Reading and Writing: Expert Birds, Day 2 | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade 1 › ELA G1:M3 › ELA G1:M3:U3 ›

ELA G1:M3:U3:L5

Reading and Writing: Expert Birds, Day 2

In this Lesson

You are here:

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • 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.1.1c: Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
  • SL.1.3: Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
  • SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can research information about my expert bird using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds. (RI.1.6, RI.1.7, W.1.7, W.1.8)
  • I can draw an accurate scientific drawing of my expert bird. (W.1.7)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Opening, continue to observe students as they discuss and ask questions about the Mystery Riddles and gather data on their progress toward SL.1.1a and SL.1.1c.
  • During Work Time A, continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist during the reading independently to research expert birds in Work Time A to track students' progress toward RI.1.5, RI.1.6, RI.1.7, W.1.7, and W.1.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Riddle Discussion Protocol: Mystery Bird Riddle #5 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Independently to Research and Take Notes and Creating Scientific Drawings: Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, Group A (20 minutes)

B. Reading Independently to Research and Take Notes and Creating Scientific Drawings: Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, Group B (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • The Opening and Closing contain repeated routines from Lessons 1-4. Refer to those lessons for more detail, as necessary.
  • During Work Times A and B, as the Hummingbird, Woodpecker, and Blue Jay expert research groups work with the teacher to research their expert birds using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, the Pelican, Penguin, and Wood Duck groups engage in an independent task, completing a third draft of their expert bird drawing. Splitting up groups between work times allows the teacher time to meet with and support specific research groups as they attempt to navigate the text independently.
  • In this lesson, students read an excerpt from Little Kids First Big Book of Birds to collect information about a new body part of their expert bird. As they work with their research groups, they continue to learn how to use various text features to gain information from the text efficiently.
  • Students apply their learning from the past two lessons as they complete a third draft of their expert bird drawing, paying attention to shape, size, placement, and details.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 4, students participated in shared research where they helped to find information about the cardinal using Little Kids First Big Book of Birds. In this lesson, students use the text again to find more information about their expert birds.
  • In Lessons 3-4, students received instruction focusing on shape, size, placement, and details when completing their first and second drafts of their expert bird drawings. In this lesson, students apply this learning as they complete their third draft.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Some students will find it challenging to reread the selected pages from Little Kids First Big Book of Birds during the group research portions of Work Time A or B. Strategically group students so they can support one another as they read and research this complex text, ensuring that proficient readers are grouped with readers who need support. Additionally, think about reading aloud selected pages to specific groups and pausing between every sentence or two to allow research groups to record their findings on page 2 in their Expert Birds Research notebook.
  • Some groups may need additional support with recording relevant information in their Expert Birds Research notebook. Encourage students to use pictures and words to capture their thinking and to reference classroom Materials, Word Walls, and alphabet cards for help.

Down the road:

  • Students will work on completing page 2 of their Expert Birds Research notebook over the next two lessons. They should focus on answering the questions during today's lesson and will have an opportunity to complete the illustrations during tomorrow's lesson.
  • Continue to review students' Expert Birds Research notebooks to ensure that students are collecting enough information to be able to write their Expert Bird Riddle card. Students will need to reference and use this information beginning in Lesson 8.

In Advance

  • Prepare Mystery Bird Riddle #5, in color if possible.
  • Preview Riddle Discussion protocol, page 2 of the Expert Birds Research notebook, and Think-Pair-Share protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 1.I.B.5, 1.I.B.6, 1.I.C.9, 1.I.C.10, and 1.II.A.1

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by building confidence with riddles before writing their own for the performance task and opportunities to deepen their understanding of the process of feedback and critique.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to read independently and take notes in Work Time A (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Before doing the microphone share, invite a student to share out notices and wonders about the bird and how resources around the classroom helped him or her to determine the mystery bird.

For heavier support:

  • Provide guidance for students in the Blue Jay and Hummingbird groups to use the information from the text to write in complete sentences.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to support comprehension by providing options for perception, such as visual supports for information presented orally. As students encounter unfamiliar Vocabulary, offer an opportunity to draw or sketch definitions, act them out, or list synonyms for key terms.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students in setting appropriate goals for their effort and the level of difficulty expected.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Although holding high expectations is important, continue to be aware that sometimes these expectations can raise student 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.

