Reading Informational Texts: Explaining Factors for Success | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U1:L11

Reading Informational Texts: Explaining Factors for Success

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can gather evidence that supports how people or events led to Jackie Robinson's success. (RI.5.1, RI.5.3)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Participation in additions to factor for success anchor charts (RI.5.1, RI.5.3)
  • Participation in additions to habits of character anchor charts (RI.5.1, RI.5.3)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Factors for Jackie Robinson's Success (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading for Gist: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57 (10 minutes)

B. Rereading to Gather Evidence: Factors for Success (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Habits of Character (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:

  • Work Times A and B contain repeated routines from Lessons 2-9. Refer to those lessons for more detail, as necessary.
  • In this lesson, students read a new chapter from Promises to Keep. They then work in small groups to reread what they have read thus far in Promises to Keep and gather evidence of Jackie Robinson's success (RI.5.1, RI.5.3, SL.5.2).
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become ethical people by showing respect as they reflect on the chapter read from Promises to Keep, and a characteristic of their choice in working to become an effective learner as they work with their group to reread and gather evidence. Students also reflect on how people in Promises to Keep demonstrated the habits of character.

How it builds on previous work:

  • This lesson follows the same routine of gathering evidence for factors of Jackie's success from Promises to Keep as in Lesson 10.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need support in rereading and gathering additional evidence of factors for Jackie's success. Consider flagging specific pages in Promises to Keep for groups to reread.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist during students' partner discussions in Work Time B (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • Students will repeat this routine of reading a new excerpt of Promises to Keep and explaining a factor for Jackie's success for the end of unit assessment in Lesson 12.
  • Students will use the factor for success anchor charts throughout Units 2-3 when developing an opinion about which factor was most important in Jackie Robinson's success, and when comparing his success to the success of other athletes.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine groups for Work Time B. Students should be divided into five groups, with each group focused on a different factor for Jackie Robinson's success: Historical Context; Personal Qualities; Support from Decision Makers; Support from Family, Friends, and Fans; and A Way to Communicate the Vision.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1 and 2 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 5.I.B.5 and 5.I.B.6

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing the same routine for finding the gist as in previous lessons, and for gathering evidence for factors of Jackie Robinson's success as in Lesson 7. The consistency of the note-catchers and anchor charts is also supportive of ELLs.
  • ELLs may feel overwhelmed by the volume of text they are asked to read in Work Time B to gather examples and evidence for a factor for success. Remind students that they will follow the same routine for gathering evidence as in Lesson 7, and consider providing time for students to reflect on strategies they found helpful (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Throughout the lesson, challenge students to identify verbs that show appropriate shifts in verb tense, and to explain why the shifts are appropriate. As students share, provide any needed clarification and add the examples to the Verb Tenses anchor chart from Lesson 2.

For heavier support:

  • Throughout the reading for gist, stop often to check for comprehension. Ask students to summarize the events and ideas in the text. When necessary, invite a more proficient student to paraphrase the events in more comprehensible language.
  • During Work Times B and C, consider working with small groups of students to help them identify evidence and examples together. The group can begin working collaboratively and finish independently.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students again engage with Promises to Keep. Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge before they begin.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, support self-monitoring and executive function skills by facilitating student management of information and resources by allowing them to identify unknown words and record them in their Vocabulary log.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Before students share with a partner, foster community and support students by practicing how to provide positive feedback (e.g., how to give a compliment or ask questions for further understanding).

Vocabulary

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

  • announced, investigating, exclusive, organizations, protest, activists, elected, induction, equality, achievements (T)

Materials

  • Promises to Keep (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57 (one per student and one to display)
  • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57 (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Vocabulary logs (begun in Module 1; one per student)
  • Academic Word Wall (begun in Module 1; added to during Work Time A)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time A)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to during the Closing)
  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to during the Closing; see supporting Materials)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Factor for Success: Historical Context anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4; added to during Work Time B)
  • Factor for Success: Personal Qualities anchor chart (begun in Lesson 5; added to during Work Time B)
  • Factor for Success: Support from Decision Makers anchor chart (begun in Lesson 6; added to during Work Time B)
  • Factor for Success: Support from Family, Friends, and Fans anchor chart (begun in Lesson 8; added to during Work Time B)
  • Factor for Success: A Way to Communicate the Vision anchor chart (begun in Lesson 9; added to during Work Time B)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to during the Closing)
  • Sticky notes (five 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. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Factors for Jackie Robinson's Success (5 minutes)

  • Tell students they are going to use the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol. Remind them that they used this protocol in Modules 1-2, and review as necessary. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Guide students through two rounds of the protocol, each time with a new partner, using the following question:

"Which factor do you think was most important in Jackie Robinson's success in breaking the color barrier in baseball? Why?"

  • Ask students to return to their seats
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames: Heavier Support) Invite more proficient students to create sentence frames for students who need heavier support to use when sharing. (Example: I think the most important factor in Jackie Robinson's success in breaking the color barrier in baseball was __________ because ________.)

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning target and read it aloud:

"I can gather evidence that supports how people or events led to Jackie Robinson's success."

