Planning a PSA: Key Points and Structure | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M4:U3:L2

Planning a PSA: Key Points and Structure

In this Lesson

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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.
  • W.3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
  • SL.3.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify the key points of my issue to describe in my video PSA. (RI.3.1, SL.3.4)
  • I can plan the structure of my video PSA. (SL.3.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Student choice of target audience and key points on PSA Planning graphic organizer (RI.3.1, SL.3.4)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Watching a Model PSA (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Planning a PSA: Key Points (30 minutes)

B. Planning a PSA: Structure (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Research Reading Share (10 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 identify their target audience for their video PSAs, as this will affect their PSA plans (W.3.4). They use their research note-catchers and writing from Units 1-2 to choose the key points to discuss in their PSAs (SL.3.4).
  • In Work Time B, students plan the structure of their video PSA. This planning will involve considering the format of the video PSA they would like to make, such as animation or live action. The options you offer will depend on the technology tools and expertise available (SL.3.4). See the Performance Task Overview.
  • In the Closing, students share what they have read and learned from their independent reading texts. This sharing is designed as another measure for holding students accountable for their research reading completed for homework. This volume of reading promotes students' growing ability to read a variety of literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (RI.3.10, RL.3.10, SL.3.1).
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to contribute to a better world, taking care of and improving the environment and applying their learning to help the environment when planning their PSAs. They also focus on working to become effective learners on a characteristic of their choice.
  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to water. Recall that by participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 1, students chose their partner and the water issue that will be the focus of their PSA. In this lesson, they begin planning their PSAs.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need support rereading text resources and identifying the key points to include in their PSAs. Consider combining pairs who need additional support in reading the resources with another pair working on the same issue, to form a group of four. Provide additional teacher guidance or have a strong reader in the group support the others by reading texts aloud.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review students' Video PSA Planning graphic organizers to ensure that they have selected appropriate key points and have recorded an appropriate structure before the next lesson.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students begin to write their PSA scripts and explore the technology tools they will use to create their PSAs. Consider working with a technology teacher to determine the tools to make available (see Technology and Multimedia in Lesson 3).

In Advance

  • Prepare the technology necessary to play the model PSA. If possible, give students access to the model PSA on devices (see Technology and Multimedia).
  • Prepare a research reading share using the Independent Reading: Sample Plans or your own independent reading routine (see the Tools page).
  • 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.
  • Opening A and Work Time A: Prepare technology to play the model PSA and the model PSA 2 for the whole group, and if possible for students to access on an internet device in pairs:

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.A.4, 3.I.B.6, 3.I.C.10, 3.I.C.11, 3.I.C.12, 3.II.A.1, 3.II.A.2

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by explicitly reviewing key vocabulary words; modeling a think-aloud for determining the most relevant key points to include in a PSA; providing time for students to focus specifically on the structure of a PSA; and allowing students extensive opportunity to develop their oral language through Turn and Talks and Think-Pair-Shares.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to keep pace with the class during Work Time A in collecting all of the causes, impacts, and actions on sticky notes and then reviewing all of their resources to determine the most relevant key points to use in their PSAs. Consider working with a small group after working with the class and help them determine key points together (see the Meeting Students' Needs section).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Before providing additional modeling or inviting students to participate in jigsaw learning during Work Time A, observe student interaction and allow them to grapple. Provide additional demonstrations and supports only after students have grappled with the task. Observe the areas in which they struggle to target appropriate support.

For heavier support:

  • Use physical movement to model the structure of a PSA during Work Time B. Consider creating three laminated dots to represent the three structure boxes at the bottom of the planning graphic organizer, inclusive of a beginning, middle, and end. (Consider color-coding them as a stop sign, signaling where students begin and end.) Place them on the floor next to one another and model stepping to the left while saying the sequence words first, next,and lastly,along with the corresponding information for each spot. (Example: Step in the first dot and say, "First, I will write the introduction." Then, step in the next dot and say, "Next, I will write the action for people to follow." Finally, step in the last dot and say, "Lastly, I will write the conclusion, giving people another reason to take action.") Point out that the laminated dots are laid out in the same way as the boxes on the planning graphic organizer, explicitly making the connection between the physical movement and what students will write.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support students by offering options for perception. Pausing for clarification of new vocabulary will also support students who may need additional support with comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support studentswithappropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected during the lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to offer support in linking the lesson's activities back to the learning target. Invite students to make this connection by explicitly highlighting the utility and relevance of the activity to the learning target. Continue to include opportunities to refocus students' attention to the learning target throughout the lesson and invite students to share how each learning activity is supporting their instructional goal.

Vocabulary

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

  • key points, structure (L)

Materials

  • End of Unit 3 Assessment prompt (from Lesson 1; one per student)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Model PSA (video; play in entirety; see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Video PSA Presentation Process anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Video PSA Planning graphic organizer (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Model PSA 2 (video; play in entirety; see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
  • Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Water issues research note-catchers (one per student):
    • Access to Water (from Unit 1, Lesson 7)
    • Demands on Water (from Unit 1, Lesson 9)
    • Water Pollution (from Unit 1, Lesson 11)
  • One Well (from Unit 1, Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Additional texts from Units 1-2 (one per student):
    • "Access to Freshwater" (from Unit 1, Lesson 8)
    • "Population Growth" (from Unit 1, Lesson 10)
  • Written pieces from Unit 2 (one per student):
    • Opinion Essay: Water Pollution (completed in Unit 2, Lesson 12)
    • Opinion Essay: Demands on Water (completed for the End of Unit 2 Assessment in Unit 2, Lessons 13-14)
  • Sticky notes (six per student and four for teacher modeling)
  • Video PSA Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (for teacher reference; see the Tools page)

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. Engaging the Learner: Watching a Model PSA (5 minutes) 

  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment prompt and read along silently in their heads as you read it aloud.
  • Remind students of the corresponding habits identified on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart:

"I take care of and improve our shared spaces and the environment."

"I apply my learning to help our school, the community, and the environment."

  • Play the model PSA.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What is this PSA about?" (how to save energy)

"What is the purpose of this PSA?" (to show people ways to save energy)

"Who do you think this PSA is aimed at? Who is the target audience? What makes you think that?" (children; because of the fun animation style, the way children are used in the animation rather than adults, the way things like video games are featured)

  • Conversation Cues: "Can you say more about that?" (Responses will vary.)
  • Direct students' attention to the Video PSA Presentation Process anchor chart.
  • Turn and Talk:

"According to the chart we put together, what are the next steps?" (choosing an audience and identifying the key points to include)
  • For ELLs: (Focused Viewing) Consider asking students the questions from the Think-Pair-Share before playing the model PSA, allowing the questions to guide students' focus for this viewing. Specifically, invite them to focus on the final questions:

"Who do you think this PSA is aimed at?"

"Who is the target audience?"

Conversation Cue: "What makes you think that?"

  • Invite students to come up with a gesture, such as touching their nose, for when they see or hear something in the PSA that helps them determine the target audience. Pause the PSA when students make this gesture, inviting them to share their response.
  • For ELLs: (Linking Words and Phrases: Referencing Handout) Encourage students to use temporal words and phrases from their Linking Words and Phrases handout as they share the next steps of the video PSA presentation process (e.g., next, then, after that).

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 

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

"I can identify the key points of my issue to describe in my video PSA."

"I can plan the structure of my video PSA."

  • Focus students on the first learning target and underline the words key points. Turn and Talk:

"What are key points?" (the most important points an audience needs to know to understand the message being communicated in the PSA)

"Why don't you think we want to tell the audience absolutely everything we know?"(The PSA can't be more than a minute long--it needs to be short and to the point. People don't need more than the key points to understand the cause of the issue and take action.)

  • Focus students on the second learning target and underline the word structure. Turn and Talk:

"What is the structure?" (the way it is built; the order things happen in)

  • 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 them to choose a habit 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 students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to rephrase or restate the learning targets using more familiar language or synonyms. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Using a Pattern to Model Structure) Discuss structure through analyzing a pattern of colors. Display a repeating pattern of two or three colors (e.g., blue, green, yellow, blue, green ...). Ask:

"Can you infer which color comes next?"(yellow)

"What is your evidence?" (I see blue and green.)

"A pattern can also be called a structure. How did this structure make it easier for you to tell which color comes next?" (You know what to expect because you know the pattern.)

Say: "PSAs, like texts, also have a pattern or structure because it makes it easier for the audience to understand when they know what kind of information to expect."

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Planning a PSA: Key Points (30 minutes) 

  • Invite students to retrieve their Video PSA Planning graphic organizer and pair up with the partner they chose in the previous lesson.
  • Focus students on the following box and read aloud the options: "
    • Target Audience"
  • Play model PSA 2.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is the target audience for this PSA?" How is it different from the other model we have watched?"(The target audience is adults. It contains adults, the language is more complex, and it shows things that adults are interested in and can relate to.)

"So how might your PSAs for each of these audiences look different?" (PSAs for children will relate the issue to things children are interested in, such as video games in the model PSA; will feature children; will be fun; and will state the issues in simple language for children to understand. PSAs for young adults will relate the issue to things young adults are interested in, will feature young adults, and will contain more complex language and details. PSAs for adults will relate the issue to things adults are interested in and will feature adults.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses on the Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart. Refer to the Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to work with their partner to choose a target audience for their video PSA and to circle the option they have selected in the Target Audience box on their graphic organizer.
  • Focus students on the next row of boxes on their graphic organizer:
    • "Key Points: Causes and Impact"
    • "Key Points: Action"
  • Ensure students understand that there are only three points in each box.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Why is there only space for three details in these boxes?" (because it is the key points; we need to identify the most important points)

"What do you think you will record in the Causes and Impact box? What does it mean by the causes? What does it mean by the impact?" (key points about the things causing the issue and key points about the impact, or the effects of the issue)

"What do you think you will record in the Action box? What does it mean by action?"(the things people can do to take action to try to solve the problem)

"Where can you find information about the causes, impacts, and action for your chosen water issue?" (water issues research note-catchers from Unit 1, writing from Unit 2, and texts from Units 1-2)

  • Invite students to retrieve the following:
    • Water issues research note-catchers
    • One Well
    • Additional texts from Units 1-2 relevant to their chosen issue
    • Written pieces from Unit 2
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"How can you identify the key points (the most important information)?" (the three biggest causes, the impact of those specific causes, and the action people can take against those specific causes)

  • Reread pages 20-21 of One Well while students read along silently in their heads.
  • Think-Pair-Share and record each student response on a new sticky note:

"What is the issue being described here?" (Some people don't have access to water.)

"What is causing the issue?" (differences in rainfall from country to country)

"What is the impact of this issue?" (One billion people have to walk 15 minutes to get water; some people don't have access to enough water to meet their needs.)

"What action is listed on these pages to prevent this issue?" (There aren't any actions listed.)

  • Display the Video PSA Planning graphic organizer.
  • Model thinking aloud how to choose which sticky notes to use to complete the displayed planning graphic organizer:

"So imagine I have looked through all of the texts, and my writing and research note-catchers, and I have lots of sticky notes for causes and impact--too many sticky notes for the number of bullet points on my organizer. I have to choose between the two sticky notes: 1) 1 billion people have to walk 15 minutes to get water and 2) some people don't have access to enough water to meet their needs. Which one is going to get the audience's attention more? Why?" (one billion people have to walk 15 minutes to get water, because that is a very high number and most people in North America don't have to walk anywhere to get water)

  • Complete the Key Points: Causes and Impact box on the displayed Video PSA Planning graphic organizer. Refer to the Video PSA Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Emphasize that students will do this for both boxes (Causes and Impact, and Action) on their graphic organizer.
  • Distribute sticky notes. Invite students to work with their partner using the texts, their research note-catchers, and their written pieces to identify the key points for causes, impacts, and action.
  • Remind them first to collect all of the causes, impacts, and actions on sticky notes; then, once they have reviewed all of their resources, they should look over the sticky notes to determine the key points.
  • Circulate to support students as they work. Ask questions to guide their thinking:

"What are the causes?"

"What is the impact of this cause?"

"What action/suggestion do you have to prevent this?"

"Which one of these causes/impacts/actions is most important? Which one will grab the audience's attention? Why?"

  • 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 fine motor skills: Provide options for expression by offering a graphic organizer that includes lines within each box or enlarged space for key points. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Comparing Key Points and Key Details) Consider explaining that key points are similar to key details, which students have worked with throughout each module. Invite students to share key details from a text they have read in Module 4, supporting them with concrete examples of key details that can also be used as key points in their PSA.
  • For ELLs: (Guided Practice: Choosing between Sticky Notes) After modeling how to choose sticky notes, invite students to do so as a class. This allows them to practice determining key points as a class before doing it in pairs.
  • For ELLs: (Jigsaw Learning) Use jigsaw learning. Allow students that are working on the same issue to form a group and to be responsible for different texts and note-catchers from Units 1-2. Each student can then write the causes, impacts, and actions on sticky notes for those specific texts and report back to the larger group. If each student is responsible for a different text, then all students should have a wide range of sticky notes to choose from after they come together to share as a group.

B. Planning a PSA: Structure (10 minutes) 

  • Focus students on the three structure boxes at the bottom of their planning graphic organizer: beginning, middle, and end.
  • Replay the model PSA. Invite students to consider the structure as they watch, particularly thinking about the order of the causes, impacts, and actions given.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What order were the points in this PSA presented in? Why?" (introduction to the issue: what it is and why it is important; action for people to follow; conclusion, giving people an additional reason to want to take action)

"How did the speaker introduce the issue?" (gave a brief introduction about what energy is and where it comes from)

"How did the speaker conclude the issue?" (restated the issue and gave another reason people should take action)

  • As students share out, capture their responses in the Structure boxes on the Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart. Refer to the Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Emphasize that this structure is just an example of a structure they could use.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Thinking about how this speaker introduced the issue, how could you introduce the issue? How did you introduce the issue in your writing in Unit 2?" (introduced the idea of one well and the amount of water never changing)

  • Invite students to work with their partner to plan their structure on their planning graphic organizers.
  • Circulate to support students as they work. Ask questions to guide their thinking:

"Why have you organized it like this?"

"What do people need to know first? Why?"

"What information do you want to leave people with at the end? Why?"

  • 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 and how well they demonstrated the habit from the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart that they decided to focus on today.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Offer scaffolding for identifying the structure of the model PSA by providing visual reinforcement of the points presented. (Example: Record and display index cards in sequential order as students identify the points from the model PSA.) (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Physical Movement to Support Structure) Invite students to use the laminated dots from ?For heavier support?to physically walk through the structure of the PSA and orally state what they will include in the beginning, middle, and end boxes of their graphic organizer before writing it down. Consider adding the words first, next, and lastlyat the top of each corresponding box on the graphic organizer for students to use as sentence starters.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading Share (10 minutes) 

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and remind them specifically of integrity. In the context of research reading at home, this means trying to do it each day, even when it is hard to do so, and if it isn't possible, being honest when recording the dates and pages read in their journal.
  • Refer to the Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading share.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing their thinking for verbal expression: Consider meeting with them in advance to prep them for the research reading share and minimize the threat associated with sharing. (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames) Consider displaying sentence frames that correspond with the varying research reading shares and inviting students to use the frames particular to this lesson's share.

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. 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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