Introducing Biographies: A River of Words | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G4:M1:U2:L5

Introducing Biographies: A River of Words

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • RI.4.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
  • L.4.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
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Daily Learning Targets

I can determine the gist of A River of Words. (RI.4.4, L.4.4)

I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary from A River of Words. (RI.4.4, L.4.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher (RI.4.4, L.4.4)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Reader and Reviewing Learning Targets (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Exploring the Text: A River of Words (15 minutes)

B. Reading for Gist: A River of Words (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

4. Homework

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

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In the Opening, students review the guiding question: What inspires writers to write poetry? They are reintroduced to this question by rereading "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams, rereading Jack's response in Love That Dog, and discussing what inspired Jack's response.
  • In Work Times A and B, students read a biography about William Carlos Williams: A River of Words. The Work Time portions of this lesson thus bridge students' previous reading--Love That Dog--to a new genre of text on which they will focus during the remainder of this unit: biography. Because only the teacher has a copy of A River of Words, students do not read the whole text closely on their own. Instead, they listen as it is read aloud and determine the gist. This text will be used throughout the unit as students build their understanding of what inspires people to write (RI.4.4, L.4.4).
  • The pages of A River of Words are not numbered; for instructional purposes, the page that begins with "When I was younger ..." should be considered page 2 and all pages thereafter numbered accordingly.
  • Be aware that students may relate in different ways to Williams Carlos Williams's life, including the environment he grew up in and his means of attending university. Consider inviting students to investigate and compare their environment and experience with William Carlos Williams's.
  • In Work Time B, refer to the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher (answers, for teacher reference; see supporting materials). Words students are likely to be unfamiliar with have been included in the Unfamiliar Vocabulary column, with accompanying definitions provided in the Meaning column.
  • Note that although the timeline on pages 28-29 is labeled World Events, there were many other events happening in other places around the world that may be important to other cultures but are not acknowledged on this timeline.
  • Throughout the second half of this unit, students learn about famous writers and what inspired them to write. Consider researching these writers further and help all students make connections between the writers and their own background. For example: William Carlos Williams was the child of immigrants and bilingual, and he created a new poetic style in English. Share this with students, and invite students to share their thoughts with the class.
  • Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads A River of Words in Work Time B.
  • In this lesson, the habits of character focus is on working to become an effective learner and working to become an ethical person. The characteristics students are reminded of specifically are perseverance as they read a new complex text, and integrity as they share their learning from independent reading.
  • The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to poetry and what inspires people to write. 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 it builds on previous work:

  • In Unit 1 and the first half of Unit 2, students thought about what inspired Jack to write poetry. This lesson launches the second half of the unit, in which students study famous poets and think about what inspired these writers to write.
  • Throughout Unit 1, students were introduced to various total participation techniques (for example, cold calling, equity sticks, Think-Pair-Share, etc.). When following the directive to "Use a total participation technique, invite responses from the group," use one of these techniques or another familiar technique to encourage all students to participate.
  • Continue to use Goal 1 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Throughout Lessons 5-6, students work with a reading partner. Strategically partner students so they can support one another well as they read this complex text.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist during students' small group discussions in Work Times A and B. See the Tools page.
  • Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist during students' independent reading share in Closing and Assessment A. See the Tools page.
  • Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist (Grade 4) during students' independent reading share in Closing and Assessment A. See the Tools page.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 6, students will closely read the Author's Note from A River of Words to learn more about Williams and the features of biographies, as well as about how to refine the "things close readers do." Then, in Lessons 7-8, students work in expert groups to read a short biography about and poems by their selected poet in preparation for writing an essay about what inspired this poet to write.

