ELA G3:M4:U2:L3

Reading Informational Texts: Understanding the Author’s Point of View

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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.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
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.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
RI.3.8: Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
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.3.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
L.3.5a: Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).

Daily Learning Targets

I can find the gist of an informational text. (RI.3.4, L.3.4)
I can explain the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. (L.3.5a)
I can compare the author's point of view to my own point of view. (RI.3.6)

Ongoing Assessment

Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (RI.3.4, L.3.4)
Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.4, RI.3.6, RI.3.8, L.3.4a)
Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (RI.3.6)

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Reading for Gist: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (15 minutes) B. Language Dive: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (10 minutes) C. Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (25 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (5 minutes) 4. Homework A. Complete the Language Dive Practice: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind in your Unit 2 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: In this lesson, students read and analyze the point of view of the author of "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." They first read the text for the gist and think about what the author is trying to tell the reader about water (RI.3.4, L.3.4). Students then work in triads to closely read the text and answer text-dependent questions focused on determining the author's point of view about challenges related to clean water and comparing the author's point of view and experiences to their own (RI.3.1, RI.3.6). In Work Time B, students participate in Day 2 of a two-day Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. The focus of this sentence is explaining the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases (L.3.5a). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when explaining the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in texts and during the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine. Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads aloud "Real Life: Angola, Africa" during Work Time A. This kind of fluency practice continues over the course of the module. Students focus on working to contribute to a better world by discussing how the Angolan government and UNICEF improve shared spaces in Mabuia. Students work to become effective learners by collaborating with others as they answer text-dependent questions about "Real Life: Angola, Africa." Recall that the research reading students complete for homework helps build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to water. This kind of reading continues over the course of the module. How this lesson builds on previous work: In Lesson 2, students learned about one person's experience with access to water and compared his point of view to their own. Students repeat this reading routine in this lesson with a new text and another issue related to water: pollution. Continue to use Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation. Areas in which students may need additional support: Students may need additional support rereading the text to answer the text-dependent questions. Consider grouping students who may need additional teacher-guided support. Assessment guidance: Review students' answers to the text-dependent questions and their exit tickets as a formative assessment of students' ability to distinguish the author's point of view from their own; as you do, determine common issues that could be used as review before the mid-unit assessment in the next lesson. Down the road: Students will repeat the reading routine in this lesson--reading a new text for the gist, thinking about the author's point of view related to challenges people face with water, and comparing it to their own point of view--for the mid-unit assessment in the next lesson.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading for Gist: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (15 minutes)

B. Language Dive: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (10 minutes)

C. Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Complete the Language Dive Practice: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind in your Unit 2 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:

In this lesson, students read and analyze the point of view of the author of "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." They first read the text for the gist and think about what the author is trying to tell the reader about water (RI.3.4, L.3.4). Students then work in triads to closely read the text and answer text-dependent questions focused on determining the author's point of view about challenges related to clean water and comparing the author's point of view and experiences to their own (RI.3.1, RI.3.6).
In Work Time B, students participate in Day 2 of a two-day Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. The focus of this sentence is explaining the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases (L.3.5a). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when explaining the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in texts and during the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.
Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads aloud "Real Life: Angola, Africa" during Work Time A. This kind of fluency practice continues over the course of the module.
Students focus on working to contribute to a better world by discussing how the Angolan government and UNICEF improve shared spaces in Mabuia. Students work to become effective learners by collaborating with others as they answer text-dependent questions about "Real Life: Angola, Africa."
Recall that the research reading students complete for homework helps build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to water. This kind of reading continues over the course of the module.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

In Lesson 2, students learned about one person's experience with access to water and compared his point of view to their own. Students repeat this reading routine in this lesson with a new text and another issue related to water: pollution.
Continue to use Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

Students may need additional support rereading the text to answer the text-dependent questions. Consider grouping students who may need additional teacher-guided support.

Assessment guidance:

Review students' answers to the text-dependent questions and their exit tickets as a formative assessment of students' ability to distinguish the author's point of view from their own; as you do, determine common issues that could be used as review before the mid-unit assessment in the next lesson.

Down the road:

Students will repeat the reading routine in this lesson--reading a new text for the gist, thinking about the author's point of view related to challenges people face with water, and comparing it to their own point of view--for the mid-unit assessment in the next lesson.

In Advance

Strategically group students into triads for Work Time C, with at least one strong reader per triad.
Prepare a small label with the text title to attach to a pin and place on the world map. This needs to be large enough to see, but not so large as to cover up too much of the map.
Review the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart as needed (begun in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7).
Preview:

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.
Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" to familiarize yourself with the questions (see supporting materials).

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.B.6, 3.I.B.7, 3.I.B.8, 3.I.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to read "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" for gist and make connections between this text and what they have learned about the issue of water pollution so far in the module. They also have the opportunity to think about the author's point of view about water pollution and compare it to their own and to examine the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in the text.
ELLs may find it challenging to describe the author's point of view about water pollution and compare it to their own. Consider modeling comparing your own point of view to the author's and working closely with a group of students who need additional support (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Need section).

Levels of support
For lighter support:

During Work Time B, challenge students to think of any words or phrases they know that communicate something other than the literal meaning. Add student ideas to the chart started in Lesson 2. Encourage students to have fun and act out the literal and nonliteral meanings when possible.
Challenge students to think of additional sentence starters to add to the columns of the Describing Point of View anchor chart during Work Time C.

For heavier support:

During Work Time A, consider preparing sticky notes with pre-written words or drawings based on the gist of different sections of "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." As students listen to the text, they can match the gist represented on the sticky notes with each section of the read-aloud.

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): This lesson offers a variety of visual anchors to cue students' thinking. As in previous units, consider creating additional or individual anchor charts for reference. Recall that additional scaffolding in visual representation, such as the use of graphic organizers, charts, highlights, or different colors, will prompt students to visually categorize information into more manageable chunks and reinforce relationships among multiple pieces of information.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to facilitate student management of information and resources by allowing them to identify unknown words and record them in their vocabulary log. Consider offering scaffolds when reading for gist, similar to previous units.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from Lessons 1-2. This supports students in understanding the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Continue to provide support for students who may need additional guidance in peer interactions and collaboration, as well as support for students who may need to hear the learning goals restated.

Vocabulary

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

literal, nonliteral, compare, point of view (L)
as a result, community, ensure, fraction, basic, task, constructing, campaign, providing, the sun rose angry (T)

See Textual Analysis Resources for additional academic vocabulary to teach with "Real Lives: Angola, Africa."

Materials

"Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (one per student and one to display)
Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (one per student and one to display)
Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa"(example, for teacher reference)
Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to during Work Time A)
World map (from Module 1; one to display)
Labeled pin (one to display)
Compass points (from Module 1; one to display)
Language Dive Guide: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (from Lesson 2; for teacher reference)

Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Module 3)
Language Dive Chunk Chart: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (from Lesson 2; for teacher reference)
Language Dive Note-catcher: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (from Lesson 2; one per student and one to display)
Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (from Lesson 2; one to display)

Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (one per student and one to display)
Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
Strategies to Answer Selected-Response Questions anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (answers, for teacher reference)
Describing Point of View anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; added to during Work Time C; see supporting materials)
Describing Point of View anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (one per student)
Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (answers, for teacher reference)

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.

Download this Lesson’s Assessment

Opening

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read them aloud: "I can find the gist of an informational text." "I can explain the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind." "I can compare the author's point of view to my own point of view." Review the meaning of the following words as necessary: literal (exact; the usual meaning of a word) nonliteral (not literal; not using words in their most basic way) compare (to say how something is similar to or different from something else) point of view (what the author thinks about the topic or issue) Turn and Talk: "What do you think you will be doing in this lesson based on these learning targets?"(We will read a new text and compare what the author thinks about something to what we think about it.)	For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to restate the learning target in their own words. (MMR, MME) For ELLs: (Working on the Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward each learning target.

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can find the gist of an informational text."

"I can explain the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind."

"I can compare the author's point of view to my own point of view."

Review the meaning of the following words as necessary:

literal (exact; the usual meaning of a word)
nonliteral (not literal; not using words in their most basic way)
compare (to say how something is similar to or different from something else)
point of view (what the author thinks about the topic or issue)

Turn and Talk:

"What do you think you will be doing in this lesson based on these learning targets?"(We will read a new text and compare what the author thinks about something to what we think about it.)

For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to restate the learning target in their own words. (MMR, MME)
For ELLs: (Working on the Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward each learning target.

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reading for Gist: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (15 minutes) Distribute and display "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." Read the title aloud. Tell students that they will first read this text for the gist, and then read it to think about the author's point of view about water and compare it to their own point of viewor experiences with water. Display the text and follow the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 1 to guide students through reading this text for gist: Read the whole text aloud. Turn and Talk: "What is this text mostly about?" (It is about how a village in Angola got access to clean water.) Review the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart. Distribute and display Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." Display and reread each section of "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" and use total participation techniques to discuss the gist of each section and any unfamiliar vocabulary. Invite students to record notes in the appropriate parts of the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" note-catcher. Refer to Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Think-Pair-Share: "What is the author trying to tell the reader about water?" (Clean water is not a luxury, but a basic need that everyone should have access to.) Focus students on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart and remind them of what it means to take care of and improve our shared spaces and the environment. Think-Pair-Share: "How did the Angolan government and UNICEF improve shared spaces in Mabuia?"(They teamed up to lay a pipeline to bring clean water to Mabuia and built a filtering system to make sure the water was clean.) "What did it look like when the Angolan government and UNICEF improved shared spaces in Mabuia?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Latrines, washbasins, taps, and showers were built. A community water and sanitation committee maintains the system and teaches good hygiene to the rest of the community.) Add students' ideas to the "What does it look like?" column on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart. Follow the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 2 to guide students through finding and adding Angola to the world map: Ask students to find the part of the text that tells where Fatima lived (Paragraph 1; Mabuia, a village one hour north of the capital of Angola). Ask students whether any of them know roughly where Angola is on the map and invite those who think they know to go to the map and point. Place a labeled pin on Angola and explain which continent it is on. Display the compass points and ask students to use the compass points to tell where they are in relation to Angola. 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 students who may need additional support with display of information: Consider copying the text so that there is only one paragraph on each page, with an organized space for recording the gist and meanings of the unfamiliar words on that page. (MMR, MMAE) For ELLs: (Reading Aloud Twice) Consider reading "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" twice before inviting students to determine the gist of the text. For ELLs: (Highlighting Key Sentences) Consider highlighting key sentences in the text that clearly communicate the author's point of view about access to clean water. Invite students to paraphrase the highlighted sentences before describing what the author is trying to communicate to the reader.
*B. Language Dive: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind* (10 minutes) Tell students they will now participate in Day 2 of the Language Dive from the previous lesson. Explain that they will use the structure of the Language Dive sentence to describe what they learned about the effects of the pipeline on the village in "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." 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 page 8 of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Focus on the sentence: "Without water, the sun rose angry each morning and scorched the fields, turning the maize into dust." Use the Language Dive Guide: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and Language Dive Chunk Chart: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to guide students through Day 2 of a Language Dive of the sentence. Distribute and display the Language Dive Note-catcher: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. 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.	For ELLs: (Literal and Nonliteral Language: Discussing Examples) Consider highlighting and discussing the following sentence in "Real Lives: Angola, Africa": "But the girls carried a much bigger danger back with them to the village." Invite students to discuss what they think the author means that the girls "carried a much bigger danger." (To let the reader know that even once the girls were able to arrive at and collect water, it was not fresh, clean water. It was polluted.)
C. Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (25 minutes) Distribute and display Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." Move students into triads and tell them they will work in these groups to complete the questions. Remind students of: The habit of character of collaboration on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart After 20 minutes, refocus whole group. Use a total participation technique to select students to share their answers to each question with the group. Refer to the Text-Dependent Questions: "Real Lives, Angola: Africa" (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary. As students share out, capture their responses on the Describing Point of View anchor chart. Refer to the Describing Point of View anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. If productive, cue students to agree or disagree and explain why: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think and write." (Responses will vary.) Think-Pair-Share: "What is your experience with accessing clean water?" (Responses will vary.) "In the text 'Real Lives: Angola, Africa,' the author's point of view about accessing clean water is that access to clean water is not a luxury, but a necessity and a right. How is this similar to or different from your own point of view?" (Responses will vary.) Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the third learning target and how well they collaborated in this lesson	For students who may need additional support in self-regulation: Remind students that respectful disagreement means that disagreement can be positive and productive. (MME) For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Answering Text-Dependent Questions) Before inviting students to work in triads, consider modeling and thinking aloud answering the first text-dependent question. For ELLs: (Describing Point of View Chart: Using Sentence Starters) Encourage students to use the sentence starters in each column of the Describing Point of View anchor chart when describing the author's point of view about water pollution. For ELLs: (Comparing Points of View: Written Model) Encourage students to refer to the written model for comparing points of view (see Lesson 2, "For heavier support") when they compare their own point of view to the author's.

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa"(5 minutes) Distribute the Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa." Read aloud the questions on the exit ticket and invite students to complete it. Refer to Exit Ticket: "Real Lives: Angola, Africa" (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary	For students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: Give students an opportunity to verbally recall their learning and share their ideas verbally before writing. (MMAE) For ELLs: (Verbal Writing Practice) Allow students to discuss and rehearse their sentences with a partner before completing the exit ticket.

Homework

Homework	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Complete the Language Dive Practice: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind in your Unit 2 homework. B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.	For ELLs: (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.

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