Shared Writing, Part II: Birds’ Feathers Help Them Survive | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M3:U2:L5

Shared Writing, Part II: Birds’ Feathers Help Them Survive

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
  • 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.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can contribute to the second detail sentences and conclusion in a piece of shared writing. (W.1.2, W.1.7, W.1.8)
  • I can explain the purpose of a flight feather using pictures and words. (W.1.8, L.1f, L.1.g)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Continue to review students' drawing and writing from Work Time B using the Informational Writing Checklist to check progress toward W.1.8, L.1.1f, and L.1.1g (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

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

2. Work Time

A. Shared Writing: Drafting Second Detail Sentences and Conclusion (25 minutes)

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

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face 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 continue 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.
  • During Work Time A, students use the class research notes from Feathers, Not Just for Flying to begin to write the second half of a shared informational paragraph about feathers (W.1.2, W.1.7, W.1.8).
  • During Work Time B, students create another 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. The inclusion of the sentence frame with the conjunction so is intentionally built in to help students make progress toward L.1.1g.
  • In the Closing, students are introduced to the habits of character goals for the unit. They begin to think about how collaboration, a habit of effective learners, will support their learning.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 4, students started writing a shared writing piece about how feathers help birds survive.  During Work Time A, they work together as a class to add the second set of detailed sentences, conclusion and drawings.
  • During Work Time B, students continue the scientific drawing and writing routine laid out in Lessons 3!-4.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Continue to support students with the terminology connected to the parts of informational paragraphs (focus statement, detail sentences, and conclusion).

Down the road:

  • The piece of shared informational writing that students create in this lesson serves as a model when students write their own informational paragraphs later in the unit.
  • In Lesson 6, students begin another cycle of research, this time with the source Beaks! by Sneed B. Collard. Instead of working as a class, students engage in research in small groups.

In Advance

  • Prepare the Bird Word Wall card for the word flight.
  • 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 1-2 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.8, 1.I.C.10, 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 use the information in the bullets of the Habits of Character Goals column of the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart to reflect on their learning, because the wording of the chart can pose an extra demand for them (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Before Providing Additional Support during Work Time, allow students to grapple. Provide supportive frames and demonstrations only after students have grappled with the task. Observe the areas in which they struggle to target appropriate support.

For heavier support:

  • Ensure students understand each bullet in the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart that they will be using to reflect on their learning today. Provide opportunities to process in home language groups.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students reflect on the term collaboration. To maximize generalization, invite students to practice sharing a definition of this term. Provide explicit feedback to ensure students have an accurate understanding of this word and its meaning.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During the shared writing, students are invited to read sentences aloud with you. Students may not feel confident in their reading skills and may benefit from modeling and supported practice. Provide differentiated mentors by seating students who may be more confident reading aloud near students who may not feel as confident.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Foster a sense of community after the Closing by inviting the whole class to join you in a special applause as you celebrate their work today and build enthusiasm for future learning (e.g., silent cheer, firecracker, or hip-hip hooray).

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • conclusion (L)
  • flight (T)

Review:

  • contribute, detail sentences, collaboration (L)

Materials

  • Role-Play Protocol anchor chart (for informational texts) (begun in Lesson 4)
  • Simile icons (from Lesson 3; used by the teacher on the Feather Similes anchor chart during the Opening)
  • Feather Similes anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3; added to during the Opening)
  • Shared Writing Template: Feathers (begun in Lesson 4; added to during Work Time A)
  • Parts of an Informational Paragraph anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4)
  • Feathers: Class Notes (from Lesson 3; one to display)
  • Shared Writing: Feathers (from Lesson 4; example, for teacher reference)
  • "Spied a Feather" (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Bird Word Wall card (new; teacher-created; one)
  • Bird Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time B; see Teaching Notes)
  • Birds Research notebook, Part II (from Lesson 1; page 4; 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)
  • Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol 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: Say It with Similes (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Briefly remind them that in the previous lesson they read and acted out two similes in the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying using the Role-Play protocol (for informational texts).
  • Tell students that they will practice the Role-Play protocol again today with new similes in the text. Remind them that they used this protocol in Lesson 3 and review as necessary using the Role-Play Protocol anchor chart (for informational texts). (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Follow the same routine from the Opening of Lesson 4 to discuss and role-play the similes on pages 15 and 18-20:
    • Read aloud the simile.
    • Define and discuss the Vocabulary connected to the simile.
    • Read the simile phrases and add the simile icons to the Feather Similes anchor chart.
    • Move students into pre-determined pairs and tell them they are now going to act out these similes using the Role-Play protocol (for informational texts).
    • Reread page 15 and invite students to begin the Role-Play protocol.
    • Repeat this process with pages 18-20.
  • Refocus students whole group and offer specific, positive feedback on their role-playing.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Defining words) When reminding students that in the previous lesson they read and acted out two similes in the text Feathers, Not Just for Flying, invite students to explain how they can help understand the text better. (MMR, MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Writing: Drafting Second Detail Sentences and Conclusion (25 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Tell them they will continue to help create a shared writing piece that will answer the research question:
    • "How do birds use their feathers to survive?"
  • Display the Share Writing Template: Feathers and read the focus statement and first detail sentences that the class wrote in the previous lesson.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can contribute to the second detail sentences and conclusion in a piece of shared writing."

  • Remind students of the definition of contribute (to give something). Tell them that they will need to contribute ideas to their partner and, at times, the whole class during today's writing work.
  • Direct students' attention to the Parts of an Informational Paragraph anchor chart.
  • Share that they will create the second part of their feathers informational paragraph today:
    • The second detail sentences and the conclusion
  • Review the definition of detail sentences. (They help the reader understand the focus statement).
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"As we look at the first column on our Feathers: Class Notes, what is a second detail that we could add about how birds' feathers help them to survive?" (Responses will vary, but should include information from the first column of the Feathers: Class Notes.)

  • Based on the ideas students share, model how to write a sentence based on the details they have found. Write the detail sentence on the Shared Writing Template: Feathers. Refer to Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Say: "The second detail sentence always works together with the first detail sentence. We need to tell the reader why some birds have ____ feathers (whatever is written as the first detail).
  • Turn and Talk:

"What detail sentence would explain this first detail?" (Responses will vary, but should be pulled from the Feathers: Class Notes and align with the first piece of detail sentence.)

  • Invite one or two students to share out.
  • Based on the ideas students share, model how to write the detail sentence. Write it on the Shared Writing Template: Feathers. Continue to refer to Shared Writing: Feathers (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students that they will now write the conclusion sentence of their informational paragraph. Explain that the conclusion wraps up the piece of writing and reminds the reader of the "big idea."
  • Explain that the conclusion is often very similar to the focus statement.
  • Turn and Talk:

"How might you say this again using slightly different words?"

  • Refocus whole group and invite students to share out.
  • Model how to write a conclusion sentence based on students' ideas on the Shared Writing Template: Feathers.
  • Tell students that now they are going to add sketches to match each part of the informational paragraph.
  • Read aloud the focus statement and ask:

"What is a picture we could add to help our reader better understand our big idea? (sketches of a few different types of feathers)

  • If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand, and then to agree or disagree, and explain why:

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

"Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

  • Repeat this process with the detail sentences and the conclusion.
  • Reread the entire piece to give students a vision for a cohesive informational paragraph.
  • Offer specific, positive feedback on how students used the information from their research to begin to write their class informational paragraph about feathers.
  • Invite students to stand up and sing "Spied a Feather."
  • For ELLs: (Rereading) Ensure students can read and understand the Feathers: Class Notes before inviting students to turn and talk.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Provide an example of how detail sentences support a focus statement by displaying these in a graphic organizer with content familiar to students to support transfer of concept. (Example: "My family likes to have fun together. We like to play games after dinner. Our favorite game is charades.") (MMR, MME)

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

  • Tell students that they will practice drawing and writing about one last special feather.
  • Read aloud the second learning target:

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

  • Define the word flight by reading aloud the text below the flight feather on page 30:
    • "Flight feathers on a bird's wing lift it up and move it forward. Flight feathers on the tail help a bird steer and keep its balance."
  • Show students the Bird Word Wall card for flight 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.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What do flight feathers do?" (help birds fly, steer, and balance)

  • Follow the same routine from Work Time B of Lessons 3-4 to model and guide students through completing page 4 in their Birds Research notebook, Part II. Refer to Birds Research notebook, Part II (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Display page 4 of the Birds Research notebook, Part II and model drawing the shape of the lines and the details of the feather using words like straight, curved, pointy, rachis, and barbs.
    • Invite students to follow the same process as they draw one of the flight feathers on page 2 of their notebook.
    • Circulate to support students as they draw.
    • Refocus whole group and discuss the sentence frame at the bottom of the page.
    • Invite students to complete the sentence frame in writing.
    • Give students positive, specific feedback on their scientific drawings of feathers.
  • Tell students they will have a chance to create scientific drawings of beaks soon!
  • For students who may need additional support with planning: Model a think-aloud for working toward the learning target. (Example: "So, after I draw my feather, I want to take a look and see if my picture has the details that give a clue to the purpose. I stop and think about what I could add to show the purpose of this feather in my drawing. Then in my sentence, I will add the words to match the picture.") (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Tell them there are two important habit of character goals that will help them meet the academic goals of this unit. Tell them that one is familiar to them and the other one is a new idea.
  • Say:

"As I read the habits of character, listen for the one that is familiar to you."

  • Direct students' attention to the Unit 2 Learning Plan anchor chart and read aloud the text in the Habits of Character Goals column only:
    • "Define what successful collaboration looks like and sounds like"
    • "Collaborate with classmates to research feathers and beaks"
    • "Show compassion when collaborating with classmates"
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which habit of character is familiar to you?" (collaboration)

"What does collaboration mean?" (I can work well with others to get something done.)

  • Tell students that they will now think about how they showed collaboration during today's lesson.
  • Invite them to silently consider:

"How did you show collaboration today?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Provide a sentence frame or offer an example as needed.
  • Tell students they are now going to use the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol to share their responses. Remind them that they used this protocol in Unit 1, and review as necessary using the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Guide students through the protocol using the following prompt:

"How did you show collaboration today?"

  • Invite students to return to their seats.
  • Share that in the next lesson they will continue to think about and practice collaboration and they will learn about a new habit of character.
  • For ELLs: (Student Modeling) Before students share, consider inviting an ELL to model using the Habits of Character Goals column of the Learning Plan anchor chart to assess goals.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to share one way they have recently shown collaboration outside the classroom. (MMR)

There are no new supporting Materials for this lesson.

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