Speaking, Listening, and Writing: Watercoloring for the Performance Task | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade K › ELA GK:M4 › ELA GK:M4:U3 ›

ELA GK:M4:U3:L12

Speaking, Listening, and Writing: Watercoloring for the Performance Task

In this Lesson

You are here:

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • 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.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.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can revise my watercolor painting by adding layers. (SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, SL.K.6)
  • I can track the progress of my artwork through writing and drawing. (W.K.8, SL.K.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Collect students' completed Performance Task Art planners and use the Opinion Writing Checklist to document progress toward W.K.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During the Closing, as students share their completed artwork, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to document progress toward SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, and SL.K.6 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: "The Cat, the Tree, and Me" and Inflectional Endings Game (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Shared Reading: High-Quality Work Anchor Chart (5 minutes)

B. Engaging the Artist: Watercoloring (20 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Performance Task Art Planner (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Pinky Partners Protocol: Sharing Our Completed Performance Task Art (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • Based on the needs of your students and the importance of creating high-quality work, consider repeating all or part of Work Time in Lesson 11 (as an optional Lesson 12 "flex day") to give students more time to complete their performance task artwork.
  • This is the final lesson in which students watercolor for their performance task art. Encourage students to use their expertise about trees to think strategically about the details and beauty they want to include in their artwork to ensure that it is high-quality.
  • In Work Time C, students complete their final entry in the Performance Task Art planner by reflecting upon their artwork and providing a reason for why they think their final product is high-quality.
  • In the Closing, students share their completed performance task art. Ensure students' watercolor paint is dry before allowing them to bring their artwork to the whole group meeting area to share with a partner. Consider allocating time for this activity later in the day to allow the artwork to fully dry.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Students complete their watercoloring for the performance task art begun in Lesson 7.
  • Students complete the Performance Task Art planner begun in Lesson 5.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • During independent writing in Work Time C, remind students to use the classroom resources to improve their writing, such as Word Walls, anchor charts, and texts. Consider allowing students to select a work area in the room that allows them to best use the resources they need.

Down the road:

  • As noted above, consider repeating all or part of this lesson before moving on to Lesson 13.
  • In Lesson 13, students will practice presenting their completed Performance Task: Tree Appreciation cards. Assemble the Tree Appreciation cards with each student's completed Performance Task Artwork template, Performance Task Writing template, and the student's typed name in advance of Lesson 13.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Student workspaces for watercoloring in Work Time B by placing Performance Task Artwork templates and watercoloring supplies at each.
    • Performance Task Art planners by attaching student copies to clipboards for use in Work Time C.
  • Post: Learning targets, "The Cat, the Tree, and Me," 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.3, K.I.B.5, and K.I.C.11

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by reviewing inflectional endings through a familiar poem and guiding them through discussion to reflect on their performance task.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to provide a detailed appreciation in the Closing. Consider reviewing frames and providing examples. Remind them to find a reason that is specific and to extend with the word because. (Example: "I ______ [like/enjoy/love/appreciate] the _______ [way the paint is layered] because _______ [it looks realistic].")

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Invite students to be inflectional endings detectives throughout the remainder of the unit, encouraging them to share when they see or hear one in a poem or song, or during a conversation with a classmate.
  • The supports in this lesson are similar to those in Lessons 7-10 as the tasks build on one another. Based on student performance in prior lessons, consider releasing students from some of the supports applied in those lessons to foster independence and to assess student progress.

For heavier support:

  • In the Opening, add the words peaceful and endless to the inflectional endings T-chart. Review all the words in call and response format, with students completing each root word with its inflectional ending.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffold connections for students.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support development of executive skills and strategies by offering scaffolds for students learning to set appropriate personal goals.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to explicitly highlight the utility and relevance of each activity to the learning target.

Vocabulary

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

Review:

  • inflectional ending, high-quality, watercolor, layering (L)

Materials

  • "The Cat, the Tree, and Me" (from Lesson 6; one to display)
  • High-Quality Work anchor chart (begun in Module 3)
  • Model Watercolor 3 (one to display; see Performance Task Overview)
  • Tree parts images (from Unit 1, Lesson 6; one per student and one to display)
  • Performance Task Artwork template (begun in Lesson 4; added to during Work Time C; one per student)
  • Watercoloring supplies:
    • Palette (one per student)
    • Cups of water (one or two per workspace)
    • Paintbrushes (one per student)
    • Paper towel (one sheet per student)
  • Clipboards (one per student)
  • Performance Task Art planner (begun in Lesson 5; added to during Work Time B; one per student and one for teacher modeling)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Opinion Writing Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Pinky Partners Protocol anchor chart (begun in Module 3)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)

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. Engaging the Learner: "The Cat, the Tree, and Me" and Inflectional Endings Game (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group. 
  • Display "The Cat, the Tree, and Me" poem and read the title.
  • Follow the same routine established in Modules 1-3 to read "The Cat, the Tree, and Me":
    • Direct students' attention to the posted poem.
    • Read the poem with students and invite them to read along as you point to the text and act out their motions.
  • Provide specific, positive feedback on students' participation with the poem and tell them that they will present the poem during the Celebration of Learning.
  • Refocus whole group.
  • Use the same routine from Opening B of Lesson 7 to lead students through the inflectional endings game: 
    • Say the root word aloud: "peace."
    • Tell students that when you say the word with an inflectional ending attached, they should stand up and act out the new meaning with a partner.
    • Say the word: "peaceful."
    • Invite students to stand up and act out being peaceful with a partner (e.g., acting calm, resting, meditating, etc.).
    • Say the root word: "end."
    • Tell students that when you say the word with an inflectional ending attached, they can stand up and act out the new meaning with a partner.
    • Say the word: "endless."
    • Invite students to stand up and act out endless with a partner (e.g., repeating something over and over, etc.).
  • For ELLs: (Retelling) Invite students to retell the story of the poem in their own words with a partner. Encourage other students to add to the story with Conversation Cues.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Reading: High-Quality Work Anchor Chart (5 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the High-Quality Work anchor chart and review the big ideas.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What have you done to create performance task artwork that is high-quality?" (Plan it carefully; add details to the sketch and watercolor painting)

"What will you do as you watercolor today to continue making artwork that is high-quality?" (Responses will vary, but may include: add more details, paint carefully, add layers, etc.)

  • Tell students that today will be their last day to work on their performance task artwork, so they should be sure to focus on making their artwork high-quality.
  • For ELLs: (Meaning: Similar Words) Help celebrate students' language versatility by inviting them to brainstorm with a partner all the words they can think of that are similar in meaning to "high-quality" (e.g., good, detailed, beautiful, nice, excellent).

B. Engaging the Artist: Watercoloring (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • With excitement, share with students that they will now complete their watercoloring for the performance task artwork.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can revise my watercolor painting by adding layers."

  • Remind students that they learned the watercoloring technique of layering in Unit 2.
  • Tell students that today they will use the layering technique to create more detail and beauty on the tree part of their artwork.
    • Display Model Watercolor 3 and invite students to look closely at the artwork.
    • Display the tree parts image that corresponds with the Model Performance Task: Tree Appreciation card (leaf).
    • Turn and Talk:

"How did the artist of this watercolor use layers on the tree part?" (The artist layered shades of green to create a realistic leaf, etc.)

  • Tell students that their Performance Task Artwork templates, tree parts images, and the watercoloring supplies are at their workspaces.
    • Transition students to their workspaces and invite them to begin watercoloring by following the same routine from Unit 2.
    • Circulate to support students as they watercolor.
    • After about 15 minutes, invite students to clean up carefully, put all materials back in the appropriate locations, and return to the whole group meeting area.
    • Tell students that they will complete their performance tasks and practice presenting them in upcoming lessons.
  • For ELLs: (Partner Share-out) Invite students to share what their partner said. 
  • For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: Help students anticipate and manage frustration during watercoloring. (Example: "If I feel frustrated or overwhelmed while I am trying to use the layering technique, I can stop for a second and take a deep breath to refocus.") (MME)

C. Independent Writing: Performance Task Art Planner (15 minutes)

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

"I can track the progress of my artwork through writing and drawing."

  • Distribute the prepared clipboards with the Performance Task Art planner attached and pencils.
  • Focus students on the checklist on the cover page. 
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What parts of the performance task artwork have we completed?" (adding layers)

  • Model how to draw a check mark in the box next to the words "add layers."
  • Invite students to check off "add layers" on their Performance Task Art planners.
  • Tell students to open the Performance Task Art planners to page 5.
  • Focus students on the new prompt on page 5 and read it aloud: 
    • "My work is high-quality because ..."
  • Turn and Talk:

"What makes your performance task art high-quality?" (Responses will vary, but may include: I carefully planned my art by making many drafts; I added details in my sketching and watercoloring.)

  • Tell students that now they will write and draw about a reason their artwork is high-quality.
  • Invite students to begin writing and drawing.
  • After a few minutes, refocus whole group.
  • Provide specific, positive feedback on students' abilities to think strategically about the work they have done and why their artwork is high-quality.
  • Collect students' completed Performance Task Art planners and consider using the Opinion Writing Checklist to document student progress toward W.K.8.
  • Tell students that in the upcoming lessons they will practice presenting it for the Celebration of Learning.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for written expression: (Oral Language: Exchanging Ideas) Before students write and draw what they did in this lesson, invite them to discuss their ideas with a partner. After they are done, invite them to explain what they've done with a different partner. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Pinky Partners Protocol: Sharing Our Completed Performance Task Art (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Tell students that they are going to use the Pinky Partners protocol to share their completed performance task art with a partner. Remind them that, because their art is now complete, this is not a time to give feedback. Rather, this is a time to appreciate each other's hard work! Remind them that they used this protocol in Module 3 and Units 1-2 of Module 4, and review as necessary using the Pinky Partners Protocol anchor chart. Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol. 
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is something specific you can say to show appreciation for your partner's watercolor painting?" (Responses will vary, but may include: I love the way you layered colors on the flower; I really like the details you drew on the bark; I can tell you spent a lot of time making this look realistic.)

Conversation Cue: "How is what _____ said the same as/different from what _____ said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

  • Distribute students' Performance Task Art templates and invite them to begin the protocol.
    • As students discuss, circulate to track students' progress toward SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, and SL.K.6 using the Speaking and Listening Checklist.
    • If time permits, have students repeat the protocol with a new partner.
  • Collect students' Performance Task Art templates in order to assemble the Performance Task: Tree Appreciation cards.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Fishbowl: Pinky Partners Protocol) Invite volunteers to fishbowl the conversation for the class using the protocol. Prompt and narrate the conversation step by step. This better prepares students for participating in the protocol independently. (MMAE, MME)

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback