End of Unit 1 Assessment: Interpreting Diagrams and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G4:M2:U1:L10

End of Unit 1 Assessment: Interpreting Diagrams and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize 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.
  • RI.4.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
  • RI.4.10: By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
  • 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 use strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. (RI.4.4, L.4.4)
  • I can interpret a diagram in a text and use it to help me understand the text. (RI.4.7)
  • I can summarize a text using the main idea and supporting details. (RI.4.2)

Ongoing Assessment

  • End of Unit 1 Assessment (RI.4.2, RI.4.4, RI.4.7, RI.4.10, L.4.4)
  • Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding and Explaining New Text
  • Exit Ticket

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Returning Mid-Unit 1 Assessment (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time 

A. End of Unit 1 Assessment: Interpreting Diagrams and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms (40 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment 

A. Tracking Progress (10 minutes)

4. Homework 

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

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students complete the end of unit assessment, during which they read a new text, identify the meaning of unfamiliar words (RI.4.4, L.4.4), interpret a diagram (RI.4.7), and summarize the text (RI.4.2).
  • In Opening A, students' Mid-Unit 1 Assessments are returned with feedback. The purpose of this is for students to have the opportunity to see how they performed in order to improve in their next assessment, and to ask questions if they don't understand the feedback.
  • In this lesson, the habit of character focus is working to become an effective learner. The characteristics they are reminded of specifically are perseverance and taking responsibility, as they will be working independently on their assessments, which may be challenging for some students, and then reflecting on their learning after the assessment.

How it builds on previous work:

  • Throughout this unit, students have been practicing all of the skills required by the standards assessed on the End of Unit 1 Assessment. 
  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to animals and specifically animal defense mechanisms. 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 to describe and make sense of it.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Students may require the assessment text read aloud or an audio version of the assessment text to listen to as and when they need to hear it.
  • Students may also need to hear the questions read aloud.

Assessment Guidance: 

  • All assessment materials (student copy, answer key, student exemplar) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
  • When assessing and providing feedback to students on this assessment, use the teacher answer key, and sample student responses (See the Assessment Overview and Resources) to help you complete the student Tracking Progress sheet. It is suggested that you make notes in the appropriate column for each criteria and mark evidence with flags/sticky notes on student work in a different color to student responses. There is also space for you to respond to student comments. 
  • Collect in Affixes Practice homework from Lesson 8. See Affixes Practice (answers, for teacher reference).
  • It will be valuable for students to revisit their previous Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding and Explaining New Text sheet before they begin, so they can remember what they would like to improve on from assessments in previous units/modules.
  • In this assessment students are tracking progress towards anchor standard R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text, R.4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone, R.10: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently, L.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
  • Collect in Affixes Practice homework (Lesson 8).

Down the road:

  • Students will continue apply their understanding of finding the main idea and supporting details to summarize their research texts in Unit 2. They will also continue to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary using the strategies practiced and assessed in this unit.
  • In Unit 2, students will work in expert groups researching one specific animal. The exit ticket students complete at the end of this lesson will help you to group them according to their interest; however it is important to inform students that they will not all get their first choice because the groups need to be even. If you know that certain students should be in a particular group according to their ability, it will be a good idea to guide those students towards the animal group you would like them to be in. The gazelle works well for students who generally need extra support in reading and research tasks; the ostrich and the armadillo are appropriate for most students at this grade level; and the monarch butterfly works well for students who need a challenge.

In Advance

  • Prepare students' Mid-Unit 1 Assessments with feedback from Lesson 6.
  • Post: Learning targets.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Consider using a text-to-speech reader such as Natural Reader for students to hear the assessment text read aloud as many times as they require.
  • Work Time A: Consider creating a Google Doc for the assessment text so that students can use web browser readers such as SpeakIt! for Google Chrome or the Safari reader to hear the text read aloud and also to annotate the gist online using the comments feature.
  • Work Time A: Students complete their End of Unit 1 Assessment in a word processing document, for example a Google Doc using Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software like Dictation.io.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.B.6, 4.I.B.8, 4.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to demonstrate their content and language knowledge as they interpret diagrams and summarize texts, built on their preparation and practice in previous lessons. They self-assess at the end of the lesson in order to celebrate their successes and chart a course for the future.
  • ELLs may find the End of Unit 1 Assessment challenging, as it may be a big leap from the heavily scaffolded classroom interaction for some ELLs. Before they begin, encourage students to do their best and congratulate them on the progress they've made learning English. Point out some specific examples.
  • Make sure that ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment questions themselves. See additional support in the lesson.
  • After the assessment, ask students to discuss what was easiest and what was most difficult on the assessment, and why. To facilitate this discussion, prepare a concise rubric of the elements of the assessment and allow students to rank the difficulty level of these elements on a Likert scale. Example: 

The multiple choice questions were easy to answer. 1 2 3 4 5

In future lessons and for homework, focus on the language skills that will help students address these assessment challenges.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: In order to set themselves up for success for the assessment, students will need to generalize the skills that they learned from the previous sessions. Before administering the assessment, activate prior knowledge by recalling the learning targets from the previous lessons. Additionally, make sure that you are presenting the directions for the assessment both visually and verbally. Facilitate comprehension by displaying a map of the assessment parts.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Some students may need support in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected. Appropriate goal-setting supports development of executive skills and strategies. Offer scaffolds for students learning to set appropriate personal goals, such as a checklist with three goals or reminders for the assessment.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Some students may require support with limiting distractions during the mid-unit assessment (e.g., using sound-cancelling headphones or dividers between workspaces). Similarly, some students may require variations in time for the assessment. Consider breaking the assessment into two parts and offering breaks at certain times. During the assessment, provide scaffolds that support executive function skills, self-regulation, and students' abilities to monitor progress before and after the assessment (e.g., visual prompts, reminders checklists, rubrics, etc.).

Vocabulary

Key: (L): Lesson-Specific Vocabulary; (T): Text-Specific Vocabulary; (W): Vocabulary used in writing

  • summary (L)

Materials

  • Mid-Unit 1 Assessments with Feedback (one per student; completed in Lesson 6)
  • Affixes Practice (answers, for teacher reference)
  • End of Unit 1 Assessment: Interpreting Diagrams and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms (one per student)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (from Module 1)
  • Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding and Explaining New Text (one per student and one to display)
  • Evidence flags or sticky notes (six per student)
  • Exit Ticket (one per student)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Download this Lesson’s Assessment

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Returning Mid-Unit 1 Assessment (5 minutes)

  • Return students' Mid-Unit 1 Assessments with Feedback.
  • Invite students to spend a few minutes reading the feedback. If they require teacher support to understand the feedback, encourage them to write their names on the board so you can visit with them in this lesson.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading: Reassure them that if they don't understand or cannot read the feedback, they will have an opportunity to review it with you during the lesson. (MME)
  • Build an accepting and supportive by reminding students that everyone is working toward individual goals and that learning is about continued growth and development. (MME)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Collect in Affixes Practice homework. See Affixes Practice (answers, for teacher reference).
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and ask for volunteers to read them aloud: 
    • "I can use strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary."
    • "I can interpret a diagram in a text and use it to help me understand the text."
    • "I can summarize a text using the main idea and supporting details."
  • Remind students that they should be familiar with these learning targets by now, as they have been practicing them throughout the unit.
  • For students who may need additional support with working memory: Allow students who have sketches to help them define key terms in learning targets use the sketches now to remind them about each of the targets they have worked on in this unit thus far. (MMAE)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. End of Unit 1 Assessment: Interpreting Diagrams and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms (40 minutes)

  • Display and distribute the End of Unit 1 Assessment: Interpreting Diagrams and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms. 
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, specifically perseverance. Remind students that as they will be working independently in this lesson for an assessment, they may find it challenging, so they will need to persevere.
  • Invite students to read along silently in their heads as you read the questions aloud. Answer any clarifying questions, without revealing any of the assessment answers.
  • While students are taking the assessment, circulate to monitor their test-taking skills. Prompt students throughout the assessment, letting them know how much time they have left and encouraging them to continue working. This is an opportunity to analyze students' behaviors while taking an assessment. Document strategies you observe, such as students annotating their text, using their graphic organizer to take notes before answering questions, and referring to the text as they answer questions.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: As you explain, write a "map" of the assessment on the board for students. Example: 

Three parts

A. Read the text and diagram.

B. Write a summary of the text and diagram.

C. Complete short-answer and multiple-choice questions about the text and diagram. (MMR, MMAE)

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with visual processing: Read the test directions AND answers aloud. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: Ensure that students are clear about all test directions. Rephrase test directions for them. Monitor during the assessment to see that students are completing the assessment correctly. Stop students who are on the wrong track and make sure they understand the directions. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Tracking Progress (10 minutes)

  • Congratulate students on their hard work on the end of unit assessment. 
  • Distribute Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding and Explaining New Text. Remind students that successful learners keep track and reflect on their own learning. Remind students that they have done this after every assessment.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart again, specifically taking responsibility. Remind students that as they will be reflecting on their learning and setting goals, so they will be taking responsibility of their own learning.
  • Ensure students have access to evidence flags or sticky notes to mark up their work with evidence. Guide students through completing the form.
  • If students have time, invite them to revisit their previous Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding and Explaining New Text to discuss in pairs how they think they have progressed.
  • Distribute the Exit Ticket and explain that in Unit 2, students are going to have the opportunity to research more about the defense mechanisms of one particular animal. Explain to students that the animals on the exit ticket are the different options. They have already started to learn about these animals through the texts in this unit.
  • Explain that they are to rank the animals in the order of interest with 1 being their first choice and 4 being their last choice. It is important at this stage to also explain that some of the texts will be more challenging than others - the gazelle works well for students who generally need extra support in reading and research tasks; the ostrich and the armadillo are appropriate for most students at this grade level; and the monarch butterfly works well for students who need a challenge.
  • Tell students that when you group them you will try to incorporate their choices, but also emphasize that not everyone will be able to have their first choice because it is important that the groups are equal.
  • Use a checking for understanding protocol (for example Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against how well they persevered and took responsibility in this lesson.
  • For students who may need additional support with monitoring their own learning: Invite students to explain why self-assessment is important for learning. (MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider highlighting key phrases on the Tracking Progress sheet to lift up the focus for each criterion. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Allow students to orally paraphrase the meaning of the targets with a partner before they begin writing.

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to 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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