Listening Closely: Summarizing the Points a Speaker Makes | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U2:L2

Listening Closely: Summarizing the Points a Speaker Makes

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • 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.
  • SL.5.3: Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence.
  • L.5.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by evidence. (SL.5.3)
  • I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work." (RI.5.4, L.5.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" note-catcher (SL.5.3)
  • Vocabulary charts (RI.5.4, L.5.4)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (25 minutes)

B. Working with Vocabulary (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Group Share: Vocabulary Chart (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:

  • In Work Time A, students listen to "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" and take running notes. Then they use their notes to discuss Jackie Robinson's opinion on what allowed for his success in breaking the color barrier in baseball and to discuss the main points he makes (SL.5.3).
  • In Work Time B, students work with some of the challenging Vocabulary from "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" by creating Vocabulary charts in small groups. Students are split into four groups, with each group focusing on a different word (RI.5.4, L.5.4).
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become ethical people 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:

  • Students listened to "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" and determined the gist in Lesson 1. In this lesson, they listen to the audio recording again to take notes and discuss.
  • Continue to use Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas where students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support in determining Jackie Robinson's opinion and identifying a main point he is making. If necessary, replay the recording so students can listen for these specific aspects of the essay.

Assessment guidance:

  • Listen to students' responses as they discuss the main points Jackie makes to initially assess how well they can determine the main points after listening to a speaker and to identify common issues to use as whole group teaching points in Lesson 4.

Down the road:

  • Students will closely read "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" with a focus on Jackie Robinson's point of view, and summarize the points Jackie Robinson makes in this essay in Lesson 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

  • Pre-determine four groups for the Closing.
  • Prepare technology necessary for students to listen to and read "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work".
  • Prepare four Vocabulary charts for the Closing (see supporting Materials). Note: The text in italics is the answers, so please do not add this in advance. Students will complete the charts in small groups during the lesson.
  • 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.
  • Work Times A and B: Prepare technology necessary for students to listen to and read "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.5, 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 with the opportunity to hear the essay from the previous lesson again and take running notes to determine the main points and evidence, which will support the summary writing students do in the next lesson. Students also explore Vocabulary words from the essay in groups, allowing them to deepen their understanding of the text, orally process their understanding of the words, and learn from others.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to take running notes and determine the main points and evidence while listening to the recording in Work Time A. Model and think aloud the process as needed, and assure students that they will have additional opportunities to work with this essay in upcoming lessons (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Before providing modeling in Work Time A, observe students and allow them to grapple. Provide modeling support only after they have grappled with the recording, and observe the areas in which they struggle to target appropriate support.
  • Challenge students to think of synonyms and antonyms for the Vocabulary words studied in Work Time B and add them to the Vocabulary charts.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, distribute a partially filled-in copy of the Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" note-catcher. This provides students with models for the kind of information they should enter while relieving the volume of writing required.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffold connections for students. Continue to provide visual display of questions and student responses on a chart or board during discussions.
  • 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 student responses.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Similar to Unit 1, in this lesson students have opportunities to share ideas and thinking with classmates. Continue to support students' engagement and self-regulatory skills during these activities by modeling and providing sentence frames as necessary.

Vocabulary

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

  • points, support, evidence, notes, opinion (L)
  • imperfection, probability, prejudices, progress, sustained (T)

Materials

  • 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)
  • Device (at least one per pair)
  • "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (audio recording and text; play complete recording; see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" note-catcher (one per student and one to display)
  • Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" note-catcher (example, for teacher reference)
  • "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (one per student and one to display; see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Vocabulary Chart: Imperfections (new; co-created with students during Work Time B)
  • Affix list (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Vocabulary Chart: Imperfections (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Vocabulary charts (one per group)
  • Vocabulary charts (example, for teacher reference)
  • Vocabulary logs (begun in Module 1; one 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 posted learning targets and select a volunteer to read them aloud:

 "I can identify the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by evidence."

"I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from 'This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work.'"

  • Remind students that in this unit they are reading texts and thinking about the point of view of authors, and that in Lesson 1 they listened to an essay by Jackie Robinson.
  • Tell students that today they will continue working with the essay, listening to it again, and summarizing it.
  • Underline the word points and remind students that a point an author or speaker makes is a big idea that supports the focus of the text and is explained in the text.
  • Circle the phrase "supported by evidence" and tell students that, like in their own writing, speakers support or prove their points with evidence.
  • 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 them 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: Consider offering a graphic as a visual analogy for identifying how points support a speaker's big idea. (Example: A four-legged stool where the legs are points and the seat is the big idea.) (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Connecting Concepts) When discussing the first learning target, consider explaining that the points a speaker makes are similar to the main ideas an author includes in a text, and evidence speakers use to support points is similar to key details an author uses to support a main idea. This will help students make connections between the work they did reading and summarizing texts in the previous unit and the work they will do listening to and summarizing recordings/videos in this unit.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" (25 minutes)

