End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: Revising an Opinion Essay | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U2:L15

End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: Revising an Opinion Essay

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RF.5.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
  • W.5.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • W.5.1c: Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
  • W.5.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
  • L.5.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
  • L.5.2b: Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can revise my writing to link my opinion and reasons using linking words and phrases. (W.5.1c, W.5.5)
  • I can revise my writing to correctly use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence. (W.5.5, L.5.2b)

Ongoing Assessment

  • End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (W.5.1c, W.5.5, L.5.2b)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (40 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Writer's Gallery (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 revise their opinion essays for Part II of the End of Unit 2 Assessment (W.5.1c, W.5.5, L.5.2b).
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners, showing perseverance as they independently write for Part II of the end of unit assessment.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the second half of this unit, students analyzed a model and used their analysis to plan and draft an opinion essay. In Lesson 14, they learned how to revise their writing for linking words and phrases and engaged in peer critique. 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 40 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.
  • Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist to gather phonics and word analysis data as students revise their essays in Work Time A (see the Tools page).
  • Collect the opinion QuickWrite homework from Lessons 8, 9, 11, 13, and 14.

Down the road:

  • In the next unit, students will use what they know about factors that led to Jackie Robinson's success and compare this with other athletes and what led to their success in leading social change.

In Advance

  • Prepare the End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: 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.C.10, 5.I.C.11, 5.I.C.12, 5.II.A.1, 5.II.A.2, 5.II.B.3, 5.II.B.4, 5.II.B.5, 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 and 14, and to revise the paragraphs they drafted in Lesson 13 on Part I of the end of unit assessment.
  • 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 logs, 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): Continue to support students as they generalize skills that they learned from the previous session in order to set themselves up for success on Part II of the end of unit assessment.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing needs by offering students options for writing utensils. Also, consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of students' responses.
  • 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

  • Characteristics of Opinion Essays anchor chart (begun in Lesson 11)
  • Linking Words and Phrases (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Directions for Opinion Essay (from Lesson 9; one per student and one to display)
  • Opinion Writing Checklist (from Lesson 9; one per student)
  • Opinion essay (begun in Lesson 11; revised during Work Time A; one per student)
  • End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: 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)
  • 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. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can revise my writing to link my opinion and reasons using linking words and phrases."

"I can revise my writing to correctly use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence."

  • Direct students' attention to the Characteristics of Opinion Essays anchor chart and read each bullet point aloud, since students will be required to revise their essays on the assessment.
  • Invite students to retrieve and review their Linking Words and Phrases handout, since they will be required to revise for this on the assessment.
  • Answer clarifying questions.
  • 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 II: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success (40 minutes)

  • Invite students to retrieve the following Materials:
    • Directions for Opinion Essay
    • Opinion Writing Checklist
    • Opinion essay
  • Tell students that, for this part of the assessment, they will revise and edit their essays.
  • Distribute the End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: Opinion Essay: Factors of Jackie Robinson's Success.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads, while you read the directions aloud. Answer clarifying questions.
  • Remind students that since 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 since they will be reading and answering questions independently for the assessment, they may need to practice perseverance.
  • Remind students that they planned, drafted, and received peer critique in the previous lessons.
  • Invite students to begin the assessment.
  • While they 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 targets.
  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they persevered in this lesson.
  • For students who may need additional support in building writing stamina: Consider offering built-in breaks, where students can choose an activity such as getting water or stretching. (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Assessment Map) While explaining, display a "map" of the assessment.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Writer's Gallery (15 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Tell students that now they will celebrate their work as writers with a Writer's Gallery. Give specific, positive feedback on all the reading, research, and writing they have done to learn about Jackie Robinson and forming an opinion on which factor was most important in his success. Emphasize their perseverance.
  • Share that during the Writer's Gallery, they will have an opportunity to read some of their classmates' essays and leave a positive comment about their work.
  • Remind students that they have been practicing giving kind and helpful feedback to their writing partners throughout this unit, but today they will focus only on what they think the writer did well in the work they read.
  • Define positive comment and remind them that comments that are specific and kind will be more meaningful than comments such as "This is good." Tell students that once they have read another's work, they will write the positive comment on a sticky note and leave it on the classmate's desk.
  • Assign each student another student's work to read.
  • Post and review the following directions. Ask students to read them silently as you distribute sticky notes:
  1. Clear your desk and put your opinion essay and sticky notes on top.
  2. Go to your assigned author's desk.
  3. Silently read his or her essay.
  4. Leave a positive comment on one of the sticky notes.
  5. Go to an open desk and repeat steps 3-5.
  • Answer clarifying questions.
  • Point out that they will not get to read all the essays in the class but should have time to read at least one, if not two or three.
  • Emphasize that the Writer's Gallery is silent so everyone can read without distraction.
  • Ask students to put the necessary Materials on their desk. Then, ask them to move to their assigned author's desk and begin the process.
  • Once time is up, ask students to go back to their desks and read their positive comment(s).
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Add visual scaffolding to the posted directions for the Writer's Gallery. (Example: A quick sketch or photograph of each step 1-5.) (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Writer's Gallery) Consider reading the directions for the Writer's Gallery aloud. Then, model and think aloud the process for following these directions, and for leaving positive and meaningful feedback on the essays read.
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Starters) Provide sentence starters on the sticky notes for students to complete to support them in providing meaningful feedback. (Example: "One thing you did well was _____.")
  • For ELLs: (Home Languages) Invite students to include positive comments in their home languages.

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) 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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