Close Read: “Fight to Survive!” | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade 4 › ELA G4:M2 › ELA G4:M2:U2 ›

ELA G4:M2:U2:L2

Close Read: “Fight to Survive!”

In this Lesson

You are here:

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.4.2: 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.
  • L.4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.4.1c: Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.
  • 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.
Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can cite evidence from the text to support the answers to my questions. (RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.4, L.4.1c, L.4.4)
  • I can determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details. (RI.4.1, RI.4.2)
  • I can identify modal auxiliaries in a text. (L.4.1c)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Close Read Questions: "Fight to Survive!" (RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.4, L.4.1c, L.4.4)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (10 minutes)

2. Work Time 

A. Close Read: "Fight to Survive!" (40 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment 

A. KWEL Chart (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 this lesson, students participate in a teacher-led close read of a complex text about animal defenses. This close read guides students through the text's challenging vocabulary and helps them understand the animals' defense mechanisms, which they will research in expert groups over the next several lessons (RI.4.4, L.4.4). In addition, students cite evidence from the text to support the answers to their questions (RI.4.1). This close read aims to gradually release students by introducing question patterns that repeat throughout the close read.
  • Students are also introduced to modal auxiliaries through close reading.
  • This lesson is the second in a series of three that include built-out instruction for the use of Goal 3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O'Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer. Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2012. Based on Chapin, S., O'Connor, C., and Anderson, N.  [2009]. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K-6. Second Edition. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications). Goal 3 Conversation Cues encourage students to deepen their thinking. Continue drawing on Goals 1 and 2 Conversation Cues, introduced in Module 1, and add Goal 3 Conversation Cues to more strategically promote productive and equitable conversation. In Module 3, Goal 4 Conversation Cues are also introduced. See the Tools page for additional information on Conversation Cues. Consider providing students with a thinking journal or scrap paper.
  • Note that the student version of the "Provide reasoning and evidence" Goal 3 Conversation Cues (and expected student responses) are built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart in Work Time A. The "Challenge Thinking" Goal 3 Conversation Cues were built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart in Lesson 1. The "Think about thinking" Goal 3 Conversation Cues are not built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart, as these cues are best suited for teachers to prompt students.
  • Consider inviting students who need an extension opportunity to be peer coaches.
  • In this lesson, the habit of character focus is working to become effective learners. The characteristics they are reminded of in this lesson are perseverance and collaboration as students closely read the complex text "Fight to Survive!"

How it builds on previous work:

  • In Unit 1, students built background knowledge on animal defenses. In this lesson, they learn about their expert group animal's defenses by closely reading a complex text, "Fight to Survive!" They read this text for gist and unfamiliar vocabulary in Unit 1. 
  • In Unit 1, students learned how to determine the main idea and summarize a text. In this lesson, they find the main idea and summarize "Fight to Survive!" (RI.4.2).
  • The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to animals and specifically animal defenses. 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.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Students may need support writing the answers to their questions. Consider grouping those students together so you can provide them with additional support.

Assessment guidance: 

  • Throughout the close read, have students share their responses with the whole group to build knowledge collectively and clarify any misconceptions. As students are writing, circulate to clarify misunderstandings and use these as teaching points for the whole group.
  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist as students discuss in pairs and small groups during the close read. See the Tools page.

Down the road:

  • The close read further introduces students to their expert group animals. In the following lessons, students will further research these animals on a web page.
  • Students will continue to explore the use of modal auxiliaries in text in the first half of the unit and will practice using modal auxiliaries in their writing in the second half of the unit.
  • In Lesson 5, students will categorize their research, including information from the text "Fight to Survive!"
  • Students will be assessed on determining the main idea of a text and summarizing in the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment.

In Advance

  • Familiarize yourself with the Close Reading Guide: "Fight to Survive!"
  • Consider strategic pairing of students to enable peer support during the close read.
  • Post: Learning targets.

Tech and Multimedia

  • See the Unit 2 Overview document.
  • Work Time A: Students complete their note-catchers 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.A.1, 4.I.A.3, 4.I.B.6, 4.I.B.8, 4.I.C.11, 4.I.C.12,

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through a close read, which makes space for students to apply their understanding of smaller components of a larger complex text. Example: students check their understanding of how modal auxiliaries can change the meaning of a sentence.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to understand all of the close read. Use Mini Language Dives to highlight, understand, and practice a few key language structures from the close read. Ideally, these should be structures they can use as part of the evidence they cite to support what they have learned about their expert group animal. Students should practice orally stating their claims and giving the evidence that supports them.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Challenge students to explain to ELLs who need heavier support why U.S. readers expect scientific claims to be supported by evidence, and that the evidence is often placed in quotation marks to give credit to the researcher. (Quotation marks may be new to some ELLs.) Make sure they explain that in some cultures it is okay to borrow evidence without giving credit, but in the U.S., you must give credit.

