Speaking and Listening: Sharing Our Expertise at the Weather Expo | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

ELA GK:M2:U3:L12

Speaking and Listening: Sharing Our Expertise at the Weather Expo

You are here:

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • 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.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can read my writing using a strong and clear voice. (SL.K.6)
  • I can share a report of the weather with others. (SL.K.4, L.K.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During Work Time, observe as students present their work and engage with the classroom visitors. Document progress and mastery of SL.K.4, SL.K.6, and L.K.6 on the Speaking and Listening Checklist (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Poetry Share (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud: Sharing and Celebrating Our Weather Stories (20 minutes)

B. Speaking and Listening: Meteorologist Presentations (15 minutes)

C. Speaking and Listening: Describing Weather around the World (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this culminating lesson, students perform a poem and share their weather stories, weather journals, and other learning from the module with visitors. Sharing and celebrating work supports students' speaking and listening skills and cultivates a sense of pride and ownership in their work.
  • During Work Time C, students share what they learned about weather around the world. Depending on your class size, consider either allotting extra instructional time to this portion of the lesson (so each student gets to share) or selecting one or two student volunteers to share for each location on the interactive class map.
  • During the Closing, students reflect on their learning using the End of Module Reflection recording form. This exercise is meant to provide them with time to formally keep track of and reflect on their own learning. This self-reflection supports metacognition and pride in work and learning.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • This lesson provides a structure for students to share their performance task writing from Lessons 2-9, as well as poems they have learned throughout the module, with an authentic audience.
  • Continue to use Goal 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may feel uncomfortable sharing their writing with visitors. Remind them that they had time to practice in the previous two lessons. Provide support and encouragement as necessary by asking a supportive adult in the school to sit near students who may need extra help.
  • During the Closing and Assessment, some students may have difficulty recalling something they have learned or are proud of. Encourage them to use visuals around the room to prompt their memory if needed. Some students may also need extra time to complete the reflection. Consider offering dictation support and carving out an additional few minutes of time during the day for them to complete this final module reflection.

Down the road:

  • This is the final lesson of this module.

In Advance

  • Create name tags for students and visitors, to support the conversation during Work Time A.
  • Determine student presentation groups for Work Times A and B. Create an accompanying visual (see supporting materials). Ideally, each group will have four students and one or two visitors. These are not the same student groups from Lessons 10-11.
  • Pre-distribute materials for Work Times A (My Weather Story booklet) and B (weather journals and microphone) at workspaces to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Prepare the End of Module Reflection recording form and attach it to clipboards for the Closing and Assessment. Do not distribute it in advance.
  • Post: Learning targets, "Snowflakes" poem, "Clouds" poem, Presentation Groups chart, "What's the Weather like Today?" song, interactive class map, and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Video record students' presentations to post on a teacher webpage or on a portfolio app such as Seesaw for students to watch at home with families. Most devices (cellphones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video and audio recording apps or software.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.I.A.1 and K.I.C.9

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through the opportunity to use oral language in a structured way, and through the opportunity to celebrate and take pride in their hard work.
  • ELLs may find it challenging or intimidating to speak in front of an audience. Consider offering choice in terms of what group they will be presenting with and/or which order they will present in.
  • Consider allowing more time for the presentations if needed.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Some students may be confused about why unfamiliar people will be participating in class during this lesson. Be clear that everyone is a friend and that they are visiting because they want to see the work we have been doing. Check that all students understand what to expect so that they are not surprised or stressed by the visitors.

For heavier support:

Consider looking at the notes you took during the Module 1 assessment regarding areas in which students struggled with oral presentations, such as projecting their voices or enunciating their words, to help students during their presentations.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): When sharing and celebrating culminating work with visitors, it is important to also document students' learning processes. Highlight aspects of the learning and writing process that were important in this unit by explaining verbally and/or by displaying photo documentation with captions that describe how students learned about weather.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Some students may feel less comfortable performing the poems and songs for visitors during the Weather Expo. Provide differentiated mentors by seating students who are less comfortable performing next to students who may be more comfortable.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Having visitors in the classroom can bring on a host of emotions. After visitors leave, help students facilitate personal coping and self-regulation skills by modeling socially appropriate ways to express enthusiasm/excitement about the celebration.

