Preparing for and Participating in a Text-Based Discussion | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M3:U2:L13

Preparing for and Participating in a Text-Based Discussion

In this Lesson

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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.
  • SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • SL.3.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
  • SL.3.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
  • SL.3.1c: Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.
  • SL.3.1d: Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
  • L.3.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
  • L.3.3b: Recognize and observe differences between the conventions of spoken and written standard English.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can recognize the differences between written and spoken English. (L.3.3b)
  • I can follow discussion norms to participate in a productive discussion about my opinion of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. (SL.3.1)
  • I can prepare for a text-based discussion by forming an opinion and identifying reasons and evidence. (RL.3.1, SL.3.1)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Discussion Notes (SL.3.1)
  • Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan note-catcher (RL.3.1, SL.3.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Participating in a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (30 minutes)

B. Reflecting on Discussion (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan (15 minutes)

4. Homework

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

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In Work Time A, students participate in a small-group text-based discussion about whether they would recommend Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens to a friend, citing evidence from the text (RL.3.1, SL.3.1, L.3.3b). After the discussion, they reflect on their learning and set a goal for the next discussion (SL.3.1d).
  • In the Closing, students prepare for a text-based discussion in the next lesson, during which they will discuss whether they would recommend Peter Pan to a friend (RL.3.1, SL.3.1).
  • In this lesson, the habit of character focus is working to become ethical people. The characteristics students are reminded of specifically are respect, compassion, and empathy, as they participate in collaborative discussions.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In Lessons 9-12, students wrote a book review that stated whether they would recommend Peter Pan to a friend. At the end of this lesson, students use their book reviews to prepare for a text-based discussion on the subject.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may require additional support voicing their opinions. Consider prompting those students.
  • Students may also need support completing their Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan note-catcher. Consider inviting those who need additional support to sit together in one teacher-guided group and work through completing each column with them.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Collaborative Discussion informal checklist to assess student achievement toward the standards and to identify common errors to use as whole group teaching points before the assessment in the next lesson (see the Tools page).
  • Check that all students have complete discussion note-catchers in preparation for the assessment in the next lesson.
  • Review student learning in their Discussion Notes to informally assess SL.3.1d. Be prepared to return these forms in the next lesson for students to review their goal before the assessment.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will participate in a text-based discussion about their opinion of Peter Pan and will revise their book reviews for linking words and spelling. Be prepared to return their book review with feedback in the next lesson for Part II of the end of unit assessment.

In Advance

  • Strategically group students in heterogeneous groups of four or five for the discussions. Try to get an even number of groups so the groups can be paired off to observe each other during the discussion and provide feedback.
  • Prepare:
    • T-chart for each group to stick their stars and steps sticky notes.
    • Copies of student book reviews for them to use in this lesson while you are providing feedback on the original book reviews.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 to create anchor charts to share with families, to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families, and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.A.1, 3.I.A.3, 5.I.A.4, 3.I.B.5, 3.I.C.13

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 text-based discussion about Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and to prepare for and practice the necessary skills for the text-based discussion about Peter Pan during the end of unit assessment.
  • ELLs may find the text-based discussion challenging, depending on their comfort level with being observed while speaking. Assure them that the learning they've done in previous lessons prepares them for the discussion and remind them to rely on the language tools provided during this and previous lessons.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Challenge students to create sentence frames to bolster participation during the text-based discussion. Invite students who need heavier support to use the frames. (Example: "I would/would not recommend Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens to a friend because _________. One reason is __________, and an example in the text is __________. Another reason is __________.")

