Reading, Writing, Speaking: Characters’ Responses in The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard | EL Education Curriculum

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Reading, Writing, Speaking: Characters’ Responses in The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.2.3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
  • W.2.3: Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
  • L.2.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.2.1d: Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can describe characters' responses to the major event in the text The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard. (RL.2.3)
  • I can write sentences to describe a paleontologist's responses to a major event. (W.2.3)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening, use the Language Checklist (L.2.1, L.2.1d) to track students' progress toward these language standards (see Assessment Overview and Resources). Also, collect and check responses on the Irregular Past-tense Verbs practice sheet #1 to check progress toward L.2.1d.
  • During Work Time B, observe if students are able to write sentences describing a paleontologist's thoughts and feelings. (W.2.3, L.2.1f)
  • During the Closing, monitor students' ability to make connections between the habits of character of collaboration and responsibility and the work of paleontologists.

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Irregular Past-tense Verbs in "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," Version 2 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Focused Read-aloud: The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard, section entitled "The Search for the Tiniest Bones" (20 minutes)

B. Developing Language: Characters' Thoughts and Feelings (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Think-Pair-Share: Collaboration and Responsibility (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • Similar to Lesson 2, students return to the same excerpt from The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard that presents a "well-elaborated event" as described in W.2.3. The language of a "major event" is also used as students work to make progress toward RL.2.3. Students again focus first on understanding the text as readers and then on analyzing the text as writers. During Work Time A, the read-aloud focuses on another specific criterion from W.2.3: describing Holly's responses to a major event. During Work Time B, students engage in another writing activity to strengthen their understanding of this criterion by imagining they are paleontologists and describing their thoughts and feelings in response to various events shown in photos.
  • During Work Time A, students focus specifically on Holly's responses to the major event in The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard. During Work Time B, students imagine they are paleontologists themselves and record their own thoughts and feelings.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • As in Lesson 2, in the Opening students revisit irregular past-tense verbs using "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 2. In version 2 of the poem, some irregular past-tense verbs have been omitted so students can practice the skill of using irregular past-tense verbs correctly. Students again use the Irregular Past-tense Verbs anchor chart as a resource.
  • During the Closing of Lesson 2, students revisited two habits of character of effective learners: initiative and perseverance. Today, students focus on two additional habits: collaboration and responsibility.
  • Continue to use Goal 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • For some students, describing a paleontologist's thoughts and/or feelings in response to a photo may be challenging. Consider asking additional questions such as: "What do you see the paleontologists doing?" or "Where do you think the paleontologists are working?"

Down the road:

  • In Lessons 4-5, students will continue to work with irregular past-tense verbs using the "I Found a Baby Dinosaur" poem.
  • In Lesson 4, students will focus on another criterion from W.2.3: using temporal words in a narrative to show the order of events.   

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Clipboards with Irregular Past-tense Verbs practice sheet #1 and pencils and place them near the whole group area.
    • Materials for Work Time B by placing white boards and white board markers near the whole group area.
  • Preview the focused read-aloud in Work Time A of the excerpt from The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard to familiarize yourself with what is required of students.
  • Post: Learning targets, paleontologist's photos #1-3, and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Opening: If you recorded students reciting the "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 1 in Lesson 2, play this recording for them to join in with.
  • Work Time A: Create the Narrative Planner: The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard anchor chart in an online format--for example, a Google Doc--to display and for families to access at home to reinforce these skills.
  • Work Time B: Create a slideshow of the paleontologist's photos #1-3 images.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.A.1, 2.I.B.6, 2.I.C.10, 2.I.C.12, 2.II.B.3, and 2.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by continuing to study irregular past-tense verbs via a fun and engaging poem, inviting students to act out the verbs in the poem, returning to a familiar text to focus on one aspect of narrative writing (character's thoughts and feelings), and providing opportunities for students to orally process their learning.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to imagine and write about what a paleontologist feels and thinks based on the photographs. Encourage students to use all they have learned about paleontologists as well as the anchor charts and other environmental resources when completing this task. See "Levels of support" below and the Meeting Students' Needs column for additional suggestions.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • During Opening A, challenge students to think of alternative past-tense verbs that would make sense in each blank of the poem and determine whether the verb is regular or irregular past tense. (Example: I discovered a dinosaur; He bit our flowers and trees.)
  • During the Mini Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together."
  • During Work Time B, encourage students to use the past tense rather than the present tense when writing sentences about the paleontologist's thoughts and feelings. Invite them to determine whether they used regular or irregular past-tense verbs in their sentences.

For heavier support:

  • During Opening A, consider writing each of the missing verbs on an index card, as well as with visual support for the word. Distribute the index cards and invite students to place the word in the correct blank in the poem. Allowing students to focus on just one verb rather than many will lighten the cognitive demands of the task.
  • During Work Time B, expand the sentence starters in the "Thoughts" column of the anchor chart for students to use when describing the paleontologist's thoughts.
  • (Examples: "I wonder if there is a ___________here." "I didn't know that we would find _________ here." "I hope that we are able to ___________.") Consider also creating sentence frames for students to use when writing about the paleontologist's feelings. (Examples: "I feel _______ because we found a _______." "I feel ________ because we haven't found a ________.")
  • Display, repeat, and rephrase all questions.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Throughout this lesson, embed support for unfamiliar vocabulary by providing explanation and visual examples. This helps students make connections and support construction of meaning with this text. (Example: In Work Time A, support comprehension by pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary from The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard.)
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, some students may need support in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected. Appropriate goal setting supports development of executive skills and strategies. Offer scaffolds for students learning to set appropriate personal goals, such as a checklist with three goals for Work Time A and B. (Examples: "I can listen to my partner without interrupting." "I can share my ideas." "I can write my thinking on the white board.")
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Throughout this lesson, students have multiple opportunities to share ideas and thinking with classmates. Some students may need support for engagement during these activities, so encourage self-regulatory skills by helping them anticipate and manage frustration by modeling what to do if they need help from their partners. (Example: "I can remember when I'm sharing that if I forget my idea or need help, I can ask my partner to help me. My partner could help me by giving me prompts that will help me share my thinking.") Consider offering sentence frames to strategically selected peer models (e.g., "I noticed _____ in the photograph," or "I feel _____ because _____."). Offering these supports for engagement promotes a safe learning space for all students.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • response, thoughts, feelings (L)

Review:

  • verb, past, irregular (L)

Materials

  • "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 2 (one to display)
  • Irregular Past-tense Verbs anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 2 (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Irregular Past-tense Verbs practice sheet #1 (one per pair and one to display)
  • Pencils (one per pair)
  • The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard (from Lesson 1; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Narrative Planner: The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; added to during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
  • Narrative Planner: The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; added to during Work Time B; see supporting materials)
  • Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • White board (one for teacher modeling and one per student)
  • White board marker (one for teacher modeling and one per student)
  • Paleontologist's photo #1 (one to display)
  • Paleontologist's photo #2 (one to display)
  • Paleontologist's photo #3 (one to display)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)

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: Irregular Past-tense Verbs in "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," Version 2 (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to the whole group area.
  • Display "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 2 and begin reading aloud to students.
  • Stop with surprise at the first blank.
  • If productive, cue students with a challenge and to expand the conversation by giving an example. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Can you figure out what is missing from the poem?" (irregular past-tense verbs)

"Can you give an example?" (e.g., found)

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

"What is missing from the poem?" (irregular past-tense verbs)

  • Review with students that an irregular verb changes to show it happened in the past, or that it already happened.
  • Also, review that an irregular verb is a verb that "doesn't play fair" because it doesn't end in "ed."
  • Read through the poem together as a class, calling on volunteers to help fill in the blanks by using the verbs listed on the Irregular Past-tense Verbs anchor chart. Refer to the "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 2 (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Display Irregular Past-tense Verbs practice sheet #1 and read the directions aloud.
  • Distribute prepared clipboards with copies of Irregular Past-tense Verbs practice sheet #1 and pencils. Invite students to move to sit with a partner to complete the sheet.
  • After 3-4 minutes, refocus students whole group.
  • Collect practice sheets, pencils, and clipboards.
  • If productive, cue students with a challenge:

"What if we said eated and lefted instead of ate and left? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (It would not be good classroom English; it would sound confusing; it would be awkward to say.)

  • Invite students to stand up in their space.
  • Lead students through reciting "I Found a Baby Dinosaur," version 2 inviting students to follow your lead as you "act out" motions for the baby dinosaur's actions in the poem. As time permits, invite students to help invent the motions.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: Before students complete the practice sheet, briefly review the word box with students. Invite students to sketch a quick visual cue for each past-tense verb to be used in the sentences. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: Consider adding visual support next to each blank on the poem to support student recall of the appropriate verbs. (For example, add a small magnifying glass drawing next to the first blank, a speech bubble next the second blank, etc.) For heavier support, consider providing students with version 1 of the poem to refer to as they help you fill in the blanks for version 2.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Focused Read-aloud: The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard, section entitled "The Search for the Tiniest Bones" (20 minutes)

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

"I can describe characters' responses to the major event in the text The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard."

  • Remind students that, yesterday, they focused on Holly's actions.
  • Explain that, today, students will focus on how Holly responds to the major event through her thoughts and feelings. 
  • Define response (a feeling or action that immediately follows something else and is caused by it; reaction).
  • Display the section entitled "The Search for the Tiniest Bones" of The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard and read slowly, fluently, and with expression. 
  • Invite students to touch their head when they hear text that describes what Holly is thinking and to touch their heart when they hear text that describes how Holly is feeling.
  • Direct students' attention to the Narrative Planner: The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard anchor chart.
  • Orient students to the second Middle column and read the directions and questions aloud.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"How did Holly feel after finding the tiny femur?" (excited, relieved, and happy)

"How do you know?" (excited because the text says, "At the end of the dig, my team and I were so excited about all of the Maiasaura bones we had found" and "And I was espe- cially thrilled to have finally found the tiny femur. What an incredible feeling!"; relieved because she said, "At last, I had found my tiny bone!")

  • As students share out, capture their responses in the second Middle column. Refer to the Narrative Planner: The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"What did Holly think?" (she wondered if she would ever find a tiny bone)

  • If productive, cue students to provide evidence:

"How do you know?" (I know because the text says, "We had found so many bones, but I was beginning to think we wouldn't find any tiny ones.")

  • As students share out, summarize their responses in the second Middle column. Refer to the Narrative Planner: The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How did Holly respond to the major event in the narrative?" (Holly was afraid that she would not find a tiny bone. She felt excited and relieved when she found the tiny femur.)
  • Before reading, consider inviting students to make connections with thinking versus feeling. (Example: Connect these terms to concrete shared experiences to differentiate thinking and feeling.) (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Before reading, invite students to turn to an elbow partner and retell what they remember about the characters and events in The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard.

For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of a sentence from the text: "We had found so many bones, but I was beginning to think we wouldn't find any tiny ones." Write and display student responses next to the chunks. Consider providing a pile of a dozen water bottles for students to recreate the sentence. Examples:

"What does this sentence tell us?" (Responses will vary.)

"Who is I in this sentence? How do you know?" (Dr. Woodward; the story is about Dr. Woodward)

"What was Holly beginning to think? How do you know?" (She and her crew would not find small bones; the story says we wouldn't find any tiny ones.)

"Close your eyes. Let's think the same thought as Holly. Let's begin to think we won't find any tiny bones. What do you see in your mind when you think this thought?" (Re- sponses will vary, but could include looking around the landscape with a look of disap- pointment.)

"How do you feel when you have this thought?" (Responses will vary but could include: frustrated, disappointed, sad.)

"What do you think Holly's feeling was when she had the thought that they wouldn't find any tiny bones?" (Responses will vary but could include: frustrated, disap- pointed, sad.)

"So, the author wrote about Holly's thoughts but not her feelings. Can you figure out why?" (Responses will vary but could include: She wanted to encourage the reader to get involved in the story and imagine how she felt.)

"Why did the author include this sentence in her story?" (to include one of her many thoughts to make the story more compelling and relatable)

"Can you say this sentence in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

"Imagine you are a paleontologist. You are excited to have discovered several fossils, but are still looking for a specific one and haven't found it yet. How do you feel? Now, discuss with a partner your thoughts when you discovered the fossil using the frame 'I had found , but I was beginning to think .'" Make sure your thoughts show how you feel, just like the writing in the story.

B. Developing Language: Characters' Thoughts and Feelings (25 minutes)

  • Invite students to move safely to the edge of the whole group area and find a seat.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can write sentences to describe a paleontologist's response to a major event."

  • Remind students that great authors do not write just what characters do but also how they respond by sharing their thoughts and feelings.
  • Direct students' attention to the Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart and orient them to the middle column and read the heading: "Thoughts."
  • Define thoughts (the act, process, or power of thinking), clarifying that these are the ideas people think in
  • their minds.
  • Read the sentence starters in the middle column aloud:
    • "I wonder _____."
    • "I know _____."
    • "I didn't know _____."
    • "I hope _____."
    • "I'm surprised that _____."
  • Invite students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"When a paleontologist is doing work, what thoughts might he or she have?" (Responses will vary, but may include: I wonder where the fossil is; I know that this bone is very old; I didn't know we would discover a fossil here; I hope we don't break the fossil while we move it.)

  • Refocus students whole group and invite them to share out. As students share out, capture their ideas on the "Thoughts" column of the Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart. Refer to the Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Display a white board, and model drawing a large thought bubble onto it.
  • Share that, now, students will pretend to think like a paleontologist.
  • Distribute white boards and white board markers, and invite students to draw a thought bubble onto their own white board. If needed, assist any struggling students in drawing it.
  • After 1 minute, refocus students whole group. Remind students to put their white board and marker on the floor or in their laps so they can focus.
  • Display paleontologist's photo #1.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do you notice in this photo?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Paleontologists are at a site, there are lots of bones, they have tools.)

"What might the paleontologists in this photo be thinking?" (Responses will vary, but may include: There are a lot of bones, I wonder what kind of fossil this is.)

  • Share that, in this photo, the paleontologists are excavating the bones of a very large creature.
  • Model imagining you are one of the paleontologists in the photo and sharing what you might be thinking:
    • Think aloud: "I wonder what kind of fossil this is."
    • In the thought bubble, write: "I wonder what kind of fossil this is."
    • Display the white board and read the thought aloud: "I wonder what kind of fossil this is."
  • Display paleontologist's photo #2.
  • Share that, in this photo, the paleontologists are using their shovels to try to find a fossil underneath lots of dirt, mud, and rocks.
  • Invite students to imagine they are one of the paleontologists in the photo and think about what their thoughts might be.
  • Instruct students to write what they think in their own thought bubble, reminding them not to erase their work after they finish because they will share it with a partner.
  • After 1-2 minutes, refocus students whole group.
  • Invite students to share their work with an elbow partner and make a bridge with their arms after both partners have shared.
  • Display paleontologist's photo #3.
  • Share that, in this photo, a paleontologist is holding a small piece of fossilized rock that contains the impressions of organisms from long ago.
  • Repeat the process for paleontologist's photo #3.
  • Instruct students to erase their white boards.
  • Redirect students' attention to the Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart, orient them to the middle column, and read the heading: "Feelings."
  • Define feelings (emotions).
  • Invite students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"What feelings might paleontologists feel when they are doing their work?" (Responses will vary, but may include: excited, surprised, disappointed, frustrated, happy, tired, exhausted.)

  • Refocus students whole group and invite students to share out. As students share, capture their ideas on the "Feelings" column of the Paleontologist's Actions, Feelings, and Thoughts anchor chart.
  • Displaying the white board, model drawing a large heart.
  • Invite students to draw a large heart on their own white boards.
  • Share that, now, students will pretend to feel like a paleontologist.
  • Refer to paleontologist's photo #1.
  • Model imagining you are one of the paleontologists in the photo and sharing what you might be feeling:
    • Think aloud: "I feel excited because we found a new bone!"
    • In the heart, write: "I feel excited because we found a new bone!"
    • Display the white board and read the feeling aloud: "I feel excited because we found a new bone!"
  • Refer to paleontologist's photo #2.
  • Invite students to imagine they are one of the paleontologists in the photo and write what they would be feeling in the heart on their white board. Remind students not to erase their work after they finish because they will share it with a partner.
  • After 1-2 minutes, refocus students whole group.
  • Invite students to share their work with an elbow partner and remind them to make a bridge with their arms after both partners have shared.
  • Repeat the process with paleontologist's photo #3.
  • Instruct students to erase their white boards.
  • To support collaboration and sustained effort, strategically pair students with a peer model. (MME)
  • For ELLs: Pair students with a partner who has advanced or native language proficiency. The partner with greater language proficiency can serve as a model in the pair, initiating discussions and providing implicit sentence frames, for example.
  • For ELLs: As pairs interact, jot down some verb tense errors that are impeding communication. Briefly review the verb tense for the whole class. Encourage the group to identify the verb that communicates the message clearly and accurately.
  • For ELLs: Before they write on their white boards, invite students to turn to their partner and describe what they imagine thinking and feeling as a paleontologist. Consider having them describe their thoughts and feelings first in their home languages, then in English.
  • For ELLs: For visual support, consider adding a sketch next to each feeling word on the Paleontologist's Actions, Thoughts, and Feelings anchor chart. 

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Think-Pair-Share: Collaboration and Responsibility (5 minutes)

  • Transition students to the whole group area.
  • Direct students' attention to the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does it mean to show collaboration?" (Work well with others to get something done.)

"What does it mean to show responsibility?" (Take ownership of your work, actions, and space.)

  • Prompt students to consider Holly's actions in the text The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard.
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner:

"How did Holly collaborate with her crew?" (She worked with her crew to remove sedi- ment on top of the dig site at Branvold Quarry so they could get to more of the bones. She worked with her crew to scrape off sediment and remove it from the dig site. She worked with her crew to record their findings.)

"How did Holly show responsibility?" (She brought his tools to the site; She worked care- fully when she was trying to uncover the small femur.)

  • Invite several students to share their responses with the group, confirming the specific ways that Holly demonstrated collaboration and responsibility in the text. If needed, refer to pages from the section entitled "The Search for the Tiniest Bones" of The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard for support.
  • If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand:

"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Share that, tomorrow, students will continue to use The Maiasaura Dig: Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard to learn more about compelling narratives as they prepare to write their own narratives. 
  • For students who may need additional support with oral expression: Consider inviting students to write or draw their responses that show their understanding of collaboration and responsibility. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Encourage students to think about and share one way they were responsible or collaborated during today's lesson. Take a moment to acknowledge their hard work and celebrate their progress as learners.

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