Writing a PSA: Drafting the Body and Conclusion | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G4:M4:U3:L9

Writing a PSA: Drafting the Body and Conclusion

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.4.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • W.4.1a: Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.
  • W.4.1b: Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
  • W.4.1d: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
  • 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.
  • L.4.4: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
  • L.4.3c: Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).
  • L.4.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). 
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can write a script for my PSA. (W.4.1a, W.4.1b, W.4.1d, W.4.4, W.4.5, L.4.3c, L.4.6)
  • I can critique my partner's script and provide kind, helpful, and specific feedback about the appropriateness for task, purpose, and audience. (W.4.4, W.4.5, SL.4.1, L.4.3c, L.4.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Draft PSA script with revision notes (W.4.1a, W.4.1b, W.4.1d, W.4.4, W.4.5, L.4.3c)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Analyzing a Model PSA: Body and Conclusion (15 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Independent Writing: Writing a Body and Conclusion (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment 

A. Peer Critique: Task, Purpose, and Audience (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 this lesson, students write the body and conclusion paragraphs for their PSAs. They first analyze these paragraphs in the model PSA and compare them to the body and conclusion for the broadsides written in Module 3 (another opinion piece). They then use their planning from Lesson 7 to complete their PSA drafts (W.4.1a, W.4.4, W.4.5, L.4.3c).
  • In the Closing, students engage in a peer critique with a focus on the appropriateness of the PSA for task, purpose, and audience (L.4.3, L.4.6, W.4.4).
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners by focusing on a characteristic of their choice as they draft their body and conclusion paragraphs.

How this lesson builds on previous work:                                                                         

  • In Lessons 7-8, students analyzed the model PSA, focusing on the introduction in Lesson 8. In this lesson, they analyze the body and conclusion paragraphs before writing their own.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may require additional support with writing their drafts. Consider providing paragraph frames with sentence starters, so that they only have to add specific actions kids can take to address the issue focused on in the PSA.
  • Consider allowing students to work with a partner or grouping students who may need additional writing support together while you guide them through completing their PSA drafts.
  • Students may require additional support during the peer critique. Consider modeling the process with a student's PSA, or meeting with a small group to facilitate the critique process.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review students' drafts to ensure that they have included all the necessary information. Use common issues as teaching points for the whole group.
  • Refer to the characteristics related to W.4.1a, W.4.1b, and W.4.1d on the Opinion Writing Checklist when assessing students' work in this lesson (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Consider using the Writing Process Checklist for Writing and Language Skills during the independent writing in Work Time A (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will revise and practice their PSAs. Recall that they will record their PSA to raise awareness about the class-selected issue in Lesson 11.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine pairs for work throughout the lesson.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-3 to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.A.1, 4.I.A.3, 4.I.A.4, 4.I.B.6, 4.I.B.7, 4.I.B.8, 4.I.C.10, 4.I.C.11, 4.I.C.12, 4.II.B.1, 4.II.A.2, 4.II.C.6, 4.II.C.7

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by building on work begun in the previous lesson, providing students with an opportunity to analyze the body and conclusion paragraphs of the model PSA script before writing their own, and providing helpful feedback on students' PSA drafts during the peer critique.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to keep pace with the class in completing their body and conclusion paragraphs as well as participating in a peer critique in the amount of time allotted. Consider working with a small group of students as they write and further scaffolding the writing as needed (see Levels of supportand Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During Work Time A, invite students to create sentence starters to support writing. Invite students who need heavier support to use the frames.
  • Encourage students to use the sentence practice from the Mini Language Dive--"There's a lot kids can do to _______."--to begin their body paragraphs. Challenge students to think of more than one way they can complete the sentence frame.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time B, consider providing an outline for students to organize the body and conclusion paragraphs. Examples:
    • For Body Paragraph: "[Introduce Ways to Take Action in an Engaging Way] ___________. [First Way to Take Action] _________.  [Elaboration] __________. [Second Way to Take Action] ___________. [Elaboration] _______________. [Third Way to Take Action] ___________. [Elaboration] _______________. [Conclusion Sentence for Body Paragraph] _______________."
    • For Conclusion Paragraph: "[Reflect on Key Points of PSA (One or Two Sentences] __________________. _____________. [Restate Focus Statement] ______________."

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to provide scaffolds that connect new information to prior knowledge in support of increasing memorability of information.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support development of executive skills and strategies by offering scaffolds for students learning to set appropriate personal goals.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to explicitly highlight the utility and relevance of each activity to the learning target. 

Vocabulary

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

  • appropriateness, task, purpose, audience (L)
  • difference, awareness, solve, volunteering, donate, make a difference (W)

Materials

  • Organizing the Model: Body and Conclusion Paragraph strips (one strip per pair)
  • Model PSA (from Lesson 7; one to display)
  • Characteristics of PSAs anchor chart (begun in Lesson 7; added to during Opening A; see supporting materials)
  • Characteristics of PSAs anchor chart (begun in Lesson 7; example, for teacher reference)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Academic Word Wall (begun in Module 1)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Unit 1)
  • Vocabulary log (begun in Module 1; one per student)
  • Class Issue PSA Prompt (from Lesson 7; one per student and one to display)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Opinion Writing Checklist (from Lesson 8; one per student and one to display; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • PSA Planning note-catcher (from Lesson 7; one per student)
  • PSA drafts (begun in Lesson 8; added to during Work Time A; one per student)
  • Paper (lined; one piece per student)
  • Directions for Peer Critique (from Module 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Peer Critique anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Sticky notes (four per student)

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. Analyzing a Model PSA: Body and Conclusion (15 minutes)

  • Move students into pre-determined pairs and invite them to label themselves A and B.
  • Distribute Organizing the Model: Body and Conclusion Paragraph strips. Tell students that each pair has been given only one part of the body and conclusion paragraphs, and they will find the other parts to create complete paragraphs.
    • Invite pairs to first determine if their sentence is part of the body or part of the conclusion paragraph. Then invite students to find pairs with the other parts of the body and conclusion paragraphs and put them together in the right order. Model an example as necessary.
    • Display the model PSA and tell students that when they have finished, they will check their work against it.
    • Invite students to begin and circulate to support them in reading and sorting the strips of the body and conclusion paragraphs.
    • After 7 minutes, refocus whole group.
  • Invite students to help you record the parts of the body and conclusion paragraphs on the Characteristics of PSAs anchor chart. Refer to Characteristics of PSAs anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Think back to the broadside you wrote in Module 3. How will the body be similar to the proof paragraphs of the broadside? How will it be different?" (Similarities: It will include reasons that support an opinion. Differences: Our PSAs will include specific ways for kids to take action. For example, in the introduction, the body of the PSA will sound more conversational because it is meant to be spoken.)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Displaying Essays Side by Side) Consider displaying the model broadside from Module 3 next to the enlarged model PSA script (see Lesson 7, For heavier support) as students discuss similarities and differences between the body and conclusion paragraphs. Provide sentence frames for support. (Example: "They are similar because they both ________. They are different because the paragraphs of the broadside _________, while the paragraphs of the PSA _______.") (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "But / there's a lot kids can do / to make a difference!"
    • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
      • kids: "Who is this chunk about?" kids, referring to any and all children around the world. (subject pronoun)
      • "What does this chunk tell us?" Kids are able to do many important things to make things better. Note how the meaning would change if a lot were replaced with little or some things, or if some or those were added in front of kids, referring only to a specific group of kids. (subject + predicate = independent clause)
      • Students can take 30 seconds in pairs to list synonyms for a lot, and to share ways to say a lot in their home languages (examples: a great deal, very much, mucho in Spanish, viel in German). Then they can switch pairs and discuss why they think a lot is written in italics (for emphasis) and practice reading this chunk aloud, placing emphasis on the words a lot.
    • Practice: Students can practice using this structure to speak or write about their own lives: "There's a lot I can do to ___________________."
    • Reconstruct:

"What is another way to say this sentence?" (Responses will vary.)

"How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of how you can encourage others to contribute to a better world?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Practice: "There's a lot kids can do to __________________________."

"How can we use this sentence structure when writing our body paragraph for our PSA?" 

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can write a script for my PSA."

"I can critique my partner's script and provide kind, helpful, and specific feedback about the appropriateness for task, purpose, and audience."

  • Underline and use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to review and/or determine the meaning of the following word. Add it to the Academic and Domain-Specific Word Walls and invite students to add the word to their vocabulary logs:
    • appropriateness (fitting or right for the piece)
  • Turn and Talk:

"What do you think you will be doing in this lesson? What makes you think that?" (finishing our drafts of our PSA scripts and then giving feedback to a peer about his or her script)

  • Display and invite students to retrieve their Class Issue PSA Prompt and follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the prompt aloud.
  • 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: (Practicing with Something Familiar) Check comprehension of the word appropriateness by inviting students to discuss the appropriateness of something they are familiar with, such as the clothing that is fitting to wear during a specific season. Consider inviting students to practice with the adjectival form, appropriate, because appropriate functions as an adjective in the criteria used during the peer critique. Provide the following sentence frame for support: "The appropriate clothing to wear in the winter is _______, while the appropriate clothing to wear in the summer is ________."
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained effort: Invite students to share one way they have worked toward similar targets in previous lessons. (MME) 

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Independent Writing: Writing a Body and Conclusion (25 minutes)