Vocabulary

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

N/A

Materials

  • Mystery Bird Riddle Card #5 (one per group and one to display)
  • Riddle Discussion Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Expert Bird photographs (from Lesson 3; one per pair in each expert group and one to display)
    • Hummingbird photograph
    • Woodpecker photograph
    • Blue Jay photograph
    • Pelican photograph
    • Penguin photograph
    • Wood Duck photograph
  • Beaks: Class Notes (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 6)
  • Feathers: Class Notes (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 3)
  • Little Kids First Big Book of Birds (from Lesson 1; one per pair and one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Expert Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; pages 2 and 6; one per student and one to display)
  • Expert Birds Research notebook (from Lesson 2; example, for teacher reference)
  • Expert Bird Riddle Criteria anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Pencils (one per student)

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. Riddle Discussion Protocol: Mystery Bird Riddle #5 (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses:

"What was the mystery bird from the previous lesson?" (flamingo)

"What clue helped you figure out the riddle?" (Responses will vary, but may include: It has a long neck. It has pink and reddish feathers.)

  • If productive, cue students to compare their ideas:

"How is what _____ said the same as/different from what _____ said? I'll give you time to think." (Responses will vary.)

  • Tell students that today they will learn about yet another new mystery bird.
  • Using Mystery Bird Riddle Card #5, follow the routine from the Opening of Lesson 1 to guide students through listening to and acting out the riddle card.
  • Tell students they are now going to use the Riddle Discussion protocol to try to solve the riddle. Remind them that they used this protocol in the previous lesson, and review as necessary using the Riddle Discussion Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Move students into pre-determined groups and guide them through the protocol.
  • Reveal that the swan is the mystery bird in the riddle.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their work with using clues and questions to figure out the riddle.
  • Ask students to give an "air" high-five on the count of three to celebrate their work on solving riddles over the past several lessons. These models will help them as they get ready to write their own Expert Bird Riddle card.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with self-monitoring: (Solving Riddles) Invite students to share what evidence from the Mystery Riddle helped them decide what the mystery bird was. (MMAE)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading Independently to Research and Take Notes and Creating Scientific Drawings: Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, Group A (20 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.
  • Tell them that three of the expert bird groups (Hummingbird, Woodpecker, and Blue Jay) will participate in group research on their expert birds, while the other three groups (Pelican, Penguin, and Wood Duck) will work on a third draft of their scientific drawing. Tell them that halfway through the lesson, the groups will switch so that each group will have a chance to complete both activities.
  • Transition the Pelican, Penguin, and Wood Duck groups to their workspaces, and invite students to follow the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 3 to create a third draft of their scientific drawing using their pre-distributed Expert Bird photographs.
  • Refocus the remaining groups (Hummingbird, Woodpecker, and Blue Jay) in the whole group meeting area.
  • Direct students' attention to the Beaks: Class Notes and Feathers: Class Notes and remind them that in Lesson 3, they began to research their expert birds using these notes.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What type of information did we find on these charts?" (information about either the beak or feathers)

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

"I can research information about my expert bird using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds."

  • Tell students that today, they will research more about their expert bird and will continue to take notes about a new body part using the text Little Kids First Big Book of Birds. Use the same routine from Work Time A of Lesson 4 to guide students through researching more about their expert bird.
    • Ask:

"What are other body parts that we might collect information about?" (beaks, wings, feet)

    • Display the table of contents in Little Kids First Big Book of Birds and read aloud the headings and corresponding page numbers for the hummingbird, woodpecker, and blue jay.
    • Ask:

"What pages should we turn to in order to learn about these three birds?" (hummingbird: page 24, woodpecker: page 102, blue jay: page 108)

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

"Who can explain how your classmate came up with that response?

