Reading Informational Texts: Determining an Author’s Point of View | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U2:L1

Reading Informational Texts: Determining an Author’s Point of View

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.5.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
  • RI.5.6: Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
  • L.5.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • L.5.5b: Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can describe an author's point of view on the most important factor in Jackie Robinson's success as a leader of social change. (RI.5.6)
  • I can use the relationship between words to better understand domain-specific Vocabulary about Jackie Robinson. (RI.5.4, L.5.5c)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Describing Point of View handout (RI.5.1, RI.5.6)
  • Participation during Interactive Word Wall protocol (RI.5.4, L.5.5b)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing the Module Guiding Questions (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Describing Point of View: Promises to Keep, Page 29 (20 minutes)

B. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Listening for Gist: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (10 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:

  • This lesson launches Unit 2 by connecting the work done in Unit 1 of identifying factors that led to Jackie Robinson's success in breaking the color barrier in baseball to the focus of this unit: developing an opinion about which factor was most important in Jackie's success.
  • In Work Time A, students reread an excerpt from Promises to Keep and describe Sharon Robinson's point of view about factors that led to Jackie's success (RI.5.1, RI.5.6).
  • In Work Time B, students participate in the Interactive Word Wall protocol to better understand some of the domain-specific words from the module so far (RI.5.4, L.5.5b).
  • In the Closing, students listen to an audio clip featuring Jackie Robinson. Students will work with the essay that Jackie reads in this clip over the next several lessons. After listening to the clip, students discuss the gist of the essay in preparation for deeper analysis in Lessons 2-3.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become ethical people and particularly on a characteristic of their choice as they work in groups throughout the lesson.
  • The research reading that students complete for homework helps build both their Vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to baseball and athletes, specifically how athletes have led change. By participating in this volume of reading over 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:

  • This module builds on students' understanding of the factors of Jackie Robinson's success identified in Unit 1. In this lesson, and throughout Unit 2, students consider which factor (or factors) was most important in his success.
  • Continue to use Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support in describing Sharon Robinson's point of view. Consider identifying specific paragraphs or sentences for students to reread when gathering examples from the text of Sharon Robinson's point of view.

Assessment guidance:

  • Listen to student responses as they complete the Describing Point of View handout to initially assess how well students can determine and describe the point of view, and to identify common issues to use as whole group teaching points in Lessons 3-4.

Down the road:

  • Students will listen to the essay "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" as it is closely read with a focus on point of view and summarize the points Jackie Robinson makes in Lessons 2-3.
  • Students will continue working with texts about Jackie Robinson in the next few lessons with a focus on describing the author's point of view. They will compare the points of view of these authors in Lesson 5. They will repeat this routine with new texts as part of the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment in Lesson 6.

In Advance

  • Prepare technology necessary for students to play "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" in the Closing.
  • Pre-determine triads for the Interactive Word Wall protocol in Work Time B.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 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.
  • Closing and Assessment A: Prepare technology necessary for students to play "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (one device per student).
    • Robinson, Jackie. "Free Minds and Hearts at Work." This I Believe, 1952. NPR. Web. Accessed on 16 Sept. 2016.
  • Consider that YouTube, social media video sites, and other website links may incorporate inappropriate content via comment banks and ads. Although some lessons include these links as the most efficient means to view content in preparation for the lesson, teachers should preview them and/or use a filter service, such as SafeShare.tv to view the links in the classroom.

Supporting English Language Learners

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

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by building on students' understanding from Unit 1 about factors that contributed to Jackie Robinson's success in breaking the color barrier, explicitly discussing point of view in the context of informative text, and providing time for engagement with domain-specific Vocabulary in a collaborative, interactive activity.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to determine Sharon Robinson's point of view and identify evidence in the text to support that point of view. Consider providing additional time for students to reread the text in pairs, and encourage them to refer to the factors for success charts created in Unit 1 (see "Levels of support" below and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During the Mini Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions.