Vocabulary

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

N/A

Materials

  • "Snowflakes" poem (from Unit 2, Lesson 11; one to display)
  • "Clouds" poem (from Unit 2, Lesson 13; one to display)
  • Presentation Groups chart (new; teacher-created; see Teaching Notes)
  • Ways We Share Our Work anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • My Weather Story booklet (from Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Weather Story Reflection Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 10)
  • "What's the Weather like Today?" song (from Unit 1, Lesson 1; one to display)
  • Weather journal (from Unit 2, Lesson 13; one per student)
  • Paper microphone (from Unit 1, Lesson 12; one per presentation group)
  • Interactive class map (from Unit 2, Lesson 1; one to display)
  • Culminating Task Response Sheet: Weather around the World (from Unit 2, Lesson 5; one per student)
  • End of Module Reflection recording form (one per student)
  • Clipboards (one per student)
  • Pencils (one per student)

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. Developing Language: Poetry Share (5 minutes)

  • Invite students to the whole group area.
  • With excitement, welcome the visitors.
  • Tell students that today is an exciting day because they are going to share lots of learning from their weather study with their special visitors. They will begin by sharing the poems they have learned.
  • Invite students to stand up.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted "Snowflakes" poem.
  • Invite students to join you as you recite the poem aloud and complete the accompanying hand motions.
  • Repeat this process with the "Clouds" poem.
  • Invite the visitors to applaud students' performance.
  • Consider providing differentiated mentors by seating students who are less comfortable performing next to students who may be more comfortable. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: To put students at ease, consider introducing the visitors by quickly identifying them in groups according to their roles within the community. As you name each group, the visitors can stand up, smile, and wave to the class (Example: "We want to welcome our visitors today. Some of our visitors work at the school--we have teachers, students, administrators, and staff. Other visitors are family members, etc.")
  • For ELLs: Some students may benefit from building their confidence by practicing speaking in front of others. Consider choosing a student to introduce the poems that will be recited and inviting the rest of the students to stand up to recite them.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Aloud: Sharing and Celebrating Our Weather Stories (20 minutes)

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

"I can read my writing using a strong and clear voice."

  • Tell students they now will share their weather stories with the visitors.
    • Briefly share that they will gather in small presentation groups with a few other classmates and one or two visitors. Once they are in their groups, they will take turns sharing their weather stories.
    • Tell students that the visitors also will ask them some questions about their stories and the work they did as writers.
    • Remind students that they practiced answering these questions in Lessons 10 and 11.
  • Move students into pre-determined groups using the Presentation Groups chart. Explain that the chart tells who is in their group as well as the order in which they will present.
  • Remind students that they practiced reading their stories aloud in the previous two lessons.
  • Direct students' attention to the Ways We Share Our Work anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"While other students are sharing, what should you do?" (keep voices off, listen carefully, look at the speaker)

  • Remind students that once the first reader has shared, they should move to the second reader, and so on until all the students in the group have shared.
  • Ask the visitors to help keep the group moving along and offer support as needed; however, they should save questions for later when they will be prompted to ask specific questions of students.
  • Invite students to move with their small group to their own area in the room, direct them to their completed My Weather Story booklet, and encourage the first student to begin sharing.
  • Circulate as students share and offer guidance and support as necessary.
  • Provide frequent time checks so students and visitors anticipate moving to the question-and-answer portion.
  • Once all students in a group have shared, direct students' and visitors' attention to the posted Weather Story Reflection Questions anchor chart.
  • Remind everyone that the visitors will choose two or three questions from the list to ask students and the students will take turns answering them.
  • Invite visitors to begin asking questions.
  • Circulate as students and visitors engage in the small group conversation and listen in as students respond to the visitors' questions.
  • With 2 minutes remaining, signal students to clean up and neatly place their My Weather Story booklet back where they found them.
  • Refocus whole group. Give students specific, positive feedback on sharing their learning with the visitors. (Example: "I noticed that you did a great job of listening carefully to the visitors' questions and then responding to them clearly.")
  • As a celebration of students' sharing, display the "What's the Weather like Today?" song. Invite students to join you in singing and completing the accompanying hand motions.
  • As each group presents, emphasize the importance of effort and improvement by highlighting aspects of the learning and writing process that were important in this unit. You can do this verbally and/or by displaying photo documentation with captions explaining how students learned about weather. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: Some students may benefit from building their confidence by speaking in front of others. In this section, consider choosing a student to announce that they now will share their weather stories with the visitors after they gather in small presentation groups.
  • For ELLs: To help students feel more comfortable in their small groups, consider doing a quick round of introductions of the visitors and students in the small groups before starting the presentations.
  • For ELLs: Consider pairing students with a buddy for support as they read their weather stories and during the question-and-answer portion in this section.
  • For ELLs: Some students may benefit from building their confidence by speaking in front of others. In this section, consider choosing a student to invite the class to sing the "What's the Weather like Today?" song.
  • For ELLs: Consider having students who need more support choose which questions they want to answer beforehand, so they can practice their answers and build confidence. Be sure to let the visitors know of this accommodation, so they know which questions to ask those particular students.

