ELA GK:M3:U3:L7

Small Group Research: Reading and Taking Notes

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

RI.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RI.K.2: With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.K.4: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
W.K.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).
W.K.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.K.1a: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL.K.1b: Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.
SL.K.3: Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
L.K.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.

Daily Learning Targets

I can research a text to answer a question using the words and pictures. (RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.4)
I can describe what my tree provides other living things using information from my research. (RI.K.1, RI.K.2, W.K.7, W.K.8, SL.K.1, SLK.3)

Ongoing Assessment

During Work Times B and C, continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.K.1, RI.K.2, and RI.K.4 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
During Work Time C, use the Informational Writing Checklist to track students' progress toward W.K.7 and W.K.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Poem and Movement: "Connecting Trees" (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Language Dive: Are Trees Alive?, Page 11 (10 minutes) B. Reading to Research Trees: Tree Texts (20 minutes) C. Small Group Research: Tree: Small Group Notes (20 minutes) 3. Closing A. Poem and Movement: "What's Alive and What's Not?" (5 minutes)	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: In Work Time A, students participate in Day 2 of a two-day Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from Are Trees Alive? The focus of this Language Dive is using language to highlight the pattern that all living things breathe (L.K.6). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when discussing how trees and people meet the same needs differently. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine. Student continue to explore the Unit 3 guiding question--"What patterns can we observe in how living things meet their needs?"--by researching the foods that trees provide other living things. In this lesson, students research what a specific tree provides to other living things so that they will be able to speak to patterns among the needs of animals. In Work Times B and C, students continue their small group research to find out what their tree provides to other living things. Students follow the same routine used in Lesson 5. Refer to that lesson for more detail. This is the second of four lessons that opens with the poem "Connecting Trees." Recall that these Openings are meant to be joyful while providing opportunities for fluency practice and a quick review of nouns (L.K.1c). During the Closing, students begin to practice for the end of Module 3 Celebration of Learning by practicing poems that they learned in previous units. How this lesson builds on previous work: This lesson follows a reading and note-taking research structure similar to that of Lesson 5, allowing students to gain new content and grow as learners in a familiar and supported way. Areas in which students may need additional support: Consider using the same supports from Lesson 5 to support students' small group research. Down the road: This is the third lesson in a series of five that takes students through the research process and prepares them to complete their performance task: independent research writing for their informational collage. In Lessons 8-9, students will use their Tree: Individual Notes to participate in the Science Talks, which serve as the speaking and listening assessment series. In Work Times B and C, students choose one or two animals they want to research and create notes about. After the lesson, verify that each small group has included all the important information in the text on their notes because they will be using them in Lessons 8-9 to participate in the Science Talks, which serve as the speaking and listening assessment series. It is okay if they do not complete this task independently; simply add the missing information to the Tree: Small Group Notes after the lesson.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Poem and Movement: "Connecting Trees" (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Language Dive: Are Trees Alive?, Page 11 (10 minutes)

B. Reading to Research Trees: Tree Texts (20 minutes)

C. Small Group Research: Tree: Small Group Notes (20 minutes)

3. Closing

A. Poem and Movement: "What's Alive and What's Not?" (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

In Work Time A, students participate in Day 2 of a two-day Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from Are Trees Alive? The focus of this Language Dive is using language to highlight the pattern that all living things breathe (L.K.6). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when discussing how trees and people meet the same needs differently. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.
Student continue to explore the Unit 3 guiding question--"What patterns can we observe in how living things meet their needs?"--by researching the foods that trees provide other living things. In this lesson, students research what a specific tree provides to other living things so that they will be able to speak to patterns among the needs of animals.
In Work Times B and C, students continue their small group research to find out what their tree provides to other living things. Students follow the same routine used in Lesson 5. Refer to that lesson for more detail.
This is the second of four lessons that opens with the poem "Connecting Trees." Recall that these Openings are meant to be joyful while providing opportunities for fluency practice and a quick review of nouns (L.K.1c).
During the Closing, students begin to practice for the end of Module 3 Celebration of Learning by practicing poems that they learned in previous units.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

This lesson follows a reading and note-taking research structure similar to that of Lesson 5, allowing students to gain new content and grow as learners in a familiar and supported way.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

Consider using the same supports from Lesson 5 to support students' small group research.

Down the road:

This is the third lesson in a series of five that takes students through the research process and prepares them to complete their performance task: independent research writing for their informational collage.
In Lessons 8-9, students will use their Tree: Individual Notes to participate in the Science Talks, which serve as the speaking and listening assessment series.
In Work Times B and C, students choose one or two animals they want to research and create notes about. After the lesson, verify that each small group has included all the important information in the text on their notes because they will be using them in Lessons 8-9 to participate in the Science Talks, which serve as the speaking and listening assessment series. It is okay if they do not complete this task independently; simply add the missing information to the Tree: Small Group Notes after the lesson.

In Advance

Prepare:

Living Things Word Wall card for provide.
Technology necessary to play audio recordings of yourself reading the tree texts (optional).

Review Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart as needed (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 5).
Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the language goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see Lesson 1 supporting Materials).
Distribute Materials for Work Times B and C at student workspaces.
Within each specific tree research group, pre-assign each pair an animal to research.
Post: Learning targets, "What's Alive and What's Not?" and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Consider using an interactive white board or document camera to display lesson Materials.

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 Time B: Consider recording audio versions of the text for students who may need additional support with reading. Most devices (cellphones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video and audio recording apps or software.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.1.B.8, K.1.B.6, and K.I.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by revisiting two poems ("Connecting Trees" and "What's Alive and What's Not?") to practice fluency and solidify comprehension. Students continue to analyze a complex sentence as they complete Day 2 of the Language Dive. They have the opportunity to reinforce Vocabulary and oral and written fluency when discussing content-specific knowledge through two small group research tasks with their tree texts.
In Work Time A, ELLs may find it challenging to read their tree text, process the information, and contribute to a small group discussion simultaneously. Consider allowing students to listen multiple times to the audio recording as they follow along with their tree text. Encourage students to ask about any confusing or unknown words.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

During Work Times A and B, ensure that all students have the opportunity to contribute to the work and conversation by monitoring participation and encouraging students to offer everyone the chance to speak. At the end of the small group work, invite students to share one thing they appreciated and learned from another student.

For heavier support:

During Work Time B, as students work together to create notes, consider scribing with a light-colored highlighter the responses of any students who are struggling with putting their ideas into written language. Students can trace over your words with a pencil.

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by providing options for perception, such as visual supports for information presented orally. As students encounter unfamiliar Vocabulary, offer an opportunity to draw or sketch definitions, act them out, or list synonyms for key terms.
Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Holding high expectations is important, but be aware that sometimes these expectations can raise student anxiety. Continue to emphasize the importance of process and effort by discussing how even when you try your best to write neatly, you can sometimes make a mistake and that is okay.

Vocabulary

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

New:

provide (L)

Review:

noun (L)
touches, underground, crumbly, shines, tiny, connected (T)

Materials

"Connecting Trees" (from Lesson 6; one to display)
Language Dive Guide: Are Trees Alive? (from Lesson 1; for teacher reference)

Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 5)
Language Dive Chunk Chart: Are Trees Alive? (from Lesson 1; for teacher reference)
Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: Are Trees Alive? (from Lesson 1; one to display)
Language Dive Note-catcher: Are Trees Alive? (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)

Living Things Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; one)
Living Things Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; added to during Work Time B; see Teaching Notes)
"Sugar Maple" (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
Sticky notes (several per small group and one for teacher modeling)
Tree texts (from Lesson 5; two or three per small group)

"Paper Birch" (from Lesson 5; one per pair in this small group)
"Live Oak" (from Lesson 5; one per pair in this small group)
"Quaking Aspen" (from Lesson 5; one per pair in this small group)
"Weeping Willow" (from Lesson 5; one per pair in this small group)
"Coast Redwood" (from Lesson 5; one per pair in this small group)

Tree texts (optional; audio recording; for students who need additional support)
Sugar Maple: Class Notes (completed in Lesson 2, one to display)
Tree: Small Group Notes (begun in Lesson 5; added to during Work Time C; one per small group)

Coast Redwood: Small Group Notes (one per this small group)
Paper Birch: Small Group Notes (one per this small group)
Quaking Aspen: Small Group Notes (one per this small group)
Weeping Willow: Small Group Notes (one per this small group)
Live Oak: Small Group Notes (one per this small group)

Paper (blank; several pieces per small group)
Pencils (one per student)
Crayons (class set; variety of colors per student)
Glue sticks (one per student)
Tree: Small Group Notes (from Lesson 5; example, for teacher reference)
"What's Alive and What's Not?" (from Unit 1, Lesson 2; one to display)

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. Poem and Movement: "Connecting Trees" (5 minutes) Gather students whole group. Display the poem "Connecting Trees" and read the title. Follow the same routine established in Modules 1-2 to read the "Connecting Trees" poem. Direct students' attention to the posted poem. Invite students to first listen as you read the poem fluently and without interruption. Invite students to make up motions or gestures to go with the poem. Remind students that some words in a sentence are called nouns and that nouns are people, places, and things. Reread the poem with students and invite them to read along and give a thumbs-up when they hear a noun.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with language: (Color-coding: Nouns) Continue to color-code the nouns as you have throughout the unit. (MMR) For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Academic Word Wall) Invite students to add simpler synonyms, visuals, realia, and translations next to the reviewed Vocabulary: touches, underground, crumbly, shines, tiny, connected. (MMR)

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Poem and Movement: "Connecting Trees" (5 minutes)

Gather students whole group.
Display the poem "Connecting Trees" and read the title.
Follow the same routine established in Modules 1-2 to read the "Connecting Trees" poem.

Direct students' attention to the posted poem.
Invite students to first listen as you read the poem fluently and without interruption.
Invite students to make up motions or gestures to go with the poem.

Remind students that some words in a sentence are called nouns and that nouns are people, places, and things.
Reread the poem with students and invite them to read along and give a thumbs-up when they hear a noun.

For ELLs and students who may need additional support with language: (Color-coding: Nouns) Continue to color-code the nouns as you have throughout the unit. (MMR)
For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Academic Word Wall) Invite students to add simpler synonyms, visuals, realia, and translations next to the reviewed Vocabulary: touches, underground, crumbly, shines, tiny, connected. (MMR)

