ELA GK:M1:U3:L7

Reading, Speaking, and Listening: Close Read-aloud Session 7

Like what you see?

Order printed materials, teacher guides and more.

How to order

Help us improve!

Tell us how the curriculum is working in your classroom and send us corrections or suggestions for improving it.

Leave feedback

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

RL.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RL.K.7: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts)
SL.K.3: Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
L.K.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.K.1d: Understand and use question words (interrogatives) (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).

Daily Learning Targets

I can use details from the text to describe how Gertie's toy preferences change. (RL.K.1, RL.K.7)
I can ask questions to learn about my classmates' toy creations. (SL.K.3, L.K.1d)

Ongoing Assessment

In this lesson, students finish listening to Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon and complete a culminating task to describe how Gertie's toy preferences change throughout the course of the text. This lesson provides an opportunity to assess students' progress toward RL.K.1, RL.K.7, and SL.K.3. Collect students' response sheets for the culminating task to serve as evidence of progress toward standards RL.K.1 and RL.K.7 and to inform instruction for subsequent lessons (RL.K.1, RL.K.7, SL.K.3).
During the paired discussion in Work Time C, observe and note evidence of progress toward standard SL.K.3 on the Speaking and Listening Checklist.

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Song and Movement: "My Favorite Toys" Song (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Close Read-aloud Session 7: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon (20 minutes) B. Culminating Task: Sharing Ideas about Gertie (10 minutes) C. Structured Discussion: Learning about Classmates' Toy Creations (15 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: Nurturing an inquiry-rich classroom environment begins with asking questions and cultivating curiosity. This lesson invites students to ask questions about details in the text (RL.K.1 and RL.K.7) and classmates' toy creations as they seek to clarify their understanding, connect with prior knowledge, and wonder about others' perspectives on toys and play (SL.K.3). In Work Time A, students finish their close read of the unit's anchor text: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon. In Session 7, students work to synthesize their learning about how preferences and perspectives can change over time (RL.K.1, RL.K.7, and SL.K.3). The structured discussions during Work Times B and C offer students opportunities to develop and practice language and vocabulary about toys, playing, and preferences. In addition, this speaking and listening practice directly scaffolds and supports students as they prepare to engage in the unit assessment in Lessons 9-10 (SL.K.3). During Work Time C, students practice asking and answering questions about the toys they created in earlier lessons (SL.K.3). How this lesson builds on previous work: In this lesson, students synthesize their learning about perspective and toy preferences during a culminating task in which they are asked to write and draw about and then discuss how Gertie's toy preferences changed throughout the course of the text. During Work Time B, they will use these drawings as they engage in a discussion about how Gertie changed. Continue to use Goal 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation. Areas in which students may need additional support: Look for opportunities to support students as they practice asking questions during Work Time C. Support these students by providing question frames and prompts as they ask about a classmate's toy creation. During Work Time B, students engage in a small group discussion in groups of three and four. Students may need additional support to appropriately engage in small group discussion. Use the Discussion Norms anchor chart to redirect and refocus small groups as necessary. Down the road: In the next lesson, the teacher models interviewing skills by asking a guest questions about toy preferences. Decide on a guest (another teacher, principal, parent) to visit the classroom and participate in this activity as the interviewee. In Lessons 9-10, students will engage in the unit assessment as they interview a classmate about toy preferences. Students will be assessed on the standards and learning targets featured in this and previous lessons. Consider reviewing the unit assessment before teaching this lesson. The speaking and listening experiences during this lesson directly scaffold students toward the unit assessment.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Song and Movement: "My Favorite Toys" Song (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Close Read-aloud Session 7: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon (20 minutes)

B. Culminating Task: Sharing Ideas about Gertie (10 minutes)

C. Structured Discussion: Learning about Classmates' Toy Creations (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

Nurturing an inquiry-rich classroom environment begins with asking questions and cultivating curiosity. This lesson invites students to ask questions about details in the text (RL.K.1 and RL.K.7) and classmates' toy creations as they seek to clarify their understanding, connect with prior knowledge, and wonder about others' perspectives on toys and play (SL.K.3).
In Work Time A, students finish their close read of the unit's anchor text: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon. In Session 7, students work to synthesize their learning about how preferences and perspectives can change over time (RL.K.1, RL.K.7, and SL.K.3).
The structured discussions during Work Times B and C offer students opportunities to develop and practice language and vocabulary about toys, playing, and preferences. In addition, this speaking and listening practice directly scaffolds and supports students as they prepare to engage in the unit assessment in Lessons 9-10 (SL.K.3).
During Work Time C, students practice asking and answering questions about the toys they created in earlier lessons (SL.K.3).

How this lesson builds on previous work:

In this lesson, students synthesize their learning about perspective and toy preferences during a culminating task in which they are asked to write and draw about and then discuss how Gertie's toy preferences changed throughout the course of the text. During Work Time B, they will use these drawings as they engage in a discussion about how Gertie changed.
Continue to use Goal 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

Look for opportunities to support students as they practice asking questions during Work Time C. Support these students by providing question frames and prompts as they ask about a classmate's toy creation.
During Work Time B, students engage in a small group discussion in groups of three and four. Students may need additional support to appropriately engage in small group discussion. Use the Discussion Norms anchor chart to redirect and refocus small groups as necessary.

Down the road:

In the next lesson, the teacher models interviewing skills by asking a guest questions about toy preferences. Decide on a guest (another teacher, principal, parent) to visit the classroom and participate in this activity as the interviewee.
In Lessons 9-10, students will engage in the unit assessment as they interview a classmate about toy preferences. Students will be assessed on the standards and learning targets featured in this and previous lessons. Consider reviewing the unit assessment before teaching this lesson. The speaking and listening experiences during this lesson directly scaffold students toward the unit assessment.

In Advance

Set up a document camera to display the "My Favorite Toys" song and other documents throughout the lesson (optional). If not using a document camera, prepare the "My Favorite Toys" song by writing it on chart paper.
Determine groups of three or four students for group work in Work Time B.
Post: Learning targets, Conversation Partner chart, Ways We Ask Others Questions anchor chart, Discussion Norms anchor chart, and Letter from the Principal.

Tech and Multimedia

Consider using an interactive whiteboard or document camera to display lesson materials.

Opening A: Video record the whole group reading the "My Favorite Toys" song and post it on a teacher webpage or on a portfolio app like Seesaw for students to listen to at home with families. Most devices (cell phones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video recording apps or software.
Work Time B: Record students, as they discuss in pairs, to listen to later to discuss strengths and what they could improve on, or to use as models for the group. Most devices (cell phones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video and audio recording apps or software.
Closing and Assessment A: Play recording of students from Work Time B to analyze with the group as a positive model to follow.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.I.B.5, K.I.B.6, and K.II.C.6

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through the opportunity to use verbal language in a structured way, to examine language closely, and to apply learning through drawing and creative expression.
ELLs may find it challenging to work in small groups and to take turns using sentence frames. Consider fish bowling a round of group discussion before students do so on their own. During group discussion and questioning, consider creating mixed proficiency groups to encourage peer modeling and support.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

Before Work Time A, ask students about the adjectives store-bought and homemade. Invite students to connect their ideas to the story. (Examples: "In your own words, what does homemade mean? Can you use these words to tell me what kinds of toys Gertie prefers at the beginning of the story? How about the toys she prefers at the end of the story?")

For heavier support:

Students may benefit from discussing the concept of changing preferences before applying it to the characters in Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon. Share a personal experience with the class in which a preference changed and ask students about any changes in preferences they may have experienced. (Example: "When I was young, I always preferred vanilla and never chocolate. But when I got older I tried chocolate, and guess what? I loved it! My preference changed. First it was one thing, and then it was another! Has your preference ever changed?")

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students are asked to notice how Gertie's toy preferences change throughout the story and make generalizations about these changes. Therefore, it is important that they have a foundational knowledge of the details in the story. When presenting or discussing toy preferences, be flexible in your representations. For instance, on the Picture Story paper, you may want to provide either cut-out or printed pictures of the toys instead of having students draw them. Students may then reference this document as they engage in conversations with their peers.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): One of the learning goals for this lesson is for students to use details from the story to describe how Gertie's toy preferences changed. To be flexible in how students demonstrate their understanding, allow them to sort or match pictures of the toys rather than draw them on the Picture Story paper. This will minimize distractions for those who struggle with fine motor skills but still allow assessment of their comprehension. Also, be conscious of promoting a supportive classroom community in setting up expectations for students sharing their toy creations. Emphasize that there are no "right" and "wrong" answers when it comes to using one's imagination. This will help diminish threats for students who may be uncomfortable sharing their work.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): In this lesson, the teacher will use questioning to help facilitate comprehension. Some students may require more scaffolded questions to activate higher-order thinking. Be flexible in the questions used and when they are asked. For instance, in Work Time B, students may need help to synthesize the details from the text and make generalizations about Gertie's changing toy preferences. Some questions the teacher may ask are: "What is different about the toys Gertie liked in the beginning of the story and in the end? Why do you think Gertie's toy preferences changed?"

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T)

New:

creations (L)

Review:

preferences, questions (L)

Materials

Document camera (optional)
"My Favorite Toys" song (one to display)
"Learning Target" poem (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; one to display)
Close Read-aloud Guide: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon (from Lesson 1; Session 7; for teacher reference)

Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
Picture Story paper (one per student)
Pencils (one per student)
Crayons (class set)

Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
Ways We Ask Others Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
Conversation Partner chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; one to display)
Letter from the Principal (begun in Lesson 1; one to display)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

Assessment

Each unit in the K-2 Language Arts Curriculum has one standards-based assessment built in. 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

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Song and Movement: "My Favorite Toys" Song (5 minutes) Invite students to the whole group area. Explain that as students have been reading Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon, they have been learning about how Molly Lou and Gertie have different toy preferences. Explain that people might prefer different toys for many different reasons. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What are some toys that you prefer?" (Responses will vary.) Tell students that you want to teach them a new song about different toys that they or others might prefer. Tell them the song is called "My Favorite Toys." Using a document camera, direct students' attention to the "My Favorite Toys" song and sing it, tracking the print as you do. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "Did the author mention any toys in the song that are also your favorite?" (Responses will vary.) Sing the song again and invite students to sing along. Explain that in this lesson and in the next few lessons, students will learn more about and discuss the different toys that others prefer. Tell them they will do this by asking each other questions about the different toys in the classroom.	Offer alternatives for auditory information by providing visual notations of music or sound and use facial expressions or hand gestures to convey the emotional interpretation of the song. (MMR) To promote greater participation, before you sing the song consider teaching students a nonverbal hand signal to indicate that a toy in the song is also their favorite. (MME)

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Song and Movement: "My Favorite Toys" Song (5 minutes)

Invite students to the whole group area.
Explain that as students have been reading Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon, they have been learning about how Molly Lou and Gertie have different toy preferences.
Explain that people might prefer different toys for many different reasons.
Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What are some toys that you prefer?" (Responses will vary.)

Tell students that you want to teach them a new song about different toys that they or others might prefer. Tell them the song is called "My Favorite Toys."
Using a document camera, direct students' attention to the "My Favorite Toys" song and sing it, tracking the print as you do.
Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Did the author mention any toys in the song that are also your favorite?" (Responses will vary.)

Sing the song again and invite students to sing along.
Explain that in this lesson and in the next few lessons, students will learn more about and discuss the different toys that others prefer. Tell them they will do this by asking each other questions about the different toys in the classroom.

Offer alternatives for auditory information by providing visual notations of music or sound and use facial expressions or hand gestures to convey the emotional interpretation of the song. (MMR)
To promote greater participation, before you sing the song consider teaching students a nonverbal hand signal to indicate that a toy in the song is also their favorite. (MME)

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
*A. Close Read-aloud Session 7: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon* (20 minutes)** Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud: "I can use details from the text to explain how Gertie's toy preferences change." Briefly remind students that text means the words and pictures in a book and that details from the text are what readers find in the words and pictures of a book. Point out the word preferences and define it (to consider some things more desirable than other things). Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What does it mean to have toy preferences? What does it mean to say that Gertie's toy preferences change?" (Having toy preferences means liking some toys more than others.) Remind students that they have been working hard to find details each time they've listened to Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon. Help them understand that details from the text will help explain how Gertie changes her mind about her toy preferences. Invite students to take out their imaginary bow and take aim at the target as you recite the "Learning Target" poem. Guide students through the close read-aloud for Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon using the *Close Read-aloud Guide: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon* (Session 7; for teacher reference). Refer to the guide for the use of the Picture Story paper, pencils, and crayons**.	For ELLs: Activate students' prior knowledge by highlighting that the word prefer can be found within preference. Underline it or draw a box around it. Ask: "How are the definitions of prefer and preference similar?" (They are similar because to prefer means to have a preference.) (MMR) For ELLs: Before students begin working on the culminating task, invite them to Think-Pair-Share about what toys they might draw in each box. Call on students to share their thinking; briefly model the process of completing the culminating task on the board. For ELLs: To offer more flexibility in this task, consider offering alternative activities. Examples: Provide cut-out pictures of the various toys in the story and have some students sort them into boxes instead of drawing them. Create a matching activity in which students draw lines from the toy to the Beginning and End boxes. (MMR, MMAE)
B. Culminating Task: Sharing Ideas about Gertie (10 minutes) Refocus students whole group. Remind them that they spent several lessons learning about the toys that Molly Lou Melon and Gertie preferred and they learned that Gertie changed her mind about the toys she prefers. Remind them that they just finished writing and drawing about how Gertie changed over the course of the text. Explain that students are going to discuss the following questions in predetermined small groups using the pictures they just completed in Work Time A: "How did Gertie's ideas of fun change from the beginning of the story to the end? How did her ideas about the toys she prefers change?" (Gertie used to play only with store-bought toys, but at the end she made her own toy; or Gertie used to play with toys that other people made, but then she used her imagination to make her own.) Briefly review discussion norms with students. Post the following sentence starters on the board and read them aloud: "In this picture, I drew _______ to show what Gertie preferred at the beginning of the story." "In this picture, I drew _______ to show what Gertie preferred at the end of the story." Move students into predetermined groups of three or four, reminding them to bring their Picture Story paper with them. Invite students to begin discussing. Provide redirections and reminders as necessary, referring to the Discussion Norms anchor chart. As students discuss, circulate and listen for them to use language from Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon to describe the toys that Gertie prefers and to use their Picture Story papers for support. Track student progress toward SL.K.3 on the Speaking and Listening Checklist.	To synthesize details from the text and draw conclusions about why and how Gertie's preferences changed, some students may need more scaffolded questioning. Examples: "What is different about the toys she liked in the beginning and in the end of the story?" (In the beginning, Gertie liked toys with batteries and flashing lights, and in the end, she liked toys that she could make or play with using her imagination.) "Why do you think Gertie's preferences changed?" (Responses will vary.) (MME) For ELLs: Remind students about the Language Dive sentence from Lesson 6 to help illustrate Gertie's change in preference. (Example: "In Lesson 6, we talked about how Gertie had to use her imagination to make the doll. Is that the same with the other toys she was playing with? Did she have to use her imagination to watch TV and to play with her store-bought dollhouse?")
