End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Writing an Opinion Essay | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U2:L13

End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Writing an Opinion Essay

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
  • W.5.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • W.5.1a: Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.
  • W.5.1b: Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
  • W.5.1d: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
  • W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
  • W.5.9b: Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]"").
  • W.5.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can write Proof Paragraph 2 and the conclusion of my essay using evidence from the text to support a reason for my opinion. (RI.5.9, W.5.1a, W.5.1b, W.5.1d, W.5.4, W.5.9b, W.5.10)

Ongoing Assessment

  • End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (RI.5.9, W.5.1, W.5.4, W.5.9b, W.5.10)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Returning Mid-Unit 2 Assessment (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing the Learning Target (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (35 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Tracking Progress (15 minutes)

4. Homework

B. Choose and respond to an opinion QuickWrite prompt from your Unit 2 Homework.

C. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In Opening A, students' Mid-Unit 2 Assessments are returned with feedback. This gives students the opportunity to see how they performed in order to improve in their next assessment, and to ask questions if they don't understand the feedback.
  • In this lesson, students use their Opinion Writing Planning graphic organizer and the introduction and Proof Paragraph 1 of their essays to complete a draft of their essays for Part I of the End of Unit 2 Assessment. Students draft Proof Paragraph 2 and the conclusion paragraph (RI.5.9, W.5.1, W.5.4, W.5.9b).
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners, showing perseverance as they independently write for Part I of the end of unit assessment.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the second half of this unit, students have been analyzing a model and using their analysis to plan an opinion essay and draft the introduction and Proof Paragraph 1. This lesson continues those routines in an assessment.

Areas where 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.
  • For some students, this assessment may require more than the 35 minutes allotted. Consider providing time over multiple days if necessary.

Assessment guidance:

  • Writing rubrics can be found on the Tools page. All other assessment Materials (student copy, answer key, student example) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
  • When assessing and providing feedback on this assessment, use the teacher answer key and sample student responses to help complete the Tracking Progress recording form (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • In this assessment, students are tracking progress toward anchor standard W.1: By the end of Grade 12 I will be able to: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will learn how to add linking words and phrases to their writing and engage in peer critique. They will revise their writing for linking words and phrases, for correct use of commas after introductory elements, and based on the peer critique for Part II of the End of Unit 2 assessment in Lesson 15.
  • Review students' essays and add feedback for students to take into consideration when they revise before Part II of the assessment in Lesson 15.
  • Students' End of Unit 2 Assessments with feedback will be returned in Unit 3, Lesson 6.

In Advance

  • Provide feedback on students' Mid-Unit 2 Assessments in preparation for returning them in Opening A.
  • Prepare End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • 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.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.B.6, 5.I.B.7, 5.I.C.10, 5.I.C.11, 5.I.C.12, 5.II.A.1, 5.II.A.2, 5.II.C.6, and 5.II.C.7

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by inviting them to complete assessment tasks similar to the classroom tasks completed in Lessons 9-12.
  • ELLs may find the assessment challenging. Encourage students to consult classroom resources and give them specific, positive feedback on the progress they've made learning English.
  • Make sure that ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment questions themselves (see Meeting Students' Needs).
  • Allow students to review note-catchers, the Word Wall, Vocabulary log, and other classroom resources.
  • After the assessment, ask students to discuss what was easiest and what was most difficult on the assessment, and why.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): To set themselves up for success for the end of unit assessment, students need to generalize the skills that they learned from the previous lessons. Similar to Modules 1 and 2, in this lesson, before administering the assessment, activate students' prior knowledge by recalling the learning targets from the previous lessons. Also, present the directions for the assessment both visually and verbally.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students draft an opinion piece as Part I of the end of unit assessment. Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to support students in limiting distractions during the end of unit assessment. Also, continue to provide variation in time for completing the assessment as appropriate. Consider breaking the assessment into parts and offering breaks at certain times.

Vocabulary

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

  • Do not preview Vocabulary for this assessment lesson.

Materials

  • Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Summarizing a Short Video and Examining Point of View (from Lesson 6; one per student; returned with feedback during Opening A)
  • Characteristics of Opinion Essays anchor chart (begun in Lesson 11)
  • Directions for Opinion Essay (from Lesson 9; one per student and one to display)
  • Opinion Writing Planning graphic organizer (from Lesson 10; one per student and one to display)
  • Opinion Writing Checklist (from Lesson 9; one per student)
  • Opinion essay (begun in Lesson 11; added to during Work Time A; one per student)
  • End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (one per student; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Tracking Progress folders (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Tracking Progress: Opinion Writing (one per student)
  • Sticky notes (three 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. Returning Mid-Unit 2 Assessment (5 minutes)

  • Return students' Mid-Unit 2 Assessments with feedback and follow the same routine established in Modules 1 and 2 for students to review feedback and write their name on the board if they require teacher support.
  • Build an accepting and supportive classroom by reminding students that everyone is working toward individual goals and that learning is about continued growth and development. (MME)

B. Reviewing the Learning Target (5 minutes)

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

"I can write Proof Paragraph 2 and the conclusion of my essay using evidence from the text to support a reason for my opinion."

  • Direct students' attention to the Characteristics of Opinion Essays anchor chart and read each bullet point aloud, as students will be required to do this in the assessment.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: (Working toward Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward each learning target. (MMR, MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (35 minutes)

  • Invite students to retrieve the following Materials:
    • Directions for Opinion Essay
    • Opinion Writing Planning graphic organizer
    • Opinion Writing Checklist
    • Opinion essay
  • Tell students that, for this part of the assessment, they will write Proof Paragraph 2 and the conclusion, and they will revise them in Lesson 15.
  • Distribute the End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads, while you read the prompt aloud. Answer clarifying questions.
  • Remind students that because this is an assessment, they should complete it independently in silence. Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, specifically on "perseverance" and what this looks and sounds like. Remind students that as they will be reading and answering questions independently for the assessment, they may need to practice perseverance.
  • Remind students that they planned and began drafting this essay in the previous lessons.
  • Remind students that since this is an assessment, they should complete it independently in silence.
  • Invite students to begin the assessment.
  • While students are taking the assessment, circulate to monitor and document their test-taking skills.
  • 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.
  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they persevered in this lesson.
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Consider offering supportive tools (e.g., pencil grip, slanted desk, or use of a word processor). (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Assessment Map) While explaining, display a "map" of the assessment.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Tracking Progress (15 minutes)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of Part I of the End of Unit 2 Assessment.
  • Distribute Tracking Progress folders, Tracking Progress: Opinion Writing, and sticky notes.
  • Tell students the sticky notes are for them to find evidence of the following criteria:
    • W.5.1a
    • W.5.1b
  • Guide students through completing the recording form.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with monitoring their own learning: (Self-Assessment) Self-assessment may be an unfamiliar concept for some students. Tell students that thinking about how well they did will help them do even better next time. (MME)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs
  • Choose and respond to an opinion QuickWrite prompt from your Unit 2 Homework.
  • 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) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your 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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