ELA GK:M4:U1:L9

Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening: Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Small Group Discussions

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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.2: With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
RL.K.9: With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
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.2: Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
SL.K.4: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
LK.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
LK.1b: Use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.
L.K.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.K.2a: Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.
L.K.2b: Recognize and name end punctuation.

Daily Learning Targets

I can ask questions and share key details during a conversation with my classmates to compare and contrast the characters in the text Oliver's Tree. (RL.K.1, RL.K.2, RL.K.3, RL.K.9, SL.K.2, SL.K.4)
I can describe the parts of a tree and the different ways people can enjoy them. (W.K.8, SL.K.4, L.K.1b, L.K.2a, L.K.2b)

Ongoing Assessment

As students engage in the small group conversations for Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to document progress toward SL.K.2 and SL.K.4 and the Reading Literature Checklist to collect additional data on progress toward RL.K.1, RL.K.2, RL.K.3, and RL.K.9 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
Collect students' Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 and use the Language Checklist to track progress toward W.K.8, L.K.1b, L.K.2a, L.K.2b, and L.K.6 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Engaging the Learner: Tree Stretch (5 minutes) B. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 1 Assessment, Part II (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group A: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes) B. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group B: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes) C. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group C: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Shared Reading and Writing: Unit 1 Guiding Question Anchor Chart (5 minutes)	Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: In this lesson, students complete Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment, in which they participate in a small group discussion using their Unit 1 Assessment: Same and Different Note-catcher: Oliver's Tree (RL.K.3, RL.K.9, SL.K.2, SL.K.4). During Work Times A, B, and C, as one small group of students works with the teacher to participate in a small group discussion, two other small groups engage in independent tasks: completing a final entry in their Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 and completing another pencil sketch of a tree part. Conducting small group discussions allows for focused observation of students' speaking and listening conversation skills. How this lesson builds on previous work: In Lesson 8, students completed the Unit 1 Assessment: Same and Different Note-catcher: Oliver's Tree by comparing and contrasting the characters Oliver, Lulu and Charlie. In this lesson, they use their note-catcher to participate in a small group conversation to share ideas and ask questions in order to compare and contrast the characters orally. Areas in which students may need additional support: Look for opportunities to support students as they engage in the small group conversations in Work Times A, B, and C. Encourage them to consult their note catchers as they share and prompt them to use a sentence frame to further the conversation. Based on the needs of your class, consider allotting additional instructional time for Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment to allow for smaller groups and more opportunities to observe and collect assessment data on all students. Students may need additional support and prompting as they engage in the independent tasks during Work Times A, B, and C. Consider creating visual displays of the steps in the routines for these activities for those students who may need additional support and prompting. Down the road: In Unit 2, students continue their study of trees while learning how to read and write opinion pieces. Students continue to think about and discover new information to help them answer the Module 4 guiding question: "How and why are trees important to us and our community?"

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Tree Stretch (5 minutes)

B. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 1 Assessment, Part II (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group A: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes)

B. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group B: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes)

C. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group C: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Shared Reading and Writing: Unit 1 Guiding Question Anchor Chart (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

In this lesson, students complete Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment, in which they participate in a small group discussion using their Unit 1 Assessment: Same and Different Note-catcher: Oliver's Tree (RL.K.3, RL.K.9, SL.K.2, SL.K.4).
During Work Times A, B, and C, as one small group of students works with the teacher to participate in a small group discussion, two other small groups engage in independent tasks: completing a final entry in their Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 and completing another pencil sketch of a tree part. Conducting small group discussions allows for focused observation of students' speaking and listening conversation skills.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

In Lesson 8, students completed the Unit 1 Assessment: Same and Different Note-catcher: Oliver's Tree by comparing and contrasting the characters Oliver, Lulu and Charlie. In this lesson, they use their note-catcher to participate in a small group conversation to share ideas and ask questions in order to compare and contrast the characters orally.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

Look for opportunities to support students as they engage in the small group conversations in Work Times A, B, and C. Encourage them to consult their note catchers as they share and prompt them to use a sentence frame to further the conversation.
Based on the needs of your class, consider allotting additional instructional time for Part II of the Unit 1 Assessment to allow for smaller groups and more opportunities to observe and collect assessment data on all students.
Students may need additional support and prompting as they engage in the independent tasks during Work Times A, B, and C. Consider creating visual displays of the steps in the routines for these activities for those students who may need additional support and prompting.

Down the road:

In Unit 2, students continue their study of trees while learning how to read and write opinion pieces. Students continue to think about and discover new information to help them answer the Module 4 guiding question: "How and why are trees important to us and our community?"

In Advance

Prepare for Part II the Unit 1 Assessment:

Review the Unit 1 Assessment to familiarize yourself with what is expected of students.
Divide the class into three groups. Consider strategically grouping students to allow for a variety of speaking and listening skill and ability in Groups A, B, and C.

Designate areas in the room for the following independent tasks and distribute the necessary materials in the appropriate area:

Enjoying Trees journal task: Enjoying Trees journal, Enjoying Trees image 6, pencils, colored pencils.
Pencil sketch task: tree parts images, paper, pencils, black markers

Post: Learning targets 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 1-3 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 K.1.A.1, K.1.B.6, and K.2.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to demonstrate and reflect upon their learning as well as show leadership through refining their sketches.
ELLs may find it challenging to fully express their ideas while discussing key details and comparing and contrasting the experiences of characters from Oliver's Tree. Encourage students to use resources in the classroom and try to imagine the story in their minds before they begin (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

Before students begin the assessment, remind them they can use discussion gestures to signal they would like to add something (crossing their index fingers to create the addition symbol (+)) or to signal a connection by using their index fingers to tap their foreheads three times.

For heavier support:

Before students begin the assessment, consider practicing a few sentence frames to share key details from the text. (Examples: "I think Lulu is different from Charlie because ________." "I think Oliver and Lulu are similar because ________.") Remind the students that compare and contrast means to find what is the same and what is different.

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support students as they generalize skills that they learned from lessons in this unit in order to set themselves up for success on the end of unit assessment.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected during the unit assessment.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from previous lessons to support understanding the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Continue to provide prompts and sentences frames for those students who require them.

Vocabulary

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

Review:

compare, contrast (L)

Materials

Tree Stretch chart (from Lesson 4; one to display)
Enjoying Trees image 6 (one to display)
Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 (from Lesson 2; added to during Work Times A, B, and C; page 6; one per student)
Pencils (one per student)
Colored pencils (class set; variety of colors per student)
Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 (from Lesson 2; example for teacher reference)
Tree parts images (from Lesson 6; one set per class)
Paper (several pieces per student)
Markers (permanent black; one per student)
Unit 1 Assessment: Same and Different Note-catcher: Oliver's Tree (completed in Lesson 8; one per student)
Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
Unit 1 Guiding Question anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1; added to during the Closing)

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.

Download this Lesson’s Assessment

Opening

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Engaging the Learner: Tree Stretch (5 minutes) Invite students to stand up and spread out inside and around the edge of the whole group meeting area. As needed, remind students to move safely and make space for everyone. Remind students that in previous lessons, they learned the steps to the Tree Stretch routine. Display the Tree Stretch chart and review the steps as needed. Invite students to join you as you practice each step, taking 10-15 seconds for each step. Repeat once or twice as time permits. Offer students specific, positive feedback on their work practicing all of the movements in the routine.
B. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 1 Assessment, Part II (5 minutes) Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud: "I can ask questions and share key details during a conversation with my classmates to compare and contrast the characters in the text Oliver's Tree." Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What does it mean to compare and contrast characters in a text?" (To compare means to identify and describe what is the same between two things, and to contrast means to identify and describe what is different between two things.) Conversation Cue: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.) Remind students: They have gathered a lot of information about the characters in Oliver's Tree. They have written and drawn to compare and contrast the characters in Oliver's Tree. Focus students on the phrase "ask questions and share key details" in the learning target. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "What does it mean to ask questions and share key details? What are some ways you can do that while participating in a conversation?" (adding on to what someone else said; add new information to an idea that someone else shared; use sentence frames to share your thinking and how it relates to what others have already said) Conversation Cue: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.) Share with students that during today's lesson they will participate in a small group conversation to discuss their ideas about how the characters in Oliver's Tree are the same and different. Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud: "I can describe the parts of a tree and the different ways people can enjoy them." Tell students that, in addition to participating in the small group conversation, they will complete two other independent activities: a new entry in the Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 and a new pencil sketch. Tell them they will have a chance to complete each of the three activities	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Assessment: Prompt and Check for Understanding) Consider repeating the prompt multiple times and checking for understanding by asking students to put the prompt in their own words. (MMR, MMAE) For ELLs: (Assessment: Classroom Resources) Encourage students to consult classroom resources. For ELLs: (Questions) Encourage students to ask questions about any words or concepts they do not understand.

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Engaging the Learner: Tree Stretch (5 minutes)

Invite students to stand up and spread out inside and around the edge of the whole group meeting area.
As needed, remind students to move safely and make space for everyone.
Remind students that in previous lessons, they learned the steps to the Tree Stretch routine.
Display the Tree Stretch chart and review the steps as needed.
Invite students to join you as you practice each step, taking 10-15 seconds for each step.
Repeat once or twice as time permits.
Offer students specific, positive feedback on their work practicing all of the movements in the routine.

B. Engaging the Learner: Introducing the Unit 1 Assessment, Part II (5 minutes)

Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can ask questions and share key details during a conversation with my classmates to compare and contrast the characters in the text Oliver's Tree."

Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does it mean to compare and contrast characters in a text?" (To compare means to identify and describe what is the same between two things, and to contrast means to identify and describe what is different between two things.)

Conversation Cue: "Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

Remind students:

They have gathered a lot of information about the characters in Oliver's Tree.
They have written and drawn to compare and contrast the characters in Oliver's Tree.

Focus students on the phrase "ask questions and share key details" in the learning target.
Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does it mean to ask questions and share key details? What are some ways you can do that while participating in a conversation?" (adding on to what someone else said; add new information to an idea that someone else shared; use sentence frames to share your thinking and how it relates to what others have already said)

Conversation Cue: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

Share with students that during today's lesson they will participate in a small group conversation to discuss their ideas about how the characters in Oliver's Tree are the same and different.
Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can describe the parts of a tree and the different ways people can enjoy them."

Tell students that, in addition to participating in the small group conversation, they will complete two other independent activities: a new entry in the Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 and a new pencil sketch. Tell them they will have a chance to complete each of the three activities

For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Assessment: Prompt and Check for Understanding) Consider repeating the prompt multiple times and checking for understanding by asking students to put the prompt in their own words. (MMR, MMAE)
For ELLs: (Assessment: Classroom Resources) Encourage students to consult classroom resources.
For ELLs: (Questions) Encourage students to ask questions about any words or concepts they do not understand.

Work Time

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group A: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes) Review the assessment directions and explain where each group will work and what they will do. Invite students in Group B to move to the designated workspace for completing the Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1: Display Enjoying Trees image 6 and point out that the other materials they need to complete their individual task are already at their workspaces: Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 pencils colored pencils Invite students in Group B to open to page 6 in their Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1. Invite students in Group B to observe the photograph closely before using the pencils and colored pencils to complete page 6 in their Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1. Refer to the Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Invite students in Group C to move to the designated workspace for completing a pencil sketch: Point out that the materials they need to complete their individual task are already at their workspaces: tree parts images paper pencils markers Invite students in Group C to select one tree parts image to observe closely before using the pencils to complete a sketch. Invite students to use the black marker to carefully outline their completed pencil sketch. Move students in Group A into the designated small group conversation area: Distribute students' Unit 1 Assessment: Same and Different Note-catcher: Oliver's Tree. Tell students in Group A that they are going to take turns sharing an idea from their note-catchers. Tell them that they will share one way they think Oliver is the same as Lulu and Charlie and one way Oliver is different from Lulu and Charlie. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group: "While others are sharing, what can you do to show you are listening and understanding?" (Responses will vary, but may include: look at the speaker, keep our voices off, nod our heads, etc.) "While others are sharing, what can you do if you do not understand something that is said?" (Responses will vary, but may include: ask a question, ask for clarification, ask the person to repeat what he or she said, etc.) Invite the first student in Group A to begin by sharing an idea of how Oliver is the same as Lulu and Charlie. Invite the remaining students to take turns and each share an idea of how Oliver is the same as Lulu and Charlie. As students share, prompt them to offer further details or to clarify by asking the following questions: "What details from the text support the idea that ___________?" "What happened in the text to make you think that?" As students share, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to track progress toward SL.K.2 and SL.K.4. While Group A is conducting their small group discussion, redirect and refocus students in Groups B and C on their independent tasks as necessary. When 2 minutes remain, invite Groups B and C to clean up by placing their materials in the center of their workspaces. Give Group A specific, positive feedback on engaging in meaningful discussions Refocus students whole group and assist groups in transitioning to their next work areas and task: Group A: workspaces to complete a new pencil sketch Group B: designated small group conversation area to complete Unit 1 Assessment, Part II Group C: workspaces to complete page 6 in the Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1	For students who may need additional support with auditory processing: During the discussion in preparation for the small group conversation, record responses on a chart for visual reference during the assessment. (MMR, MMAE)
B. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group B: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes) Once students are settled, repeat the process from Work Time A to conduct the small group discussion with Group B and redirect students in Groups A and C as necessary. When 2 minutes remain, invite Groups A and C to clean up by placing their materials in the center of their workspaces. Give Group B specific, positive feedback on engaging in meaningful discussions. Refocus students whole group and assist groups in transitioning to their next work areas and task: Group A: workspaces to complete a new entry in the Enjoying Trees Journal, Part 1 Group B: workspaces to complete a new pencil sketch Group C: designated small group conversation area to complete Unit 1 Assessment, Part II
C. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II with Group C: Small Group Discussion (15 minutes) Once students are settled, repeat the process from Work Time A to conduct the small group discussion with Group C and redirect students in Groups A and B as necessary. Give Group C specific, positive feedback on engaging in meaningful discussions. Refocus students whole group and assist groups in transitioning back to the whole group area.

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Shared Reading and Writing: Unit 1 Guiding Question Anchor Chart (5 minutes) Offer students specific, positive feedback on their engagement in their small group discussions, as well as their independent tasks. Remind students that, throughout this unit, they have read texts about, gathered information and ideas on, written and drawn about, and discussed ideas for the Unit 1 guiding question. Direct students' attention to the Unit 1 Guiding Question anchor chart and read it aloud. Using a total participating technique, invite responses from the group: "Based on all the reading, writing, drawing, and discussing we have done, are there any other ideas you have about how trees are important to others that we should add to the chart?" (Responses will vary.) Conversation Cue: "Who can add on to what your classmate said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.) As students share out, clarify and capture any relevant and appropriate responses on the Unit 1 Guiding Question anchor chart. Remind students that they have gathered a lot of information about how trees are important to others during this unit. With excitement, share with students that during the next unit they will continue to gather information about how trees are important to others and will also learn about how some people have used trees to benefit and change their communities in positive ways!	For ELLs: (Metacognitive Reflection) Invite students to share any new words or phrases they've learned and to share their meanings or uses with the class. For students who may need additional support with sustained interest: Invite students to share their favorite idea from the chart. (MME)

Closing