    • Display and read aloud the pages for each group, including the headings, text boxes, captions, and labels on each page (hummingbird: pages 24-27, woodpecker: pages 102-105, blue jay: pages 108-109).
    • Display page 2 of the Expert Birds Research notebook and read aloud the first three questions:
  • "What is your expert bird?"
  • "What body part helps the bird survive?"
  • "How does this body part help the bird survive?"
    • As necessary, reread the pages from Little Kids First Big Book of Birds for each group aloud.
    • Point out the Expert Birds Research notebooks and copies of Little Kids First Big Book of Birds already at students' workspaces.
    • Tell students that they will only answer the questions on page 2 of their notebooks during this lesson. In the next lesson, they will complete the illustrations on the bottom of page 2.
    • Invite groups to quietly begin researching. Refer to Expert Birds Research notebook (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • After 12-15 minutes, refocus research groups.
    • Direct students' attention to the Expert Bird Riddle Criteria anchor chart and point to and read the criterion that reads:
  • "Facts from research to teach the reader about two body parts and how they help the bird survive"
    • Turn and Talk:

"What information have you already learned about your expert bird?" (Responses will vary.)

"What new information do you still need to research about your expert bird?" (Responses will vary.)

    • Invite two or three students to share out.
    • Remind students that they are collecting information about their expert bird so that they will be able to write their own Expert Bird Riddle card.
  • While the three research groups are researching, redirect and refocus the three drawing groups with their independent task as necessary.
  • When 2 minutes remain, invite the drawing groups to clean up and return to the whole group meeting area with their Expert Birds Research notebook.
  • Give the research groups specific and positive feedback on their work on collaborating with their groups to research information about their expert birds and invite them to return to the whole group meeting area with their Expert Birds Research notebook.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with planning for revision: (Supporting Revision) To help students incorporate peer feedback from the previous lesson into their third draft, remind students they can look for the star they added to mark the part(s) of their draft they got feedback on to make their drawing better. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with auditory processing: (Using Visuals) Consider providing the list of steps for drawing created in Lesson 3, and added to in Lesson 4, for students to follow as they work on their scientific drawing. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with managing resources: (Adding Visuals) Consider writing and posting the pages that groups need to go to in order to learn about their birds (hummingbird: page 24, woodpecker: page 102, blue jay: page 108). (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Adding Visuals) Direct students to the list of what they need to do as they research information started in Lesson 4 (find the section using text features, read, reread, and use text features such as illustrations).

B. Reading Independently to Research and Take Notes and Creating Scientific Drawings: Little Kids First Big Book of Birds, Group B (20 minutes)

  • Switch groups and repeat the process from Work Time A:
    • Scientific drawing groups (Hummingbird, Woodpecker, and Blue Jay groups)
    • Expert bird research groups (Pelican, Penguin, and Wood Duck groups)
  • For ELLs: Refer to the supports suggested for Work Time A.
  • For ELLs: (Adding Visuals) Consider writing and posting the pages that groups need to go to in order to learn about their birds (pelican: page 94, penguin: page 32, wood duck: page 78). (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group and offer specific, positive feedback on their work completing the third draft of their expert bird drawing and researching more about a new body part on their expert birds.
  • Remind students of their work providing kind, helpful, and specific feedback to partners as they shared their bird drawings over the past several lessons.
  • Share some of the conversations that you heard over the past several lessons. (Example: "I heard Maria giving John kind and specific feedback about his drawing yesterday. She told him that he did a good job of drawing the beak accurately and concentrating on the shape, and she suggested that he keep paying attention to the placement of the feet on the bird drawing.")
  • Explain that this type of feedback is kind, helpful, and specific, and provides suggestions for how John can improve his drawing. Throughout this unit, students are learning and practicing how to give and receive feedback that is kind, helpful, and specific.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"How did you do with giving and receiving feedback?" (Responses will vary.)

"What worked well?" (Responses will vary.)

"What could you improve?" (Responses will vary.)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen in. Take note of the ideas students are sharing and target a few students to share out with the whole group.
  • Remind students to make a bridge with their arms after both partners have shared.
  • Refocus whole group.
  • Tell students that tomorrow they will have a chance to share the third draft of their expert bird drawing. Encourage students to continue to think about how to improve on giving kind, helpful, and specific feedback to classmates, and to try to use some of this thinking tomorrow when providing feedback to a partner.
  • For ELLs: (Celebrating Learning) Consider giving feedback on what an ELL did well in this lesson. This will help the student build his or her self-confidence and identify and repeat that success next time.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for verbal expression: Consider providing index cards of previously taught sentence frames as support for communication. (MMR, MMAE, MME)

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback