Reading and Speaking: Focused Read-aloud, Session 1: We Planted a Tree, Pages 1–18 | EL Education Curriculum

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Reading and Speaking: Focused Read-aloud, Session 1: We Planted a Tree, Pages 1–18

In this Lesson

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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.
  • RI.K.6: Name the author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each in presenting the ideas or information in a text.
  • RI.K.7: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text an illustration depicts).
  • 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.4: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
  • SL.K.6: Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify and discuss details from the text that can be added to our Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart. (RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.4, RI.K.6, RI.K.7, SL.K.1a, SL.K.6)
  • I can describe how trees contribute to communities and why people should appreciate trees. (SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, SL.K.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the focused read-aloud in Work Time A, use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.4, RI.K.6, and RI.K.7 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During the Opening, Work Times, and Closing, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to track students' progress toward SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, and SL.K.6 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Introducing the Performance Task (15 minutes)

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

2. Work Time

A. Focused Read-aloud, Session 1: We Planted a Tree, Pages 1-18 (20 minutes)

B. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Habit of Character: "I Apply My Learning" (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Shared Reading: Reasons to Plant a Tree Anchor Chart (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • During this first lesson of the last unit, students learn that they will use the skills they have developed in art and opinion writing throughout Units 1 and 2 to answer the Unit 3 guiding question, "How can I inspire others to appreciate and enjoy trees?"
  • In Opening A, students hear a story about a child who inspires her family to slow down and appreciate trees. The story is meant to inspire students to take action; if this child could inspire an adult to enjoy trees, the class can inspire the community to enjoy trees, too. The Unit 3 guiding question is framed as a problem that students can solve: How can they use what they know about trees to inspire others--not just their families, but the broader community as well?
  • In Opening A, students are introduced to the Model Performance Task: Tree Appreciation card. This is the first opportunity to make the connection between high-quality work and inspiring members of the community to appreciate and enjoy the trees around them.
  • In Work Time A, students begin reading a new text, We Planted a Tree. They compile additional reasons why trees are important to the community on the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart (continued from Unit 2).
  • The pages of We Planted a Tree are not numbered. For instructional purposes, the page that begins with "We Planted a Tree." should be considered page 2 and all pages thereafter numbered accordingly.
  • In Work Time B, students learn about the habit of character "I apply my learning" and connect it to the Unit 3 guiding question as they apply their learning to inspire the community.
  • Similar to Unit 2, the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart should be added to in a way that allows the teacher to remove and move the ideas. In order to manipulate ideas on this anchor chart, consider using double-sided sticky tape or mounting putty as temporary adhesive.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Students continue to compile reasons why trees are important to the community on the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart begun in Unit 2.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Throughout the lesson, students participate in many discussions. Consider pairing students with varying levels of language proficiency. The students with greater language proficiency can serve as models in their partnership, initiating discussion and providing implicit sentence frames.

Down the road:

  • In this lesson, students analyze the Model Performance Task: Tree Appreciation card. Students will work on the elements of their Tree Appreciation cards by beginning the opinion writing in Lesson 3 and the artwork in Lesson 4. They will go through cycles of drafting, critique, and revision in order to create a high-quality product that will inspire members of their community to appreciate and enjoy trees.
  • Students will complete the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart in Lesson 2. They will use the anchor chart to help them write and draw for the Unit 3 Assessment, Part I: Why a Tree Is Nice. This writing and drawing will also help students focus the writing and drawing for their performance task, which will begin in Lesson 4.
  • In Lessons 14 and 15, students participate in the End of Module Celebration. Consider reaching out to local community members, such as neighborhood council members and business owners, and inviting them to the celebration. The inclusion of an authentic audience increases student investment and engagement with the performance task and provides an additional reason to make their work high-quality so that it is ready to share with the community.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • A sentence strip with the following for use in the Closing: "Trees are nice because ..." 
    • Trees Are Important Word Wall cards for the words appreciate and inspire. 
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

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 by in part by CA ELD Standards K.I.A.I, K.1.B.6, and K.II.C.6

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing opportunities for them to discuss and reflect upon connections between the text, the performance task, and a new habit of character.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to comprehend the new habit of character because the concept of applying learning can be abstract. Consider giving students a few concrete examples from other contexts. (Example: If I am learning how to count in math, I can help my little sister count the apples in a basket at my house.) Invite students to share their own examples and offer positive and corrective feedback to support their understanding.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During Work Time B, invite students to use Conversation Cues to discuss the examples of applying learning.

For heavier support:

  • During the Opening, students may have trouble understanding the word inspire. Throughout the unit, each time students are working on the learning target with this word, remind them of the definition. Add a picture and provide oral examples of how to use the word to help them visualize and contextualize this new vocabulary. (Example: Show students a picture of a person with a light bulb above her head and an "aha" look. Create a personalized example using a topic besides trees: "When my friend Ana explained to me how beautiful birds were, it inspired me to appreciate them.")

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffold connections for students. Continue to provide visual display of questions and student responses on a chart or the board during discussions.
  • 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 sustained engagement and effort for students who benefit from consistent reminders of learning goals and their value or relevance. 

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • inspire, appreciate, apply (L)
  • appeared, burst (T)

Review:

  • enjoy (L)
  • blossom, bud (T)

Materials

  • Trees Are Important Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; two)
  • Trees Are Important Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; added to during the Opening)
  • Tree inspiration images (to display)
  • Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Model Performance Task: Tree Appreciation card (one to display; see Performance Task Overview)
  • Tree Stretch chart (from Unit 1, Lesson 3; one to display)
  • We Planted a Tree (one to display; for teacher read aloud)
  • Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 3; added to during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
  • Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 3; example, for teacher reference)
  • Reading Informational Text Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Sentence strips (three; used by the teacher on the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart and during shared reading)
  • Marker (one for teacher modeling)
  • Tape (three pieces; used by the teacher to adhere sentence strips to the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart) 
  • I Apply My Learning anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • I Apply My Learning anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Module 4 Guiding Question anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol anchor chart (begun in Module 1)

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

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Introducing the Performance Task (15 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Tell the students that you heard an amazing story recently and you are so excited to share it with them because it has to do with trees and how inspiring kids can be.
  • Show students the Trees Are Important Word Wall card for inspire (give someone the desire or courage to do something), and follow the same process established in Modules 1-3: Provide its definition, clap out its syllables, use it in a sentence, and place the Word Wall card and picture for it on the Trees Are Important Word Wall.
  • Tell students that when you inspire someone, it makes that person think or do something that they might not have otherwise thought or done. It is a powerful thing to do.
  • Remind students that they have seen characters in our texts inspire others. For example, in Mama Miti, Wangari inspired her community to plant trees and value them. And in Oliver's Tree, Oliver's friends inspired him to find a fun way to play with trees. Students will see how one child inspired her parents in this new story.
  • Tell students that you heard the following story from a friend about her little girl:
    • "Every day, anywhere they were going, the little girl would suddenly stop ... no matter how much of a rush she and her mom were in." Display the first tree inspiration image.
    • "Finally, her mom stopped to look and see what her daughter was doing. It turns out the little girl was just staring at a tree they had just walked by."
    • "Her mom was very confused and said, 'What are you looking at, honey? We have to go. If we stop for too long, we will be late!'"
    • "The little girl said, 'If we stop for a little bit, we won't be late and this tree is so pretty! The leaves are so green; the flowers smell so good; the bark is so bumpy; and there's a bird's nest in the branches!'" Display the second, third, fourth, and fifth tree inspiration images.
    • "This made her mom stop and look at the green leaves, smell the flowers, and touch the bumpy bark. She looked at her daughter and said, 'You know what? You are right! It has been so long since I have stopped to just look at the trees. They really are amazing.'"
    • "The little girl inspired her mother! After that day, they left the house 5 minutes early so they could spend just a little time looking at the beautiful trees wherever they were going!"
  • As needed, remind students of the definition of inspire. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What did the little girl inspire her mother to do that she was not doing before?" (She inspired her mother to look at the trees.)

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

"Why do you think this little girl wanted to inspire her mother?" (Responses will vary, but may include: because she wanted her to see how beautiful and lovely trees were.)

"How do you think she was able to inspire her mother?" (Responses will vary, but may include: The little girl had read lots of books about trees and knew a lot about trees; the little girl had studied trees just like we have been doing, and she has a lot of information to share with others.)

  • Tell students that it is amazing how powerful children can be in inspiring the adults around them, just like the little girl in the story inspired her mother to enjoy trees. 
  • Tell students that the story makes you excited because, just like the little girl, they also have the power to inspire the adults around them to enjoy trees! They will spend the last unit thinking about how they can inspire people to enjoy trees, too. 
  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart and read it aloud. Refer to Unit 3 Guiding Question anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • "How can I inspire others to appreciate and enjoy trees?"
  • Quickly remind students of the definition of enjoy (find pleasure in something). 
  • Show students the Trees Are Important Word Wall card for appreciate (feel the value in something, or care about something), and follow the same process established in Modules 1-3: Provide its definition, clap out its syllables, use it in a sentence, and place the Word Wall card and picture for it on the Trees Are Important Word Wall.
  • Turn and Talk:

"How can we inspire others to appreciate and enjoy trees?" (Responses will vary.)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen to their ideas and choose a couple of students to share with the class.
  • Tell students that they have learned a lot in the past two units about writing an opinion piece and creating beautiful artwork, and they are now ready to share what they have learned in their writing and art. They can use these skills to inspire people to enjoy and appreciate trees.
  • Direct students' attention to the Model Performance Task: Tree Appreciation card. Read the text on the performance task. Share that it is a greeting card--people write their friends, family, and community members letters and notes on beautiful cards just like this one.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What do you notice about the performance task?" (Responses will vary, but may include: It is watercolor; it is a card; it has writing on it.)

  • As students discuss, circulate to listen for a variety of student responses that address both the art and the writing.
  • Invite several students to share out.
  • Turn and Talk:

"How do you think this card will inspire others to appreciate and enjoy trees like we do?" (Responses will vary, but may include: The card is beautiful like trees are beautiful; it tells people how they can enjoy trees.)

  • As students discuss, circulate to listen for a variety of student responses that address both the art and the writing.
  • Invite several students to share out.
  • Tell students that they are prepared to work on this performance task because they have learned many reasons why people appreciate and enjoy trees.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Performance Task: Oral Language Fluency) After introducing the performance task, invite students to turn to a partner to complete this frame: "I am most excited about _______." Then ask a few students to share out what their partner said. (MME)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Learning Target: Visual Cues) Above the words on the learning target, consider illustrating key words. (Example: inspire with a lightbulb, appreciate with a heart, enjoy with a smile, and trees with a few trees.) This will help students focus on the meaning and task. (MMR)

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

  • Refocus whole group.
  • 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.
  • Display the Tree Stretch chart and remind students that they learned the Tree Stretch in Unit 1.
    • Invite students to join you in the Tree Stretch.
    • Repeat one or two times or as time permits.
    • Offer students specific, positive feedback on engaging with the tree stretch calmly.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Focused Read-aloud, Session 1: We Planted a Tree, Pages 1-18 (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to We Planted a Tree.
  • Tell students that you will read a new text to learn more reasons why trees are important to communities. 
  • Direct students' attention to the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart and tell them they have found many reasons why people plant trees. 
  • Read aloud the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart fluently as you point to each reason. Invite students to read the chart aloud with you and act out each idea from their seat so they can remember all the reasons they have already discovered.
  • Tell students that the author of We Planted a Tree gives some new reasons why people plant trees and some of the same reasons as the authors of A Tree Is Nice and Mama Miti from the last unit. 
  • Tell students that as they read, they will stop and record the new reasons of why trees are important to the community, which is why people plant trees. They will also put stars next to the reasons that are already on the chart.
  • Direct students' attention to the first posted learning target and read it aloud.

"I can identify and discuss details from the text that can be added to our Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart."  

  • Throughout the focused read-aloud, consider using the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.4, RI.K.6, and RI.K.7.
  • Read aloud pages 1-12. 
  • Pause on page 12. Tell students it is important to stop and make sure you understand the reasons the author is giving for how trees contribute to the community. 
  • Follow the same routine from Unit 2 to check for understanding:
    • Turn and Talk: 

"According to the illustrations and the text, what is one way trees contribute to the community that the author tells us on this page?" (Trees give leaves that help cool the earth. Trees give us shade.)

    • As students discuss, circulate and listen for accurate reasons.
    • Refocus the group and share a few correct reasons that students identified. 
    • Invite students to silently pantomime a reason that the author gave to support the point that trees contribute to the community.
    • Acknowledge students who are accurately showing reasons in their body by naming the reason and narrating the actions the student is doing (student actions will vary, but could include: pretending to relax in the shade).
    • After students pantomime, direct students' attention to the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart and record the response on a sentence strip with a marker and attach it ("It cools the earth") to the anchor chart using tape. Place a star next to "Trees make shade."
    • Refer to Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. 
  • Read aloud pages 13-14.
    • Pause on page 14. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"On page 14, what is a reason the author gives that makes you think trees contribute to the community?" (They clean the air.)

Conversation Cue: "Who can explain why your classmate came up with that response? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

    • Invite students to stand up and pantomime the reason.
    • Record the response on a sentence strip with a marker and attach it ("Trees clean the air") to the anchor chart using tape.
  • Read aloud pages 15-18.
    • Pause after reading page 18 and follow steps 1-6 established in Unit 2 to check for understanding.
    • After students pantomime, direct their attention to the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart and place a star next to "Trees provide us with food."
  • Tell students they will continue to think about the reasons that the author gives to show that trees are important to the community in the next lesson. Remind them that this thinking will give them more reasons that trees are important to share with the community, which will help their community learn to appreciate trees just like they have learned to!
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Learning Target: Visual Cues) Consider sketching icons above the words discuss and details. Then reread it and ask students to say the learning target in their own words with a partner. Invite responses from the group. Provide positive and corrective feedback. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Describing Illustrations) To ensure students notice major events in the picture, as well as practice vocabulary and noun-verb agreement, invite students to describe the illustrations in We Planted a Tree.
  • Before reading, provide white boards and dry-erase markers as an option for students to record (in drawing or writing) their ideas. This will also help scaffold active listening for key details. (MMR, MMAE)

B. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Habit of Character: "I Apply My Learning" (10 minutes) 

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can describe how trees contribute to communities and why people should appreciate trees."

  • Direct students' attention to the I Apply My Learning anchor chart and read it aloud while you point to the words. Refer to I Apply My Learning anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Quickly define apply in context (to use).
  • Tell students they have learned so much about trees and how trees are important to communities; they can apply their learning to inspire people to appreciate trees.
  • Direct students' attention to the Module 4 Guiding Question anchor chart and read it aloud. 
  • Tell students they have learned so many ways people that can enjoy trees and why trees are important to us and our community. Now, they will spend some time thinking about the families in the text who planted trees in We Planted a Tree and how they helped their community.
  • Tell students they are going to go through the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol to think and talk about how the families in We Planted a Tree helped the community. Remind them that they used this protocol in Module 3 and in Units 1-2 of Module 4, and review as necessary using the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol anchor chart. Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol. 
  • Lead students through two rounds of the protocol using the following prompts:

"What is one way that the tree the family planted helped the community?" (Responses will vary, but may include: It cooled the earth; it gave people food.)

"How did the community benefit from having the tree?" (Responses will vary, but may include: People were able to stay cool; people were able to eat.)

  • Circulate as students discuss. Refocus whole group and invite a few students to share out their partner's response.
  • Tell students that, just like the family in the text, they will think about how they can take everything they know about trees and help their own community learn to enjoy and appreciate trees even more than they already do.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with sustained effort: (Learning Target: Visual Cues) Above the words on the learning target, consider illustrating the words describe, trees, contribute, communities, people, and appreciate. This will help students focus on the meaning and task. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Reading: Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Invite students to stand and pantomime each reason on the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart as you read the chart aloud.
  • Refocus whole group and direct students' attention to the Model Performance Task: Tree Appreciation card.
  • Tell students that it is important to make sure their work is on the right track and getting them ready to create their performance task. They need to be sure that each reason to plant a tree that they have added to the anchor chart is also a reason that trees are nice. This is especially important because it will help them with their performance task writing.
  • Display the sentence strip with "A tree is nice because ..." written on it and point out that you can use this sentence starter to make sure all the reasons on the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart also make sense as reasons trees are nice.
  • Invite students to create a hand motion or gesture that will signal that each sentence on the anchor chart makes sense. (Gestures will vary, but may include a thumbs-up.)
  • Hold the sentence strip up to each bullet on the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart and invite students to read each sentence aloud and show whether or not it makes sense using the agreed-upon hand gesture.
  • Tell students they will continue to think about how they can help their community learn to appreciate trees over the rest of the unit!
  • For ELLs (Call and Response: Oral Language Fluency) After reviewing the anchor chart once with the new sentence strip, invite students to complete the sentence after you've started it with "A tree is nice because ..." using the list of reasons on the chart in order.
  • For ELLs: (Recalling Language Dive) Invite students to use language from the Language Dive in Unit 2, Lesson 2 to share with a partner why a tree is nice. Then invite students to share what their partner said with the class. (Example: A tree is nice because it makes shade.)
  • For students who may need additional support with visual perception: Offer individual copies of the anchor chart for students who may need support with using far-point display. (MMR)

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