For heavier support:

  • Add sentence starters to the Describing Point of View handout. Write the following under the "Point of View" heading in the second column: His/Her point of view is _____; His/Her opinion is ____; He/She thinks that _____; Write the following under the "Evidence from the Text" heading in the third column: One example is _____; For instance, _____; One place we see this in the text is _____; Encourage students to use these sentence starters when discussing the point of view of authors throughout the unit.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, support comprehension by activating prior knowledge. Consider a brief review of Unit 1 to highlight relevance and scaffold connections for students. Additionally, provide questions visually as well as verbally.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): To support self-monitoring and executive function skills in this lesson, 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 when listening for gist in the Closing.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to remind students of the goal for the work they are doing with domain-specific Vocabulary. Returning to the learning goals lifts up their value and relevance to students.

Vocabulary

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

  • social change, point of view, factor, believe (L)

Materials

  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • 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, Lesson 1)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Describing Point of View handout (one per student and one to display)
  • Describing Point of View handout (example, for teacher reference)
  • Promises to Keep (one per student and one to display)
  • Vocabulary logs (begun in Module 1; one per student)
  • Large index cards (one per triad)
  • Device (at least one per pair)
  • "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (audio recording; play complete recording; see Technology and Multimedia)

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 the Module Guiding Questions (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart and read the questions aloud:
    • "How have athletes broken barriers during the historical era in which they lived?"
    • "What factors can contribute to an individual's success in a changing society?"
  • Remind students that throughout Unit 1, they collected factors that led to Jackie Robinson's success in leading social change. If necessary, remind students that social change is working to make a community or group different in a lasting way. The women's suffrage movement or ending slavery are examples of social change in the United States.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What examples of social change are you familiar with?" (Responses will vary.)

"What barriers did Jackie Robinson break?" (He worked to end segregation by breaking the color barrier in baseball.)

"What factors led to his success in a changing society?" (historical context; personal qualities; support from decision makers, family, friends, and fans; a way to communicate his vision)

  • Tell students that they will continue to build on what they know about the factors that led to Jackie's success in this unit by thinking about which factor (or factors) was most important in his success in leading social change.
  • Tell students that in the first half of this unit, they will examine texts--some that they read in Unit 1 and some new texts--and think about different people's point of view on which factor was most important in Jackie's success. In the second half of the unit, they will synthesize their learning about Jackie Robinson to develop their own opinion about which factor was most important.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider writing synonyms or sketching a visual above each key term or Vocabulary to scaffold students' understanding. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Factor for Success Charts: Referencing) Consider displaying the factor for success charts created in Unit 1 and allowing students to review them when answering the questions.
  • 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: A barrier that Jackie Robinson broke was _____. Some factors that contributed to his success in changing society were _____, _____ and _____.)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

"I can describe an author's point of view on the most important factor in Jackie Robinson's success as a leader of social change."

"I can use the relationship between words to better understand domain-specific Vocabulary about Jackie Robinson."

  • Circle the phrase point of view and remind students that they talked about the point of view of literary texts in Module 1. Tell them that they will be using this term in a different way to talk about informational texts in this unit.
  • Underline and use the Vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to review and/or determine the meaning of any unfamiliar words. Record any new words on the Academic Word Wall and Domain-Specific Word Wall and invite students to add translations in home languages.
  • Tell students that throughout the lesson, they will be working in groups. Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and invite students to read the habits of character on the chart to themselves. Tell students to choose a habit to focus on as they work with their classmates today.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: Invite students to share one way they worked toward similar learning targets in previous lessons. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Summarizing the Target) Check for comprehension by asking students to summarize and then to personalize the first learning target. Ask:

"Can you put the first learning target in your own words?" (I can say what factor the author thinks was most important to Jackie's success.)

"How do you feel about that target?" (I wonder if I will agree or disagree with the author.)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Describing Point of View: Promises to Keep, Page 29 (20 minutes)

  • Remind students that in Module 2, they learned that the point of view in a narrative text is the perspective that a story is told from. It is the way the author allows the reader to "hear" and "see" what is happening in a narrative.
  • Display and distribute the Describing Point of View handout and select a volunteer to read the title and description of point of view at the top:
    • The point of view in informational texts is the perspective of the author on the topic. It is the way he or she helps the reader understand what the author thinks about the topic.
  • Display page 29 in Promises to Keep and invite students to take out their copy of the book and turn to this page.
  • Invite students to read page 29 with a partner and briefly discuss the gist of this page (Jackie and Branch Rickey were talking about the opportunity for Jackie to play in the major leagues and whether Jackie was the right man to break the color barrier.)
  • Turn and Talk:

"Who is the author of this book?" (Sharon Robinson)

"What is her relationship with Jackie Robinson? What words in the text make you think so?" (She is his daughter; she uses words like "my father" and "Dad.")

"So who's point of view are we determining from this excerpt?" (Sharon Robinson's)

  • Tell students that because an author's point of view is the perspective of the author on the topic, and that in this unit the topic is the most important factor(s) in Jackie Robinson's success, when describing the point of view of this excerpt they need to think about which factor Sharon Robinson thought was most important in Jackie's success in breaking the color barrier.
  • Model recording the topic in the appropriate spot on the handout, and invite students to do the same on their copy. Refer to Describing Point of View handout (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to reread page 29 with a partner, keeping this new question in mind.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which factors does Sharon Robinson think were important in Jackie's success? What words and phrases in the text make you think so?" (Personal qualities: "Dad was prepared athletically."; "He'd matured over the years."; "He had his faith." Support from family: "He had the support of a loving woman and a steadfast mother.")

  • As students share out, capture their responses in the appropriate spots on the handout, inviting students to do the same on their copies. Continue to refer to the Describing Point of View handout (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students they will work with two new texts, thinking about and comparing other authors' points of view on this topic and adding to this handout in the next few lessons.
  • 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 students who may need additional support with auditory processing: Display questions on a chart or board during discussion between partners. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Highlighting Key Words and Phrases) Before asking students to identify which factors Sharon Robinson thought were most important in Jackie's success, consider highlighting some key words or phrases in the text and having students think about what they communicate about Sharon Robinson's point of view. Model and think aloud this process for students as necessary. Invite students to identify additional words or phrases that serve as evidence for their thinking and add them to the handout.      
  • For ELLs: (Describing Point of View handout: Using Sentence Starters) Encourage students to use the sentence starters in each column of the Describing Point of View handout (see For heavier support) when describing Sharon Robinson's point of view. (For example: "Her point of view is that the support Jackie Robinson had from his family was an important factor in his success. One place we see this in the text is where she writes that he had the support of a loving woman and a steadfast mother.")
  • For ELLs: (Mini Language Dive) "He knew that dad / had both the self-control and the courage / to succeed."
    • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
      • had: What?" / Meaning: had means possessed or owned something. It signals that we will learn what Jackie Robinson had. (past tense verb)
      • both signals we will learn more than one thing about what Jackie Robinson had. (conjunction)
      • the self-control and the courage: "Had what?" / Meaning: self-control means control over one's feelings or actions. courage means the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous. (noun phrase)
    • Cover the word both with your finger. Note that the overall meaning of the sentence does not change. both is used to emphasize that two factors--self-control and courage--were very important for Jackie's success.
    • Practice: "I like both _____ and _____."
    • Reconstruct: Reread the sentence. Ask:

"Now what do you think the sentence means?"

"Why do you think Jackie Robinson needed both self-control and courage?"

"How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of Sharon Robinson's point of view?"

    • Practice: [I/He/She] had both the _____ and the _____ to succeed. Ask:

"What if we changed had to will have?"

B. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (20 minutes)

  • Move students into pre-determined triads.
  • Tell them they will now use the Interactive Word Wall protocol to better understand some of the words and meanings they have encountered in this module. Remind students that they used this protocol in Module 2 and review as necessary. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Direct students' attention to the Domain-Specific Word Wall and invite them to take out their Vocabulary logs and their copy of Promises to Keep.
  • Distribute large index cards. Invite students to work with their triad to choose a domain-specific word they have encountered so far in this unit and write it on the front of the index card. Say: "Domain-specific Vocabulary words are words about a specific topic, domain, or content area. Your triad should think of a word you've encountered relating to athletes leading social change. For example, segregation, injustice, and color barrier are all domain-specific words about the topic of athletes leading social change."
  • Invite students to decide on their word and write it on the front of their index card.
  • After 2 minutes, invite each triad to find another triad, forming a group of six. Tell students to share the words they have written on their index cards.
  • Refocus whole group.
  • Invite groups to interact or engage with the words on their cards by comparing and contrasting them or using them to create a description.
  • Invite groups to begin working. Circulate to monitor groups as they interact with the words. Pre-select groups to share out that have come up with creative ways to compare and contrast their words or create descriptions.
  • After 7 minutes, refocus whole group and call on pre-selected groups to share out.
  • Collect students' index cards and add them to the Domain-Specific Word Wall.
  • If productive, cue students to think about their thinking:

"How does creating descriptions together add to your understanding of the relationship between words? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (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 second learning target.
  • For students who may need additional support in organizing their ideas for verbal expression: Model the discussion of comparing and contrasting domain-specific words for students, offering sentence frames for students to use in their triad discussions. (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Interacting about Words) Consider choosing two groups' words and modeling and thinking aloud the process for comparing and contrasting or creating descriptions for the words. Alternatively, consider stopping the activity after 1-2 minutes to have two groups of students model this process before resuming the activity.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Listening for Gist: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (10 minutes)

  • Tell students that the next text they will analyze for the point of view is an essay that Jackie Robinson wrote in 1952 for the radio series This I Believe.
  • Invite students to use the Vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to determine the meaning of the word believe. Invite students to add it to their Vocabulary logs and record it on the Academic Word Wall, inviting students to add translations in home languages (to have a strong belief in or opinion on something).
  • If productive, cue students with a challenge. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"The essay is called This I Believe. Can you figure out why we usually say 'I believe that _____' instead of 'This I believe: _____'? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." ("This I believe" is poetic or dramatic and is used to emphasize the belief.)

  • Tell students that the radio series This I Believe began in the 1950s and is a show where Americans shared personal statements about their core beliefs. Tell students it is still on the radio today.
  • Share that in a moment, they will listen to a recording of Jackie Robinson reading his essay. Tell students that today they should just listen to get its gist.
  • Ensure students have a device so they can access the recording themselves and invite students to listen to "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of the essay?" (Jackie tells about his fight against prejudice.)

  • Tell students they will work with this essay more over the next few lessons to learn more about Jackie Robinson.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess how well they demonstrated the habit from the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart they decided to focus on today.
  • For students who may need additional support with auditory processing: Provide a copy of the transcript of the essay with key phrases highlighted to lift up the gist for students. (MMR)
  •  For ELLs: (Noticing Parts of Speech) Ask:

"What is the difference between the words believe and belief?" (Believe is a verb or an action word that means to have a belief or an opinion about something. Belief is a noun or a thing and means a feeling that something is true.)

  • For ELLs: (Connecting Word Meanings) Help students make connections between the definition of the word believe and the definition of point of view provided earlier in the lesson. Explain that a person's point of view on a topic can be their belief, or what they believe about a topic. Add the sentence starter "He/She believes _________" to the second column of the Describing Point of View anchor chart. (See For heavier support.)
  • For ELLs: (Listening Twice) Consider playing the recording two times. Students will be able to absorb and comprehend more information the second time they hear the recording.

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: (Oral Response) Students can discuss and respond to their prompt orally, either with a partner, a family member, or a student from Grades 4 or 6, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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