Reading Aloud to Research and Take Notes: Feathers, Not Just for Flying | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M3:U2:L3

Reading Aloud to Research and Take Notes: Feathers, Not Just for Flying

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.1.2: Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
  • RI.1.4: Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
  • RI.1.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
  • RI.1.6: Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
  • RI.1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
  • W.1.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of "how-to" books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
  • W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • 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.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
  • L.1.1f: Use frequently occurring adjectives.
  • L.1.1.g: Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).
  • L.1.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can use text features to research information about feathers using the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying. (RI.1.2, RI.1.4, RI.1.5, RI.1.6, RI.1.7, W.1.7, SL.1.2)
  • I can explain the purpose of a semiplume feather using pictures and words. (W.1. 8, L1.1f, L1.1.g)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the research reading in Work Time A, use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.1.2, RI.1.4, RI.1.5, RI.1.6, and RI 1.7) (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Review students' drawing and writing from Work Time B using the Informational Writing Checklist to check progress toward W.1.8, L1.1f, and L1.1g (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Say It with Similes (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research Feathers: Feathers, Not Just for Flying (25 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Musical Circles Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson connects to Next Generation Science Standard 1-LS1-1. During Work Times A and B, students begin to focus on the following disciplinary core idea: All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. As students research, draw, and write about different types of bird feathers, they begin to notice the different ways birds use their feathers to help them survive.
  • In the Opening, students begin to learn about similes and how they are used in the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying to help the reader better understand the different ways feathers help birds survive. Students begin to build their Vocabulary around feather function through this routine.
  • During Work Time A, students use Feathers, Not Just for Flying as a source to gather information to answer the research question "How do birds use their feathers to survive?" Students listen to portions of the text read aloud to gather information to add to class research notes. This experience is foundational as students work toward CCSS ELA W.1.7.
  • During Work Time B, students create a scientific drawing of a specific type of feather and write a sentence to describe how that feather helps some birds survive. Through this experience, students continue to build their understanding of adjectives as they generate descriptions of how feathers function. In addition, the inclusion of the sentence frame with the conjunction so is intentionally built in to help students make progress toward CCSS ELA L.1.1g, a standard that is carried through this unit and as students create their performance tasks in Unit 3.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 2, students were introduced to the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying. This lesson allows for a more in-depth use of the text as students engage in class research to find information and track their learning on class notes as they continue to answer the research question "How do birds use their feathers to survive?"
  • In the Closing, students continue to reflect on their progress toward the academic goals laid out in the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart.
  • Continue to use Goal 1-4 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support with the concept of similes in the Opening. Continue to reinforce the idea that the feathers are not actually the objects pictured (blankets, sponges, etc.); rather, they are used like adjectives to help describe how the feathers work.
  • Students may need additional support to create a scientific drawing of a feather. Encourage them to try their best and tell them that they will have a lot of practice with learning how to draw feathers throughout their study.

Down the road:

  • Students use the class research notes that are generated during Work Time A in Lessons 4-5 when they create a piece of shared informational writing that answers the research question: "How do birds use their feathers to survive?" This piece of shared informational writing serves as a model when students write their own informational paragraph later in the unit.
  • This lesson lays the foundation for scientific drawing and writing about a specific bird body part. Students continue drawing and writing about a specific feather in Lessons 4-5. Later in the unit, they repeat a similar process with beaks.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Bird Word Wall card for the word semiplume.
    • The Feathers Simile anchor chart by adding the phrases to the left column and cutting the icons for the right column.
    • Cut out feather images from Feathers, Not Just for Flying for use during Work Time A.
    • Select a short, familiar song to play during the Musical Circles protocol during the Closing and prepare necessary technology.
  • Strategically pair students with book buddies for Work Times A and B. These students will share a text during the research reading and as they create scientific drawings. Ideally, students would remain in these pairs through Lesson 5.
  • Pre-distribute Materials for Work Time B at workspaces.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1 and 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.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 1.I.A.1, 1.I.B.5, 1, I.B.6, 1.I.B.8, 1.I.C.10, 1.II.A.1, and 1.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs through opportunities to process content orally and to capture it in notes written in collaboration with others.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to reflect on their learning using the information in the bullets of the Academic Goals column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart, because the wording of the chart can pose an extra demand for ELLs (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Ask students to share what they noticed the teacher did and thought while modeling drawing the bird.