B. Speaking and Listening: Meteorologist Presentation (15 minutes)

  • Remind students and visitors that the students' weather stories were just one part of the work they did during this module.
  • Remind students that they also learned to be meteorologists and briefly review the definition of meteorologist (a scientist who studies the earth's weather and climate).
  • Invite students to think for 30 seconds and to remember all the things they did to be like meteorologists.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What did we do to be like meteorologists?" (We observed the weather, we completed daily weather reports, we shared the weather reports, we watched videos of weather, we looked at pictures of different kinds of weather, and we learned about different kinds of weather.)

  • Tell students now they get to share the work they did as meteorologists by sharing their weather journals.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

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

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

"When you are sharing your weather journal, what is it important to remember to do so that your visitors can learn from you?" (speak clearly and loudly, make eye contact with our visitors, listen as others share)

  • Tell students they will remain in the same small groups and follow the same order for sharing their weather journals as they did their weather stories.
    • Direct students' attention to their weather journals and invite students to open to pages 8 and 9.
    • Remind students that they practiced sharing these pages in Lessons 10 and 11.
    • Invite the first student in each group to pick up the paper microphone and begin sharing.
    • Circulate as students share and offer guidance and support as necessary.
    • Provide frequent time checks so students and visitors anticipate cleanup.
    • With 2 minutes remaining, signal students to clean up.
  • Invite students to make a weather motion (sway like the wind, pitter-patter like rain drops, etc.) as they return to the whole group area.
  • Once students are settled in the whole group area, invite visitors to join by finding a place to stand around the edge of the whole group area.
  • For ELLs: Consider pairing students with a buddy for support as they read pages 8 and 9 of their weather journals.

C. Speaking and Listening: Describing Weather around the World (10 minutes)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on sharing their learning with the visitors. (Example: "I noticed that you did a great job of speaking loudly and clearly so the visitors could hear and understand you.")
  • Tell students they have one more piece of learning to share with the visitors.
  • Remind students that not only have they learned about weather in their own town, but they also learned about the weather around the world by reading On the Same Day in March: A Tour of the World's Weather.
  • Remind students that the author of this text described how weather around the world on the same day might be different in different places because of things like the temperature, the speed of the wind, and the amount of moisture in the air.
  • Direct students' and visitors' attention to the interactive class map.
  • Tell students that they will share what the weather is like in different places around the world by presenting their Culminating Task Response Sheet: Weather around the World. Remind students that they practiced sharing this during Lessons 10 and 11.
  • Start with the first location: Alberta, Canada.
    • Invite the students who wrote about this location to stand up and share what the weather is like in that place in March.
    • Once those students have shared, invite them to be seated.
    • Repeat this process with each successive location.
  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on their sharing and presenting. (Example: "Everyone worked very hard today to share all that they learned about weather with the visitors.")
  • As a culmination to the visit, invite students to stand up and engage in the "Lightning" cheer.
  • Thank the visitors for coming and invite them to leave.
  • As students situate themselves after visitors leave, facilitate personal coping and self-regulation skills by modeling socially appropriate ways to express enthusiasm/excitement about the celebration (e.g., silent cheer, give yourself a hug, take a deep breath and smile). (MME)
  • For ELLs: Consider pairing students with a buddy for support as they read their Culminating Task Response Sheet: Weather around the World.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Once the visitors have left, refocus whole group.
  • Tell students that they will now have a chance to reflect on all of the thinking and learning they did during this module. Remind students that reflect means to think about something we have done or learned.
  • Display the End of Module Reflection recording form and read the first prompt aloud:
    • "One thing I learned about weather is ..."
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What is something you have learned about weather in this module?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Weather is made of four elements, weather can be different in different places, and weather affects people, etc.)

  • If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by saying more:

"Can you say more about that?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students that now they will have a chance to draw a picture to show one thing they learned about weather during this module.
  • Distribute clipboards with the End of Module Reflection recording form attached and pencils to each student.
  • Direct students' attention to the appropriate space for their drawing using the displayed End of Module Reflection recording form. Invite students to put their finger on it.
  • As students draw, circulate and ask them to tell you what they learned.
  • After a few minutes, refocus whole group.
  • Repeat this process with the second prompt on the recording form:
    • "One way I showed responsibility or perseverance as a learner is ..."
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their hard work and thinking. (Example: "Weather is a challenging topic to learn about, but everyone showed a lot of perseverance and learned so much about weather.")
  • If time permits, close the lesson by singing a song from the module.
  • Tell students that in the coming days they will begin a new module on another exciting topic to study!
  • For ELLs: Provide help for students to write their End of Module Reflection recording form by pointing them to resources around the room that will help them write, or by taking dictation on what they want to write.

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

Sign Up