- I can write a proof paragraph for a presentation about what inspired me to write my poem, using complete sentences. (W.4.2a, W.4.2b, W.4.4, L.4.1f)
- I can read a new poem aloud fluently. (R.4.4, R.4.4a, R.4.4b, R.4.4c)
These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:
- RF.4.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
- RF.4.4a: Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
- RF.4.4b: Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
- RF.4.4c: Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
- W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
- W.4.2a: Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
- W.4.2b: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
- W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
- L.4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
- L.4.1f: Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
Daily Learning Targets
Ongoing Assessment
- Proof Paragraph Planning graphic organizer (W.4.2a, W.4.2b)
- Poetry presentation proof paragraph (W.4.2a, W.4.2b, W.4.4, L.4.1f)
Agenda
Agenda | Teaching Notes |
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1. Opening A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Analyzing a Model: Proof Paragraph (10 minutes) B. Writing a Poetry Presentation: Planning the Proof Paragraph (20 minutes) C. Writing a Poetry Presentation: Writing the Proof Paragraph (15 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Reading Fluency Practice (10 minutes) 4. Homework A. Reading fluency practice. Choose a poem or an excerpt of a poem in your Unit 3 Homework to read aloud for fluency. B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal. |
Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:
How it builds on previous work:
Areas in which students may need additional support:
Assessment guidance:
Down the road:
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In Advance
- Strategically pair students for Work Time with at least one stronger reader. Consider whether students can remain in the same pairings from Work Time or whether new partnerships will need to be created. For reading fluency practice in Closing and Assessment, students should be paired with someone reading the same excerpt.
- Prepare a handout version of the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart for those students who may find it challenging to refer to criteria on an anchor chart and may find it easier to have the criteria in front of them.
- Determine how much of the poem to give to each student for reading fluency practice in Closing and Assessment and prepare accordingly. A recommendation would be to give most students just the first five lines up to "Dance!" and students who require an extension the entire poem.
- Review the Red Light, Green Light protocol. See Classroom Protocols.
- Post: Learning targets, Performance Task anchor chart, Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, Poetry Presentation Structure anchor chart, and Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
Tech and Multimedia
- Work Time A: 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 to tool such as SpeakIt! or Safari reader, you will need to create an online doc--for example, a Google Doc, containing the text
- Work Times B and C: Students complete their Proof Paragraph Planning graphic organizers and write their proof paragraphs using word-processing software-- for example, a Google Doc.
- Work Times B and C: Students use Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software such as Dictation.io.
Closing and Assessment A: Record students reading aloud for them to listen back to using audio or video recording software or apps such as Audacity or GarageBand. If available, you may consider using a microphone to ensure a good-quality recording.
Supporting English Language Learners
Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.A.1, 4.I.A.2, 4.I.A.3, 4.I.A.4, 4.I.C.9, 4.I.C.10, 4.I.C.11, 4.I.C.12, 4.II.A.1, and 4.II.A.2
Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to use a graphic organizer to plan their proof paragraph, then discuss their proof paragraph with another student, thereby creating an ideal environment for language development.
- ELLs may find it challenging to begin writing the proof paragraph. Writing an proof paragraph using U.S. conventions may be unfamiliar to them. Allow students to discuss their knowledge of the concept of evidence. Spell this word aloud. Elicit synonyms (e.g., proof) and explanations (e.g., facts and details that show what I'm saying is believable). Ask: "Why do you need to give evidence after you share an answer or an idea?" (to help the reader believe and understand my ideas) Draw on background knowledge with some quick games Example: a kinesthetic activity in which students match shuffled "inspiration" sticky notes to "evidence" notes from the model poetry presentation. To up the challenge, include some faulty pieces of evidence as red herrings. Students can ball up the faulty evidence notes and toss them from a distance into the recycling bin. They can stick good evidence strips onto chart paper underneath the appropriate inspiration. Invite students to add quotation marks to the good evidence where necessary (see Meeting Students' Needs column).
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- Invite students to create their own graphic organizer or sentence stems for the proof paragraph.
- During Work Time A, challenge students to generate questions about the proof paragraph before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together." (What is the purpose of this paragraph? What are the patterns or the structure?)
For heavier support:
- Explain to students that U.S. classrooms place a high value on providing evidence. Students should be able to support their claims with details, quotes, and explanations. This value may be unfamiliar to some students, so be sure to unpack the concept gradually and repeatedly throughout the module (see Meeting Students' Needs column).
- Invite students to choose strategies to practice for reading unfamiliar texts. Examples:
- Chunk the text into manageable amounts, e.g., sentences or paragraphs.
- Circle unfamiliar words.
- Use context or a dictionary to define unfamiliar words.
- Annotate unfamiliar words with synonyms.
- Underline important people, places, and things.
- Read aloud.
- Read repeatedly.
- Silently paraphrase the chunks.
- Summarize what you read for someone else, perhaps first in your home language.
Universal Design for Learning
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): This lesson builds on the previous lesson by adding an proof paragraph to the essay. Activate students' prior knowledge so that they build on the introductory paragraph but also differentiate between both paragraphs. Take time to discuss and reference the instructional materials from the previous lesson and to compare and contrast the different purposes of each paragraph.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Students who may need additional support with writing may benefit from having multiple options for organizing their writing. Consider providing a graphic organizer or allowing them to outline their presentation via a PowerPoint presentation or Prezi.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Students who may need additional support with writing can get easily frustrated during independent writing time. Offer tools to help with self-regulating skills that manage frustration and fatigue (e.g., a list of approved choices that they can make when they feel frustrated or a checklist so that they can monitor their own work time).
Vocabulary
Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)
- generate, criteria, effective (L)
Materials
- Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
- Model poetry presentation (from Lesson 4; one per student)
- Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 1)
- Poetry Presentation Structure anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4; added to during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
- Poetry Presentation Structure anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
- Poetry presentation (begun in Lesson 4; added to during Work Times B and C; one per student)
- Poem (begun in Lesson 1; one per student)
- Proof Paragraph Planning graphic organizer (one per student and one to display)
- Proof Paragraph Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference)
- Red, yellow, and green objects (one of each per student)
- Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3)
- Reading Fluency Poem 1 (one per student)
- Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4)
- Fluent Readers Do These Things handout (optional; for students needing additional support; see Teaching Notes)
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
Opening | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)
"I can write a proof paragraph for a presentation about what inspired me to write my poem, using complete sentences." "I can read a new poem aloud fluently."
"Based on these learning targets, what do you think you will be doing in this lesson? Why?" (writing a proof paragraph for our performance task presentation, and practicing reading fluently in preparation for the end of unit assessment)
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Work Time
Work Time | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Analyzing a Model: Proof Paragraph (10 minutes)
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B. Writing a Poetry Presentation: Planning the Proof Paragraph (20 minutes)
"What specific parts of the poem did the author focus on in the presentation? Why?" (the parts of the poem that compared the horse to fire) "How do those parts of the poem connect to the poet's description of what inspired him or her in the introduction of the presentation?" (In the introduction, the poet explained that when the horse runs, he or she sees a "fiery mythical creature.") "What specific words did the poet choose to describe in the presentation? Why?" (fiery, licking)
"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)
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C. Writing a Poetry Presentation: Writing the Proof Paragraph (15 minutes)
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Closing & Assessments
Closing | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Reading Fluency Practice (10 minutes)
"Looking at the title, and having read through the poem, what do you think this poem is about? Why?" (The title seems to be about African dance, and the poem mentions the tom-tom drums.) "What experience have you had with African dance?" (Responses will vary.)
"What do you think Langston Hughes was inspired by to write this poem?" (the rhythms of African dance, which are very meaningful to him because of his African culture) "How does your knowledge about the poem change what you think about your experience?" (Responses will vary.)
"Can you say more about that?" (Responses will vary.)
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Homework
Homework | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Reading fluency practice. Choose a poem or an excerpt of a poem in your Unit 3 Homework to read aloud for fluency. B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal. |
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