  • Display and invite students to retrieve their copy of the Opinion Writing Checklist.
  • Read aloud the following criteria, pausing after each to invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner to restate the criterion in their own words:
    • "W.4.1b: I give reasons for my opinion and support them with facts and details."
    • "W.4.1d: I have a conclusion that is clearly related to my opinion."
    • "L.4.3a, L.4.3c, L.4.6: I effectively use examples, description, statistics, quotations, or other information to explain my thinking and support my opinion."
  • Invite students to mark/highlight these criteria on their checklist.
  • Focus students on the criterion:
    • "W.4.1b: I give reasons for my opinion and support them with facts and details."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What reasons are you giving to support your opinion that kids can take action to help improve the issue your PSA is about?" (We are giving specific actions kids can take that show it is easier than they might think to take action.)

  • Model how to record this (by sketching or writing) on the displayed Opinion Writing Checklist and invite students to do the same.
  • Repeat with the other criteria students have marked.
  • Invite students to take out their PSA Planning note-catcher and their PSA drafts. Remind them that they began drafting their PSAs in the previous lesson.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Share the key points you made in the introduction of your PSA." (Responses will vary, but should include: I described the community issue and reasons it should be addressed.)

Conversation Cue: "Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Distribute paper and invite students to refer to the model PSA, the criteria recorded on the Characteristics of PSAs anchor chart, the Opinion Writing Checklist, and the Domain-Specific Word Wall to write their body and conclusion paragraphs.
  • Remind students also to leave a line between each line of their writing.
  • Invite students to begin writing. Circulate to support students as they work and prompt them with questions such as:
    • "How can you say that more concisely in a shorter, simpler sentence?"
    • "How does your reason persuade the audience to take action?"
  • 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.
  • Invite students to take out their Opinion Writing Checklist and record "Y" for "Yes" and the date in the final column if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists in this lesson have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Providing Concrete Examples) Display the enlarged model PSA script (see Lesson 7, For heavier support) next to the Opinion Writing Checklist. While going over each criterion, model and think aloud identifying an example of each criterion in the corresponding paragraph of the model PSA script, supporting students in using the criteria to write their own paragraphs. (Example: "Criterion L.4.3a, L.4.3c, L.4.6 says: I effectively use examples, description, statistics, quotations, or other information to explain my thinking and support my opinion. In the body paragraph, the linking phrase for example is used to introduce an example that supports the opinion. What other examples, descriptions, statistics, and so on can you identify in this paragraph?") (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: (Oral Processing before Writing) Before inviting students to write, consider providing time for students to orally process the information on their PSA Planning note-catchers and PSA drafts, and to discuss how they will organize this information for their body and conclusion paragraphs. Encourage them to refer to the model PSA for structural and language support, and consider replaying some of the example PSAs viewed in Lesson 7 for further examples of language they might use. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained effort and reflection: Invite students to share one writing goal for their work during independent writing. Encourage them to reflect on their writing in the previous lesson where they drafted the introduction and think of one way they can work toward this goal in today's lesson. (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Peer Critique: Task, Purpose, and Audience (15 minutes)

  • Refocus students on the following criteria on their Opinion Writing Checklist:
    • "L.4.3, L.4.6, W.4.4: The words and sentences I use are appropriate for this task, purpose, and audience."
    • "L.4.3a, L.4.3c, L.4.6: I effectively use examples, description, statistics, quotations, or other information to explain my thinking and support my opinion."
  • Tell students they are going to use the Peer Critique protocol to provide their partners with kind, specific, and helpful feedback regarding their PSA. Remind them that they have used this protocol throughout the school year, and review as necessary, using the Directions for Peer Critique and Peer Critique anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
    • Partner students, distribute sticky notes, and invite students to retrieve their drafts.
    • Guide students through the Peer Critique protocol with their partners.
    • Circulate to support students as they work through the protocol.
  • 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 demonstrated the habit from the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart they decided to focus on today.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Fishbowl: Peer Critique) Invite a confident pair to fishbowl the process of providing feedback during a peer critique. Consider further supporting students by modeling and thinking aloud specific examples of feedback as necessary. (Example: "I see a few sentences in your PSA that are long and complex. Is there a way you can make them shorter and simpler, since the target audience is children? Maybe you can refer to the model PSA script to help you.") (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Home Languages) Invite students to share kind, helpful, or specific comments in their home languages. Example: "How would you say excellent point in Spanish?" (excelente punto)
  • For students who may need additional support with auditory processing: Invite students to brainstorm different words and phrases they could use to provide kind, specific, and helpful feedback to their partner. Write the words and phrases on chart paper and encourage students to refer to the paper as they work with their partners. (MMR, MMAE)

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 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.

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