Examine and Document: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M1:U3:L6

Examine and Document: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
  • SL.1.1a: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
  • SL.1.1b: Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.
  • SL.1.1c: Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
  • W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can examine our magnificent thing to identify ways to make it better. (SL.1.1, SL.1.1a, SL.1.1b, SL.1.1c)
  • I can document the changes my group will make to our magnificent thing. (W.1.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Closing, track students' progress toward SL.1.1a, SL.1.1b, and SL.1.1c using the Speaking and Listening Checklist (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Learner: Revision (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Modeling: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing (5 minutes)

B. Small Group Practice: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing (10 minutes)

C. Modeling and Guided Writing: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (15 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: 

  • Students begin to revise their magnificent thing. During the revision process, they discuss and reflect on how to use perseverance, one of the habits of character. As in Lessons 2-5, students continue to practice the speaking and listening skills they learned in Units 1 and 2 in order to communicate with one another and debrief after the process.
  • This lesson continues building students'writing stamina. Students practice recording their experiences through guided writing pages in their Magnificent Thing notebook to prepare for the writing portion of the performance task and the Unit 3 Assessment.
  • Students demonstrate mastery toward standards SL.1.1, SL.1.1a, SL.1.1b, and SL1.1c. Use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to collect data on every student during the Think-Pair-Share protocol.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • This lesson follows a similar pattern to Lessons 2, 3, and 5, with modeling, small group work, and then guided writing.
  • Students continue to apply their knowledge of habits of character. In this lesson, they focus on perseverance.
  • During this lesson, students are guided through the final step in the process of creating a magnificent thing after looking back on the steps the little girl took in The Most Magnificent Thing.
  • Continue to use Goal 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • In Work Time B, students work in their small groups to discuss changes to make their magnificent thing. Build social skills by guiding students through tricky collaboration situations or previewing the group work with students who may need a bit more support with collaborating.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 7, students will complete their magnificent thing as the first half of their performance task. Students then begin a series of lessons using the Magnificent Thing notebook to complete an informational writing piece about how they created their magnificent thing. 

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Tools and Work Word Wall card for the word revise. Write or type the word on a card and create or find a visual to accompany it (see supporting materials).
    • Examine and Revise Question List anchor chart, Perseverance anchor chart.
  • Determine which aspect of the Magnificent Thing: Teacher Model to revise during Work Time A.
  • Review the Think-Pair-Share protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Post: Learning targets, How to Make a Magnificent Thing anchor chart, Examine and Revise Question List anchor chart, and Perseverance anchor chart. 

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Work Time A: If you recorded students singing the "Learning Target" song in Lesson 2, play this recording for them to join in with.
  • Work Time A: Create the Examine and Revise Question anchor chart in an online format, for example a Google Doc, to display.
  • Work Time B: Video record students working together to determine revisions to watch with students to evaluate strengths and areas for improvement in collaboration. Post it on a teacher webpage or on a portfolio app like Seesaw for students to watch at home with families. Most devices (cell phones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video and audio recording apps or software.
  • Create the Perseverance anchor chart in an online format, for example a Google Doc, to display and for families to access at home to reinforce these skills.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 1.I.A.1, 1.I.B.5 and 1.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through the practice of collaborative work, through modeling the task, and through opportunities to learn experientially.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to apply new concepts, such as perseverance, during work time. Provide opportunities to participate in structured exchanges to highlight habits of character. (Example: Provide students with useful phrases such as: "Let's keep trying" and "I know we can make it work.")

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Invite advanced and intermediate proficiency students to help create and contribute to a chart that provides concrete examples of what habits of character look and sound like. (Example: Perseverance sounds like: "I'm going to try again" and "I know I can do it!")

For heavier support:

  • Invite students who need heavier support to practice using concrete language that demonstrates habits of character. Refer to the chart created by advanced and intermediate proficiency students.
  • During Work Time C, work closely with students who have trouble writing to complete page 4 of their notebooks. Discuss with students what they intend to write, and scribe some or all of their thoughts with a highlighter so students can trace it afterward. If a group of students need heavier support, work with them to complete the task as a shared experience. 

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): During Work Time A, students will be invited to examine the Magnificent Thing: Teacher Model, as you model how to come up with a plan for revision. As they consider the changes that need to be made to the student work sign, offer alternatives to visual information by allowing children to come up and touch the sign.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): To help students express their ideas in the independent writing task, offer options for drawing and writing tools.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): During the Opening, emphasize that perseverance will be important during small group work. Provide additional supports for managing frustration by brainstorming specific strategies that students can use to persevere.

