Reading and Writing to Research: Living Things Move and Grow | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA GK:M3:U1:L5

Reading and Writing to Research: Living Things Move and Grow

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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.3: With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
  • RI.K.4: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words 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).
  • W.K.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • L.K.1c: Form regular plural nouns orally by adding /s/ or /es/ (e.g., dog, dogs; wish, wishes).
  • L.K.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content.
  • L.K.5: With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can read a text to research what makes something living. (RI.K.1, RI.K.1, RI.K.3, RI.K.4, RI.K.7)
  • I can record information from my research about what makes something living. (W.K.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening, circulate, listen, and take note of students' ability to use and form singular and plural nouns. Use the Language Checklist to make note of students' progress toward L.K.1c (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During the Language Dive in Work Time B, listen to and make note of students' ability to reconstruct the sentence and explain the focus structure. (L.K.4, L.K.5)
  • Collect students' Living Things research notebooks as evidence of progress toward W.K.8.

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Poem and Movement: "What's Alive and What's Not?" Version 1 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What's Alive?, Pages 13, 18, and 20 (15 minutes)

B. Language Dive: What's Alive?, Page 20 (15 minutes)

C. Engaging the Researcher: Making and Recording Observations (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • The Opening, Work Times A and C, and the Closing all contain repeated routines from Lessons 2-4. Refer to those lessons for more detail as necessary.
  • This is the final lesson in a series of three (Lessons 3-5) in which students focus in on one criterion from the Living Things Criteria anchor chart to research more closely. In this lesson, students focus on how all living things move and grow.
  • In Work Time B, all students participate in a Language Dive conversation that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from What's Alive? The focus of this Language Dive is explaining the function of plural nouns and pronouns in general and their function in particular sentences (L.K.1c, L.K.4, L.K.5). Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when discussing how plants move and grow in Work Time C. Refer to the Tools Page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine.
  • In Work Time C, students watch a 1-minute video embedded in the PBS Learning Media website, "Budding Conifer Timelapses." This video provides further examples and observations of how all living things have the same needs for food and water.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 4, students listened to selected pages of What's Alive? being read aloud to focus on how all living things breathe air. In this lesson, they listen to selected pages to focus their research on the pattern that all living things move and grow.
  • Similar to the Closing of Lessons 3-4, students revise the Sorting Living and Nonliving Things anchor chart to show new understandings.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • During Work Time C, emphasize that plants and trees cannot move as we do, but that they do grow and can bend and stretch their stems and leaves toward the sun.
  • Similar to Lessons 3-4, students independently write in the Living Things research notebook. Continue to consider additional supports as needed.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 6, students confirm their research and understanding of the Living Things Criteria anchor chart through a read-aloud. Then they demonstrate their understanding as they use the Living Things Criteria anchor chart on a scavenger hunt to find living things around the classroom or school.
  • Students will use the observations from Lessons 3-5 and researched information as evidence for a Science Talk in Lesson 8 to answer the questions: "Are trees living? Why or why not?"

In Advance

  • Strategically pair students for the Opening.
  • Prepare:
    • Living Things Word Wall cards for seed, bend, and follow.
    • Technology necessary to play "Budding Conifer Timelapses" in Work Time C.
  • Distribute Materials for Work Time C at student workspaces.
  • Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the language goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting Materials).
  • Post: Learning targets, "What's Alive and What's Not?" Version 1, and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 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.
  • Work Time C: Show "Budding Conifer Timelapses" video. "Budding Conifer Timelapses--Earth: A New Wild." PBS Learning Media, 2014. Web. 6 September 2016. (For display. Used by permission.)

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.1.A.1, K.1.B.4, K.1.C.10, and K.1.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to interact with text, multimedia, and plants in ways that support academic knowledge acquisition through movement, visuals, and discussion.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to express their ideas fully during Turn and Talk times, especially if they are still internalizing new Vocabulary. After allowing students to grapple, encourage them to use sentence starters, movement, and the Word Wall. Tell them it's okay to ask for help or complete their thought in another language first. Remind students that they will have many opportunities to practice expressing their learning.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • To help students grapple with expressing their ideas, provide shorter sentence frames throughout the work times. This prompts language while requiring students to generate more of their own syntax and content.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, model and think aloud how the illustrations in What's Alive? demonstrate text meaning by stopping after a sentence and asking: "Where can we find that idea in the pictures?"
  • During Work Time C, as students draw and write their observations, provide index cards with illustrated key words to those who have trouble writing. They can use the index cards as guides for writing labels.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Some students may need additional support with visual perception. Continue to offer options for perception during the read-aloud and pausing for clarification of new Vocabulary.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): As students engage with the text during this lesson, continue to support students in linking the information presented back to the learning target to emphasize and remind them of the instructional goal.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • bend, follow (L)
  • seed (T)

Review:

  • plural, singular, noun (L)

Materials

  • What's Alive and What's Not" Version 1 (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Singular and Plural Noun cards (from Lesson 3; one per pair)
  • Markers (one per student)
  • Language Checklist (see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Singular and Plural Nouns anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3)
  • Living Things Criteria anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3)
  • What's Alive? (from Lesson 2; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Living Things Word Wall cards (new; teacher-created; three)
  • Living Things Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time A; see Teaching Notes)
  • Language Dive Guide III: What's Alive? (for teacher reference)
    • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time C; see supporting materials)
    • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
    • Language Dive Chunk Chart III: What's Alive? (for teacher reference)
    • Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks III: What's Alive? (one to display)
    • Language Dive Chunk Pictures III: What's Alive? (one set per student)
  • What Researchers Do anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • "Budding Conifer Timelapses" (video; play in entirety; see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Living Things research notebook (begun in Lesson 2; added to during Work Time B; page 4; one per student)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Crayons (class set; variety of colors per student)
  • Living Things research notebook (from Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
  • Sorting Living and Nonliving Things anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; manipulated during the Closing)

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. Poem and Movement: "What's Alive and What's Not?" Version 1 (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group and tell them that they will revisit the poem "What's Alive and What's Not?" to continue their work with singular and plural nouns.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is a noun?" (person, place, or thing)

"What does singular mean? Plural?" (one person, place, or thing; many people, places, or things)

  • Follow the same routine from the Opening of Lesson 3 to read "What's Alive and What's Not" Version 1 and use gestures to signal the plural and singular nouns.
  • Tell students that today they will get a chance to change nouns to make them singular or plural. Ask:

"How can we tell if a word is singular? Plural?" (It only talks about one person, place, or thing. It ends with an -s or -es.)

  • Demonstrate the following routine:
    • Display a singular noun card from the Singular and Plural Noun cards and read the word aloud. Remind students that they can use the icon to help them read the word.
    • Direct students' attention to the end of the word and demonstrate how to use a marker to add an -s or -es to the end of the word.
    • Direct students' attention to the icon. Show how to draw more icons to show that the word is plural.
    • Demonstrate how to draw an "x" over the -s or -es and icons on a plural noun card to change it to singular.
  • Move students into pairs and distribute Singular and Plural Noun cards.
  • Provide 2 minutes for students to talk and decide whether their noun is singular or plural and change it accordingly.
  • Circulate and take note of student progress toward L.K.1c using the Language Checklist.
  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the Singular and Plural Nouns anchor chart and invite them to check their work and make edits or revisions by looking for their noun on the anchor chart.
  • With excitement, tell students that in the next lesson they will get to change the poem and try it out with new singular and plural nouns!
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Color Coding) Consider color-coding the whole word or the -s and -es at the end of each noun using the same pattern/color from Lesson 3. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with communication and engagement: Continue to strategically pair students to ensure they have a strong, politely helpful partner. (MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What's Alive?, Pages 13, 18, and 20 (15 minutes)

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

"I can read a text to research what makes something living."

  • Direct students' attention to the Living Things Criteria anchor chart and model a signal for the criterion "move and grow" (e.g., waving hands above your head).
  • Tell students that as you continue reading parts of the book today, they will read as researchers. That means they will read to find evidence and information to help them answer the unit guiding question: "How do we know that something is living?"
  • Tell students that today they are going to reread some pages of What's Alive? to research how different living things move and grow.
  • Guide students through the routine from Work Time B of Lesson 2 to read aloud pages 13, 18, and 20 of What's Alive? As you read, invite students to use the signal for "move and grow" as they listen.
    • Fluently read each page, pausing after each page to:
  • Invite students to act out how the different living things move and grow.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What evidence or information does this page tell us about how to know if something is living?"

  • When reading page 18, show students the Living Things Word Wall cards for seed (the small part of a plant with flowers that grows into a new plant), bend (to move in a curving way), and follow (to come or go after or behind) and follow the same process established in Modules 1-2: provide their definitions, clap out their syllables, use them in a sentence, and place the Word Wall cards and picture for them on the Living Things Word Wall.
  • After reading, ask:

"Was anything the same about the (cat, bird, flower, and tree)?" (Yes, they all need air; etc.)

"How do we know that cats and plants are living?" (They both move and grow.)

  • Invite students to stand up in their space and pretend to move and grow like a cat or a plant.
  • With excitement, tell students that next they will participate in a Language Dive to look more closely at a sentence from the pages they just read.
  • For ELLs: (Visuals) Consider drawing two icons: a book above text and a magnifying glass or other icon above research.
  • For ELLs: (Restating) Invite students to explain in their own words what the learning target says.
  • Before reading, provide white boards and dry-erase markers as an option for students to record (in drawing or writing) their ideas. (MMR, MMAE)

B. Language Dive: What's Alive?, Page 20 (15 minutes)

  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive with a change in format.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What do you remember about Language Dives we have done before and from our study of weather?" (They were teacher-led, with the teacher asking questions about the sentence strip chunks and the students responding.)

  • Let students know that going forward, they will practice talking about chunks more independently. Reassure students that the teacher will continue to monitor and guide their conversations.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Think about our work with Language Dives. What questions do we ask about the sentences? What questions do we ask about the chunks? What questions do we ask about the words? I will give you time to think and discuss with your partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses on the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart. Refer to the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Ensure students understand how to use these questions, pointing out that the questions underlined on the anchor chart are questions that students should always ask when they dive into a sentence.
  • Ask:

"How will thinking of our own questions for a Language Dive help us during a Language Dive? I will give you time to think and discuss with your partner." (The questions will help jog our thinking about important language features in the sentence.)

  • Reread the second paragraph of What's Alive? on page 20.
  • Focus students on the sentence:
    • "They bend their stems and leaves to follow the sun."
  • Use the Language Dive Guide III: What's Alive?, Language Dive Chunk Chart III: What's Alive?, Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks III: What's Alive? and Language Dive Chunk Pictures III: What's Alive? to guide students through a Language Dive of the sentence.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Now that we have completed our first new Language Dive, what additional questions should we add to our Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students that next they will observe more living things to gather more evidence to try to answer the question: How do we know that something is living?

C. Engaging the Researcher: Making and Recording Observations (15 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the What Researchers Do anchor chart and briefly revisit the idea "observe closely" as needed.
  • Follow the routine from Work Time C of Lesson 2 to guide students through closely observing "Budding Conifer Timelapses" so they can talk, draw, and write about it:
    • Prompt students to "look at the whole" and use the accompanying gesture.
    • Prompt students to "look from the bottom to the top" and use the accompanying gesture.
    • Prompt students to "look from side to side" and use the accompanying gesture.
    • Prompt students to "pick one spot and zoom in" and use the accompanying gesture.
    • Prompt students to "look again at the whole" and use the accompanying gesture.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What did you observe about how living things move and grow?" (The tree grew pine needles and pine cones.)

  • If productive, cue students to add on to what a classmate said:

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

  • Offer students specific, positive feedback on their close attention during the observation time.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can record information from my research about what makes something living."

  • Follow the same routine from Work Time C of Lesson 2 to guide students through completing page 4 of their research notebook:
    • Tell students the following Materials are already at their workspaces: Living Things research notebook, pencils, and crayons.
    • Circulate to support students and refer to the Living Things research notebook (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Collect notebooks.
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames: Lighter Support) Invite students to create sentence frames to support writing and speaking.
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames: Heavier Support) Invite students who need heavier support to use the sentence frame: "I observed ______."
  • For ELLs: (Extrapolating from Drawing) Consider inviting students to draw their idea first. While students write, circulate and offer support to those struggling with language by asking about details in their drawing.
  • For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: When giving students a warning before the transition, continue to provide a clear routine for what to do with unfinished work and use a visual timer. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Sorting Living and Nonliving Things anchor chart and remind them that this chart shows their growing understanding of living and nonliving things.
  • Tell students that now that they have learned how all living things move and grow, they can use that information to revise, or make changes to, which things should be in the Living, Nonliving, or Not Sure Yet columns.
  • Follow the routine from the Closing of Lesson 3 to guide students in revising their thinking on the anchor chart. Post and review the sentences frames from Lessons 1 and 3 as necessary:
    • "I would like to add________."
    • "This makes me think _________."
  • With excitement, tell students that in the next lesson they will use all the information they know about living and nonliving things to go on a scavenger hunt and find different living things!
  • For ELLs: (Leadership) Invite a few students who might normally shy away from participation to demonstrate the gestures you decide upon in front of the class.
  • For students who may need additional support with oral language and processing: Allow ample wait time during the discussion. (MMAE, MME)

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