End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion – Threats to Human Rights in Esperanza Rising | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M1:U1:L12

End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion – Threats to Human Rights in Esperanza Rising

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • RL.5.5: Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
  • RL.5.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
  • RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • W.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
  • W.5.9a: Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]").
  • SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • SL.5.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
  • SL.5.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
  • SL.5.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can quote accurately from the text to make connections between Esperanza Rising and the UDHR. (RL.5.1, RI.5.1)
  • I can follow discussion norms to have an effective text-based discussion. (RL.5.1, RL.5.5, RL.5.10, RI.5.1, W.5.9a, SL.5.1, SL.5.1a, SL.5.1b, SL.5.1c)

Ongoing Assessment

  • End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion (RL.5.1, RL.5.5, RL.5.10, RI.5.1, W.5.9a, SL.5.1, SL.5.1a, SL.5.1b, SL.5.1c)
  • Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion (SL.5.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening 

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time 

A. End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion (40 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment 

A. Tracking Progress (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 complete the end of unit assessment, in which they complete two different tasks: having a group discussion about the threats to human rights in Chapters 4-6 of Esperanza Rising (RL.5.1, RI.5.1, W.5.9a, SL.5.1, SL.5.1a, SL.5.1b, SL.5.1c) and answering short response questions requiring students to quote accurately from the text and to examine how the structure of "Las Cebollas" contributes to the overall structure of the novel (RL.5.1, RL.5.1).
  • To hear all students discuss, create groups of five and provide 7 minutes for each group's discussion. When students are not involved in the discussions, they should complete Part II of the assessment independently. 
  • After the end of unit assessment, students reflect on their learning using the Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion recording form. This exercise is meant to provide them with time to formally keep track of and reflect on their own learning. This self-reflection supports metacognition and pride in work and learning.
  • In this lesson, the habit of character focus is on working to become an ethical person. The characteristics that students practice are respect, empathy, and compassion, as they participate in a text-based discussion, and integrity, as they work independently on assessments.
  • The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to human rights. 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. 

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the previous lesson, students prepared for this assessment by completing the Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion note-catcher with evidence of the threats to human rights in Chapters 4-6 of Esperanza Rising.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • If students receive accommodations for assessments, communicate with the cooperating service providers regarding the practices of instruction in use during this study as well as the goals of the assessment.
  • Some students may require more than the time allotted to complete the assessment.

Assessment guidance:

  • Assessment materials (student copy, answer key, student exemplar, teacher checklist) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
  • When assessing and providing feedback to students on this assessment, use the Collaborative Discussion Checklist (see Assessment Overview and Resources) to help you complete the student Tracking Progress recording form. Consider making notes in the appropriate column for each criterion in a different color than student responses. There is also space provided to respond to student comments. 
  • In this assessment, students are tracking progress toward anchor standard SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing my own clearly and persuasively.

Down the road:

  • In Unit 2, students will continue to read Esperanza Rising and to make connections between the novel and the UDHR. Students will also analyze the metaphors used in the novel, will compare and contrast character responses to write a two-voice poem, and will write an essay. 

In Advance

  • Prepare the End of Unit 1 Assessment (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Determine student groups (of five) for the text-based assessment, as well as the order in which groups will discuss, and post this information. 
  • Gather Tracking Progress folders.
  • Post: Learning targets.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Students complete assessments online--on a Google Form, for example.
  • Work Time A: Students complete assessments in a word-processing document--for example, a Google Doc--using Speech to Text facilities activated on devices or using an app or software such as Dictation.io.
  • Closing and Assessment A: Students complete the Tracking Progress forms in an online format with a folder for each form.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.A.1, 5.I.A.3, 5.I.B.5, 5.I.B.6, 5.I.B.8, 5.I.C.11, and 5.II.A.1

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to demonstrate their content and language knowledge in a text-based discussion built on their preparation and practice in previous lessons. They self-assess at the end of the lesson 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 leap from the heavily scaffolded classroom interaction. Remind students to consult the anchor charts, note-catchers, graphic organizers, and discussion frames they helped develop during previous lessons. Encourage all communication from ELLs as successful risk-taking and congratulate them on the progress they've made learning English. Point out some specific examples. 
  • Ensure that ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment questions themselves. See additional support in the Meeting Students' Needs column.
  • 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 selected response 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 (MMR): To get the most informative data from the assessment, ensure that all students have access to the assessment directions and feel comfortable with the expectations. Vary the ways in which you convey your expectations (e.g., engage in a clarifying discussion about the directions or create a map of the assessment to preview its tasks).
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): To decrease anxiety that may come along with the assessment or speaking in public, consider predetermining speaking order in the groups of five. Hand students notecards with numbers on them, indicating their turn to talk. This way, students can anticipate when they will speak in the discussion in order to minimize risk. 
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): When assessing student work, provide feedback that is oriented toward mastery rather than relative performance. Focus on effort and improvement to build confidence and minimize risk. 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.). These can be tailored to students' individualized goals.

