Preparing to Write: Determining Characteristics of the Format | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M2:U3:L1

Preparing to Write: Determining Characteristics of the Format

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.5.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
  • RL.5.6: Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.
  • W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
  • W.5.3a: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can find the gist of a narrative text. (RL.5.4, L.5.4)
  • I can describe how a narrator's point of view influences how events are described in a narrative. (W.5.3a)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Bite at Night" (RL.5.4, L.5.4)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Reader (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Performance Task and Learning Targets (15 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading for Gist: "Bite at Night" (10 minutes)

B. Analyzing a Model (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

4. Homework

A. For ELLs: Complete the Language Dive Practice I: Even though in your Unit 3 homework.

B. 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 Opening B, students review the module guiding questions and performance task prompt to help focus their work (see Performance Task Overview).
  • In Work Time A, students find the gist of an exemplar narrative text, "Bite at Night." This text will be used throughout the unit as students build their understanding of the plot structure of narrative texts (RL.5.4, RL.5.6, W.5.3).
  • This lesson contains the first part of an optional Language Dive for English language learners. Before the lesson, review the Language Dive materials and consider whether all students would benefit; adjust the timing of the lesson as needed.
  • In the Closing, students share what they have read and learned from their independent reading texts. This sharing is designed as another measure for holding students accountable for their research reading completed for homework. This volume of reading promotes students' growing ability to read a variety of literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. (RI/RL.5.10, SL.5.1).
  • Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads an excerpt from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World in Opening A and "Bite at Night" in Work Time A.
  • Continue to use Goals 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.
  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to the rainforest. 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.
  • In this lesson, the habit of character focus is working to become an ethical person. The characteristic students are reminded of specifically is integrity, as they will be sharing their research reading homework.
  • Each unit in this module is accompanied by a Recommended Texts list with a variety of reading levels. Students should use the classroom, school, or local library to obtain book(s) about the topics under study at their independent reading level. These books can be used in a variety of ways--as independent and partner reading in the classroom whenever time allows, as read-alouds by the teacher to entice students into new books, and as an ongoing homework expectation. In this lesson, students browse and select one of these texts for reading throughout the unit.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist during the research reading share in Work Time C (see the Tools page).
  • Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist (Grade 5) during the research reading share in Work Time C (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • In Lessons 2-4, students will analyze "Bite at Night" for its plot structure and use this text as an exemplar as they plan and draft a narrative based on an event from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World.

In Advance

  • Preview the Language Dive and prepare the sentence strip chunks for use during the Language Dive (see supporting materials).
  • Prepare a research reading share using with the Independent Reading: Sample Plan document, or using your own independent reading routine.
  • Post: Learning targets, Rainforest Experiences anchor chart, Module Guiding Questions anchor chart, Performance Task anchor chart, Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart, and Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: For students who will benefit from hearing the text read aloud multiple times, consider using a text-to-speech tool like Natural Reader, SpeakIt! for Google Chrome, or the Safari reader. Note that to use a web-based text-to-speech tool like SpeakIt! or Safari reader, you will need to create an online doc, such as a Google Doc, containing the text.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.B.6a, 5.I.B.7, 5.I.B.8, 5.II.C.6

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by inviting all students to act out and determine the gist of, section by section, the two texts being read aloud. Acting out and determining the gist of the text helps ELLs make the connection between language and meaning and allows teachers to assess how well ELLs understand the language.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to compare points of view amid the volume of reading required. Support students by leaving time to act out and annotate the gist and by giving them explicit language for identifying first and third person points of view. See the Meeting Students' Needs column for specific suggestions.
  • In Work Time A, ELLs are invited to participate in the first of a series of three connected Language Dive conversations. This first conversation guides them through the meaning of a sentence from "Bite at Night." Students then apply their understanding of the structure of this sentence when discussing subordinating conjunctions in Lesson 3 and when writing the ending of their narratives in Lesson 4. Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the questions and goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the questions and goals provided to best meet your students' needs.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • For Opening A, buy or ask for large paint chips from a local hardware or paint store or print them online. Write the phrases "screamed bloody murder," "screamed in terror," and "screamed loudly," each one on a different shade of the paint chip. Place them on the wall and discuss the shades of meaning in relation to the text.
  • During the Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together."

For heavier support:

  • Use even though in daily instruction as often as possible during this and subsequent lessons. Examples: "Even though I read the text aloud to you, I need you to act it out for me, too" or "Even though we put the chairs in a circle, I realized that I needed to ask you to sit on the rug instead." Listen for opportunities to prompt students to substitute even though in strategic places in their communication.
  • For Work Time A, prepare sticky notes with prewritten words or drawings based on the gist of different sections of the narrative. As students listen to the story, they can match the gist represented on the sticky notes with each section of the read-aloud. You could also create a handout with multiple choices in the gist column for students to circle their response.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: This lesson offers a variety of visual anchors to cue students' thinking. For those who may need additional support, consider creating additional anchor charts. These could be displayed for the entire class or made for individual students to have at their desks. For example, you may create a chart that identifies the cues for differentiating between first person and third person point of view. Additionally, chart student responses during whole class discussions to aid with comprehension. Some students may require additional scaffolding in visual representation, such as the use of graphic organizers, charts, highlights, or different colors. This will prompt them to visually categorize information into more manageable chunks and reinforce relationships among multiple pieces of information.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: It is important to support self-monitoring and executive function skills. In this lesson, you can facilitate student management of information and resources by allowing them to identify unknown words and record them in their vocabulary log. Also consider offering scaffolds on the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Bite at Night" worksheet for varied levels of difficulty in note-taking. (Examples: Post-It notes with words pertaining to the gist of the story already printed on them or offering multiple choices for the gist and having students circle their response.) This allows students to attend to the learning task of identifying the gist instead of getting distracted with the writing task.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: To grasp new concepts such as unknown vocabulary or narrative point of view, students will need to engage with them in multiple ways. After the class reads "Bite at Night," consider allowing students to turn to a partner and summarize what they just read. This will offer them a second opportunity for comprehension. Provide additional opportunities to practice the skills in this lesson by allowing students to highlight words in the text that cue either first or third person point of view. During independent reading time, consider offering a modified version of the Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Bite at Night" worksheet so that students can practice finding the gist independently.

Vocabulary

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

  • narrative texts, narrator, point of view, first person point of view, third person point of view (L)
  • inflatable, rainforest canopy, attached, emergent layer, realized, outhouse, platform, sake, penetrating, dense, immediately, flicking, concerned, locate (T)

Materials

  • Rainforest Experiences anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • The Most Beautiful Roof in the World (one to display)
  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • "Bite at Night" (one per student and one to display)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Bite at Night" (one per student and one to display)
  • Language Dive Guide I: "Bite at Night" (for ELLs; for teacher reference; see supporting materials)
    • Language Dive note-catcher I (for ELLs; one per student and one to display)
    • Sentence strip chunks I (for ELLs; one to display)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (see the Tools page; for teacher reference)

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 Reader (10 minutes)

  • Offer students specific positive feedback on wrapping up Unit 2. Tell them they now have a strong foundation of knowledge about the rainforest and about how writers use descriptive language and point of view in narratives.
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"How does what you know now about rainforests change what you think about your experience with rainforests?"

  • As students share, capture patterns on the Rainforest Experiences anchor chart.
  • Display the cover of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World and remind students that they have been reading this book throughout the module to learn about rainforests and to study narrative techniques. Explain that they will continue to use this book in this unit.
  • Display pages 35-36 and read them aloud, inviting students to chorally read with you, beginning with "In Cameroon there were ..." and ending at "...that is very painful."
  • Reread these pages, stopping periodically and inviting students to act out the events described in the text.
  • Tell students they will revisit this passage later in the lesson.
  • For ELLs and students who need additional support with reading: Revisit the meaning of the idiom "scream bloody murder," making sure students don't take it literally and checking their emotional response to the phrase. To explore shades of meaning, ask:

"What is a less violent way to describe a scream?" (e.g., screamed in terror, screamed loudly)

  • Highlight structural relationships in the discussion by modifying the Rainforest Experiences anchor chart to clearly mark what students knew about rainforests before this unit and what they know now. You can do this by using a T-chart or two different colored markers when scribing. (MMR)
  • Before reading the excerpt from the book, briefly review key story elements (e.g., characters, setting, major plot points) to help students make explicit connections across the text. (MMR)

B. Reviewing Performance Task and Learning Targets (15 minutes)

  • Display the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart. Invite students to chorally read each question aloud with you.
  • Invite students to focus on the two questions:
    • "How does a narrator's or speaker's point of view influence how events are described?"
    • "How do authors engage the reader in narratives?"
  • Explain that in this unit, they will continue to build expertise about narrative texts.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How have we been building expertise about narrative texts?" (We have been reading examples of narrative texts.)

"How can we continue to build expertise about narrative texts?" (We can practice writing narrative texts.)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read them aloud:
    • "I can find the gist of a narrative text."
    • "I can describe how a narrator's point of view influences how events are described in a narrative."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Who is the narrator in a narrative text?" (The narrator is the person or character who is telling the story.)

"What do we mean by point of view?" (Point of view is the perspective that a story is told from.)

  • Add any new academic vocabulary to the permanent Academic Word Wall. Invite students to write the home-language translations of academic or domain-specific words in a different color on the Word Wall next to the learning target vocabulary.
  • Have students give a quick thumbs-up, thumbs-down, or thumbs-sideways to indicate how well they understand today's learning targets.
  • Draw students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart and read the prompt aloud, inviting students to chorally read it with you. Remind them that they are working toward creating an ebook narrative about the rainforest.
  • Explain that before they can write their narratives, they need to learn more about what makes a strong narrative.
  • Remind students of the reading they did in Unit 2.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Based on the texts read in Unit 2, what are some characteristics of effective narratives?" (Responses will vary, but may include: They use descriptive language; they have a beginning, middle, and end; there is a problem; they show how characters in the story respond to that problem.)

  • Explain that today students will begin working on the final performance task for this module, and as part of learning about that they will read a new narrative text for the gist. Remind students that they practiced reading for the gist throughout Module 1 and in Units 1 and 2, and tell them they will talk more about what this means later in the lesson.
  • For ELLs and students who need additional support with receptive language: As students share out the characteristics of effective narratives, jot down, say aloud, sketch, and display each characteristic to provide written language reinforcement. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who need additional support with reading/short term and long term memory: Using their vocabulary log, word clusters, and word maps for support, students can explore spelling and pronouncing aloud various word forms, synonyms, definitions, translations, and collocations (words frequently used together) to increase understanding of the word influences in the learning target. (MMAE) Example:

I-N-F-L-U-E-N-C-E-S

influence, influenced, influencing

affects, changes

the ability to have an effect on something, e.g., to have an effect on narrative events

influencia (Portuguese and Spanish)

greatly influences; clearly influences; try to influence; be easily influenced

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading for Gist: "Bite at Night" (10 minutes)

  • Distribute copies of "Bite at Night." Explain that over the next several lessons, students will use this text to begin to build expertise about narrative texts.
  • Explain that today they will read this text for the gist and to consider the point of view from which the story is told, and they will reread it more closely in later lessons, looking at what makes it a strong narrative.
  • Read it aloud for students without stopping, as they read along silently in their heads.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the text about?"(Responses may vary, but could include that it is about Meg getting bitten by ants in the middle of the night.)

  • Direct students' attention to the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
  • Tell them that this text is challenging and may have unfamiliar words. Reassure them that just like when they read other texts this year, they are not expected to understand it fully the first time. Remind them that one key to being a strong reader of difficult text is being willing to struggle.
  • Distribute and display Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: "Bite at Night." Tell students that they can draw or write in the Gist column. These are just notes to help them remember what each excerpt is mostly about.
  • Display the first paragraph of "Bite at Night." Read it aloud for the whole group and invite students to chorally read it with you.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of this part of the text? What is it mostly about?" (The narrator was having a dream, and a loud noise woke him or her up.)

"Are there any words whose meaning you don't know? What are they?" (Responses will vary.)

"Choose a word you are unsure about the meaning of. Which strategy would be most effective in determining the meaning of that word?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Repeat this process as you read the remainder of the text. Add any new words to the academic and domain-specific word walls.
  • For ELLs: Guide students through Language Dive: Part I (see supporting materials). Refer to the Language Dive Guide I: "Bite at Night" (for teacher reference). Distribute and display the Language Dive note-catcher I and sentence strip chunks I.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to turn to an elbow partner and retell "Bite at Night" in 1 minute or less. Have them share out and give them feedback on their language use and summarizing skill. Then, invite them to turn to their partner and summarize once again, this time in 30 seconds or less. Repeat the feedback process. (MME)
  • As you identify the gist for each paragraph, explicitly model verbally how you synthesize the details from the paragraph to find the gist. This will help students to guide their own information processing. (MMR)

B. Analyzing a Model (10 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the first paragraph of "Bite at Night." Reread the text, stopping periodically and inviting them to act out the events described in the text.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the same between 'Bite at Night' and the excerpt from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World that we read earlier in the lesson?" (They both tell the story of when Meg was in Cameroon and was bitten by army ants in the middle of the night.)

"Which version was easier to act out? Why do you think so?" ("Bite at Night," because there were more details about the character and events, and it was easier to put ourselves in the shoes of the narrator)

"Who is telling the story in 'Bite at Night'? Who is telling the story in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World?" ("Bite at Night" is told by Meg; The Most Beautiful Roof in the World is told by an unknown narrator.)

  • If necessary, review the difference between first person point of view and third person point of view:
    • First person is like someone telling you his or her story.
    • Third person is like a camera recording the events of the story.
  • Ask:

"What is different between 'Bite at Night' and the excerpt from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World that we read earlier in the lesson?" ("Bite at Night" is told from Meg's point of view, or is written in the first person. The Most Beautiful Roof in the World is written in the third person.)

  • If productive, cue students with a challenge:

"Can you figure out how the point of view influences how the events are described in 'Bite at Night'? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary, but may include: It gives the reader an idea of what Meg might have been thinking or feeling on the night when she was bit by army ants; it helps readers feel like they are with Meg and makes the events seem like they are happening to the readers.)

"Can you figure out how the point of view influences how the events are described in the excerpt from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary, but may include: It gives more of a detached feeling to the events; the reader doesn't know how Meg may have felt or what she might have been thinking when the ants attacked.)

  • Explain that when students begin writing their own narratives, they will choose a scenario from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World and write a first person narrative from the point of view of one of the people featured in the scenario.
  • 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.
  • Consider using an anchor chart that offers cues for identifying first person or third person point of view when reading. For instance, under the first person column, you can include words like I, me, we, us. Under the third person column, you can include words such as they, he, she, them. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to highlight words in "Bite at Night" that make them think the narrative is written in the first person. Examples: I, me. Ask them to make similar highlights in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World that make them think the story is in third person. Examples: Meg's, she, her. Ask:

"What do we call these words? How can we use them to create different points of view?" (pronouns/words to refer to people in the story; use first person pronouns to create first person point of view; use third person pronouns to create third person point of view) (MME)

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading: As students share out the differences in point of view between the two texts, jot down, say aloud, sketch, and display each point to provide written language reinforcement. Visually differentiate between the two texts by using a graphic organizer or different colors. (MMR)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and remind them specifically of the integrity criteria. Remind students that even though you don't check every day, you want them to practice integrity, which means doing the right thing even when it's difficult because it is the right thing to do. In the context of research reading homework, this means trying to do it each day, even when it is tough to do so, and if it isn't possible, being honest when recording the dates and pages read in their journals.
  • Refer to the Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading review.
  • Since some students may have completed some of the prompts in their independent reading journal orally with a family member or friend, it will be important that these students have some notes or drawings to use for this sharing time. Consider meeting with them in advance to prep them for the research reading share and minimize the risk of public sharing. (MME)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with verbal expression: As groups of students interact, listen for language errors that are impeding communication. Sit with one group and discuss the language error and why it's impeding communication. Encourage the group to identify a clearer or more accurate way to express the communication. (MMR)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. For ELLs: Complete the Language Dive Practice I: Even though in your Unit 3 homework.

B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • 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 4 or 6, 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.

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