For heavier support:

  • Ensure students understand each bullet in the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart as they reflect on their learning. Provide opportunities to process in home language groups.
  • During Work Time B, consider enlarging and posting the text on pages 29-30 and labeling it as Melissa Stewart's system to classify feathers.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by activating prior knowledge and scaffold connections for students. Continue to provide a visual display of questions and student responses on a chart or board during discussions.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Although holding high expectations is important, be aware that sometimes these expectations can raise students' anxiety. Emphasize the importance of process and effort by discussing how even when you try your best to write neatly you can sometimes make a mistake and that is okay.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to provide prompts and sentences frames for those students who require them to in order to be successful in peer interactions and collaboration. Also support students in sustaining effort and/or attention by restating the goal of the activity.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • simile, trace, straight, pointy, rachis, barbs, hooks, curved, academic (L)
  • blanket, cushion, pillow, author's note, semiplume, classify, system (T)

Review:

  • source, curved, source, structure, evidence, scientific drawing, trace (L)

Materials

  • Feathers, Not Just for Flying (from Lesson 2; one per pair and one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Feathers, Not Just for Flying (extra copy; used by the teacher to cut and use for the Feathers: Class Notes; see supporting Materials)
  • Feather Similes anchor chart (new; co-created with students during the Opening; see supporting Materials)
  • Feather Similes anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Simile icons (new; used by the teacher on the Feather Similes anchor chart during the Opening)
  • What Researchers Do anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; added to in advance; see supporting Materials)
  • What Researchers Do anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Feathers: Class Notes (new; co-created with students during Work Time A; see supporting Materials)
  • Feathers: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference)
  • Feather pictures 1-9 (new; used by the teacher on the Feathers: Class Notes during Work Time A)
  • "Spied a Feather" (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Bird Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; one)
  • Bird Word Wall (begun in Lesson 2; added to during Work Time B; see Teaching Notes)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (page 2 from Lesson 1; added to during Work Time B; one per student and one for teacher modeling)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; example, for teacher reference)
  • Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Musical Circles Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Short, familiar song (song; play in entirety; see Teaching Notes)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)

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. Developing Language: Say It with Similes (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Remind them that a source helps us find the information we need to answer a research question.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What was the title of the source that we read in the previous lesson?" (Feathers, Not Just for Flying)

  • Briefly remind students that when they looked closely at the structure, or how the words and pictures are organized in a text, they noticed that there is a short phrase at the top of each page that acts like a heading.
  • Display Feathers, Not Just for Flying and read aloud the text at the top: "Feathers can warm like a blanket."
  • Point to the picture of the blanket and, using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is a blanket?" (a large piece of material used to keep warm)

"Are feathers really a blanket?" (no)

  • Say:

"When writers compare one object to another using the words like or as, we call that a simile. Writers use similes to better describe something."

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

"Why do you think the author says feathers can 'warm like a blanket'?" (Because people can use blankets when they get cold, and birds get cold sometimes, too. The feathers keep them warm.")

  • Direct students' attention to the Feather Similes anchor chart.
  • In the first column beside the phrase, "warm like a blanket" add the corresponding simile icon to the second column. Refer to Feather Similes anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Read the phrase at the top of page 6:
    • "or cushion like a pillow."
  • Define cushion (to make less hard or soften).
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is a pillow?" (a cloth bag filled with soft material used for resting the head while sleeping)

 "Why might the author say that feathers can be like pillows?" (because they can be soft)

  • In the next row of the Feather Similes anchor chart beside the phrase "cushion like a pillow" add the corresponding simile icon. Refer to Feather Similes anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students that in the next lesson, they will role-play some of the similes in the text.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Comparing Headings) Students may find it challenging to understand how the phrase at the top of each page acts like a heading. Consider showing a couple of headings from the book Birds (Scholastic Discover More) and comparing them to the simile heading in Feathers, Not Just for Flying. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Text Structure: Concrete Example) Invite students to share a concrete example of how text structure helped them find something in Birds (Scholastic Discover More) or Feathers, Not Just for Flying. (Example: The heading "Feathers can warm like a blanket" helped me find information about feathers keeping birds warm.)
  • For ELLs: (Strategic Grouping: Similar Proficiency) To encourage students to develop independence and take responsibility for their learning, create pairs with similar levels of language proficiency. Use this opportunity to assess students' understanding of similes in the text.
  • For ELLs: (Similes: Literal vs. Figurative) Check that students understand the difference between the literal and figurative meaning of each simile. Examples:
    • Students can sketch the literal meaning next to the figurative meaning and circle the figurative sketch.
    • Ask:

"Do birds really have pillows on them? (No. The feathers are like pillows. They are acting as pillows. They are not real pillows.)

    • Tell students to always listen and look for the words like and as. Explain that one of these words can tell them when an author wants to describe something but it's not real.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Aloud to Research Feathers: Feathers, Not Just for Flying (25 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Briefly remind students that in the previous lesson they listened to a read-aloud of the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying and thought about the main idea and text structure.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What was the main idea of the text?" (Feathers have many jobs and help birds survive in different ways.)

  • Display page 31 and read aloud the heading:
    • "Author's Note."
  • Define author's note (a piece of writing writers often include in a text that tells additional information to help their readers understand how and why they wrote the text)
  • While still displaying the text, complete a first read of the author's note.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How did Melissa Stewart research feathers for this text?" (She read books, magazines, and newspapers in the library; she read articles and found experts on the internet; and she used her own nature journals.)

  • Tell students that in this lesson, the class will read a few specific pages from this source as they gather evidence to begin to answer the new research question: "How do birds use their feathers to survive?"
  • Review the definition of evidence (something that gives proof of or a reason to believe something).
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can use text features to research information about feathers using the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying."

  • Share that they will work as a class to use text features to gather and share information that will help them answer the research question.
  • Direct students' attention to the What Researchers Do anchor chart, explaining that one thing researchers do after they gather information from texts is to take notes. Point to and read aloud the second to last bullet. Refer to What Researchers Do anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary:
    • "Take notes to collect information to answer a research question."
  • Direct students' attention to the Feathers: Class Notes. Tell them that this is where they will take notes about feathers as they read Feathers, Not Just for Flying.
  • Briefly review each column of the Feathers: Class Notes. Say:

"The first column is where we'll use adjectives to describe the feathers. In the second column, we'll write how that feather helps the bird survive. In the third column, we'll add a picture to show an example of a bird that uses this type of feather to survive."

  • Say:

"Let's see what kind of evidence we can find on this page about feathers using text features."

  • Distribute copies of Feathers, Not Just for Flying to pre-determined book buddies.
  • Tell students that over the next several lessons, they will work with this book buddy to research information in this text.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Now that we know the structure of this text, what text features might help us find the information we need? (pictures, captions, headings)

  • Say:

"We just looked at the heading on this page as we role-played the similes. That may give you some strong evidence. Let's look at and reread these two pages to see if there's any information we can add to our class notes.

  • Display pages 3 and 4 and read them aloud. Invite book buddies to follow along, and provide students time to study the pictures as well.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Based on these text features, how might you describe this feather? Use the sentence frame 'This feather is _______.'" (Responses will vary, but may include: This feather is soft, fluffy, or warm.)

  • Add these adjectives to the first column of the Feathers: Class Notes. Refer to Feathers: Class Notes (example for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How does this feather help birds survive? Use the sentence frame 'This feather_____.'" (Responses will vary, but may include: This feather keeps a bird warm when it's cold outside.)

"What text features helped you find this evidence?" (the picture of the blanket, the snow in the picture with the bird, the caption, or the heading).

  • Add feather picture 1 to the third column and write the word "blue jay." Refer to Feathers: Class Notes (example for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Repeat this whole group research process with pages 5-10, 13-14, 17-18, 21-22, and 25.
  • As each page is read, track the evidence on the Feathers: Class Notes and add the feather pictures 2-8 in the corresponding third column. Continue to refer to Feathers: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Once this activity is complete, read through all the evidence briefly.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What job did you learn feathers can do? Use the sentence frame 'I learned that feathers can ________.'" (cushion like a pillow; hide a bird from predators)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on how well they used text features to find evidence about how birds' feathers help them survive.
  • Tell students that in the next lesson they will have a chance to write about the evidence they have gathered.
  • Invite students to stand up and sing the "Spied a Feather" song from Lesson 2.
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "A dark-eyed junco / distracts its enemies / by flashing the bright white feathers on the outside of its tail."
    • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
  • by flashing: "How" / Meaning: by indicates how something is done. flashing refers to how the junco distracts its enemies through showing its feathers quickly and for a short time. (prepositional phrase)
  • the bright white feathers: "What?" / Meaning: The feathers of the junco, which it flashes to distract its enemies, are bright and white. (noun phrase)
  • on the outside: "Where?" / Meaning: The bright white feathers the junco flashes to distract its enemies cover the side of its tail that faces out or that can be seen. (prepositional phrase)
  • of its tail: "Whose?" / Meaning: the feathers on the outside of the junco's tail. (prepositional phrase)
  • Practice: By ________ its ______, a {bird}________.
    • Reconstruct: Reread the sentence. Ask:

"Now what do you think the sentence means?"

"Can you act out being the junco and flashing your bright white feathers and being the junco's enemies?"

"How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of the way birds use their feathers to survive?"

    • Practice: Give students a scrambled combination of similar prepositional phrases for them to put in order.
  • The bittern cleans itself ...

of the tips / with the crumbles / by scrubbing dirt / off its body / of its feathers.

  • (The bittern cleans itself by scrubbing dirt off its body with the crumbles of the tips of its feathers.)

B. Independent Writing: Birds Research Notebook (15 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention back to the What Researchers Do anchor chart. Tell them that they are now going to practice two other important skills as researchers: looking closely, and drawing and writing about what they see.
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can explain the purpose of a semiplume feather using pictures and words."

  • Define semiplume by reading aloud the text below the semiplume feather on page 30:
    • "Semiplume feathers work with down feathers to keep birds warm and dry."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do semiplume feathers do?" (keep birds warm and dry)

  • Show students the Bird Word Wall card for semiplume (work with down feathers to keep birds warm and dry) and follow the same process established in previous lessons: Provide its definition, clap out its syllables, use it in a sentence, and place the Word Wall card and picture for it on the Bird Word Wall.
  • Tell students that they will first create a scientific drawing and then they will write about their drawing.
  • Remind students of the definition of scientific drawing (a detailed and accurate picture that teaches the viewer information about an object).
  • Say:

"When we practice scientific drawings today, we are not going to draw the whole bird like we practiced when we first started our bird research. We are going to draw only a feather.

  • Display page 29 of Feathers, Not Just for Flying and read the text under the heading "Kinds of Feathers."
  • Define the words classify (to put into groups according to things that are similar) and system (a particular way of doing something).
  • Share that this is the system that Melissa Stewart has chosen to use to classify feathers.
  • Briefly note that these two pages have a bit of a different structure from the other ones they have read. Each box shows and tells about a different kind of feather.
  • Display page 30 and direct students' attention to the first box. Tell them that this is the semiplume that they are going to draw today.
  • Invite students to watch and listen carefully as you think aloud about how to create a scientific drawing of a semiplume feather.
  • Think aloud:
    • Say:
    • "I know that feathers can be all different shapes, so the first thing I am going to do is trace the feather with my finger to identify what kind of lines it has. Trace means to copy a line of something."

Say: "Some lines are straight, others are curved, and some are pointy. A straight line is not curved, a curved line is not straight, and a pointy line has points."

    • Use your hand to gesture these types of lines, and invite students to repeat the word and gesture with you.
    • Say: "When I trace the semiplume feather with my finger, I see that it has pointy edges."
    • Say: "Now I'm going to draw the shape of the line of the semiplume feather."
    • Display page 2 of Birds Research notebook, Part II.

Say: "I'm going to start at the bottom of the feather and work my way around the edge, making sure I draw all the points I see. They are kind of like lines sticking out. This is going to help me make sure my drawing is accurate, which is important in a scientific drawing.

    • Draw the outline of the semiplume in the box on page 2 of the Birds Research notebook, Part II. Refer to Birds Research notebook, Part II (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Say: "I also need to add details because I know that a scientific drawing is detailed. I see a line that goes up and down in the middle of the feather, so I am going to draw that line, too. I did some research and found out that this part of the feather is called a rachis."
    • Model drawing the rachis in the middle of the feather.
    • Say: "When I look really closely at the inside of the feather, I see lines coming out from the rachis. Again, I did some research and found at that these are called barbs.
    • Sketch the barbs coming out from the rachis.
    • Say: "I see even smaller lines at the end of some of the barbs. I learned that those are called hooks. Now I'm going to sketch the hooks."
    • Sketch the hooks on some of the barbs.
  • Recap the steps for drawing at the top of page 2 of the Birds Research notebook:
  1. Trace the outline.
  2. Draw the outline.
  3. Look closely for the details.
  4. Draw the details.
  • Tell students that now they are going to have a chance to practice drawing the semiplume feather on page 2 in their Birds Research notebook, Part II.
    • Direct book buddies back to their copy of Feathers, Not Just for Flying that they used in Work Time A.
    • Remind them that they will share a copy of the text with their book buddy, so they should take turns tracing the feather and looking closely at the details.
    • Dismiss students to their workspaces and invite them to begin looking and drawing.
    • As students draw, circulate and offer guidance, support, and time checks as necessary.
    • After 10 minutes of drawing, tell students to find a good stopping point in their work.
    • Direct them to the sentence frame at the bottom of page 2 of the Birds Research notebook, Part II:
  • "Some birds have semiplume feathers so ____________."
    • Share that they are now going to write to show their understanding of how a semiplume feather helps a bird survive. Reread the semiplume caption aloud:
  • "Some birds have semiplume feathers so ____________."
    • Turn and Talk:

"Why do some birds have semiplume feathers? Use the sentence frame "Some birds have semiplume feathers so _____________." (Responses will vary, but may include: Some birds have semiplume feathers so the birds can keep warm and dry.)

    • As students talk, circulate and listen in to target a few students to share out.
    • Invite one or two students to share their ideas aloud with the group. Ask students to write their idea in their notebook.
    • Again, circulate as students write and offer guidance and support as necessary.
    • After 2-3 minutes of writing time, invite book buddies to tiptoe back to the whole group meeting area.
  • For ELLs: (Reviewing) When reminding students of the definition of scientific drawing, consider using student work to show how the drawing is detailed and accurate.
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Drawing) Invite students to share what their role is when the teacher thinks aloud (notice what they can do later as they create their own drawing).
  • For ELLs: (Using Visuals: Steps) Refer to the steps for drawing at the top of page 2 of the Birds Research notebook when modeling each step.
  • For ELLs: (Pronouncing Correctly) Invite students to practice pronouncing the words rachis and barbs. Have students repeat each syllable, noting the stressed syllable.
  • For ELLs: (Verbal Writing Practice) Allow students to discuss and rehearse their sentences before writing.
  • For students who may need additional support with planning and strategy development: Provide a visual guide of the steps for this section of the lesson (e.g., checklist or map of each step). (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Musical Circles Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group and offer specific, positive feedback on completing their scientific drawings and explanations.
  • Remind students that there are some important academic goals that they are working on in this unit. Revisit the definition of academic: having to do with school.
  • Follow the same routine from the Closing of Lesson 2 to guide students through considering what academic goal they worked on today:
    • Focus students on the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart and briefly review the Academic Goals column.
    • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which academic goals did we work on in today's lesson?" (researching feathers, creating scientific drawings of feathers, and describing how feathers help a bird survive)

    • Invite students to silently consider:

"Which academic goal did you work hard on today? What did you do to work on that goal?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Provide the sentence frame as needed. (Example: "I worked hard to _________ by __________.")
    • Tell students they are going to use the Musical Circles protocol. Remind them that they used this protocol in the previous lesson, and review as necessary using the Musical Circles Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
    • Guide students through the protocol using a short, familiar song and the following prompt:

"Which academic goal did you work hard on today? What did you do to work on that goal?"

    • If productive, cue students to explain why a classmate came up with a particular response:

"Who can explain why your classmate came up with that response? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

    • Circulate to support students, and use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to gather data on students' progress toward SL.1.1 and SL.1.2.
    • Invite students to return to their seats.
  • Share that in the next lesson, they will have a chance to practice a new learning goal on the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart:
    • "Writing a shared piece about how feathers help birds survive"
  • For ELLs: (Student Modeling) Before students share, consider inviting an ELL to model using the Academic Goals column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart to answer the question "What does conducting whole group and small group research about a physical characteristic of birds look like and sound like?"
  • For students who may need additional support with verbal expression: Invite them to write down their idea on an index card to use as they share during the protocol. (MMAE, MME)

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