In Advance

  • Strategically pair students for work during this lesson and the next.
  • Prepare:
    • Large class world map showing the countries of the world and pins for the class to begin adding the countries of the people they encounter in the texts they read. Place a pin in your location.
    • Small label with the book title and author to attach to a pin and place on the world map. This needs to be large enough to see, but not too large to cover up too much of the map.
  • Review the Thumb-O-Meter protocol. See Classroom Protocols.
  • Post: Learning targets, Module Guiding Questions anchor chart, Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart, and Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time B: For students who will benefit from hearing the text read aloud multiple times, consider using a text-to-speech tool such as Natural Reader, SpeakIt! for Google Chrome, or the Safari reader. Note that to use a web-based text-to-speech tool such as SpeakIt! or Safari reader, you will need to create an online doc, such as a Google Doc, containing the text.
  • Work Time B: Students complete note-catchers using word-processing software--for example, a Google Doc--using Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software such as Dictation.io.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.B.6, 4.I.B.7, and 4.I.B.8

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to consider what inspires poets based on their understanding of Love That Dog and discuss and analyze A River of Words, beginning with finding the gist.
  • ELLs may find the volume of new language in A River of Words challenging (see Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During the Mini Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. (Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together.")
  • Invite students to create a graphic organizer to analyze the various ways Williams was inspired in his life. Encourage them to evaluate how well the author uses language to convey that inspiration. (Example: "The water went slipping and sliding over the smooth rocks.... The river's music ... soothed Willie." The "s" alliteration and water on rocks imagery create a soothing feeling.)

For heavier support:

  • Consider ways to relieve the volume of language required by the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher. Distribute a partially filled-in copy of the note-catcher. This provides students with models of the kind of information they should enter. Vary this activity by distributing one of two versions of the partially filled-in note-catcher to each student. Version A should contain half the information, whereas Version B should contain the remainder. Invite students who have Version A to find the information they are lacking from students with Version B, and vice versa.
  • Show a brief video or a series of photographs to set the stage for the reading. Example: Display photos of life in a small town in the late 1800s on the East Coast. Briefly discuss the similarities and differences between this community and the community in which the school is situated.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiples Means of Representation (MMR): Strive to develop multiple questions for various levels of comprehension. In the introduction, when reading "The Red Wheelbarrow," consider how to scaffold the questions to start with more basic questions that lead up to more complex concepts. (Example: First, ask more direct questions like "What is this poem mostly about?" or "What is the main idea of this poem?" Then ask: "How is this poem similar to Jack's first poem about the blue car?")
  • Multiples Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): When students fill out the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher, allow them to demonstrate the gist in different ways (e.g., jot a sketch or use pre-written sticky notes to place the gist in the correct space on the note-catcher). This way, fine-motor skills or writing skills do not serve as a barrier to demonstrating comprehension.
  • Multiples Means of Engagement (MME): Get students invested in learning about William Carols Williams biography by connecting it to Love That Dog. Tell them in this lesson we will get to find out how and why this poet was so inspirational to Jack.

Vocabulary

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

  • inspired, gist, biography, autobiography, synopsis, dedicate (L)
  • notices, soothed, rhythms, imitated, suited, providing, study, patients, precious, continues, befriends, publishes, contribution, considered, work, connected, interpretation, convey (T)

Materials

  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Love That Dog (from Unit 1, Lesson 2; one per student)
  • A River of Words (one for teacher read-aloud)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 2)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher (one per student and one to display)
  • Vocabulary logs (from Unit 1, Lesson 3; one per student)
  • Academic Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher (answers, for teacher reference)
  • World map (one to display)
  • Labeled pin (one to display; see Teaching Notes)
  • Compass points (one to display)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 2)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (see the Tools page; for teacher reference)

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 Reader and Reviewing Learning Targets (10 minutes)

  • Move students into pre-determined reading partnerships. Tell them that during the next few lessons, they will be working in pairs as readers.
  • Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart and point out the following question:
    • "What inspires writers to write poetry?"
  • Tell students they will continue thinking about this question throughout the rest of this unit.
  • Ask students to retrieve their copies of the text Love That Dog and turn to page 1. Tell students you would like to revisit what inspired Jack to write his first poem.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read pages 1-5 aloud.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with their reading partner. Then, using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How do you think Jack was inspired to write his first poem about the blue car? What evidence in the text supports your thinking?" (Jack may have been inspired by reading William Carlos Williams's poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" because his poem about the blue car had very similar characteristics.)

  • If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by saying more:

"Can you say more about that?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Refocus students on the text and continue to read "The Red Wheelbarrow" aloud as students follow along.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you think inspired William Carlos Williams to write his poem 'The Red Wheelbarrow'?" (Responses will vary; note that it is fine if students don't have a solid response or theory.)

  • Point out that other than the content of the poem, students currently don't have much that helps them infer what might have inspired Williams. Tell them that in the second half of this unit, they will learn more about different poets Jack studied and what may have inspired them as writers.
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and select volunteers to read them aloud:

"I can determine the gist of A River of Words."

"I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary from A River of Words."

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does it mean to find the gist of a text?" (Responses will vary based on students' experience with finding the gist from previous grades.)

  • Tell students that when they are reading informational texts, determining the gist means thinking about what the text is mostly about, or the general topic of the text.
  • Tell students that as they read A River of Words and think about the gist, they will also identify and try to figure out the meaning of words they are unfamiliar with in the text.
  • Consider scaffolding questions as necessary. Start with questions such as "What is this poem mostly about?" or "What is the main idea of this poem?" and then ask: "How is this poem similar to Jack's first poem about the blue car?" (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Display Jack's blue car poem and "The Red Wheelbarrow" side by-side. Say: "Color-code the two poems to show and discuss how Jack was inspired by 'The Red Wheelbarrow.'" (Example: splattered with mud / glazed with rain water. "Jack writes _____ (the adjective phrase splattered with mud to describe a blue car) because he was inspired by Williams's _____ (adjective phrase glazed with rain water to describe the wheelbarrow)." To provide heavier support, invite students to sketch the mud-splattered blue car and the rainwater-glazed wheelbarrow.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Exploring the Text: A River of Words (15 minutes)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on wrapping up their reading of Love That Dog. Tell them they now have some background knowledge about what poems are and why some people are inspired to write poetry.
  • Gather students and display the cover of A River of Words.
  • Tell students that they will read this book and continue to learn about what inspires people to write.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How do you feel about writing? Is writing important to you? Why or why not?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students that they are going to spend the next few minutes looking through this book to get an idea of some of the information they might find in it.
  • Focus students on the front and back cover of A River of Words. Select a student to read aloud the writing on the cover.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to their reading partner:

"What do you think the book is going to be about? Why do you think that?"

  • After 1-2 minutes, refocus whole group and select volunteers to share out. There are no right or wrong answers, but because students have already read a poem by William Carlos Williams, they should be able to explain that the book is about the poet.
  • Point out that this text is a biography and write this word on the board. Underline the root bio and tell students that this means life. Underline the root graph and tell students that this means write.
  • Consider asking:

"What is the translation of biography in our home languages?" (jibani in Bengali)

  • Invite students to use their translation dictionary if necessary. Call on student volunteers to share. Ask other students to choose one translation to silently repeat. Invite students to say their chosen translation out loud when you give the signal. Choral repeat the translations and the word in English. Invite self- and peer correction of the pronunciation of the translations and the English. Ask:
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you think this word might mean?" (writing about someone's life)

  • Clarify as needed that a biography is an informational text about someone's life. At this stage, you might also distinguish between biographies and autobiographies (the story of someone's life written by that person himself/herself). Point out that the root auto in the word autobiography means self. Give students the following example: if William Carlos Williams had written this book about his life, it would be an autobiography. Point out that A River of Words is written by Jen Bryant, and therefore it is a biography about Williams.
  • Show students the inside front covers. If you have a dustcover on your book, display and read the words on the flap inside the front of the book aloud, inviting students to read along silently in their heads.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does this piece of writing tell us?" (This tells the reader a little about William Carlos Williams and gives us an idea of what the book is about.)

  • Tell students that this is often called the synopsis.
  • Point out the rest of the writing on the inside front cover. Ask students to identify what it is. Students should recognize this as some of William Carlos Williams's poems.
  • Show them the inside back cover and again ask students to identify the writing. Listen for them to recognize the writing as some more of William Carlos Williams's poems.
  • If you have a dustcover on your book, read the words on the back inside flap of the book aloud for the group. If possible, display this on a document camera so students can read along silently in their heads.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does this piece of writing tell us?" (It gives us information about the author and illustrator of the book.)

  • Display and focus students on page 2, beginning with "When I was younger ..." Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the text aloud.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Who said this quotation?" (William Carlos Williams)

"What do you already know about William Carlos Williams?" (He is a poet. Jack from Love That Dog read one of his poems.)

  • Point out the illustration on page 1 and tell students that this is the illustrator's interpretation of what William Carlos Williams looked like.
  • Flip through the first five or six pages of the book with the students, but don't read any of it. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you see?" (a title page with illustrations, and all the other pages contain writing with illustrations)

  • Display the timeline on pages 27-28. Point out the photograph in the top left corner of page 27 and tell students that this is a photograph of William Carlos Williams. Read the headings for the three columns of information on page 27 and invite students to skim the pages.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What kind of information is the author sharing on these pages?" (important dates in William Carlos Williams's life, events that happened at the same time, and dates of when his poetry was published)

"How do you think it might be useful for the reader?" (It is useful for readers because they can see when the most important things happened in his life and what was going on in the United States and some European countries at the time.)

"Based on what you noticed when we flipped through the book and the information on this timeline, what do you think this book will be about?" (Responses will vary, but may include: It will be about the life of William Carlos Williams, or it will be about the poetry that William Carlos Williams wrote.)

  • Turn to the Author's Note and the Illustrator's Note on pages 29-30. Invite a student to read the titles. Tell students that sometimes in a book, an author and illustrator may write things they would like the reader to know about the book. For example, if a book is fiction but based on a real event, the author may explain that in the Author's Note.
  • Turn to the final two pages. Invite a student to read the "Further Reading" title. Tell students that the author may have referred to these books listed to help her write the story of William Carlos Williams, and if a reader is really interested in learning more about him, they know where to look next.
  • Point out that the final page explains to whom the author has dedicated the book. Briefly tell students that to dedicate means to recognize someone special by making a special gift of your work, like dedicating a song to a friend or family member on a special day, such as a song for your mother on Mother's Day.
  • Some students may benefit from physically engaging with the book. Consider providing time after you explore the text for students to look through the book themselves to see the different elements. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Display, repeat, and rephrase your questions. Write and display student responses next to the questions. Example: "What does this piece of writing tell us? Why did the author write this piece?" (to tell the reader a bit about Williams and what the book is about)
  • For ELLs: Invite students to create a quick guide to the book, with labels and descriptions of each part. Examples:
    • Cover: shows what the book is about
    • Inside cover: synopsis; tells what the book is about
  • For ELLs: When reading page 2, say: "I wonder what Williams meant when he wrote, 'I must make something of myself.'" Tell students you will give them time to think and discuss with their partner. If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by giving an example: "Can you give an example?" (He must do something important with his life. An example of him making something of his life is helping some sick people for free.)

B. Reading for Gist: A River of Words (20 minutes)

  • Display pages 1-2 in A River of Words. Tell students that over the next two lessons they will be using this book to learn more about William Carlos Williams and what inspired him to write poetry.
  • Tell them that today they will read the book for the gist, and in Lesson 6 they will reread an excerpt from the book more closely.
  • Read A River of Words aloud for students without stopping, as they read along silently in their heads.
  • Ask students to turn and talk and use total participation techniques to invite students to share their responses with the whole group:

"What is the text about?" (Student responses may vary, but could include it's about a writer named William Carlos Williams.)

  • Direct students' attention to the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart and quickly review it.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and remind them of perseverance. Tell students that the text they will read is challenging and may have unfamiliar words. Reassure them that just as when they read other texts this year, they are not expected to understand all of it the first time they read it. Remind them that one key to being a strong reader of difficult text is being willing to struggle.
  • Reassure students that what they think the gist of a text is might be a little inaccurate or incomplete after reading a text for the first time, and that this is why we need to read texts more than once. Reading for the gist gives the reader a "big picture" frame that will make it easier to go back and more carefully identify the main idea and key details in the text.
  • Distribute and display the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher. Tell students that they can draw or write in the gist column or on the sticky notes. These are just notes to help them remember what the section of the text is mostly about.
  • Display pages 2-8 of A River of Words. Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the text aloud.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of this part of the text? What is it mostly about?" (William Carlos Williams grew up in New Jersey. He noticed and watched everything around him.)

"How are your neighborhood and experiences like William Carlos Williams's? How are they different?" (Responses will vary.)

"Are there any words of which you are not sure of the meaning? What are they?" (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, cue students to clarify the conversation by confirming what they mean:

"So, do you mean _____?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Model identifying unfamiliar words as necessary, reminding students that for the first read it is okay to not understand every unfamiliar word. Focus students on the vocabulary strategies listed on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart, and invite students to identify the most effective strategy to determine the meaning of the unfamiliar words they have identified. Remind students to record new vocabulary in their vocabulary logs. Add any new words to the academic word wall and domain specific word wall and invite students to add translations in native languages.
  • Build on the gist statements students offered, elaborating as necessary and modeling how to record the statement in the appropriate spot on the note-catcher.
  • Repeat this process for the remainder of the text. Refer to Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words note-catcher (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students they will have a chance to reread the Author's Note on page 29 more closely in the next lesson.
  • Focus students on the world map.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Where did William Carlos Williams live?" (New Jersey)

"Where is New Jersey on the map?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Place the labeled pin on New Jersey and explain that it is in the United States, on the continent of North America. Show students each of the continents on the map.
  • Display the Compass Points. Tell students that they can use compass points to explain where places are. Read through each of the compass points.
  • Point to the pin marking your location.
  • Ask students to turn and talk, and cold call students to share their responses with the whole group:

"Which continent do we live on?" (Responses will vary.)

"Where are we in relation to New Jersey?" (Responses will vary, but students should use the compass points.)

"Has anyone had any experience with New Jersey that you would like to share?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Invite students to turn and talk to their partner, and then use equity sticks to select students to share out:

"How did the strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart help you to better understand the text?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students they are now going to use the Thumb-O-Meter protocol to reflect on their progress toward the learning targets. Remind them that they used this protocol in Lessons 1-3 and review as necessary. Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.
  • Guide students through the Thumb-O-Meter protocol using the learning targets. Scan student responses and make a note of students who may need more support with this moving forward.
  • For students who may need additional support with writing: Provide choice in how they complete this assignment. Allow them to make quick sketches of the gist or provide them with pre-written stick notes that they can place in the correct place on their note-catcher. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Invite students to turn to an elbow partner and retell A River of Words in 1 minute or less. Have them share out and give them feedback on their language use and summarizing skill. Then invite them to turn to their partner and summarize once again, this time in 30 seconds or less. Repeat the feedback process.
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of chunks of a key sentence from A River of Words. Write and display student responses next to the chunks. Example from page 23:
    • "Place your finger on this sentence: "After his long doctor's day, Willie climbed to the attic where he kept a lamp and a desk filled with letters from his artist friends and notes he'd made about things he'd heard, seen, or done."
    • "What is the gist of this sentence?" (Williams read letters from friends and notes about his experiences after work.)
    • "What is a long doctor's day?" (Williams was a doctor and worked hard. When someone works hard, we can use the expression long day.)
    • "What was in Willie's attic? How do we know?" (A lamp and a desk were in the attic, according to the sentence.)
    • "I wonder why the author uses the word where. How can we use where in our writing?" Tell students you will give them time to think and discuss with their partner. (to introduce a description of what is in the attic; to introduce a description of a place or thing)
    • "What was in Willie's desk? How do we know?" (The sentence says there were letters and notes.)
    • "Why doesn't the author use where after desk to describe what's in it?" Tell students you will give them time to think and discuss with their partner. (She uses an adjective form of filled instead. She could have used where, but she varied it with the adjective form of a verb.)
    • "What was in the notes? How do we know?" (The sentence says his experiences were in the notes.)
    • "Why doesn't the author use where or an adjective form after notes to describe what's in them?" Tell students you will give them time to think and discuss with their partner. (She uses that, which is similar to where, but can also be used to introduce a description of things. However, in English, you can drop that if you follow it with a subject with predicate. So, the author decided to drop that to make the sentence shorter.)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart. Remind them of: I behave with integrity. This means I am honest and do the right thing, even when it's difficult, because it is the right thing to do.
  • Remind them that this includes doing homework even when there may be other things they want to do after school. Remind them that the purpose of research reading is to build background knowledge and vocabulary on a topic so that they can gradually read more and more complex texts on that topic.
  • Refer to the Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading review, or use your own routine.
  • Guide students through the Thumb-O-Meter protocol to self-assess against how well they showed integrity and persevered in this lesson. Scan student responses and make a note of students who may need more support with this moving forward.
  • To activate students' memory, review the expectations for a research reading review. Also consider modeling completing one yourself. (MMR)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading and writing: Refer to the suggested homework support in Lesson 1. (MMAE, MMR)

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