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
*A. Language Dive: Are Trees Alive?, Page 11 (10 minutes)* Tell students they will now participate in Part II of the Language Dive from Are Trees Alive? Focus students' attention on the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart and remind them that they thought of their own questions to ask during a Language Dive. Think-Pair-Share: "What do you remember about the last Language Dive we did?" (Responses will vary, but may include: It was about leaves breathing.) If productive, cue students to add on to what a classmate said: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." Reread page 11 in Are Trees Alive? Focus on the sentence: "Instead of using noses and lungs, leaves breathe through thousands of tiny pores known as stomata." Use the Language Dive Guide: Are Trees Alive? and Language Dive Chunk Chart: Are Trees Alive? to guide students through Day 2 of the Language Dive of the sentence. Display the Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: Are Trees Alive? and distribute the Language Dive Note-catcher: Are Trees Alive?	For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Offer choice with the Language Dive Note-catcher by providing a template that includes lines. (MMR, MME)
B. Reading to Research Trees: Tree Texts (20 minutes) Refocus students whole group. Tell them that they have already learned a lot about their specific trees from their texts! Next they will use them to continue researching more information about their specific tree. Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud: "I can research a text to answer a question using the words and pictures." Remind students that they have been working to answer the Unit 3 guiding question: "What patterns can we observe in how living things meet their needs?" Now they will answer the research question: "What do trees provide to help other living things live and grow?" Show students the Living Things Word Wall card for provide (give what is needed) and follow the same process established in Modules 1-2: provide its definition, clap out its syllables, use it in a sentence, and place the Word Wall card and picture for it on the Living Things Word Wall. Tell students that in a moment, their small group will split up into pairs, and each pair will be responsible for reading their text and finding information to answer the following question: "What do trees provide to help other living things live and grow?" Each pair will get to choose one or two living things to research. Then they will come back together with their small group to share the information they learned. Follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lesson 5 to guide students through small group research: Remind them that they used a similar text to research the sugar maple tree. Display "Sugar Maple" and follow these steps to model where to find answers to the research question: Read aloud the research question: "What do trees provide to help other living things live and grow?" Using a total participation technique, ask: "Where should you look in your research Materials to find the answer to this question?" (Responses may vary, but should include: on the page with different animals.) Look through the "Sugar Maple" text to find the page students reference. Read the page and mark it with a sticky note. Move students into pre-determined pairs within each small group. Remind them that each pair will have one or two animals to research. Emphasize that all animals on the Tree: Small Group Notes should be researched. Invite students to negotiate which animal(s) they will research. Once students have settled on their animals, transition them back to their workspaces. Point out the tree texts and sticky notes already there. Invite pairs to begin working. Circulate to support students as they research. Assist them in defining the following words in context as needed: Live oak: review: nuts, depend; introduce: turkey, raccoon Paper birch: review: bark, sap, twigs; introduce: inner, moose, and hummingbird Quaking aspen: review: buds, bark; introduce: moose Coast redwood: review: nuts; introduce: owl, insect Weeping willow: review: twigs; introduce: beaver, insects Consider using tree texts (optional; audio recording; for students who need additional support) as necessary. After about 10 minutes, refocus whole group. Invite pairs to rejoin their research group and share the answer to their research question with the other pair.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with making connections: (Working on Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward this learning target. (MMR, MME)
C. Small Group Research: Tree: Small Group Notes (20 minutes) Gather and refocus students whole group. Offer specific, positive feedback on their engagement during the small group research. Tell students that before they turn their research into a booklet for the informational collage, they need to take good notes. The notes will help them and also the people in the other pairs write about their trees. Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud: "I can describe what my tree provides other living things using information from my research." Display the Sugar Maple: Class Notes and remind students that they researched to answer a question and then recorded the information with a picture and a label so it would be clear for everyone. If necessary, show students that the information about how much water a sugar maple needs is on page 2 of the "Sugar Maple" text and how it matches the information in the student-created note on the Sugar Maple: Class Notes. Follow the same routine from Work Time C of Lesson 5 to guide students through adding to their Tree: Small Group Notes. Transition students to go back to their workspaces. Point out the paper, pencils, and crayons already there. Tell students they will now work with their research group to create a picture and label to represent their learning about the question they just researched. Invite students to begin working. Circulate to support students and refer them to their sticky notes in their tree texts as necessary. After about 10 minutes, refocus whole group. Display the Tree: Small Group Notes. Point to the first column and read aloud the heading: "What animals depend on the tree?" Tell students that both pairs will create notes for this column. Distribute Tree: Small Group Notes and glue sticks. Invite students to add their notes to the correct column of their Tree: Small Group Notes chart. Circulate to support students as they work. Refer to the Tree: Small Group Notes (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Deconstructing the Learning Target) Consider underlining and briefly discussing the word provides, offering simpler synonyms such as gives and a few examples of the word in a sentence. (MMR)

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Poem and Movement: "What's Alive and What's Not?" (5 minutes) Gather students whole group. Offer specific, positive feedback about their work creating small group notes. Tell students that they have learned so much about living things over the past several weeks, and their study of living things will soon come to a close. This means that they will soon be able to celebrate and share all of the learning they have done! Display "What's Alive and What's Not?" and tell students that they will be looking back at some of the poems and songs from earlier in the module so they will be ready to share them at the Celebration of Learning. Follow the same routine established in Modules 1-2 to read the "What's Alive and What's Not?" poem. Direct students' attention to the posted "What's Alive and What's Not?" poem. Invite students to first listen as you read the poem fluently and without interruption. Invite students to try to remember the motions or gestures that go with the poem. Reread as time allows. Tell students that they will continue to practice songs and poems so they are prepared to share their learning at the celebration.	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with engagement: (Recall and Metacognition) Invite students to recall what the poem was about, using any words, cards, or visuals you created on the poster to remember. Ask them to explain how and why they remember the content. (MME) For ELLs: (Leadership) Invite students to point to the words in front of the class and accompany you as you read the poem. There are no new supporting materials for this lesson.

Closing