Vocabulary

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

  • Do not preview vocabulary for this assessment lesson.

Materials

  • End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion (one per student; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 5)
  • Exit Ticket: Reflecting on the Text-Based Discussion (from Lesson 10; one per student)
  • Tracking Progress folders (from Lesson 9; one per student)
    • Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion (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.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and select a volunteer to read them aloud: 

"I can quote accurately from the text to make connections between Esperanza Rising and the UDHR."

"I can follow discussion norms to have an effective text-based discussion."

  • Remind students that they have seen both of these targets before. Tell students that today they will practice these learning targets in an assessment.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with memory: Ask students to recall and describe one way that they worked toward the learning targets in the past two lessons. (MMR)
  • Create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment by reminding students that everyone is working toward being better at text-based discussion. Highlight and give specific positive feedback on growth and development rather than relative performance. (MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion (40 minutes)

  • Distribute the End of Unit 1 Assessment: Text-Based Discussion.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads while you read the directions for each part of the assessment aloud. Answer clarifying questions.
  • Tell students that while they are waiting to participate in the discussion, they are to complete Part II of the assessment independently and without talking. Remind them that this is an assessment. 
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart, specifically on all of the characteristics: respect, compassion, and empathy in preparation for the discussion, and integrity in preparation for students working independently on Part II of the assessment. Review what each characteristic looks like and sounds like.
  • Focus students on the Discussion Norms anchor chart, specifically on the cues and responses. Remind them that a discussion is not just about saying what they want to say and then they are done. Effective participation is about listening to others and asking and answering questions to be completely clear about what others are saying and to clarify their own points.
  • Remind students to refer to the Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart when answering selected response questions.
  • Invite students to retrieve their Exit Ticket: Reflecting on the Text-Based Discussion from Lesson 10 to remember the criterion they specifically wanted to work on and the strategy they had in mind.
  • Invite students to begin working on the assessment.
  • One by one, call out groups to work with you in a discussion area away from other students so as not to disrupt them from working on Part II of the assessment. Allocate each group 7 minutes for discussion.
  • Invite the remaining students to begin working on Part II of the assessment.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with executive function skills: As you explain, display a "map" of the assessment. (MMR) Example: 

Two parts:

1. Collaborative Discussion with small group

A. "How were the human rights of the characters in Chapters 4-6 of Esperanza Rising threatened?"

2. Answer short response questions.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Read the assessment directions and questions aloud. Ensure that students clearly understand all assessment directions. Rephrase directions for them. Monitor during the assessment to see that students are completing it correctly. Stop those who are on the wrong track and make sure they understand the directions. (MMR)
  • To decrease anxiety regarding public discussion, consider handing out numbered notecards so students know their speaking order ahead of time and can anticipate their turn in the discussion. (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Tracking Progress (15 minutes)

  • Give students specific positive feedback on their completion of the End of Unit 1 Assessment. (Example: "I heard a lot of you asking clarifying questions or questions to find out more.")
  • Distribute Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion and Tracking Progress folders. Tell students that successful learners keep track of and reflect on their own learning and that they will complete a form like this after most of their assessments this year. Remind them that they did this after the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment. 
  • Tell students the sticky notes are for them to find evidence of the following criteria:
    • SL.5.1a
    • SL.5.1b
  • Guide students through completing the form.
  • Invite students to place the form in their Tracking Progress folder and collect students' folders.
  • Invite students to give a thumbs-up, thumbs-down, or thumbs-sideways to indicate how well they showed respect, empathy, and compassion in this lesson.
  • For ELLs: Self-assessment may be an unfamiliar concept for some students. Tell them that thinking about how well they did will help them do even better next time. 
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Allow students to orally paraphrase the meaning of the Tracking Progress criteria, self-assess, and discuss the evidence with a partner before they begin writing. (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 reading and writing: Refer to the suggested homework support in Lesson 2. (MMAE, MMR)

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