Performance Task: Analyzing a Model Press Release | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G4:M4:U3:L13

Performance Task: Analyzing a Model Press Release

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can analyze a model in order to generate criteria for an effective press release. (W.4.2, SL.4.1)
  • I can plan a press release about the results of our class project. (W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Press Release Planning note-catcher (W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Writer: Reflecting on Our Project (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Poster Walk: Exploring Press Releases (15 minutes)

B. Analyzing a Model and Generating Criteria for an Effective Press Release (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment  

A. Independent Practice: Planning a Press Release (20 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Complete the Writing Thank You Notes I 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 this lesson, students are introduced to press releases through a Poster Walk to help them understand the structure of press releases and how they are used. Students co-create a Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart after examining real press releases from organizations they have learned about throughout the unit. They will add to and refer to this anchor chart throughout the remainder of this unit as they write their class press release (W.4.2, SL.4.1).
  • In Work Time B, students analyze a model in detail to understand the components of each part of a press release. In the Closing, they use this analysis to independently plan a press release that shares the project the class planned and carried out and its impact (W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5).
  • Students focus on working to become effective learners on a characteristic of their choice as they analyze example press releases.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • The press releases students read during the Poster Walk are authentic press releases written by the organizations students researched in the first half of the unit.
  • Earlier in the unit, students planned and carried out a project taking action to address an issue in their community. In this lesson, students plan a press release that shares the impact of their project.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • The Poster Walk includes five posters, so students likely will not get to visit each poster. Pre-determine groups and decide which posters they will visit.
  • Consider inviting students who need additional fluency practice to chorally read the press releases during the Poster Walk.
  • Students may need support with planning their press release. Consider grouping students who may need additional support together for additional teacher guidance.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist during the Poster Walk in Work Time A (see the Tools page).
  • Review student planning note-catchers to determine whole class teaching points for the next lesson when students begin drafting.

Down the road:

  • Students will refer to their Press Release Planning note-catcher and the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart throughout the next two lessons as they write their press release.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine Poster Walk groups with three or four students in each group.
  • Prepare the Poster Walk posters and the technology necessary for the posters (see supporting materials). Note: This preparation will take additional time.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.A.4, 4.I.C.10, 4.I.C.11, 4.I.C.12, 4.II.A.1, 4.II.A.2, 4.II.B.3-5, 4.II.C.6, 4.II.C.7

Important points in the lesson itself

  •  The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing the opportunity for students to view several examples of authentic press releases in order to gain exposure to what press releases are, to analyze a model of the work they will complete over the next several lessons, and to work with a partner to plan a press release on their class project.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to read and comprehend the press releases during the Poster Walk because of the large volume of text. Support students by allowing them to review just one or two press releases and/or encouraging them to review the press releases with a smaller volume of text. Additionally, students may find it challenging to keep pace with the class in planning their press releases and determining the most relevant key points and elaboration to include. Consider working with a small group after working with the class, and help them determine key points together (see Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Challenge students to create sentence frames to support the noticing and wondering during the Poster Walk. Invite students who need heavier support to use the frames. (Examples: "Something I notice about the text in this poster is _____________." "I notice that press releases __________." "I wonder why press releases ________________." "I think that the purpose of this press release is ____________.")

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, invite students to use the frames created by more proficient students to discuss the posters (see For lighter support).
  • Consider enlarging the model press release and annotating it as students share the gist of each paragraph in Work Time B. Display the enlarged model press release over the next few lessons for students to reference as they plan and write their class press release.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by providing options for perception, such as visual supports for information presented orally.  
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): During the Opening, students reflect on their project. Support self-monitoring and reflection by thinking aloud as you model this reflective process.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to support sustained motivation and effort by providing mastery-oriented feedback that is frequent, timely, and specific to students.

Vocabulary

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

  • press release (L)

Materials

  • Project reflection (one per student and one to display)
  • How Can We Make a Difference?: Project Checklist (from Lesson 6; one to display)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Times A and B; see supporting materials)
  • Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Markers (a different color for each group; one per student)
  • Poster Walk posters (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Directions for Poster Walk (one to display)
  • Model press release (one per student and one to display)
  • Model press release (example, for teacher reference)
  • Paper (lined; one piece per student)
  • How Can We Make a Difference?: Action Plan anchor chart (begun in Lesson 5)
  • Example Press Release Planning note-catcher (for teacher reference)

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: Reflecting on Our Project (5 minutes)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on the completion of their project--they saw an issue they wanted to address in their community, took action, and made an impact!
  • Distribute and display the project reflection and read the questions aloud, inviting students to follow along on their copy.
  • Invite students to complete their reflection sheet.
  • Lead a brief whole group discussion reflecting on the class project: Select volunteers to share out.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Sharing Specific Examples) Invite students to share specific examples of how people benefited from their project. Encourage them to use linking words and phrases as they share (e.g., for example, for instance, etc.). (MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Provide a copy of the project reflection that includes lines for writing. (MMAE)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Display the How Can We Make a Difference?: Project Checklist and remind students that this is a list of tasks to be done as the class plans its project, during the project, and after the class finishes the project. Read the steps under the "Before" and "During" headings aloud. Discuss with students which steps have been completed and check them off.
  • Read the steps under the "After" heading aloud, clarifying the steps as needed. Tell students that for homework over the next several lessons they will be writing thank you notes to those who were involved.
  • Focus students on the final step:
    • "Share the impact of your project in a press release."
  • Direct students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart and remind them that the press release is the performance task they have been working toward over the entire module.
  • Direct students' attention to the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart and read the definition of a press release aloud:
    • A press release is a written communication that reports on an event, circumstance, or occurrence and is provided to a news reader, or the media, for the purpose of promotion.
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can analyze a model in order to generate criteria for an effective press release."

"I can plan a press release about the results of our class project."

  • Tell students that today they will look at several examples of press releases to understand the structure of one, and they will use what they learn about press releases to plan one that shares the results of their class project.
  • 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 today.
  • For ELLs: (Noticing Homonyms) After reading the definition of press release, invite students to notice the individual words press and release. Explain that these words have multiple meanings and that students may have used them to mean something different from what they mean here. For example, press can also mean to exert physical force on something, and release can also mean to let go. 

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Poster Walk: Exploring Press Releases (15 minutes)

  • Build up excitement by telling students they will now investigate press releases on their own using the Poster Walk protocol. Remind students that they have used this protocol several times throughout the year and review as necessary. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
    • Distribute markers and point out the Poster Walk posters displayed around the classroom.
    • Display and review briefly the Directions for Poster Walk. Answer clarifying questions.
    • Group students, indicate where each group will start, and review the discussion question as needed:

"What can you infer about press releases from the text on this poster?"

    • Guide students through the protocol.
    • Circulate to support students as they work, giving them 2 minutes at each poster. If necessary, gently point participants to interesting comments and questions, pushing them to cite evidence for what they notice and wonder.
  • After 10 minutes, invite students to go back to their first poster and read all of the inferences and comments. Explain that they should be thinking about what they notice and wonder about what has been written on their poster.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What patterns or themes did you notice in all of the Poster Walk posters?" (Responses will vary.)

Conversation Cue: "Why do you think that?" (Responses will vary.)

  • As students share out, guide them toward the understanding that press releases are different from news articles because of the following reasons:
    • They are usually written from the organization that they are reporting about.
    • The purpose of a press release is to generate publicity for the organization.
    • There needs to be a balance in a press release. It needs to report the good things the organization did, without advertising the organization.
  • As students share out, capture the characteristics of press releases on the anchor chart. Refer to Characteristics of Press Release anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What type of writing is a press release: opinion, informative, or narrative? What makes you think so?" (Informative; it tells information about a topic--in this case, an event.)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Poster Walk) Model and think aloud the process for examining a poster, making an inference, and adding information about what you inferred on the poster. (Example: "One of the first things I notice about this poster is that it says 'For Immediate Release' at the top. I wonder if all press releases include this? I will add this notice and wondering to the poster before examining the next press release. What else do you notice?") Invite one or two students to share before beginning the Poster Walk. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Annotating Press Releases) Consider annotating the press releases to identify concrete examples of their characteristics as students share them out. (For example, label the headings, write the purpose of each paragraph in the margins of the press releases, etc.) This will help students make connections between the information on the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart and the actual press releases. (MMR)

B. Analyzing a Model and Generating Criteria for an Effective Press Release (15 minutes)

  • Distribute and display the model press release and read it aloud.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What is this text about?" (It is a press release about a project students did at School 123.)