For heavier support:

  • To build confidence and prepare for the text-based discussion, encourage students to review their Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens note-catcher before the lesson. Invite them to review their opinion, reasons, and evidence and to share it aloud with a supportive partner.
  • Invite students to use the sentence frames created by students with greater language proficiency during the text-based discussion.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): To set themselves up for success in preparing for the text-based discussion, students need to generalize the skills that they learned from the previous lessons. Activate their prior knowledge by recalling the learning targets from the previous interactions with the text and discussions about opinion based on textual evidence. Additionally, facilitate comprehension by displaying a numbered sequence of the steps in this lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students write notes in preparation for a text-based discussion. Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing need by offering students options for writing utensils. Also consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of student responses. Recall that varying tools for construction and composition supports students' ability to express knowledge without barriers to communicating their thinking.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from previous lessons with Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. This supports students in understanding the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Provide support for those who may need additional guidance in peer interactions and collaboration by offering prompts or sentence frames.

Vocabulary

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

  • text-based discussion (L)

Materials

  • End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I Prompt (from Lesson 12; one per student)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Spoken Compared to Written English (one per student and one for display)
  • Discussion Notes (one per student)
  • Sticky notes (two colors; one of each per student)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens note-catcher (from Lesson 12; one per student)
  • T-chart anchor chart (one per group)
  • Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan note-catcher (one per student)
  • Copies of book reviews (completed in Lesson 12; 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

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

"I can recognize the differences between written and spoken English."

"I can follow discussion norms to participate in a productive discussion about my opinion of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens."

"I can prepare for a text-based discussion by forming an opinion and identifying reasons and evidence."

  • Focus students on the first learning target. Turn and Talk with an elbow partner:

"What do you think the differences are between spoken and written English? Why?" (student responses may vary, but could include that written English is usually in full sentences, while spoken English doesn't always have to be)

  • Remind students that a text-based discussion is a discussion using the text as evidence and that they saw the final learning target in the previous lesson. Tell students that at the end of this lesson, they will prepare for their discussion about Peter Pan.
  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I Prompt and briefly review it.
  • For students who may benefit from visual supports: Provide the opportunity to draw or sketch definitions, act them out, or list synonyms for key terms in learning targets (e.g., discussion, forming an opinion, identifying reason, and opinion). (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Read Aloud Twice) Read aloud the End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I Prompt twice. Answer clarifying questions. Explain that participating in a text-based discussion about Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens will help prepare students for the text-based discussion about Peter Pan in the end of unit assessment.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Participating in a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (30 minutes)

  • Tell students that they will participate in a text-based discussion about their opinions of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.
  • Direct students' attention to the Discussion Norms anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Remind students that a discussion is not the same as a presentation. The purpose of this discussion is for them to talk to each other and learn more about the opinions each of them has about the story and why. This means listening carefully and asking questions to clarify, or to find out more.
  • Remind students of the first learning target:

"I can recognize the differences between written and spoken English."

  • Display and distribute Spoken Compared to Written English. Invite volunteers to each row of the chart aloud for the whole group and encourage students to suggest additional examples to add to the displayed handout.
  • Distribute the Discussion Notes handout and tell students that the top box on this form is for them to capture any questions they might want to ask, so that they don't forget while they are waiting for a chance to speak. Emphasize that during the discussion, they need only complete the top box, as they will fill in the other boxes after the discussion.
  • Divide students into their groups. Pair off the groups, allocating each of them an area of the room as far away from the other group pairs as possible, and label each group in each pair A or B.
  • Tell students that the B groups will have their discussion first, sitting in a circle, and the A groups will sit around the outside observing the discussion.
  • Distribute sticky notes. Tell students that when they are observing the discussion, they should watch and listen closely for evidence of criteria from the Discussion Norms anchor chart. When they see or hear one of these criteria, they should write it (a star) on one of their sticky notes. When the group is done, they should write one of the criteria that they did not see or hear (a step) on their other sticky note. Emphasize that students should be looking at the group rather than individuals. Provide the example that a group might do well at waiting their turn to talk, but not so well at asking each other questions to find out more.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and remind them that ethical people treat others well and stand up for what is right.
  • Remind students of the respect, empathy, and compassion habits of character.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Why might these habits of character be important to keep in mind during a collaborative discussion like this?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Some students may find it challenging to discuss their ideas with a group, so we need to have empathy and be respectful and compassionate to help them through it. Collaborative discussions involve students asking each other questions, so they should be asked and answered respectfully. Students observing should be respectful and observe quietly without interrupting the discussion.)

  • Invite students to retrieve their Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens note-catcher and review their opinion, reasons, evidence, and elaboration in preparation for the discussion.
  • Invite B groups to begin their discussion. Remind students that this should sound like a discussion, with them listening to each other and considering the elements of spoken compared to written English, rather than each student reading their notes from their note-catcher in a list.
  • Circulate to look in on each group and to manage issues as they arise. As much as possible, let the students run the discussion themselves.
  • After 8 minutes, stop the discussion and invite A groups to provide stars and steps to B groups. Collect sticky notes and place them on the T-Chart anchor chart for each group.
  • Invite A groups to begin their discussion and circulate to support students.
  • After 8 minutes, stop the discussion and invite B groups to provide stars and steps to A groups. Collect sticky notes and place them on the T-Chart anchor chart for each group.
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Offer choice with the Discussion Notes handout by providing a template that includes lines or additional space for each section. (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Grouping) Create groups with varying levels of language proficiency. Consider grouping students who speak the same home language to help one another interpret and comprehend the conversation in their home languages.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support in organizing their thoughts for verbal expression: (Sketch Questions and Ideas) Allow students to sketch their questions and ideas on the Discussion Notes handout as they wait for their chance to speak. (MMAE)

B. Reflecting on Discussion (10 minutes)

  • Focus students on the second box on their Discussion Notes:
    • "My learning from this discussion"
  • Give students a couple of minutes to silently reflect on what they learned about the text from the discussion before inviting them to write their reflections in the second box on their note-catchers.
  • Circulate to support students in writing their reflections. Encourage those who need additional support to tell their reflection to you before writing it.
  • After 5 minutes, refocus students on the final box:
    • "My goal for the next discussion"
  • Focus students on the Discussion Norms anchor chart and invite them to consider individually what they think they could do better next time. Remind them to refer to the feedback they were given as a group on the sticky notes if they are struggling to think of something.
  • Invite students to voice their goal to an elbow partner before recording it on their form.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the first learning target.
  • Collect students' Discussion Notes.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support organizing their thinking: (Sentence Frames) Provide sentence frames for students to use when adding their reflections to their Discussion Notes. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan (15 minutes)

  • Display the Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion: Peter Pan note-catcher and remind students that this is the same note-catcher they used to prepare for today's discussion, but this time it is about Peter Pan.
  • Focus students on the big question at the top and remind them that this is the same question they have been considering for Peter Pan as they have written their book reviews:
    • "Would you recommend Peter Pan to a friend? Why/why not?"
  • Remind students that they already have all of this information in their book reviews; they just need to organize it in the right place, just as you did with the model for Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.
  • Tell students that the reason they will use this note-catcher rather than their actual book review is to encourage them to have a discussion. If they take their book review to the discussion, they will likely read it aloud like a presentation.
  • Distribute copies of book reviews and invite students to use their book review to complete the note-catcher.
  • Circulate to support students in completing their note-catchers.
  • Refocus whole group and use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the second learning target.
  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess how well they showed respect, empathy, and compassion in this lesson.
  • For ELLs: (Transparency) Ensure that the purpose of preparing for a text-based discussion is transparent.
  • For ELLs: (Verbally Complete the Note-catcher) Consider inviting students to verbally "complete" the note-catcher in home language groups.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Review Learning Targets) Review the learning targets introduced in Opening A. Ask students to give specific examples of how they worked toward achieving them in Work Time A. Invite students to rephrase the targets now that they have experience with participating in and preparing for a text-based discussion. (MMR)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. 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: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from Grades 2 or 4, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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