Vocabulary

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

  • document, examine, identify, improve, perseverance, revise (L) 

Materials

  • Tools and Work Word Wall card (teacher-created; one for each word; see supporting materials)
  • How to Make a Magnificent Thing anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Tools and Work Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3; added to in Opening B; see Teaching Notes)
  • Document camera (optional)
  • The Most Magnificent Thing (book; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • "Learning Target" song (from Unit 2, Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Magnificent Thing: Teacher Model (from Lesson 5; one to display)
  • Examine and Revise Question anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Magnificent things (begun in Lesson 4; one per group)
  • Magnificent Thing notebook (from Lesson 2; one for teacher modeling)
  • Magnificent Thing notebook (from Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Perseverance anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Closing; see supporting materials)
  • Think-Pair-Share anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (Assessment Overview and Materials)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

Assessment

Each unit in the K-2 Language Arts Curriculum has one standards-based assessment built in. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Engaging the Learner: Revision (10 minutes) 

  • Gather students together whole group.
  • Show them the Tools and Work Word Wall card. Have students massage their brains to get ready to learn an important word.
  • Tell them that today, they will think about how to make their magnificent thing better with their small group. Before they begin working, it is important to know about the last step of how to make a magnificent thing.
  • Draw students' attention to the posted How to Make a Magnificent Thing anchor chart and point to the last row, labeled "revise."
  • Ask students to turn and talk to an elbow partner:

"What does it mean to revise?" (to look closely and change or make different)

  • Demonstrate the motion of revising by looking at something once and then a second time. Invite students to join you in the motion.
  • Invite a student to use the word revise in a sentence about the little girl from The Most Magnificent Thing. Have students repeat the sentence.
  • Place the card and picture for revise on the Tools and Work Word Wall.
  • Using a document camera, display The Most Magnificent Thing.
  • While still displaying the text, open to page 8 and read it aloud slowly, fluently, with expression, and without interruption.
  • Explain to students that, like the little girl in The Most Magnificent Thing, they too will be revising their work to make it better.
  • Tell them that one of the habits of character--perseverance--is very important while you are trying to make something better.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does it mean to persevere?" (to keep going; to not give up)

  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"How might you use perseverance while you revise your magnificent thing?" (change something we already worked on)

  • Emphasize that perseverance will be very important because they might get frustrated with group members who may decide to make some changes.
  • For ELLs: As you introduce the word revise, provide a concrete illustration to emphasize its meaning. Draw a picture on the board and make an intentional mistake. Ask the class if it should be revised. Think aloud while looking at it again. Find the error and correct it. Ask students: ?How did I revise my drawing?" (MMR)
  • After you read page 8 in The Most Magnificent Thing, reinforce the meaning of revise in the context of this text by asking explicit questions. (Example: "Did the little girl revise her work? How do you know?") (MMR)
  • As you discuss the importance of perseverance, provide supports for managing frustration by brainstorming strategies as a group. (Example: "While we're revising our magnificent thing, my group members might decide to make a change that I don't agree with. This might make me feel frustrated and like I want to stop working. What are some things I can do to help me persevere?" (take a deep breath and remember to be flexible; listen to my group members; try even though it feels hard; ask my group members how I can help) (MME) 

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Modeling: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing (5 minutes) 

  • Invite students to sing the "Learning Target" song.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:
    • "I can examine our magnificent thing to identify ways to make it better."
  • Invite students to use an action to show what it means to examine. Look for students to be looking closely. If necessary, clarify the meaning of the word (to look at closely).
  • Circle the word identify.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What does it mean to identify something?" (to find or spot it)

  • Tell students that using a list of questions will help them figure out what to change or make better. Remind students that the magnificent things will need to be their best for the visitors who are coming to see their work.
  • Display the Magnificent Thing: Teacher Model.
  • Direct students' attention to the Examine and Revise Question anchor chart and read the first question aloud:
    • "Does my magnificent thing do its job?"
  • Model talking aloud about how the student work sign does work (everyone can see the letters; it can hang well with the string) or does not work (the letters are hard to read; the string is too short to hang on our board).
  • Repeat this process with each question on the Examine and Revise Question anchor chart.
  • Model choosing two simple revisions that could improve (to make it better) the magnificent thing (cut bigger string, add more leaves, etc.).
  • Tell students that now they will do something similar with their small groups. They will examine their magnificent things and identify ways they could revise the work. 
  • For ELLs: Ask: "What is the translation of examine in our home languages?" (jiancha in Chinese). Call on student volunteers to share. Ask other students to choose one translation to quietly repeat. Invite students to say their chosen translation out loud when you give the signal. Choral repeat the word in English. Invite self- and peer correction of the pronunciation of the translations and the English. Because many students may not know the word, invite them to ask family members for homework, or research translations before the lesson.
  • For ELLs: Buy or ask for large paint chips from a local hardware or paint store, or print them online. Write the words identify, spot, recognize, and find, each on a different shade of the paint chip. Place them on the wall and discuss the shades of meaning in relation to the magnificent thing revisions.
  • As you examine the Magnificent Thing: Teacher Model, offer alternatives to visual information by allowing children to come up and touch the student work sign. Ask specific questions about its physicality. (Examples: "Touch these strings. Are we sure the work sign is sturdy?" "Feel this paper. Is there another material that might last longer in the classroom?" "Measure the size of the letters with your finger. How much bigger do you think they need to be?") (MMR) 

B. Small Group Practice: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing (10 minutes) 

  • Invite students to return to their small group workspace from the previous lesson.
  • Distribute each group's magnificent thing. Remind each group about perseverance while making changes.
  • Remind students of the first question on the Examine and Revise Question anchor chart: "Does my magnificent thing do its job?"
  • Allow time for groups to consider this question as well as the other questions on the anchor chart.
  • When 3 minutes remain, check in with each group to ensure that the revisions they have identified are simple and easy to complete in the next lesson. If necessary, make suggestions for easier changes to complete.
  • Provide directions for cleanup and where to store their magnificent thing.
  • Invite students to clean up, store their magnificent things, and transition back to the whole group area.
  • For ELLs: Provide collaborative prompts for students to use as they revise their magnificent things. (Examples: "I like your idea because ..." "Good thinking!" "I wonder if we ...") (MME)
  • When you give students the 3-minute warning before cleanup, provide support for self-regulation during a transition by using a visual timer. (MME)

C. Modeling and Guided Writing: Identifying Revisions for a Magnificent Thing (20 minutes) 

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Focus students' attention on the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:
    • "I can document the changes my group will make to our magnificent thing."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What does the word document mean?" (record with writing or pictures)

  • Using the document camera, display page 4 of the Magnificent Thing notebook(for teacher modeling).
  • Model how to complete each section on the page:
    • Read first sentence stem aloud: "My magnificent thing is a ____."
    • Think aloud while writing "classwork display sign" to finish the sentence.
    • Read each of the yes/no questions aloud and circle an answer for each.
    • Read aloud the sentence at the bottom of the page: "Here are one or two things we will change."
    • Record one or two things you will change about the Magnificent Thing: Teacher Model. Say each word as you write it. (Example: "I will make the string longer so that it can hang better.")
  • Remind students that they should write about the changes, or revisions, their group discussed during work time.
  • Invite students to whisper into their hands the changes their group decided to make to revise their magnificent thing.
  • Transition students back to their tables.
  • Distribute students' Magnificent Thing notebooks.
  • Guide students through completing page 4 by reading each question aloud and allowing time for students to write an answer.
  • Refocus whole group.
  • Collect students' Magnificent Thing notebooks.
  • Invite students to clean up and transition back to the whole group area.
  • For ELLs: Remind students that they learned the word record. Point out that document means the same thing as record. Invite students to pretend they are holding a camera and they can document or record something in the room that they do not want to forget. Allow them to think for a moment. Call on students to ask what they want to document or record, using the frame: "I want to document ____" or "I want to record _____." Once students have shared, they may snap the photo.
  • As you model writing about your magnificent thing in the notebook, emphasize process and effort by modeling how to sound out a word with tricky spelling. Encourage students to try their best and use environmental print if they get stuck. (MME)
  • For ELLs: As students work to complete page 4 in their Magnificent Thing notebooks provide scaffolds to support writing by using sentence frames or dictation. (Examples: "I will _______ because______." "I want to change _______." "I will make ________ better.") (MMAE)
  • To help students express their ideas in the independent writing task, offer options for drawing utensils (examples: thick markers or colored pencils) and writing tools (examples: fine-tipped markers, pencil grips, slant boards). (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (15 minutes) 

  • Direct students' attention to the posted Perseverance anchor chart
  • Tell students they are now going to use the Think-Pair-Share protocol to explain how they persevered with their group today. Remind them that they used this protocol in the previous lesson and review as necessary, using the Think-Pair-Share anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share:

"How did you use perseverance with your group today?"

  • Circulate and listen in on pairs to collect data on the Speaking and Listening Checklist. Offer the following sentence stem as necessary: "I used perseverance today when I _____."
  • If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by saying more:

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

  • Invite students to share out whole group. Capture their responses on the Perseverance anchor chart. Add anything you noticed about students persevering that wasn't mentioned.
  • Remind students that all of the habits of character will be important for them to remember as they finish their magnificent thing tomorrow.
  • For ELLs: Identify an ELL who showed perseverance during the lesson. Compliment and ask the student to model an appropriate response to the prompt. (Example: "Jack really showed perseverance today because he couldn't find the right color. Finally, he mixed two colors to get just what he wanted. He did not give up!")
  • As students reflect on how they used perseverance during group work, foster a sense of community by inviting students to share if they noticed a peer persevering. (Example: "One thing first-graders in this room were trying to work on today was persevering. Persevering is hard work! Did you notice someone in your group working hard to persevere today? What did they do or say to help you know they were persevering? Let's give her/him a round of applause!") (MME)

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