C. Structured Discussion: Learning about Classmates' Toy Creations (15 minutes) Refocus students whole group and invite them to return to the whole group area. Remind them that a few lessons ago, they used materials and their imaginations to make toy creations (a composition, a construction, or something that has been built). Tell students that today they are going to share their toy creations with their conversation partner. Explain that they need to ask questions to learn about their partner's toy creation. Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud: "I can ask questions to learn about my classmates' toy creations." Point out the word questions (a sentence that requests information or some other type of reply) in the learning target. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "When you ask someone a question, what are some things you should do?" (use question words; look the other person in the eye; listen for his or her answer) Briefly review the Ways We Ask Others Questions anchor chart as necessary. Model how to ask a partner questions with a student volunteer: 1. Make eye contact with the student volunteer and ask: "What did you make? How did you make it? Why did you make it?" 2. Listen to the student volunteer as he or she answers. 3 Encourage the student volunteer to provide more details by prompting: "Please tell me more." 4. Invite the student volunteer to show you how to play with the toy creation. Referring to the Conversation Partner chart, invite students to pair up with their predetermined talking partner and sit facing each other. Make sure students know which partner is A and which is B. When students have found their partners and are seated, remind them of the questions they can ask about their partners' toy creations: "What is your toy?" "What did you use to make your toy?" "How do you play with your toy?" Invite partner A to begin asking questions of partner B. Circulate to listen to conversations. Listen for students to use question words and ask questions about the toy creations. Watch for students to make eye contact and listen to their partners' answers. If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand: "Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.) Remind students to use the Ways We Ask Others Questions anchor chart as necessary. Refocus whole group. Invite partner B to begin asking questions of partner A.	Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully pre-selecting student partnerships in which those who struggle can have peer support. You may need to coach the mentor to engage with his or her partner and share thought processes. This can be done during questioning as you circulate through the room. (MME) Minimize potential distractions by asking students to physically indicate whether they are an A or a B (e.g. raising hand, giving a thumbs-up, etc.). This way, students get an extra reminder so they can focus on the conversation when they engage with their partner. (MME) For ELLs: Minimize potential threats to students by emphasizing that this project was about using their imaginations and not getting it "right." Promote an accepting and supportive classroom climate by encouraging students to be positive in their comments to one another. (MME, MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes) Give students specific, positive feedback on their hard work as readers of Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon and for their questioning of each other as they learned about their toy creations. (Example: "I noticed all of you learned a lot about each others' toy creations by asking specific questions and listening to the answers.") Remind students that the principal had written to them, asking them to learn about others' toy preferences. Tell them that they started learning about how different people can have different preferences by reading and discussing the differences between Molly Lou's and Gertie's toy preferences. Using a document camera, display the Letter from the Principal and remind them of the principal's exact requests. Say: "Let's review the Letter from the Principal so we can make sure we are on track to answer his questions and share our learning." While still displaying the text, invite students to track the print as you read the Letter from the Principal aloud. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What is the principal asking us to do? How can we make sure we are able to do it?" (The principal is asking us to find out about others' toy preferences. We can find out by asking other people about the toys they prefer.) If productive, cue students to clarify the conversation by confirming what they mean: "So, do you mean _____?" (Responses will vary.) Explain that students are going to spend the next few lessons asking questions of each other and a visitor to find out about the toys others prefer.	Consider asking comprehension questions about the principal's letter as you read, instead of waiting to the end so students can chunk information. (MME)

Closing

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Give students specific, positive feedback on their hard work as readers of Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon and for their questioning of each other as they learned about their toy creations. (Example: "I noticed all of you learned a lot about each others' toy creations by asking specific questions and listening to the answers.")
Remind students that the principal had written to them, asking them to learn about others' toy preferences. Tell them that they started learning about how different people can have different preferences by reading and discussing the differences between Molly Lou's and Gertie's toy preferences.
Using a document camera, display the Letter from the Principal and remind them of the principal's exact requests. Say:

"Let's review the Letter from the Principal so we can make sure we are on track to answer his questions and share our learning."

While still displaying the text, invite students to track the print as you read the Letter from the Principal aloud.
Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the principal asking us to do? How can we make sure we are able to do it?" (The principal is asking us to find out about others' toy preferences. We can find out by asking other people about the toys they prefer.)

If productive, cue students to clarify the conversation by confirming what they mean:

"So, do you mean _____?" (Responses will vary.)

Explain that students are going to spend the next few lessons asking questions of each other and a visitor to find out about the toys others prefer.

Consider asking comprehension questions about the principal's letter as you read, instead of waiting to the end so students can chunk information. (MME)

EL Education Curriculum