  • Share that today they will read a new chapter from Promises to Keep and then reread the chapters they have read so far to find new evidence of factors that led to Jackie's success.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: Invite students to share one way that they worked toward a similar learning target in previous lessons. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Revisiting Work toward Same Learning Target) Invite students to review the evidence and examples added to the factor for success anchor charts in Lesson 7. Ask:

"What was challenging about rereading all of the chapters to collect evidence and examples? How did you overcome these challenges?"

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading for Gist: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57 (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to take out Promises to Keep and turn to page 50.
  • Display page 50 and read pages 50-57 aloud, as students read along silently in their heads.
  • Turn and Talk, and use a total participation technique to invite responses from the group:

"What is the text about?" (how Jackie worked for civil rights after he retired from baseball)

  • Distribute Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57. Follow the same routine as in Work Time A of Lesson 2 to guide students through reading this text. Refer to the following resources as necessary:
    • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart
    • Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57 (answers, for teacher reference)
    • Vocabulary logs
    • Academic Word Wall
    • Domain-Specific Word Wall
    • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support determining the gist: Continue to highlight or underline key phrases in their individual copy of Promises to Keep in advance. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider adding visual support (quick sketch or photograph) for new Vocabulary words as they are added to the Word Walls. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Continue to provide options for expression by offering a copy of Finding the Gist and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Promises to Keep, Pages 50-57 that includes lines. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Discussing Phrases to Determine Meaning) To support students in using context to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, encourage them to discuss the phrases connected to these words as well. (Example: "investigating other opportunities means to look closely at other job possibilities. Since this phrase is connected to In anticipation of retirement, I think In anticipation of retirement means that Jackie Robinson thinks he will soon not have a job as a baseball player.")

B. Rereading to Gather Evidence: Factors for Success (25 minutes)

  • Follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lesson 7 to guide students through adding to the factor for success anchor charts:
    • Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart and review the second guiding question.
    • Tell students that they will work in small groups to reread the book and find additional examples and evidence for one of the factors for success.
    • Move students into pre-determined groups. Direct students' attention to the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and invite them to reread the chart to themselves. Tell students to choose a habit to focus on as they work with their group today.
    • Post and review the following directions:

1. Review the factor for success chart for your group.

  • Factor for Success: Historical Context anchor chart
  • Factor for Success: Personal Qualities anchor chart
  • Factor for Success: Support from Decision Makers anchor chart
  • Factor for Success: Support from Family, Friends, and Fans anchor chart
  • Factor for Success: A Way to Communicate the Vision anchor chart

2. Reread pages 6-57, looking for additional examples and evidence of your group's factor for Jackie Robinson's success.

3. Record the examples and evidence your group finds on your group's factor for success chart.

    • Answer clarifying questions and invite students to begin working.
    • Circulate to support students as they work and to identify common issues to use as whole group teaching points.
    • After 20 minutes, refocus whole group. Invite each group to share the additional examples and evidence they gathered with the class.
  • For students who may need additional support with motivation and sustained effort: Provide feedback that is timely and informational as students share examples of the factor for Jackie Robinson's success. (Example: "That is a great example of one factor for Jackie Robinson's success. Can you share with your group where you find evidence of that in the text to support your thinking?") (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Jigsaw Reading) Allow students to be responsible for different, smaller portions of the text and then report back to the larger group with examples and evidence for the factor for success their group is focused on.
  • For ELLs: (Sticky Notes for Evidence) Consider using sticky notes to identify examples and evidence for a factor of success. Think aloud the cognitive process for determining evidence. (Example: "We are looking for ways that support from decision makers contributed to Jackie Robinson's success. Can anyone help me find evidence for that? I will put a sticky note where I find the evidence so I can go back to it for more context when we share as a class.")

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Habits of Character (15 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the following anchor charts:
    • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart
    • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart
    • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart
  • Remind students that they have built these anchor charts throughout the year to record what it looks like and sounds like to: treat others well and stand up for what is right; develop the mindsets and skills for success in college, careers, and life; and put learning to use to improve communities.
  • Tell students that in a moment, they will have the opportunity to reflect on the people they have read about in Promises to Keep and how they have demonstrated the habits of character they have been working on throughout the school year.
  • Model briefly, thinking aloud about how Mallie Robinson demonstrated perseverance, recording what it looked like in the appropriate column on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and using evidence from page 12 in Promises to Keep. Refer to Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (example, for teacher reference).
  • Distribute sticky notes and invite students to skim through Promises to Keep, noting examples of habits of character demonstrated by people in Promises to Keep.
  • Use a total participation technique to invite students to share out.
  • If productive, cue students to add on to what a classmate said:

"Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think and write." (Responses will vary.)

  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the learning target and the habit from the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart they decided to focus on today.
  • For ELLs: (Focused Search) Consider inviting students to choose one or two habits of character to focus on as they skim the text for evidence. This allows them to be more purposeful as they skim the pages. Additionally, consider using jigsaw reading, allowing students to be responsible for different, smaller portions of the text.
  • For ELLs: (Working in Pairs) Consider allowing students to work in pairs to find examples of habits of character. Create pairs with varying levels of language proficiency, or according to home language. Provide sentence frames for discussion. (Example: _______ showed _______ by _______.)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs
  • 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 writing: Students may benefit from discussing and responding to their prompt orally, either with a partner or a family member or by recording their response. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with reading: Continue to support students in selecting a prompt to respond to, rephrasing the prompt, and thinking aloud possible responses. (MMR)

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