Finding Reasons to Support an Opinion: A Place for Butterflies | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:M4:U2:L7

Finding Reasons to Support an Opinion: A Place for Butterflies

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
  • RI.2.2: Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
  • RI.2.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
  • RI.2.8: Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
  • L.2.5: Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings
  • L.2.5b: Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).
  • L.2.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy).
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can write relevant notes about the dangers that butterflies face. (RI.2.1, RI.2.2, RI.2.4)
  • I can write relevant notes about reasons why it is important to protect butterflies. (RI.2.1, RI.2.2, RI.2.4, RI.2.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During discussion and note-taking in Work Times A and B, consider using the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.2.1, RI.2.2, and RI.2.8 (see Assessment Overview and Resources). 

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Shades of Meaning: "The Butterfly Garden" (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Research Reading and Note-taking: A Place for Butterflies (20 minutes)

B. Language Dive and Reading Aloud to Take Notes: Reasons Butterflies Are Important (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Pinky Partners Protocol: Working to Contribute to a Better World (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students continue to practice their informational reading skills as they research and take notes using the text A Place for Butterflies. Students do so in partners, with more responsibility for reading and note-taking. In order to be successful, students need to identify the main topic of the text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text. In Work Time B, students must identify the main points of the author--that butterflies are important to plants and animals--and describe how specific reasons support those main points. Being able to describe the relationship between ideas and reasons will prepare students for their work as readers in Grade 3, as they describe more nuanced connections between individual sentences and paragraphs in a text. (RI.2.2, RI.2.8)
  • In Opening A, students sort adjectives and adverbs with similar meanings to distinguish shades of meaning (L.2.5b). This allows students to use more precise and descriptive language in speaking and writing. It also prepares them to distinguish more abstract shades of meaning in Grade 3, such as different states of being and degrees of certainty.
  • In Work Time C, students participate in a Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from A Place for Butterflies. The focus of this Language Dive is on using adverbs and an adverbial clause to modify verbs and to communicate a relationship between two events. Students then apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when writing their opinion paragraphs in the Unit 2 Assessment, Part II. Refer to the Tools page for additional information regarding a consistent Language Dive routine. (L.2.6)

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • This lesson continues a gradual release process established in Lessons 1-6 as students first wrote notes together as a class and progressed to partner work, with the teacher supporting synthesis of each page. In this lesson, students take on more independence as they read and write notes with their research partners, and guidance from the teacher is less explicit.
  • In Lessons 4-5, students also participated in shared writing of a multi-paragraph opinion piece about why people should protect bats, providing a greater sense of the purpose and of the outcome for writing notes about A Place for Butterflies.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • As students write notes with their research partners during Work Times A and B, some may have trouble determining specific words and phrases to synthesize the ideas in the text. Consider conferring with some students while circulating to help them synthesize their notes, asking probing questions such as "What did you learn about why butterflies are important from this page?" Allow some students to work in triads. Alternatively, support a small group of students to write notes as a shared writing experience.

Down the road:

  • Students will use the notes they write in this lesson to craft a multi-paragraph opinion piece about protecting butterflies during their Unit 2 Assessment, Part II in Lessons 8-10.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine triads for Opening A.
  • Place clipboards, or alternative work surfaces, and pencils at the group meeting area so students can write notes during the read-aloud in Work Time A. Alternatively, consider completing Work Time A with students at their workspaces.
  • Review the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart as needed (begun in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 8).
  • Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the language goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the language goals provided to best meet your students' needs.

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 1-3 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 by in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.B.6, 2.I.B.7, and 2.I.B.8

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to participate in a Language Dive conversation to support their understanding of reasons animals and plants need butterflies.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to take notes in partners with less scaffolding than in prior lessons. Students may benefit from hearing the selected passages read aloud more than once or from completing their notes as a jigsaw activity (see Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support

  • In preparation for Opening A, buy or ask for large paint chips from a local hardware or paint store, or print them online. Write the words from the Shades of Meaning anchor chart, each one on a different shade of the paint chip according to its relative strength. Place them on the wall while reviewing the sorting activity or use these paint chips as sorting cards.

For heavier support

  • During Work Time A, some students may need additional time to write their notes. Consider providing extra time before moving to the next page. Students who have finished writing their notes can discuss them with their research partners.
  • During Work Time A, distribute a partially filled-in copy of page 6 of the Protecting Pollinators research notebook. This provides students with models for the kind of information they should enter, while relieving the volume of writing required. Refer to Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference) to determine which sections of the note-catcher to provide for students.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to reinforce expectations that students read along silently in their heads as the text is read aloud during the lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing need by offering students options for writing utensils. Also consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of student responses.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Before students begin writing notes, consider creating a writing goal that is appropriate for the individual student. Place a star or sticker at the goal point so that they can self-monitor their progress as they write.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • shades of meaning (L)

Review:

  • specific, reasons, opinion (L)

Materials

  • "The Butterfly Garden" (from Lesson 4; one to display)
  • Shades of Meaning anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Opening A; see supporting materials)
  • Shades of Meaning anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Shades of Meaning sorting cards (one set per triad)
  • A Place for Butterflies (from Lesson 5; one per pair and one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes (from Lesson 6)
  • Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons They Are Important: Class Notes (from Lesson 6; example, for teacher reference)
  • Protecting Pollinators research notebook (from Lesson 3; one per student; added to during Work Time A)
    • Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Student Notes (page 6 of the Protecting Pollinators research notebook)
  • Clipboard (one per student)
  • Pencil (one per student)
  • Colored pencils (red, yellow, and blue; one of each per student)
  • Vote with Your Feet Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Language Dive Guide: A Place for Butterflies (for teacher reference)
    • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (begun in Module 3)
    • Language Dive Chunk Chart: A Place for Butterflies (for teacher reference)
    • Language Dive Sentence Strip Chunks: A Place for Butterflies (one to display)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Pinky Partners 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.

https://curriculum.eleducation.org/

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shades of Meaning: "The Butterfly Garden" (10 minutes)

  • Tell students they will read "The Butterfly Garden" again today. They will examine verbs and adjectives to understand how the author used specific and descriptive words to describe the butterfly garden and to give us a clear picture of it in our heads.
  • Display and reread the poem chorally with the class.
  • Direct students' attention to the Shades of Meaning anchor chart.
  • Tell students that there are verbs and adjectives that mean almost the same thing but have small differences. The adjectives can show us the strength of the word.
  • Write pretty in the left-hand column of the anchor chart and beautiful in the middle column. Refer to Shades of Meaning anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Think aloud:

"I know that pretty and beautiful both mean that something looks nice. Beautiful is a word that has more strength than the word pretty."

  • Write stunning in the right-hand column of the anchor chart. Continue to refer to Shades of Meaning anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Think aloud:

"I know that stunning can also mean that something looks nice. Stunning has even more strength than pretty and beautiful.

  • Write and display the following words: float, glide, and soar.
  • Turn and Talk:

"How are these three verbs connected?" (They all mean flying.)

"Where would you place them on the chart? Why?" (from left to right: float, glide, soar, because float has the least strength and soar has the most.)

  • Add the words to the corresponding columns on the anchor chart.
  • Tell students that the different strengths of adjective and verbs is called shades of meaning.
  • Define shades of meaning (adjectives or verbs that mean the same thing, with small differences).
  • Tell students that authors use different shades of meaning so the reader can visualize exactly what they mean. It is important that we as readers are able to understand when the author is using shades of meaning to get the most accurate idea of what the author is trying to tell us. As writers, we can use shades of meaning to be as specific as possible so readers can visualize what we are writing about.
  • Review the definition of specific (certain, exact, particular).
  • Tell students they will practice putting some of the words form the poem in order of their strength.
    • Model this activity by inviting students to act out three concrete words to determine their relative strength and rewrite them in order of least to most strength (example: grin, smile, beam).
    • Tell students they will work in groups to sort the rest of the adjectives and verbs in the poem.
    • Move students into triads.
    • Distribute Shades of Meaning sorting cards.
    • Invite students to sort as many of the words as they can.
    • After 5 minutes, gather students whole group and refocus them on the Shades of Meaning anchor chart.
    • Invite students to share their ideas. While students share out, confirm or amend their ideas and record them on the Shades of Meaning anchor chart.
  • For ELLs: (Using Paint Chips) Use paint chips to support students' understanding of shades of meaning. See Levels of support for further details.
  • Some students may benefit from reviewing the pronunciation of all words on the Shades of Meaning sorting cards. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading and Note-taking: A Place for Butterflies (20 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Direct their attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:
    • "I can write relevant notes about the dangers that butterflies face."
  • Turn and Talk:

"When have you worked to accomplish a similar learning target?" (when writing notes about A Place for Bats in Lesson 2)

  • Remind students that they read A Place for Butterflies in Lessons 5-6. Tell them that they will now reread A Place for Butterflies to take notes about the dangers butterflies face.
  • Display the Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes.
  • Distribute and invite students to turn to page 6 of their Protecting Pollinators research notebooks.
  • Referring to A Place for Butterflies, remind students that in the previous lesson, they read a portion of the text. Share that today, students will listen to more of the text to research and write notes about ways that butterflies are in danger.
  • Referring to the posted Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes, remind students that they began to complete this chart in Lesson 6.
  • Tell them that in this lesson, they will work with a partner to continue writing notes on this chart in their own notebooks instead of together as a class.
  • Remind students that when we read nonfiction texts for research, it is not always necessary to read the book from beginning to end and that you have chosen pages to share with them for research.
  • Display pages 5-6 of A Place for Butterflies and read them aloud. Tell students they will begin by writing notes on the Dangers That Butterflies Face  and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Student Notes (page 6 of their research notebooks) under the heading "Dangers That Butterflies Face," following a similar routine as their research reading of A Place for Bats, only this time in partners.
  • Invite students to pick up a pre-distributed clipboard and pencil.
  • Point out the color-coded headings on the class notes:
    • Red = "Dangers"
    • Yellow = "Reasons Butterflies Are Important to Plants"
    • Blue = "Reasons Butterflies Are Important to Animals"
  • Distribute red colored pencils so they can trace the heading or write their notes using the same color as the class notes heading. Tell students this will help them organize their writing in subsequent lessons.
  • Referring to pages 5-6, ask:

"What words or short phrases will help us remember the main idea from these pages about a danger that butterflies face?" (loss of food when people cut down forests)

  • Provide students 3-4 minutes to discuss with their partners and write notes in their research notebooks.
  • Refocus whole group and invite students to share out. Clarify and capture their responses on the Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes. Refer to Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students you will stop after each page you read so they can write notes with their research partners. They will not complete the class notes together until you are finished with the read-aloud.
  • Read aloud:
    • Pages 15-16
    • Pages 17-18
  • For each set of pages:
    • Remind students to listen for new information about dangers that butterflies face.
    • Invite students to Turn and Talk with their research partner about new notes to add to their student notes about dangers that butterflies face.
    • Circulate and listen in as students discuss to highlight accurate student responses to add to the class notes after the read-aloud.
  • After reading aloud all of the above pages, briefly synthesize notes and write appropriate and relevant notes on the Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback for having written accurate notes about dangers that butterflies face.
  • Tell students they will now participate in the Vote with Your Feet protocol. Remind them that they used this protocol in Lessons 2-5 and review as necessary using the Vote with Your Feet Protocol anchor chart.
  • Guide students through the protocol using the following prompt:

