs in the Simple Tenses (15 minutes)
"What is verb tense?" (the form of a verb to show when the action happened) "What are the three main verb tenses?" (past, present, and future) "When do we use the present tense?" (to show that something is happening now or that a condition exists in the present time) "When do we use the past tense?" (to show that something happened in the past or that a condition existed in the past) "When do we use the future tense?" (to show that something is going to happen or that a condition will exist in the future)
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B. Guided Practice: Drafting an Introduction (20 minutes)
"Which sentence is the focus statement?" ("Poison dart frogs have special physical and behavioral adaptations that help them to survive.") "What are the rest of the sentences in this paragraph about?" (The sentences hook the reader by saying something interesting about the poison dart frog and then describe the frog, where it lives, its predators, and its prey.) "How does the focus statement connect with the rest of the sentences in this essay?" (The introduction gives basic information about the poison dart frog, and the focus statement gives the idea that the poison dart frog looks or acts a certain way to help it survive. The focus statement connects the introduction with the next paragraph, which is about the frog's adaptations.) "What verb tense is used throughout this model? What verb tense should you use as you write your introduction?" (present tense)
"Are there any specific criteria about the introduction in this essay that you should be aware of and list in that column on the checklist?"
"What does taking care of and improving our shared spaces look like? What might you see when someone is taking care of our shared spaces?" (see Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)). "What does taking care of and improving our shared spaces sound like? What might you hear when someone is taking care of our shared spaces?" (see Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)).
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C. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)
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Closing & Assessments
Closing | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes)
"How does your self-assessment add to your ability to meet the learning target? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)
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Homework
Homework | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Complete Verbs I in your Unit 3 homework packet. B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal. |
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