  • Invite students to chorally reread the first paragraph aloud with you.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What is the gist of this paragraph?" (Fourth-graders at School 123 raised money for UNICEF at a bake sale.)

  • Select students to share out and record the gist next to the first paragraph on the displayed model. Refer to the model press release (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to work in pairs to determine the gist of each remaining paragraph.
  • After 7 minutes, refocus whole group and use total participation techniques to select students to share out.
  • Refocus students on the introduction. Turn and Talk:

"What is the purpose of this part of the press release? What specific information is given?" (It summarizes the event--who did the project and what it was, where and when it took place, and why it happened.)

  • Invite students to help you record the parts of an introductory paragraph on the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart. Continue to refer to Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart (example, for teacher reference).
  • Point out that all of the most important information about the event is in this paragraph--readers don't have to keep reading to understand what the students did. It also hooks readers to make them want to read more.
  • Repeat with Paragraphs 2-4, and then with the last paragraph.
  • Point out that a press release does not follow the structure of a Painted Essay(r) because of the audience and purpose of the piece: It is meant to be short and to the point, and to briefly describe the event.
  • 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 and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Annotating Enlarged Press Release) As students share the gist of each remaining paragraph of the model press release, record it in the margins of the enlarged model press release (see For heavier support), and invite students to do the same on their own copies. For example, next to Paragraphs 2-4 write, "Describes the events, including quotes and details about what happened," and next to Paragraph 5 write, "Restates the project and includes more ways to get more information." (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Displaying Side by Side) Consider displaying the model press release next to the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart to help students make connections between the characteristics listed on the anchor chart and concrete examples on the model press release. (MMR)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Independent Practice: Planning a Press Release (20 minutes)

  • Tell students they will now plan a press release sharing about the class project. Tell students they will plan today on their own, then work with a partner to write a draft press release in the next lesson. In the final lesson of the unit, they will work as a whole class to write one class press release to be submitted to the local media.
  • Refocus students on the Performance Task anchor chart and invite them to chorally read it aloud with you.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"How did we take action to make a difference in our community?"

  • Distribute paper. Tell students that they are going to create their own note-catcher to organize their thinking to help them become more independent at planning and writing. Emphasize that they should not take too long to do this--it should take no more than 2-3 minutes.
  • Remind students of the six-square graphic organizers they have used throughout the year to organize their thinking before writing. Draw a simple T-chart on the board with key points on one side and elaboration on the other as another option.
  • Post and review the following directions:
    1. Draw a note-catcher.
    2. Identify a key point you want to make in the press release.
    3. Think about how this point shows how the class made a difference in the community and record this elaboration on your note-catcher.
    4. Repeat, ensuring you have planned key points that summarize and give specific details about the project.
  • Invite students to begin working. Circulate to support them as they work, reminding them to refer to the How Can We Make a Difference?: Action Plan anchor chart and the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart as they work. To guide students, refer to Example Press Release Planning note-catcher (for teacher reference) and ask guiding questions:
    • "How does that evidence show how the class made a difference in the community?"
  • 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 worked to become effective learners in this lesson.
  • Tell students that for homework, they will write a thank you note to someone who helped the class complete the project. Briefly discuss who students might write their letter to, writing names of community partners or other volunteers on the board. Tell students to choose a recipient for their letter.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Activating Prior Knowledge) Invite students to recall the steps for planning a PSA from Lesson 7. Explain that although the structure of a press release is different from that of a PSA, the planning process is the same. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Planning a Press Release) Consider modeling and thinking aloud identifying key points and elaboration to include in a press release, using information from the enlarged model press release to do so. (Example: "The first key point in the model press release is what the students did. Under the column 'Key Point' I will write, 'We raised money for UNICEF at our bake sale.' Then I will add elaboration. Can anyone tell me more about the money raised at the bake sale from the model press release? I will write this under the 'Elaboration' column. What is the next key point you see in the model press release?") Invite students to share one or two key points and elaboration about their own project before beginning to plan. (MMAE)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Complete the Writing Thank You Notes I in your Unit 3 Homework.

B. 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 written expression: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally with a partner, a family member, or a student from Grades 3 or 5, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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