For heavier support:

  • Evidence may be a new concept to many ELLs. Provide them with multiple examples of evidence and how it corresponds to a claim: "The claim is that _____. The evidence that supports the claim is _____." A helpful kinesthetic activity could be for students to match shuffled "claim" cards to "evidence" cards from the target complex text.
  • Direct ELLs to visuals of their expert group animal and allow them to share with a partner one thing they have learned: "I learned that...."
  • Activate student background knowledge with visual evidence. For example, ask students: "Do three-banded armadillos and millipedes protect themselves?" (Yes.) Show pictures of armadillos and millipedes rolled into balls. "How do you know?" (They roll themselves into balls so that their hard shell surrounds them.) "When you share your ideas, it's good to be able to show that they're believable."
  • Recycle the word "source" by having ELLs find examples of a source and defining what it is.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, support visual learners and learners with auditory processing needs by writing key words that students use during class discussions on the board as visual cues.  Provide explicit feedback to ensure students have an accurate understanding of these words and their meanings.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): In advance, fill out the source column of the KWEL chart for students who may need additional support so they can focus their effort on learning and evidence during this lesson. Let these students write their learning in modified ways, such as in the margins, with sentence frames, or by underlining.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Throughout this lesson, students have opportunities to share ideas and thinking with classmates. Some students may need support for engagement during these activities, so encourage self-regulatory skills by helping them anticipate and manage frustration by modeling what to do if they need help from their partners.  For example, "I can remember when I'm sharing that if I forget my idea or need help, I can ask my partner to help me. My partner could help me by giving me prompts that will help me share my thinking." Consider offering sentence frames to strategically selected peer models. Offering these supports for engagement promotes a safe learning space for all students.

Vocabulary

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

  • cite, evidence, modal auxiliaries (L)
  • physical, behavior, could, external, internal, toxic (T)

Materials

  • Equity sticks
  • "Fight to Survive!" (from Unit 1; one for display)
  • Expert Group Animal research notebooks (distributed in Lesson 1; one per student)
    • Close Read Questions: "Fight to Survive!" (page 2 of Expert Group Animal research notebooks)
    • KWEL chart (page 1 of the Expert Group Animal research notebooks)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (from Module 1)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to with students during Work Time A)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Close Reading Guide: "Fight to Survive!" (for teacher reference)
  • Affix Lists (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Millipede KWEL chart (one for display)
  • Millipede KWEL chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3)

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. Reviewing Learning Targets (10 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and ask for volunteers to read them aloud: 
    • "I can cite evidence from the text to support the answers to my questions."
    • "I can determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details."
    • "I can identify modal auxiliaries in a text."
  • Underline the words cite and evidence in the first target and ask students to discuss with an elbow partner; then use equity sticks to select students to share out:

"What is evidence?" (Evidence is information taken directly from the text that supports an answer or claims.)

  • Ask students to discuss with an elbow partner, and then cold call students to share out:

"Why is it important to provide evidence to support your answers or claims?" (When you use evidence, it makes your answer or claim stronger, and people are more likely to trust and believe it.)

  • Explain that when professionals such as scientists, doctors, and lawyers make claims, they support them with evidence to persuade as many people as possible to believe them. For instance, when doctors claim that eating fruits and vegetables keeps us healthy, they provide evidence from research. When lawyers claim that their client is innocent, they provide evidence so the judge can decide guilt or innocence. 
  • Focus students on the word cite. Ask them to discuss with an elbow partner, and then use equity sticks to select students to share out:

"Look at the rest of the learning target. What word could you use in place of cite and keep the meaning of the learning target the same?" (Words such as say, give, provide, write, and quote.)

"So what does cite mean?" (To cite evidence means to give evidence.)

  • Underline the words modal auxiliaries in the third target. Explain that students will learn more about modal auxiliaries in the context of "Fight to Survive!" the text they will read closely in this lesson.
  • If necessary, add these words to the Academic Word Wall.
  • Tell students that they are going to do a close read of a complex text that they read for gist in Unit 1. Today they will dig deeper. Tell them they may struggle with some sections of the text at first, but by working through it in small chunks and persevering, they will have a deeper understanding of animal defense mechanisms by the end of the lesson.
  • For students who may need additional support with auditory processing: Write key words on the board as students respond to questions. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Repeat the question "Why is it important to provide evidence to support your answers or claims?" Rephrase the question: "Why do you need to give evidence after you share an answer or an idea?"
  • For ELLs: Say: "The two words cite and evidence are often used together as a phrase and can be learned as a phrase; for example, "I can cite evidence. She cited evidence to support her ideas." (Cite is often used together with source, too, as in Cite sources you used.)
  • For ELLs: Give students synonyms for evidence, e.g., "proof" and cite, e.g., "quote." Spell evidence and cite aloud. Add synonyms for evidence and cite to the Academic Word Wall in a lighter color next to the target word.
  • For ELLs: Provide students with sentence frames: 
    • "It is important to provide evidence so that ..."
    • "I need to give evidence for my claims because ..."
    • "I need to prove that my ideas are (true/strong/believable) ..."