"In your opinion, which species is in greater danger: butterflies or bats?"
  • For ELLs: (Reading Twice) It may be necessary for some students to hear the text read aloud twice. Consider doing so for the whole class and/or working closely with select partnerships to support rereading as necessary.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Throughout the read-aloud, routinely invite students to rephrase the main ideas and notes from the text to check for comprehension. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained effort: Provide feedback that emphasizes students' persistence during note-taking. (Example: "I can see that you are working hard at writing your notes, even when you get stuck on which words are important to your idea. You are showing perseverance!") (MME)

B. Language Dive and Reading Aloud to Take Notes: Reasons Butterflies Are Important (25 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Direct their attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can write relevant notes about reasons why it is important to protect butterflies."

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

"Why is it important to take have reasons for our opinions?" (to support our opinion; so the reader knows why we have the opinion)

  • Tell students you will read aloud two more pages from A Place for Butterflies and then they will work with their research partners to take notes on their own.
  • Direct students' attention to the Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes and focus them on the bottom half of the chart. Read the headings aloud and establish a new purpose for reading and taking notes: reasons butterflies are important to plants and other animals.
  • Review the following definitions as needed:
    • opinion (what you think about something)
    • reasons (why you have your opinion; what makes you think so)
  • Read aloud page 25 and ask:

"Why do plants need butterflies?" (They need them to pollinate flowers.)

  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive to better understand a sentence from page 25.
  • Focus students' attention on the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart and remind them that they thought of their own questions to ask during a Language Dive.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is one question you can ask during a Language Dive?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Reread the text under the heading "Plants Need Butterflies" on page 25 of A Place for Butterflies.
  • Focus on the sentence:
    • "When the insect flies to another flower, the pollen goes along for the ride."
  • Use the Language Dive Guide: A Place for Butterflies and Language Dive Chunk Chart: A Place for Butterflies to guide students through a Language Dive of the sentence. Display the sentence strip chunks.
  • After the Language Dive, transition students to their workspaces with their partners.
  • Direct students to page 6 of their Protecting Pollinators research notebooks and remind them to use colored pencils to underline their headings or write their notes in the same colors as the class notes headings (yellow and blue).
  • Distribute copies of A Place for Butterflies.
  • Tell students they will work with their partners to write notes about why butterflies are important to plants and animals.
  • Remind students they can refer to pages 25-26 of A Place for Butterflies to determine relevant notes to write.
  • As students write their notes, circulate to support them. If necessary, reread parts of pages 25-26 to students.
  • When 2 minutes remain, invite students to share out and clarify and capture their responses on the Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes. Continue to refer to Dangers That Butterflies Face and Reasons Butterflies Are Important: Class Notes  (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback for writing relevant notes and remind them that these notes will help them write their own opinion piece about butterflies.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Jigsaw Reading) Consider making this task more manageable for students by allowing two groups to work together and to write notes on one category each. (MMAE, MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Pinky Partners Protocol: Working to Contribute to a Better World (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Remind students that they have discussed their own strengths and tell them they will now discuss how they can use their strengths to help others.
  • Tell students that sometimes when we collaborate and show others our strengths, we can help them or allow them to learn from us.
  • Give an example of a time when you helped others with your strengths or when others helped you with something you were having trouble understanding.
  • Tell students they will now participate in the Pinky Partners protocol to share how they used their strengths to help their research partner today. Remind them that they used this protocol in Module 1 and review as necessary using the Pinky Partners Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • As time permits, invite students to share a few responses with the class.
  • Preview the next lesson's work: using notes to begin writing an opinion piece about dangers that butterflies face.
  • For ELLs: (Celebrating Bilingualism) Point out that speaking more than one language is a powerful strength and that multilingual students have a lot to contribute to their classmates, such as helping them learn new words and helping people who speak different languages to work and play together.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for verbal expression: Before sharing, invite students to jot down their ideas in phrase or sketch form. (MMAE)

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