  • Ensure students have a device so they can access the recording themselves. Invite students to access and 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 use this essay to practice how a listener can take notes, identify the points the speaker makes and explain how the claims are supported by reasons and evidence, and use this information to summarize the essay.
  • Remind students that in Unit 1, they practiced listening to and summarizing a text read aloud. Tell students that this lesson is similar because, like in Unit 1, they will listen to the essay and take running notes, jotting down what they observe or hear. Then they will review their notes to identify the points the speaker made and use their notes to summarize the essay.
  • Distribute and display the Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" note-catcher. Tell students they will use this note-catcher to record their running notes. Point out that this note-catcher is similar to the one they used in Unit 1. Select a volunteer to read the headings of the table in the note-catcher. Answer any clarifying questions.
  • Play the recording again and invite students to record running notes and questions they have as they listen to the essay in the appropriate spots on the note-catcher.
  • Invite students to share any new or unfamiliar Vocabulary from the essay, adding any new words to the Academic Word Wall and Domain-Specific Word Wall, and inviting students to add translations in home languages.
  • Tell students that now that they have listened to the essay again and completed running notes, they can think about the points the speaker made and how he supported them with evidence.
  • Remind students that this essay was originally written as part of the radio series This I Believe, a show where people share personal statements about their core beliefs.
  • Use a total participation technique to invite responses from the group:

"What core belief does Jackie share in this essay?" (the reason for his success)

"What opinion does Jackie express about the reason for his success?" (that he was successful because he lived in a free society)

  • Remind students that authors and speakers give points to support their focus, and that in this piece the focus is Jackie's opinion for his success.
  • Invite students to reread their notes, and then turn and talk:

"What is a main point Jackie makes? What evidence makes you think this is the main point?" (Student responses will vary, but may include: Although humans are imperfect, they are always moving toward perfection, however slowly, or a free society supports people in moving toward perfection because it allows everyone to change what they think and do.)

  • Select volunteers to share with the group. If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand, and then to compare ideas:

"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

"How is what _____ said the same as/different from what _____ said? I'll give you time to think and write." (Responses will vary.)

  • Invite students to record a point Jackie makes and evidence that supports their thinking in the appropriate spots on their note-catchers. Refer to Listening Closely: "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work" note-catcher (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students they will have a chance to continue practicing listening to a speaker, taking running notes, determining the points a speaker makes, and finding evidence the speaker gives to support his or her points.
  • 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 fine motor skills: Offer choice with the Listening Closely note-catcher by providing a template that includes lines. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Taking Notes) Briefly model taking notes while listening to a short segment of the recording and thinking aloud the process for students. Remind students of the work they did taking notes in the previous unit, and review that it is not necessary to write in complete sentences.
  • For ELLs: (Stopping to Take Notes) Consider stopping the recording several times to give students time to take notes on the section they just heard. This will ensure that students are listening to each section and allow them to focus on one task at a time.
  • For ELLs: (Determining Main Points from Running Notes) Model and think aloud the process for determining one main point of the essay from running notes. Consider underlining examples of evidence that are connected to one another, and write a main point next to these details in the margins of the note-catcher. Invite students to do the same for the second main point. Explain that students will add the main points and evidence from their running notes to the second page of their note-catchers to use when writing a summary in the next lesson.

B. Working with Vocabulary (20 minutes)

  • Tell students they are now going to work with some of the words from "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work."
  • Refocus students on their device and help them access the text of "This I Believe: Free Minds and Hearts at Work." Tell students this is the text for the essay by Jackie Robinson that they have been working with in this lesson.
  • Direct students' attention to the Vocabulary Chart: Imperfections and tell students they will discuss the meaning of this word by completing the chart as a class. Then they will work in groups to complete a chart for another word from the essay.
  • Post and review the following steps:
  1. Use your affix list to break down the word into root and affixes.
  2. Skim the text for the word and underline the sentence(s) where it is used. Write the sentence in the appropriate spot on the chart.
  3. Use the Vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to determine the meaning of the word, recording the definition in the appropriate spot on the chart.
  4. Discuss examples of the word and a picture to represent the word. Record these in the appropriate spots on the chart.
  • Answer clarifying questions.
  • Model analyzing the meaning of the word imperfection using these steps to complete the Vocabulary Chart: Imperfections. Refer to the Vocabulary Chart: Imperfections (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Move students into pre-determined groups and distribute the Vocabulary charts.
  • Invite groups to begin working. Circulate to monitor groups as they work. Refer to the Vocabulary charts (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension and managing information: Provide a copy of the Vocabulary word on large paper with dotted lines to indicate each word part (root, affixes). Invite students to cut the word apart for the structural analysis. (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Errors: Verb Tenses) As groups interact, jot down examples of verb tense errors that are impeding communication. Share these with the class, and briefly review verb tenses for the whole class. Encourage students to identify the verb tense that communicates the message clearly and accurately, and add these examples to the Verb Tense anchor chart introduced in Unit 1, Lesson 2.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Group Share: Vocabulary Chart (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group. Invite each group to share their Vocabulary chart. Display the charts around the room for students to refer to throughout the remainder of the unit.
  • Add the words to the Academic and Domain-Specific Word Walls, and invite students to add them to their Vocabulary logs.
  • 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 and 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 engagement: Before whole group sharing, invite students to practice sharing their Vocabulary chart with you or a peer. (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Visual Support) Consider inviting a student to create a sketch to include next to each word added to the Word Walls.

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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