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Close Read: "Fight to Survive!" (40 minutes)

  • Pair students.
  • Display "Fight to Survive!" and invite students to turn to the Close Read Questions: "Fight to Survive!" on page 2 of their Expert Group Animal research notebooks.
  • Point out the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart and focus students on the final criteria and bullets.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, specifically perseverance and collaboration. Remind students that as they will be working to read a complex text and will need to persevere as they read it, and will be working with one another as they read so will need to collaborate.
  • Introduce students to two new cues that will help them "Provide reasoning and evidence" (Goal 3 Conversation Cues) for their responses as they complete the close read:

"Why do you think that?" 

"What, in the _____ (sentence/text), makes you think so?

  • Tell students that these two new cues will be added to the Discussion Norms anchor chart today. Focus student attention on the Discussion Norms anchor chart and add the "Provide reasoning and evidence" cues. See the Discussion Norms anchor chart (example, for teacher reference). Ensure students understand how to use these cues.
  • For ELLs: Provide students with a version of the close read text that has a few key language structures highlighted; alternatively, tell ELLs which key language structures to underline. Check and clarify ELLs' understanding of the meaning that these structures impart.
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained effort: Tell students you are going to guide them through this close read. Some of the questions will be discussed as a whole group, and others will be discussed with a partner. (MME)
  • Guide students through the close read using the Close Reading Guide: "Fight to Survive!" (for teacher reference).
  • If productive, use a Goal 3 Conversation Cue to encourage students to think about their thinking:

"What habits helped you succeed in this close read? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Focus students on the learning targets. Read each one aloud, pausing after each to use a checking for understanding protocol for students to reflect on their comfort level with or show how close they are to meeting each target. Make note of students who may need additional support with each of the learning targets moving forward.
  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they persevered and collaborated in this lesson.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. KWEL Chart (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to take their Expert Group Animal research notebooks and move to sit with their expert animal groups.
  • Ask them to turn to the KWEL chart on page 1 of their research notebooks.
  • Remind students that the E means evidence and the L is what they learned.
  • Focus students on the Source column of their KWEL charts. Tell them that when they cite evidence, it is important to explain where that evidence came from so they can return to it later or others can find it. 
  • Model how to do this on the Millipede KWEL chart. See Millipede KWEL chart (example, for teacher reference).
  • Emphasize that evidence should be copied carefully, word for word, and should be written inside quotation marks. 
  • Focus students on the Citing Sources section of the Researchers Do These Things anchor chart. Invite them to follow along and read silently as you read the criteria aloud. 
  • Model this on the Millipede KWEL chart in the column next to the evidence you recorded as a model.
  • Invite students to discuss what they learned from today's close read. Then ask students to add their source, learning, and evidence to their own KWEL charts.
  • Circulate to support students in their discussions and recordings. Look specifically at how well students use quotation marks and cite textual evidence.
  • For students who may need additional support with written expression: Fill in the Source section of the KWEL chart for learners who will need more time to write their learning and evidence. (MMAE, MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with writing fluency: Allow students to point out the evidence for their learning by underlining it in the text rather than copying it word for word onto their KWEL chart, or make space (including writing lines) in the margins of "Fight to Survive!" for students to write their learning right next to their evidence. This will help them see the direct connection between a text and their learning. Use sentence frames such as, "This makes me think ..." or "Now I see why...." (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Provide students with multiple models of recording evidence, demonstrating how the evidence corresponds to, or supports, the claim.
  • For ELLs: Write the phrase quotation marks on the board and explain that quotation marks signal language that is borrowed exactly as it appears from another text. Quotation marks are frequently used when citing evidence.
  • For ELLs: Provide students with sentence frames to support their participation. Examples: 
    • "I have learned that ..."
    • "I knew that my animal _____. Now I also know that my animal _____."

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For students who may need additional support with reading fluency: Modify the amount or complexity of reading assigned to students who may need it. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: For all homework assignments in this unit, read the prompts aloud. Students can discuss and respond to prompts orally, either with you, a partner, family member, or student from Grades 1 or 2, or record an audio response. If students have trouble writing sentences, they can begin by writing words. Consider providing a sentence starter or inviting students who need lighter support to provide sentence starters.

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback