Planning a PSA: Writing a Script | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M4:U3:L3

Planning a PSA: Writing a Script

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.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • W.3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
  • W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • 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 write a script for my PSA. (RI.3.1, W.3.2, W.3.4, SL.3.4)
  • I can critique my partner's script and provide kind, helpful, and specific feedback. (W.3.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Script for PSA (RI.3.1, W.3.2, W.3.4, SL.3.4)
  • Stars and steps on sticky notes (W.3.5)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

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

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Planning a PSA: Writing a Script (30 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Peer Critique: PSA Script (20 minutes)

4. Homework

A. For ELLs: Complete the Language Dive Practice: Model PSA Script in your Unit 3 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 Opening A, students watch the model PSA again, this time with the script to read along with so that they can begin to analyze how the writing is organized.This prepares them touse the key points they identified in the previous lesson as the basis of their PSA scripts in Work Time A (RI.3.1, W.3.2, W.3.4, SL.3.4).
  • In the Closing, students participate in a peer critique to revise their PSA scripts. They review against the criteria on the Criteria for an Effective Video PSA anchor chart (W.3.5).
  • 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 and on working to become ethical people, showing respect as they provide and receive kind, specific, and helpful peer feedback.
  • Recall that the research reading students complete for homework helps to 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 identified the key points to include in their PSAs and planned the structure. In this lesson, they use these key points and their outline of the structure to write their PSA scripts.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review students' PSA scripts to identify common issues for use as whole group teaching points.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need support reading the model PSA script and writing their scripts. Consider grouping those students together for additional teacher guidance.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students explore the technology they will use to create their PSAs and storyboards of their scripts.

In Advance

  • Prepare the technology necessary to play the model PSA. Continue to give students access to the model PSA on devices if possible (see Technology and Multimedia).
  • 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.
  • Review the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7).
  • 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: Prepare technology to play the model PSA for the whole group, and if possible for students to access on an internet device in pairs:
  • Model PSA: "How to Save Energy for School Teaching - 25SDA." YouTube. Web. Accessed on 01 Feb 2021. (https://eled.org/2922)
  • Work Time A and Closing: Each pair will need access to a timer with minutes and seconds

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, 3.II.C.6, 3.II.C.7

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by building on work begun in previous lessons, inviting students to refer to the model PSA script as they write their own, and giving them the opportunity to say each sentence of their PSA script aloud before writing it down.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to transfer the bullet points and structural plans from their Video PSA Planning graphic organizer into a script, as well as to keep pace with the class in completing their PSA scripts. Consider providing additional time for students to orally process their scripts before writing. Additionally, consider working with a small group of students as they write to further scaffold the writing as needed (see levels of supportand the Meeting Students' Needs section).
  • In Work Time A, ELLs may participate in an optional Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from the model PSA script. The focus of this Language Dive is reinforcing the function of adjectives in a sentence and practicing engaging ways to persuade someone to take action on an issue. Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when writing their PSA scripts. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.

Levels of support
For lighter support:

  • During Work Time A, invite students to create sentence starters to introduce each of the three sections of the PSA script: the beginning, middle, and end. Invite students who need heavier support to use these sentence starters, along with those created from "For heavier support."

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, consider providing index cards with varying sentence starters as options for students to choose from to start each section of their PSA script. (Examples: For the beginning, provide options such as: "We are here to tell you about ____. Water. Without it, _________.?" For the middle: "Does anyone know how we can ______? Don't worry--this is a problem we can help prevent! For example, ______.?" For the end: "Want to know something _____ [funny; exciting; refreshing]? We hope that you learned about ______.")These sentence starters help ground students in the structure of their PSA script and support them with language to begin each section.
  • During Work Time A, invite students to use the sentence practice from the optional Language Dive to write an introduction to the corresponding section of their own PSA script.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Similar to Unit 2, this lesson offers a variety of visual anchors to cue students' thinking. Continue to support students by creating additional or individual anchor charts for reference and charting student responses during whole class discussions to aid with comprehension.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): This lesson offers several opportunities for students to engage in discussion with partners. Continue to support those who may struggle with expressive language by providing sentence frames to help them organize their thoughts.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): In this lesson, students review one another's work and provide feedback through a peer critique. Recall that peer review can be threatening to some students, so continue to highlight the benefits of peer review and feedback for all students by emphasizing effort and growth over relative performance

Vocabulary

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

  • script (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 script (one per student)
  • Model PSA (video; play in entirety; see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Opening A; see supporting materials)
  • Criteria for an Effective PSA anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Video PSA Presentation Process anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Parts of Speech anchor chart (begun in Module 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)
  • Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Paper (lined; one piece per student)
  • Timers (one per pair)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Language Dive Guide: Model PSA Script(optional; for ELLs; for teacher reference)
    • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7)
    • Language Dive Chunk Chart: Model PSA Script (for teacher reference)
    • Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: Model PSA Script (one to display)
    • Language Dive Note-catcher: Model PSA Script (one per student and one to display)
  • Sticky notes (two different colors; one of each per student)
  • Peer Critique anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Directions for Peer Critique (one to display)

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 Writer: Watching a Model PSA (5 minutes) 

  • Invite students to pair up with their PSA partner.
  • Invite students to retrieve their End of Unit 3 Assessment prompt and 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."

  • Distribute the model PSA script.
  • Play the model PSA and invite students to read the model PSA script silently in their heads as they listen.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What do you notice about the words used now that you have read the script while listening?" (Responses will vary, but may include: short, simple sentences that get straight to the point, questions to engage the viewers and make them think, and commands rather than suggestions.)

  • 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.
  • Focus students on the Video PSA Presentation Process anchor chart. Turn and Talk:

"According to the chart we put together, what is the next step?" (writing a script)
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to share one way they have demonstrated these habits recently. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Noticing Incomplete Sentences) Invite students to underline the following sentence fragments in Paragraph 2: "Sunshine, wind, water, plants" and "Oil, coal, natural gas, atomic energy." Ask:

"What part of speech is each of these words? Are these sentences complete? Why or why not?" (Each word is a noun; these sentences are not complete because they lack a verb, or predicate.)

  • Add these nouns to the Parts of Speech anchor chart from Unit 1. Explain that PSA scripts are written as they are spoken, which may include sentences that are incomplete, such as the examples above. Consider inviting students to identify and analyze additional incomplete sentences in the model PSA script to better understand how and why they are used.

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 

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

"I can write a script for my PSA."

"I can critique my partner's script and provide kind, helpful, and specific feedback."

  • Focus students on the first learning target and underline the word script. Turn and Talk:
  • "What is a script? What is the purpose of a script?" (A script contains the words you will say. It is important to have a script to ensure that all of the important information is included.)
  • Focus students on the second learning target and remind them that they have participated in many peer critiques.
  • Turn and Talk:

"From these learning targets, what do you think you are going to be doing in this lesson? Why?" (writing a script for the PSA and participating in a peer critique)

  • 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 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: (Reinforcing Comprehension with Something Familiar) Reinforce comprehension of the word script by inviting students to think of something familiar that may have required a script. Ask: ?What is something you have seen or heard that may have required a script? How do you think the script was helpful?? Provide the following sentence frames for support: I think ___________ may have required a script. I think the script was helpful because ________.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Planning a PSA: Writing a Script (30 minutes) 

  • Invite students to retrieve their Video PSA Planning graphic organizer and review their planned structure and key points.
  • Remind students that their PSAs can't be longer than 1 minute, so they will need to ensure as they write their scripts that they stop frequently to time themselves.
  • Focus students on the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart and emphasize that the speakers on the PSAs read slowly and clearly, so reading fast to try to cram more information into the 1 minute isn't going to make an effective PSA.
  • Remind students that they planned the structure of their PSA and identified the key points to include on their Video PSA Planning graphic organizerin the previous lesson. Encourage them also to refer to the model PSA script.
  • Remind students also to say each sentence aloud to each other before they actually write anything and to work on each sentence orally first.
  • Distribute paper and ensure that timers are available.
  • Invite students to begin. Although working in pairs and writing the same thing, each student should write his or her own copy of the script. Remind students to refer to the Criteria for an Effective Video PSA anchor chart and leave a line between each line of writing to edit later.
  • Circulate to support students in writing their scripts. Ask questions to guide their thinking:

"How can you say that more concisely in a shorter, simpler sentence?"

"How long does this take you to read aloud?"

  • 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: (Annotating Model PSA Script) Consider displaying the model PSA script and annotating its structure in the margins, demonstrating how the structure parallels the three structure boxes at the bottom of the Video PSA Planning graphic organizer. For example, write:
  • "Beginning = introduces what the issue is and why it is important" in the margins next to Paragraphs 1-2
  • "Middle = action to prevent the issue" in the margins next to paragraphs 3, 4, and 5
  • "End = restates the problem and gives another reason for people to take action" in the margins next to the final paragraph.
  • For ELLs: (Physical Movement to Support Structure) Invite students to use the laminated dots from Lesson 2 "For heavier support" to physically walk through the structure of their PSA script, orally stating what they will write for each section as they do so. Consider encouraging students to work through one section at a time. (Example: They can step in the first laminated dot, orally state their introduction, and then write the beginning of their script; then, they can step in the second laminated dot, orally state the action for people to follow, and then write the middle of their script, etc.)
  • For ELLs: (Language Dive) During or after Work Time A, guide students through a Language Dive. Refer to the Language Dive Guide: Model PSA Script and Language Dive Chunk Chart: Model PSA Script. Distribute and display Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: Model PSA Script and Language Dive Note-catcher: Model PSA Script.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Peer Critique: PSA Script (20 minutes) 

  • Invite students to find a new partner and to label themselves A and B.
  • Tell students they will now participate in a peer critique. Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and remind them specifically of the habit of respect. Remind students that when providing peer feedback, they need to be respectful.
  • Briefly review the Criteria for an Effective Video PSA anchor chart again and remind students to look for evidence of these criteria in their new partner's work.
  • Distribute sticky notes and use the Peer Critique anchor chart and the Directions for Peer Critique to guide students through a peer critique.
  • When 2 minutes remain, 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 sustained effort: Increase mastery-oriented feedback by providing feedback that is frequent, timely, and specific to individual pairs of students. (Example: "I heard that you helped Asheera think about how she could make her sentences more concise and simple. That sounded very helpful and specific for her.") (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud Steps) Consider dividing the peer critique into steps, and then modeling and thinking aloud each step before students begin their peer critique. Write each step on the board before it is modeled. (Example: "First, I will focus on the structure of the PSA, listening for a clear beginning, middle, and end." Write this as Step 1 on the board and model providing specific feedback on the structure of the model PSA. "Next, I will focus on engagement--would I want to watch this PSA?" Write this as Step 2 on the board and model providing feedback on this step. "What might be my Step 3?")
  • For ELLs: (Home Languages) Invite students to share kind, helpful, or specific comments in their home languages. Ask:

"How would you say 'excellent point' in Spanish?" (excelente punto)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. For ELLs: Complete the Language Dive Practice: Model PSA Script in your Unit 3 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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