Research: Athlete Leaders of Social Change | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M3:U3:L3

Research: Athlete Leaders of Social Change

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • RI.5.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
  • RF.5.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
  • W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • W.5.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
  • W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
  • W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
  • L.5.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can research to identify the factors that contributed to the success of my athlete as a leader of social change. (RI.5.1, W.5.8)
  • I can compare and contrast the factors that contributed to Jackie Robinson's success as a leader of social change and those that contributed to my athlete's success. (RI.5.1, W.5.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Annotated and color-coded Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott (W.5.2, W.5.5)
  • Research note-catcher (RI.5.1, W.5.8)
  • Comparison to Jackie Robinson note-catcher (RI.5.1, W.5.8)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Reader: Model Essay (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Analyzing a Model: The Painted Essay (20 minutes)

B. Internet Research (70 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Comparing and Contrasting Athlete and Jackie Robinson (15 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • Lessons 2 and 3 have been combined to provide students with maximum uninterrupted research time. If these are taught in two separate lessons rather than together as one block, revisit the learning targets and the task at the beginning of the second 1-hour lesson to remind students of the task and purpose.
  • In these lessons, students analyze a model essay using the Painted Essay structure to generate criteria for their own essay (W.5.2, W.5.5). The Painted Essay(r) (Diana Leddy, Vermont Writing Collaborative) guides students to code each section of their essay a different color to understand each part, the content of each part, and how the different parts connect.
  • In these lessons, students research an athlete of their choice to determine the factors that contributed to his or her success as a leader of social change. Before researching, students learn how to search for and identify reputable sources. They work in expert groups with other students who have chosen the same athlete to research; however, some students may work alone if their chosen athlete is of particular interest and no other students want to research that athlete. As they research, they complete the same note-catcher completed in the previous lesson for Jim Abbott (RI.5.1, RL.5.4, W.5.7, W.5.8, L.5.4).
  • A list of athletes who have been leaders of social change has been provided; however, use appropriate student suggestions on the Athlete Leader of Social Change homework from Unit 2, Lesson 14 to add to this list.
  • These lessons are designed for students to use the internet to find appropriate texts for research. If the technology necessary for students to complete the reading is unavailable, or if concerned students may not be ready to search information for themselves, consider identifying appropriate links/texts about the athletes and providing students with a page of links or printed copies of the texts.
  • Students who require an additional challenge could research more than one athlete.
  • In these lessons, students focus on working to become effective learners and working to contribute to a better world, persevering and working collaboratively in expert groups to research the chosen athlete, and considering how the leaders of social change used their strengths to help others.
  • Recall that the research reading that students complete for homework helps build both their Vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to baseball and athletes, specifically how athletes have led change. This kind of reading continues over the course of the module.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the previous lesson, students followed the same process when reading about Jim Abbott that they will follow in these lessons when researching their chosen athlete.
  • Continue to use Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • A modified model essay has been provided for students who may need additional support. The modified model uses simplified Vocabulary and sentence structure; however, the overall content and structure follows the model essay. Note that supporting Materials related to the modified model essay have not been provided. Additionally, parts of the model essay are used in Language Dives or in the Additional Language and Literacy Block and have not been provided for the modified model.
  • Students may need additional support with reading the research websites and making notes on their note-catchers. Consider seating groups without strong readers in one area of the room for teacher-guided support.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review the Research note-catchers to ensure students have the information they need to write an essay like the model about their chosen athlete.
  • Consider meeting with individual students and using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist to gather phonics and word analysis data during students' internet research in Work Time B (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • Students will use the research gathered in these lessons to write an essay like the model comparing and contrasting the factors that contributed to the success of Jackie Robinson as a leader of social change and those that contributed to the success of their chosen athlete.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • List of athletes for students to research (see supporting Materials). Use the Athlete Leader of Social Change homework to add to the list, choosing only additional athletes who: 1) were definitely leaders of social change and 2) you could find a lot of information about on the internet. Before the lesson, it may be a good idea to speak with students who suggested athletes who weren't chosen to discuss why.
    • Internet-ready devices for students to research their chosen athlete--at least one device per pair.
    • Pair students for work throughout the lesson with at least one strong reader in each pair.
  • Review the Painting an Essay Plan from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 12 to familiarize yourself with the color-coding and the purpose of each choice of color.
  • 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.
  • Work Time B: Students will need a device with internet access to research (at least one per pair).

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.B.6, 5.I.B.8, 5.I.C.12, 5.II.A.1, 5.II.A.2, 5.II.A.3, 5.II.A.4, and 5.II.A.5

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of these lessons supports ELLs by using the Painted Essay structure to analyze a model; using the same note-catchers and routines as in Lesson 1 for gathering evidence and comparing their athlete to Jackie Robinson; and inviting students to work in groups as they research.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to determine the most appropriate sources to use for their research during Work Time B, as well as the most relevant evidence from each source to include in their note-catchers. Additionally, they may find it challenging to keep pace with the class during the Closing as they compare and contrast their athlete and Jackie Robinson. Consider working with a small group of students at the beginning of each Work Time (see "Levels of support" and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Create roles for each group member to facilitate collaboration as they research and gather evidence in their note-catchers. Invite a student to take on a reader, writer, or evidence detective position.

For heavier support:

  • Consider enlarging the Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott and posting it in a central location. As students share out the gist of each paragraph in Work Time A, record it in the margins. Keep this enlarged model essay posted to provide concrete examples of language to compare and contrast; to support students with citing sources for evidence; and to support them with text structure as they write their own essays in Lesson 5.
  • If a group contains many ELLs and students who need heavier support, consider working closely with this group to find reliable internet sources and complete their evidence gathering as a shared experience.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to reinforce expectations that students read along silently in their heads as text is read aloud during the lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Some students may need additional support with reading the text on the research websites. Provide printouts of targeted text with recordings on tape so that students can read along.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to remind students of the goal for the work they are doing with their research. Returning to the learning goals lifts up their value and relevance to students.

Vocabulary

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

  • social change (L)

Materials

  • Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott (one per student and one to display)
  • Modified Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott (optional; for students needing additional support; see Teaching Notes)
  • Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott (example, for teacher reference)
  • Comparison to Jackie Robinson note-catcher (from Lesson 1; one per student)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Colored pencils (red, yellow, blue, green; one of each per student)
  • The Painted Essay(r) template (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Painting an Essay lesson plan (from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 12; for teacher reference)
  • List of athletes (one to display)
  • Devices (at least one per pair)
  • Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time B; see supporting Materials)
  • Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Choosing and Using Reliable Internet Sources (one per student and one to display)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Research note-catcher (one per student)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Factor for Success anchor charts (begun in Unit 1)
  • Comparison to Jackie Robinson note-catcher (from Lesson 1; new; one per student)

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. 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 Reader: Model Essay (10 minutes)

  • Move students into pre-determined pairs and invite them to label themselves A and B.
  • Distribute and display the Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott. Distribute the Modified Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott as needed.
  • Focus students on the question at the top of the essay and invite a volunteer to read it aloud:
    • "What are the similarities and differences between the factors that contributed to the success of Jim Abbott as a leader of social change and those of Jackie Robinson?"
  • Remind students that in the previous lesson they read about Jim Abbott and made notes about the similarities and differences. Remind students of what social change means.
  • Invite students to retrieve their Comparison to Jackie Robinson note-catcher from the previous lesson and to spend 3 minutes reviewing the notes they made.
  • Refocus whole group. Invite students to read along silently in their heads as you read the model aloud.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is this text about?" (the similarities and differences between the factors that contributed to the success of Jim Abbott as a leader of social change and those of Jackie Robinson)

  • Turn and Talk:

"Which of the similarities and differences from this essay did you note?" (Responses will vary.)
  • For students who may need additional support with oral language and processing: Pair students with strategic partners to ensure that they have a strong, politely helpful partner to support their efforts in sharing their thinking and listening to their partner. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames) To bolster participation, provide sentence frames for students to choose from when discussing similarities and differences. Emphasize the linking language that signals comparison and contrast (similarity, both, and; difference, but).
    • One similarity is that both Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott ______.
    • One difference is that Jackie Robinson _____, but Jim Abbott __________.

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and select a volunteer to read them aloud:

"I can research to identify the factors that contributed to the success of my athlete as a leader of social change."

"I can compare and contrast the factors that contributed to Jackie Robinson's success as a leader of social change and those that contributed to my athlete's success."

  • Remind students that they saw similar learning targets in the previous lesson; however, in this lesson the learning targets are about another athlete they will research rather than Jim Abbott.
  • Remind students of the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart and that people like Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott who were leaders of social change were working to contribute to a better world, particularly using their strengths to help others.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: (Working toward Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward each learning target. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Reinforcing Comprehension of Concept) Reinforce the concept of social change by inviting students to share why Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott were leaders of social change, and how they contributed to a better world. Examples:
    • Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott were leaders of social change because they _________.
    • They worked to contribute to a better world by ___________________________.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Analyzing a Model: The Painted Essay (20 minutes)

  • Refocus students on the Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott.
  • Invite them to follow along, reading silently in their heads, as you read aloud the first paragraph.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What is the gist of this paragraph?" (brief overview of the story; clearly states the focus statement with reasons)

  • Cold call students to share out and record the gist next to the first paragraph on the displayed model. Refer to Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to work in pairs to determine the gist for each of the remaining paragraphs.
  • Circulate to support students in rereading paragraphs and determining the gist and prompt them by asking:

"What is this paragraph mostly about?"

  • After 10 minutes, refocus whole group and use total participation techniques to select students to share out.
  • Guide students through using the colored pencils and their Painted Essay(r) template to color-code their Model Essay: Comparing and Contrasting Jackie Robinson and Jim Abbott. Refer to Painting an Essay lesson plan for further detail.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the learning target.
  • For students who may be overwhelmed by too much print on a page: Reduce anxiety and support sustained effort by offering a copy of the model essay with one paragraph per page. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Enlarged Model Essay: Highlighting Linking Language) As students read the second and third paragraphs, invite them to highlight words and phrases that signal comparison in yellow (Both, and, Similarly, Another), and words and phrases that signal contrast in blue (While, however, more ____ than ____). Highlight these words on the enlarged model essay as well (See For heavier support), and add them to the Linking Words and Phrases chart (See Lesson 1, For lighter support), highlighted in the corresponding colors. This will provide students with linking language to reference throughout the unit as they compare and contrast.
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "Some of these factors / are similar to those / that contributed to the success of Jackie Robinson / in integrating baseball decades earlier, / but there are some key differences."
    • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
      • but connects the previous chunks to this chunk and signals contrast between them. (coordinating conjunction)
      • there are some: "But what?" / Meaning: We use the word there to say that something exists or is present. There are some tells us that there is at least a small amount of something that contrasts with the idea in the previous chunks. (existential there; verb phrase)
      • key differences: "Some what?" / Meaning: key means very important. Students can clasp their hands together to demonstrate similarities in the previous chunk, and separate their hands in this chunk to demonstrate differences. Note how the meaning would change if key were replaced with minor. (noun phrase)
    • Practice: There are similarities between ________ and ______, but there are some key differences.
    • Reconstruct: "Can we divide this sentence into two or more sentences? What do we have to remove or change?"

"What does this chunk tell us? Why do we think that?"

    • Practice: Some of the factors for success of _____ [name of student's athlete] were similar to those of Jackie Robinson, but ________.

"How can we use this sentence structure in our speaking and writing?"

B. Internet Research (70 minutes)

  • Post the question:
    • "What are the similarities and differences between the factors that contributed to the success of your athlete as a leader of social change and those of Jackie Robinson?"
  • Tell students that in this lesson and the next, they will be researching an athlete of their choosing to answer this question.
  • Post the list of athletes and go through each, explaining what sport each athlete was famous for. Tell students that you read their suggestions and chose those athletes:
  1. Who were definitely leaders of social change
  2. For whom you could find a lot of information about on the internet.
  • Give students a couple of minutes to choose their athlete, and help students get into groups with others wanting to research the same athlete.
  • Ensure students have devices.
  • Turn and Talk:

"So, you know that you need to find the answer to the posted question, but how do we start? You've got your device connected to the internet, so what are you going to do to begin researching?"

  • Draw on expertise from the group and invite a volunteer to demonstrate for the group and to talk through each thing he or she does.
  • Record each step on the Researchers Do These Things anchor chart, leaving space between each step to add anything that might be missing. Refer to Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to suggest anything that might be missing from the process outlined by the volunteer. Add anything appropriate to the Researchers Do These Things anchor chart. Continue to refer to Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Remind students that although there is a lot of useful information on the internet, there is also a lot of information that is inaccurate because anyone with internet access can create websites, or add to public websites such as wikis.
  • Distribute and display the Choosing and Using Reliable Internet Sources handout and read it aloud.
  • Answer clarifying questions.
  • Tell students that some of the texts they will read might be challenging and have unfamiliar words. Reassure them that just like when they read other texts this year, they are not expected to understand all of it the first time they read it. Remind them that one key to being a strong reader of difficult text is being willing to struggle.
  • Direct students' attention to the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart and remind them to use these strategies to help them read new challenging texts.
  • Distribute the Research note-catcher. Remind students that this is the same note-catcher they used in the previous lesson, but this time it requests that they list the source. Remind students that, like the model essay, they will need to cite their sources when they write their essays, so they need to collect the necessary information to be able to do so.
  • Remind students that they will be working in groups, so they may wish to divide and conquer--individuals or pairs reading different webpages about the athlete, taking notes, and then sharing what they learned with the group afterward.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and invite them to reread it silently. Tell students to choose a habit to focus on as they work with their group today.
  • Circulate to support students as they research, reminding them to support their ideas with evidence and to cite their sources.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to write or sketch one example and one non-example for each guideline on the handout. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Provide options for expression by offering a note-catcher that includes lines. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Finding Reliable Sources) Consider modeling and thinking aloud the process for finding reliable sources before inviting students to begin researching. Example: "I am researching Jim Abbott, so I will type 'Jim Abbott' into the search engine. A lot of articles come up, but I see one titled 'Society for American Baseball Research,' which seems reliable. When I click on it, it leads me to a site that ends in .org, which tells me that it is a nonprofit organization. What else do I need to do to check that my source is reliable?"
  • For ELLs: (Citing Sources) Consider providing additional information about citing sources when distributing the Research note-catcher. Say: "Citing sources is an important academic and career skill in the United States. In the United States, you can borrow important ideas from the original text, but you must use your own words to explain the ideas when you write, and you must place quotation marks around the quotes you borrow. In addition, you must tell your reader where the ideas and quotes came from. Otherwise, you might get into serious trouble." Model and think aloud citing a source on the Research note-catcher under the column "Evidence from the Text."

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Comparing and Contrasting Athlete and Jackie Robinson (15 minutes)

  • Invite students to revisit the factors that contributed to Jackie Robinson's success as a leader of social change on the factor for success charts.
  • Distribute and display a blank Comparison to Jackie Robinson note-catcher.
  • Invite students to look over the note-catcher completed for their athlete in the past two lessons.
  • Discuss in groups:

"What similarities do you notice between factors that contributed to Jackie Robinson's success as a leader of social change and your athlete's success as a leader of social change? (Responses will vary, depending on the athlete.)

  • If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by giving an example and to compare ideas:

"Can you give an example?" (Responses will vary.)

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

  • Invite students to record their ideas on their note-catchers.
  • Circulate to support students as they work.
  • Refocus the group and use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the learning targets, and against the habit from the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart they decided to focus on today.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing information for written expression: As students work, offer sentence frames or stems to support students' planning for completing the note-catcher. (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Discussing Similarities and Differences) Consider inviting students to discuss both similarities and differences between the factors contributing to their athlete's and Jackie Robinson's success before students record their ideas on their Comparison to Jackie Robinson note-catchers.
  • For ELLs: (Linking Words and Phrases Chart: Referencing) Invite students to refer to the Linking Words and Phrases chart (see Lesson 1, For lighter support) to identify words and phrases they can use to record similarities and differences on their note-catchers. Challenge students to expand their language by choosing less familiar words and phrases.

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs
  • Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, a family member, or a student from Grades 4 or 6, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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