Reading, Writing, and Speaking: Close Read-aloud, Session 2 and Coloring Carefully in Weather Journals | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA GK:M2:U2:L7

Reading, Writing, and Speaking: Close Read-aloud, Session 2 and Coloring Carefully in Weather Journals

In this Lesson

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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.4: Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
  • RL.K.7: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
  • W.K.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
  • 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.
  • L.K.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can describe how the hot, dry weather affects Tess and Mamma in the text Come On, Rain! (RL.K.1, RL.K.2, RL.K.4, RL.K.7)
  • I can use high-quality words and pictures to describe what I observe about the weather. (W.K.2, SL.K.4)
  • I can share a report of the weather with others. (SL.K.4, L.K.6, SL.K.1a)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During Close Read-aloud, Session 2, listen for students to describe how the hot, dry weather affects Tess and Mamma. (RL.K.1, RL.K.2, RL.K.4, RL.K.7)
  • During Work Time B, circulate and observe students as they complete page 2 of their weather journal independently. Watch for them to observe and accurately name and describe the day's weather conditions, as well as color carefully while completing Step 1. (W.K.2, SL.K.4)
  • During Closing A, circulate and observe students as they share page 2 of their weather journals. Watch for them to use a clear voice, look at their partner, and point to the weather icons when sharing. As needed, refer students to the Ways We Share Our Work and Things Meteorologists Do anchor charts. (SL.K.1a, SL.K.4, SL.K.6)
  • During Closing B, listen for students to share ways they showed perseverance in their work. (SL.K.1, SL.K.1a)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Making a Rain Shower Activity (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Close Read-aloud, Session 2: Come on, Rain!, Pages 1-6 (20 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: High-Quality Work in Weather Journals (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Pair-Share: Weather Journals (10 minutes)

B. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In Work Time A, students review the second Unit 2 guiding question--"How does weather affect people?"--before Session 2 of the Come On, Rain! close read-aloud. This text provides a rich narrative within which students can consider how weather affects the characters, particularly Tess and Mamma. In the Culminating Task: Before and After the Rain in Session 5 of the close read-aloud, students will draw and write to show how the weather has affected Mamma (RL.K.1, RL.K.2, RL.K.4, RL.K.7, W.K.2). Monitor both students' understanding and their engagement during this lesson's close read-aloud; adjust the practice as necessary to support each.
  • During Work Time B, students are introduced to the High-Quality Work anchor chart, which lists three criteria of high-quality work. These criteria give students practical ways to improve the quality of their weather journal as they complete a page each day. Also, an example and non-example of page 2 of the weather journal are used to contrast the visible difference between high-quality work and low-quality work.
  • During the Closing, students are introduced to a new habit of character: perseverance. Using the Perseverance anchor chart, students learn the definition of perseverance and begin to consider how it helps them complete a challenging task.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Continuing from Unit 1, students focused on responsibility as a habit of character in Lessons 1-6. In Lesson 6, students shared their own weather journal entry with a partner. In Lessons 7-14, students will continue to share a page of their weather journal with others as they make progress toward SL.K.4 and SL.K.6.
  • Continue to use Goal 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • For many young learners, grasping the idea of "high quality" may be a challenge. The example and non-example support students' understanding of the tangible application of this idea. But also consider providing additional concrete examples. (Example: Show a neatly tied shoe and a sloppily tied shoe to represent an example and non-example of high-quality work.)

Down the road:

  • Throughout Lessons 7-14, students work daily to complete a page of their weather journal independently. Across the arc of these lessons, the page of their weather journal includes more steps to complete. Students also focus on honing the quality of their work through a series of mini lessons focused on various criteria of high-quality work.
  • In Closing B, students reflect on how they persevered in their daily work. Throughout the remaining lessons in Unit 2, students will continue to reflect on their progress toward showing perseverance. As students reflect daily, consider guiding them toward more specific responses (e.g., "I persevered by taking on the challenge of coloring inside the lines even though it was hard for me").

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • High-Quality Work anchor chart (see supporting materials).
    • Weather Journal: Page 2 Model and Weather Journal: Page 2 Non-Model. If possible, make copies in color.
    • Weather Word Wall card for perseverance. Write or type the word in large print on a card and create or find a visual to accompany it.
  • Preview the Close Read-aloud Guide for Come On, Rain! (Session 2; for teacher reference) to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students.
  • Since many kindergarteners do not yet decode words independently, visuals are a helpful addition to anchor charts. Consider disassembling and cutting images from an extra copy of Come On, Rain! to use on the Before the Rain anchor chart. See the Come on, Rain! pictures in the supporting materials for recommended images.
  • Distribute materials for Work Time B at student workspaces to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Post: Learning targets, Unit 2 Guiding Question anchor chart, Weather Journal: Page 2 Model and Non-Model, Conversation Partners chart, and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • If you recorded students participating in the Making a Rain Shower activity in Lesson 6, play this recording for them to join in with.
  • Create the Before the Rain, High-Quality Work, and Perseverance anchor charts in an online format, such as a Google Doc, for display and for families to access at home to reinforce these skills.
  • Students complete their weather journals using word-processing software, such as Google Docs.
  • Students use speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or use an app or software like Dictation.io.
  • If students were recorded sharing their weather journal in Lesson 6, consider playing these recordings to remind them of the process.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.I.A.1, K.I.B.6, K.I.C.10, and K.I.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself:

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to read and interpret Come On, Rain!, whose vivid illustrations support the meaning of the text with detailed depictions of how the weather affects the lives of the main characters.
  • ELLs may find discussions about abstract concepts such as perseverance and high-quality work difficult to follow. Use concrete examples whenever possible. Assess student comprehension often and rephrase and re-teach as necessary. See the Meeting Students' Needs column for details.

Levels of support:

For lighter support:

  • During Work Time B, point out that all of the words to describe the weather end in -y. Invite students to think of any other words they could use to describe the weather that end in -y. Challenge them to write a new word in Part 1 of their journals. (examples: chilly, slushy, sweaty)

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time B, for students who have trouble writing, scribe the words for them with a highlighter. Invite them to trace the highlighter with pencil or pen.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): During the Closing and Assessment, the class adds the word perseverance to the Weather Word Wall. This is a challenging new vocabulary word for kindergarteners. To support students' comprehension of perseverance, customize the way it is displayed by including a printed photo or photos of children in kindergarten persevering.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During the close read-aloud, some students may benefit from sensory input and opportunities for movement while they are sitting. Provide options for differentiated seating such as sitting on a gym ball, a move-and-sit cushion, or a chair with a resistive elastic band wrapped around the legs.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): During Work Time B, students learn about how coloring neatly is a criterion of high-quality work. While holding high expectations is important, be aware that sometimes these expectations can raise student anxiety. Emphasize the importance of process and effort by discussing how even when you try your best to color inside the lines, 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:

  • quality, excellent, carefully, challenge, perseverance (L)
  • squint, parched, sagging, sizzling, pant (T)

Review:

  • shower, affect, report (L)

Materials

  • Unit 2 Guiding Questions anchor chart (from Lesson 1; one to display)
  • "Learning Target" poem (from Module 1; one to display)
  • Close Read-aloud Guide: Come On, Rain! (from Lesson 6; Session 2; for teacher reference)
    • Come On, Rain! (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
    • Reading Literature Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources for Module 2)
    • Before the Rain anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
    • Come On, Rain! pictures (for teacher reference)
  • High-Quality Work anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Weather Journal: Page 2 Model (one to display)
  • Weather Journal: Page 2 Non-Model (one to display)
  • Weather journals (from Lesson 6; page 2; one for teacher modeling and one per student)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Crayons (class set; variety of colors per student)
  • Things Meteorologists Do anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Conversation Partners chart (from Module 1)
  • Ways We Share Our Work anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Perseverance anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Weather Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; one)
  • Weather Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; added to during the Opening)
  • Perseverance anchor chart (for teacher reference)

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

A. Engaging the Learner: Making a Rain Shower Activity (5 minutes)

  • Invite students to stand in a spot around the edge of the whole group gathering area. As needed, remind students to move safely and make space for everyone.
  • Review the definition of shower (a period of rain that lasts a short time), reminding students that they made a rain shower with their bodies in the last lesson. Today they get to do it again!
  • Ask:

"In Come On, Rain! what is Tess waiting for?" (rain, a rain shower)

  • Select a few students to come to the middle of the circle and model the motions as you perform them together.
  • Before beginning, make sure the class is quiet.
  • Initiate the process, taking 10-15 seconds for each step:
  1. Rub your fingers together softly.
  2. Rub your hands together, continuing to make a soft sound.
  3. Clap your hands softly.
  4. Snap your fingers (if students struggle to snap, hitting their thumb and forefingers together also works well).
  5. Clap your hands again, a bit more loudly.
  6. Slap your thighs with both hands.
  7. Slap your thighs and stomp your feet.
  8. Reverse this process until the class is quiet and still again.
  • Refocus students whole group.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Close Read-aloud, Session 2: Come on, Rain!, Pages 1-6 (20 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 2 Guiding Questions anchor chart and read the second question aloud:
    • "How does weather affect people?"
  • Review the definition of affect (to cause a change in). Remind students that the weather might affect the clothing people wear, the plans people make, or how people travel from one place to another.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"What is one way that the weather affected you today?" (Responses will vary, but may include: how students traveled to school, what clothing students wore, or what plans students made)

  • Refocus students whole group and select a few students to share out.
  • Share that the two main characters in the text Come On, Rain! are also affected by the weather.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can describe how the hot, dry weather affects Tess and Mamma in the text Come On, Rain!"

  • Above the target, draw a simple picture of a mouth over the word describe, a sun over the words hot and dry, and two stick figures over the words Tess and Mamma.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How do these pictures help us understand this learning target?" (The pictures mean students will talk about the hot, dry weather and Tess and her mamma.)

  • Invite students to take out their magic bows and take aim at the target while you recite the "Learning Target" poem aloud.
  • Guide students through the close read-aloud for Come On, Rain! using the Close Read-aloud Guide: Come On, Rain! (Session 2; for teacher reference). Consider using the Reading Literature Checklist during the close read-aloud (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Refer to the guide for the use of the Before the Rain anchor chart.
  • When preparing students for the close read-aloud, provide options for physical action and sensory input by differentiating seating. Some students might benefit from sitting on a gym ball, a move-and-sit cushion, or a chair with a resistive elastic band wrapped around the legs. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Practice using the present simple tense for habitual actions using the verb affect. Invite students to share about when the weather affects them using the sentence frame: "The weather affects me when _____." (it snows and I need to wear boots; it is hot and I feel like swimming; it rains and I don't want to get out of bed)

B. Independent Writing: High-Quality Work in Weather Journals (20 minutes)

  • Remind students that in the last lesson, they recorded the daily weather on their own. Today they will complete this task again.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:
    • "I can use high-quality words and pictures to describe what I observe about the weather."
  • Invite students to take out their imaginary bows and take aim at the target.
  • Direct students' attention to the High-Quality Work anchor chart and define:
    • quality (degree of value or excellence)
    • excellent (extremely good)
  • Share that high-quality work means work that is excellent, or extremely good. It is work that students would be proud to share with others. Tell students that since they completed a weather journal page in the previous lesson, now they will complete one again and focus on making the work look really excellent, or high-quality.
  • Referring to the High-Quality Work anchor chart again, read the first criterion aloud:
    • "Color carefully."
  • Repeat the word carefully, inviting students to listen for a word they know inside of the word.
  • Ask:

"What word do you hear inside the word carefully?" (care, careful)

  • Share that carefully means you take care, or are careful, in your work.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you think it looks like to color carefully?" (color inside the lines, fill the space with color, choose colors that show what something really looks like)

"Why do you think 'color carefully' is a criterion of high-quality work?" (It is listed because coloring neatly makes your work look excellent, or extremely good.)

  • Display the Weather Journal: Page 2 Model and Weather Journal: Page 2 Non-Model side by side.
  • Invite students to compare the model and the non-model.
  • Pointing to the non-model, ask:

"What do you notice about this weather journal?" (The coloring is messy; it doesn't look neat or good; the colors are out of the lines; the colors don't look like the real thing.)

  • Pointing to the model, ask:

"What do you notice about this weather journal?" (The coloring is neat; it looks good; the colors are in the lines; the colors look like the real thing.)

  • Share that today students will again complete Steps 1 and 2 of page 2 of the weather journal. Today the challenge is to color carefully in Step 1.
  • Display page 2 of the weather journal.
  • Model completing Step 1:
  1. Read the sentence aloud: "Today the weather is ______."
  2. Choose one weather picture, looking outside to observe the weather. (Example: "The sky is bright blue today. I'll choose sunny.")
  3. Color the selected weather picture using a crayon. Choose an appropriate color (e.g., yellow for a sun) and color inside the lines, filling the space with color.
  4. Read the completed sentence aloud. (Example: "Today the weather is sunny.")
  • Model completing Step 2:
  1. Read the sentence aloud: "It is _____ outside."
  2. Think aloud about a word that describes the weather. (Example: "I remember on the way to school, it felt windy so I put my hat on. It is windy outside.")
  3. Write the word, saying the sounds aloud as you record them. (Example: "w-i-n-d-y")
  4. Read the completed sentence aloud. (Example: "It is windy outside.")
  • Point out the pencils, crayons and weather journals at students' workspaces. Invite them to turn to page 2 and begin working on Step 1.
  • Give students 5-7 minutes to work on page 2 of their weather journal. As they work, circulate and engage with them about their work. Reread the sentence frame in Step 2 and refer students to the Weather Word Wall as needed. Consider prompting students by asking:

"Can you show me how you color carefully?"

"What color would be the best to use for this picture?"

"Why did you choose this picture/word to describe today's weather?"

"Could you read your sentence aloud to me?"

  • After 5-7 minutes, signal students to stop working through the use of a designated sound, such as a chime or whistle. Model cleanup, keeping directions clear and brief. Invite students to walk safely to the whole group gathering area, bringing their weather journals with them for the Closing.
  • When modeling how to complete the journal entry, emphasize the importance of process and effort by discussing how even when you try your best to color inside the lines, you can sometimes make a mistake and that is okay. (Example: "High-quality work means that I've tried my best to color carefully. But sometimes, even when I'm being very careful, mistakes happen. I might accidentally bump the table and color outside the lines. That is okay, and my work is still good because I tried my best to color carefully.") (MME)
  • For ELLs: After defining high-quality work, ask students to put the learning target in their own words now that they know what it means to do high-quality work. (Example: I can color carefully to write about the weather today.")
  • For ELLs: While discussing Part 2 of the weather journal entry, explicitly discuss the differences between the meanings of the words. (Example: "What is the difference between cold and chilly? Who can act like they are cold? Who can act like they are chilly? If it is snowing, do you think it is just chilly, or is it cold?")
  • For ELLs: After modeling the activity, consider completing it once more as an interactive writing experience to bolster confidence before independent work.
  • For ELLs: Some students may have trouble reading their work aloud. Help them identify key elements of their journal and allow them to repeat words and phrases. (Example: "It looks like you wrote 'It is warm outside.' Watch me point to the words. It. is. warm. outside. Now you try.")

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Pair-Share: Weather Journals (10 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Things Meteorologists Do anchor chart.
  • With excitement, remind students that in the last lesson they shared a weather report with a classmate like a real meteorologist! Today, they will share a report of the weather again.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the third one aloud:

"I can share a report of the weather with others."

  • Review the definition of report (a statement or story about something that has happened).
  • Invite students to take out their imaginary bow and take aim at the target.
  • Referring to the Conversation Partners chart, invite students to pair up with their predetermined talking partner and sit facing one another. Make sure students know which partner is A and which is B.
  • Direct student's attention to the Ways We Share Our Work anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Remind students that when they share, they will share the weather like a meteorologist. (e.g., use weather words, point at the weather picture).
  • Invite a student to come to the front of the whole group and model sharing Steps 1 and 2 with the class. Give the student specific, positive feedback. (Example: "Leonor, you pointed to the weather picture while you told me what today's weather is like.")
  • Tell students they will now share with their partner.
    • Invite partner A to begin sharing. Remind students to make a bridge with their arms after partner A has shared.
    • As students share, circulate and offer guidance and support as necessary. Re-model reading Steps-2 aloud if necessary.
    • Refocus students whole group.
    • Repeat the sharing process with partner B.
    • Refocus students whole group.
  • For ELLs: Introduce language to empower students to ask their partners for help if they get stuck while sharing. (Example: "I forget how to say this word. Could you please help me?")

B. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted Perseverance anchor chart and read it aloud while tracking the print:
    • "I challenge myself."
    • "When something is hard, I keep trying."
    • "I ask for help if I need it."
  • Explain that this is the meaning of a new character trait: perseverance.
  • Invite students to say the word perseverance aloud several times with you.
  • Define challenge (an interesting or difficult problem).
  • Pointing to each corresponding icon on the Perseverance anchor chart, explain that the mountain shows a big challenge, the mountain climber shows a person who keeps going, and the helping hand picture shows someone getting help when it's needed. All are important parts of perseverance: to try challenges, to keep going, and to ask for help.
  • Share that when people show perseverance, they persevere.
  • Model using the word in a sentence: "I persevere to finish all my work."
  • Show students the Weather Word Wall card for perseverance.
  • Point to the picture icon and ask:

"How does this picture show perseverance?" (Responses will vary, depending on the picture selected.)

  • Place the Word Wall card and picture for perseverance on the Weather Word Wall.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to a partner:

"How did you persevere today when you were completing your weather journal?" (Responses will vary, but may include: trying hard to color neatly or write a word; asking for help to locate a weather word.)

  • Provide a sentence starter:
    • "I persevered today in my work by ______."
  • If needed, remind students that perseverance means when you try a challenge, you keep going or ask for help.
  • Refocus the group and invite several students to share their responses. Refer to the Perseverance anchor chart (for teacher reference) as needed to help students connect their actions to the aspects of perseverance listed on the chart.
  • Tell students that during the next several lessons, they will be thinking about how they and their classmates can persevere to create high-quality work.
  • When adding perseverance to the Weather Word Wall, customize the display by including a printed photo or photos of children in kindergarten persevering as they learn about weather. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: To illustrate the meaning of perseverance, tell a story about a time when you or a student in class persevered to do something challenging. (Example: "I noticed that Kendra was having such a difficult time writing her name. She tried and tried again. She didn't think she would ever be able to do it! But guess what? She kept trying. She persevered, and now she can do it! Perseverance really helped her succeed!")
  • For ELLs: Provide alternative sentence frames for discussing perseverance to illustrate different ways the word can be used in a sentence. (Examples: "I show perseverance when I ______," "I persevere to _______," and "I persevere when I _______.")

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