Determining the Main Idea: Pages 6–7 of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M4:U1:L4

Determining the Main Idea: Pages 6–7 of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth

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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 or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
  • RI.3.7: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
  • SL.3.2: Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
  • L.3.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.3.1a: Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions in particular sentences.
  • 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).
  • L.3.4c: Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion).
  • L.3.4d: Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud. (SL.3.2)
  • I can explain the function of pronouns. (L.3.1a)
  • I can use the text to answer questions about pages 6-7 of One Well. (RI.3.1, RI.3.4, RI.3.7, L.3.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well (RI.3.1, RI.3.4, RI.3.7, SL.3.2, L.3.4)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud: One Well, Pages 6-7 (15 minutes)

B. Language Dive: The Function of Pronouns (15 minutes)

C. Answering Text-Dependent Questions: One Well, Pages 6-7 (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. KWEL Chart: Freshwater Around the World (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Complete the Language Dive Practice: Pronouns in your Unit 1 homework.

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

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: 

  • Work Times A and C and the Closing all contain repeated routines from Lessons 2-3. Refer to those lessons for more detail as necessary. Note: Pages 6-7 of One Well--and future pages of this text--mention percentages. Before reading these pages, consider explaining what percentages are so when students encounter these references in the book, they are more meaningful.
  • In Work Time B, students participate in a Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from One Well. The focus of this Language Dive is the function of pronouns (L.3.1a). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when determining the main idea of the text and when determining the function of pronouns in One Well and during the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners with a characteristic of their choice.
  • Students practice their fluency by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads aloud One Well in Work Time C.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lessons 2-3, students listened to pages 4-5 of One Well read aloud and determined the main idea and supporting details from this reading. They then used the text to answer text-dependent questions in triads.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support determining the main idea and supporting details from a read-aloud and answering text-dependent questions. Invite those students to sit together for additional teacher support.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review students' Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well to identify common issues for use as whole group teaching points.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 5, students will hear pages 7-8 of One Well read aloud to determine the main idea and then answer text-dependent questions for the mid-unit assessment.

In Advance

  • Strategically group students into pairs for work in this lesson, with at least one strong reader per pair.
  • Review the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart as needed (begun in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7).
  • Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the questions and goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the questions and goals provided to best meet your students? needs.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-3 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.B.6, 3.I.B.7, 3.I.B.8, 3.II.A.2, 3.II.B.4, 3.II.C.6

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by following the same routine as previous lessons for determining the main idea and supporting details and for answering text-dependent questions; by explicitly reviewing pronouns; and by providing the opportunity for students to participate in a whole class Language Dive focused on the function of pronouns in a sentence. This is particularly supportive of ELLs as they work to make sense of the grammatical system of English.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to keep pace with the class as they determine the main idea and supporting details of pages 6-7 of One Well, participate in a Language Dive, respond to text-dependent questions, and complete the KWEL chart all in one lesson. Provide supportive frames and demonstrations, as well as additional time for students to complete work, as needed (see Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support
For lighter support:

  • Encourage students to use Conversation Cues with classmates to promote productive and equitable conversation and enhance language development.

For heavier support:

  • Consider using the index cards from "For heavier support" in Lesson 3 and writing a pronoun on the back of the card that can replace the underlined noun. For example, on the back of the index card with the sentence "The children are building a sandcastle on the seashore," write the pronoun it,which can replace sandcastle. Students can talk in pairs, replacing the underlined word with an appropriate pronoun. (Example: Partner A: "Which pronoun can you replace sandcastle with in this sentence?" Partner B: "It can replace sandcastle. 'The children are building iton the seashore'.") Allow students to practice with these familiar examples during the Opening in preparation for explaining the function of pronouns in the Language Dive, as well as on the mid-unit assessment.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffolding connections for students. Continue to provide a visual display of questions and student responses on chart paper or the board during discussions.
  • 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 that 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)

  • pronoun, main ideas, supporting details, gist (L)
  • well (T)

Materials

  • Parts of Speech anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well (one per student and one to display)
  • One Well (from Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive Guide: One Well: Pronouns (for teacher reference)
  • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Module 3)
  • Language Dive Chunk Chart: One Well: Pronouns (for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive Note-catcher: One Well: Pronouns (one per student and one to display)
  • Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: One Well: Pronouns (one to display)
  • Colored pencil (purple; used by the teacher to underline pronoun on the Parts of Speech anchor chart)
  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • KWEL Chart: Freshwater Around the World (begun in Lesson 1; added to during the Closing)

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 determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud."
"I can explain the function of pronouns."
"I can use the text to answer questions about pages 6-7 of One Well."

  • Remind students that they have seen these learning targets in previous lessons.
  • Underline the word pronouns. Focus students on the Parts of Speech anchor chart.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What is a pronoun?" (a word to replace a noun)

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and invite them to read the habits of character on the chart to themselves. Tell students to choose a habit they would like to focus on as they work with their classmates today. Cold call students to share with the whole group and select one as a class
  • For ELLs: (Parts of Speech Practice: Pronouns) After reviewing the word pronoun, invite students to play What's My Function? with the cards from "For heavier support." Put all index cards in a bag and invite a volunteer to pull one out and ask which pronoun can replace the underlined noun. Invite that student to call on another student to explain. The student who replaced the noun with a pronoun then repeats this process. Add the pronouns as examples on the Parts of Speech anchor chart.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to rephrase or restate the learning targets using more familiar language or synonyms. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Aloud: One Well, Pages 6-7 (15 minutes)

  • Move students into pre-determined pairs.
  • Distribute Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well. Ensure students understand that this time the main ideas and supporting details note-catcher is at the top of these questions rather than in a separate document. Use the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 2 to guide students through the process of determining the main ideas and supporting details:
    • Read aloud pages 6-7 of One Well without showing students the text.
    • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is the gist of these pages?" (There is a lot of water on Earth that we can see and that we can't see.)

"What surprised you in these pages?" (Responses will vary, but may include: There is more water in the atmosphere and soil than in Earth's rivers.)

"What are the main idea(s) in the text? Record these in the Main Idea(s) box at the top of your note-catcher."

    • Focus students on the Supporting Details Notes box and remind them to make notes about the details they hear that support their main idea(s) during the second read-aloud. If pairs have identified more than one main idea, invite them to each choose a main idea to focus on.
    • Reread pages 6-7 a second time.
    • Turn and Talk:

"Did the details you found support your main idea(s)? Do you need to reconsider your main idea(s)? Record your supporting details in the Supporting Details Notes box or revise your main idea(s)."

    • Reread pages 6-7 a third time.
    • Give students time to revise their note-catchers accordingly.
    • Use total participation techniques to select students to share their main ideas and supporting details with the whole group. Refer to the Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • 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.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Recounting) Before reading pages 6-7 of One Well, invite students to recount pages 4-5 in 30 seconds or less with a partner. Have them share out and give them feedback on their language use and summarizing skill. Then, invite them to recount in 20 seconds or less with a partner. Repeat the feedback process. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Reading Aloud Twice for Main Idea) Consider reading the text aloud twice for the main idea before inviting students to listen for supporting details. After the text has been read aloud twice, invite pairs to focus on the main idea they are most confident about before listening for supporting details. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Fishbowl) Invite three confident students to Fishbowl the process of identifying supporting details and to write one detail in the note-catcher before students do so in pairs. (MMAE)

B. Language Dive: The Function of Pronouns (15 minutes) 

  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive using the same format from Module 3.
  • Focus students' attention on the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart and remind them that they thought of their own questions to ask during a Language Dive.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is one question you can ask during a Language Dive?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Reread Paragraph 3 on page 4 of One Well.
  • Focus on the sentence:
    • "And because it is all connected, how we treat the water in the well will affect every species on the planet, including us, now and for years to come."
  • Use the Language Dive Guide: One Well: Pronouns and Language Dive Chunk Chart: One Well: Pronouns to guide students through a Language Dive of the sentence. Distribute and display the Language Dive Note-catcher: One Well: Pronouns and Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: One Well: Pronouns.
  • After the Language Dive:
    • Underline the word pronoun in the table in the Parts of Speech anchor chart using a purple colored pencil.
    • Write the Language Dive sentence under the table and underline the pronouns it,we,and ususing the colored pencil.
  • 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. Select one or two students showing they have met the learning target to provide evidence.
  • For students who need additional support with oral language and processing: Allow ample wait time after asking questions during the Language Dive. (MME, MMAE)

C. Answering Text-Dependent Questions: One Well, Pages 6-7 (15 minutes) 

  • Invite students to retrieve their copies of One Well.
  • Focus students on the rest of the questions on the Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well. Use the same routine from Work Time B of Lesson 3 toguide them through the process of determining the main ideas and supporting details:
    • Suggest that pairs appoint a facilitator to read aloud the questions.
    • Invite students to begin. Refer them to the Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart as needed.
    • Circulate to support students as they work. Remind them to refer back to the text to answer the questions.
    • When 5 minutes remain, refocus whole group. Use total participation techniques to select students to share their responses to each question. Clarify any misconceptions and invite students to revise their answers accordingly. Refer to the Text-Dependent Questions: Pages 6-7 of One Well (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the final learning target. Select one or two students showing they have met the learning target to provide evidence.
  • For ELLs: (Noticing Compound Words) Focus students on text-dependent questions 1-4. As they determine the meaning of surface water and groundwater,invite them to think back to the compound word freshwater from Lesson 1. Encourage students to predict the meaning of surface water and groundwater using individual words, as they did with freshwater, and to determine their part of speech. Add each as examples of nouns on the Parts of Speech anchor chart.
  • For students who may need additional support with working memory: Invite students to first verbally share their answer to the question, then draw a line for each word they intend to write as they state their answer a second time. Remind students that this helps us organize our ideas for written expression. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. KWEL Chart: Freshwater Around the World (10 minutes) 

  • Focus students on the KWEL Chart: Freshwater Around the World and use the same routine from the Closing in Lesson 1 to guide them through the process of updating the chart.
  • Tell students that in the next lesson they will repeat the process of hearing the next pages of One Well read aloud to determine the main idea and supporting details, and then answer text-dependent questions, for the mid-unit assessment.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Activating Prior Knowledge) To activate prior knowledge, invite students to review the responses recorded on the KWEL chart in Lessons 2-3. Encourage them to use the sentence starters at the top of each column as they share. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support in verbal expression: During the Think-Pair-Share, invite students to jot down their ideas on an index card for reference as they share with the whole group. (MMAE, MME)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Complete the Language Dive Practice: Pronouns in your Unit 1 homework.

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 written expression: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from grades 4 or 6, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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