Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M4:U1:L6

Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points

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 or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
  • RI.5.8: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
  • 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.
  • L.5.4a: Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify reasons and evidence an author gives to support a specific point. (RI.5.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points (RI.5.4, RI.5.8, L.5.4a)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points (40 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Tracking Progress (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 complete the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment in which they read a new text, adding to their research about natural disasters and thinking about the points the author makes, identifying reasons and evidence used to support the points for the mid-unit assessment (RI.5.4, RI.5.8, L.5.4a)
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners by reading and answering questions independently for the mid-unit assessment.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In the first half of this unit, students read informational texts to identify the points made and reasons and evidence given to support them in an effort to research natural disasters. This lesson continues those routines in an assessment.

Areas in which 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.
  • Some students may need the text read aloud before they work on the questions. Consider inviting students who require this to sit in a group away from the rest of the students, so as not to be distracting.
  • For some students, this assessment may require more than the 40 minutes allotted. Consider providing time over multiple days if necessary.
  • Collect the Language Dive Practice: "How Well is Your Community Prepared?" homework from Lesson 4. Refer to the Language Dive Practice: "How Well is Your Community Prepared?" (example, for teacher reference).

Assessment Guidance:

  • All assessment materials (student prompt and teacher checklist) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
  • When assessing and providing feedback on this assessment, use the teacher answer key andsample student responses (see Assessment Overview and Resources) to help complete the student Tracking Progress recording form.
  • In this assessment, students are tracking progress toward anchor standards:
    • R.1: By the end of Grade 12 I will be able to: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
    • R.4: By the end of Grade 12 I will be able to: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
    • R.10: By the end of Grade 12 I will be able to: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
    • L.4: By the end of Grade 12 I will be able to: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will draw from their research as they participate in a Science Talk focused on the question: "How do natural disasters affect the people and places that experience them?"
  • Throughout the second half of the unit, students will work on part of the performance task: planning, writing, and recording a PSA to raise awareness about how to stay safe during a natural disaster. As they do this task, they will draw from their research about natural disasters from the first half of the unit.
  • Provide feedback on students' Mid-Unit 1 assessments in preparation for returning them in Lesson 12 with feedback.

In Advance

  • Prepare the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials)

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-3 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

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 1-5.
  • 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.
  • Allow students to review note-catchers, the Academic and Domain-Specific Word Walls, and vocabulary logs and other classroom resources.
  • Ensure ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment questions themselves (see the Meeting Students' Needs column). ?After the assessment, ask students to discuss which assessment task was easiest and which was most difficult, and why.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): To set themselves up for success for the mid-unit assessment, students need to generalize the skills that they learned from the previous sessions. Similar to Modules 1-3, before administering the assessment, activate their prior knowledge by recalling the learning targets from the previous lessons. Also present the directions for the assessment both visually and verbally and display a map of the assessment parts.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their level and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to support students in limiting distractions during the mid-unit assessment. Also continue to provide variation in time for completing the assessment as appropriate. Consider breaking the assessment into parts and offering breaks atcertain times.

Vocabulary

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

  • reasons, evidence, point (L)

Materials

  • Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points (one per student; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Tracking Progress Folders (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding, and Explaining New Text (one per student and one to display)
  • Sticky notes (three per student)
  • Language Dive Practice: "How Well is Your Community Prepared?" (homework from Lesson 4; one per student)
  • Language Dive Practice: "How Well is Your Community Prepared?" (example, for teacher reference)

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.

Download this Lesson’s Assessment

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes) 

  • Direct students' attention to the learning target and read it aloud:
    • "I can identify reasons and evidence an author gives to support a specific point."
  • Remind students that they have seen these learning targets in the previous lessons, and review vocabulary:
    • reasons (explanations given to support a point)
    • evidence (facts or details based on research or observation that support a reason)
    • point (a big idea that supports the focus of the text and is explained in the text)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Recalling Prior Work: Learning Targets) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward similar learning targets in this unit. (MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points (40 minutes) 

  • Distribute the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Analyzing How an Author Uses Reasons and Evidence to Support Points.
  • Tell students that for this assessment, they will read a new text about natural disasters.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads, while you read the directions for each part of the assessment aloud. Answer clarifying questions.
  • Direct students' attention to the following anchor charts:
    • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart
    • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart
  • Remind students to refer to these anchor charts as they read the assessment text and answer the assessment 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 and review what perseverance 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.
  • Invite students to complete 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:

Conversation Cue: "What strategies/habits helped you succeed? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning: (Assessment Map) While explaining, display a "map" of the assessment. (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Reading Aloud and Monitoring Assessment) Read aloud the entire assessment. Rephrase directions. Monitor to see that students correctly complete the assessment. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with information processing: (Rephrasing Selected Response) Invite students to rephrase selected response questions--and answer them--before they read each answer choice. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with working memory: (Reviewing Definitions) Review the difference between reasons and evidence with the class. Display the chart that lists the definition of each term (see Meeting Students' Needs, Lesson 4), and allow students to refer to it during the assessment. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Tracking Progress (15 minutes) 

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of the Mid-Unit 1 Assessment.
  • Distribute Tracking Progress folders, Tracking Progress: Reading, Understanding, and Explaining New Text and sticky notes.
  • Tell students the sticky notes are for them to find evidence of the following criteria:
  • RL.5.4, RI.5.4, L.5.4: I determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases, including figurative language, using at least one of the following strategies: use context, use affixes and roots, or use reference materials.
  • RL.5.10, RI.5.10: I read and understand Grade 5-level texts independently.
  • Guide students through completing the form.
  • Collect the Language Dive Practice: "How Well is Your Community Prepared?" homework from Lesson 4. Refer to the Language Dive Practice: "How Well is Your Community Prepared?" (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • For ELLs: (Orally Paraphrase) Allow students to orally paraphrase the meaning of the Tracking Progress criteria, self-assess, and discuss the evidence with a partner before they begin writing.
  • For ELLs: (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.
  • For students who may need additional support with monitoring their own learning: Invite students to explain why self-assessment is important for learning. (MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Consider highlighting key phrases on the Tracking Progress sheet to lift up the focus for each criterion. (MMR)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. 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 fluency: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from Grades 4 or 6, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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