Determining the Main Idea: Pages 24–25 of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M4:U1:L11

Determining the Main Idea: Pages 24–25 of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
  • RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
  • RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
  • W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
  • W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
  • L.3.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can determine the main ideas and supporting details of pages 24-25 of One Well. (RI.3.1, RI.3.2)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Determining the Main Ideas note-catcher (RI.3.1 RI.3.2)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Reader: One Well, Pages 24-25 (5 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Determining the Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary: One Well, Pages 24-25 (15 minutes)

B. Determining the Main Ideas: One Well, Pages 24-25 (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Researching: Why Must We Act Now to Protect Our Water Supply? (20 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: 

  • This lesson follows a structure similar to Lesson 9. Refer to that lesson for more detail as necessary.
  • In this lesson, students read about the problem of water pollution. Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of these texts, and whether the issues need to be discussed in more detail as a whole group, in smaller groups, independently, or with families. Be aware that students' feelings may be personal, and they are not required to share them.
  • Due to the complexity of the vocabulary on these pages, in Work Time A, students use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to complete a glossary for pages 24-25 of One Well (RI.3.4, L.3.4).
  • Students practice their fluency by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads One Well aloud in Opening A.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners with a characteristic of their choice.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lessons 6-10, students read up to page 23 of One Well to determine the main idea and supporting details. In this lesson, they read the next two pages of One Well to determine the main idea and supporting details.
  • In Lessons 7-10, students completed their research note-catchers on access to water and demands on water. In this lesson, they receive a new research note-catcher on the topic of water pollution.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support determining the main idea and supporting details in a text and choosing information to include on their research note-catchers. Invite those students who may require additional support to sit together for teacher help.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review students' Determining the Main Ideas note-catcher and Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution to identify common issues for use as whole group teaching points.
  • Collect the Language Dive V Practice: One Well: Adverbs homework from Lesson 9. Refer to the Language Dive V Practice: One Well: Adverbs (answers, for teacher reference).

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students complete the end of unit assessment by determining the main idea and supporting details of the informational text "Water Pollution" and comparing the main idea and supporting details to those on pages 24-25 of One Well.

In Advance

  • Strategically group students into pairs for work in this lesson, with at least one strong reader per pair.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • 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 in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.B.6, 3.I.B.7, 3.I.B.8, 3.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to engage in familiar routines for determining main ideas and supporting details, gathering research, and exploring difficult vocabulary in context to better understand the text. This lesson also supports ELLs by allowing them to examine pages 24-25 of One Well as a class before comparing and contrasting it with another text about water pollution in the end of unit assessment.
  • ELLs may find the pace of the lesson and the variety of tasks they need to complete challenging. Work closely with students who need support and provide additional time for them to complete their work if necessary (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs section).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • The supports in this lesson and Lesson 10 are similar to the supports in Lessons 7-8, as the tasks mirror one another. Based on student performance in Lessons 7-8, consider releasing students from some of the supports applied in those lessons to foster independence and assess student progress.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, consider providing the supporting details for the main idea and inviting students to determine the main idea based on those key details. Encourage students to think about and discuss with their partner how each detail supports the main idea.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students engage with One Well to determine unfamiliar vocabulary and identify the main idea of pages 24-25. This transfer of information into knowledge requires metacognitive skills and strategies. Recall that some students may need support in summarizing, connecting, and remembering the information presented.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to remove any possible barriers for accessing the text One Well. Consider using sticky notes with pre-written cues to identifying the main idea for pages 24-25. Recall that some students may also benefit from more scaffolded questions about the text.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to provide support for students who may need additional guidance in peer interactions and collaboration.

Vocabulary

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

  • pollution, evaporates, vapor, atmosphere, filtered, transpire, runoff (T)

Materials

  • One Well (from Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Module 1; added to during Opening A)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Glossary: Pages 24-25 of One Well (one per student and one to display)
  • Glossary: Pages 24-25 of One Well (example, for teacher reference)
  • Parts of Speech anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to during Work Time A)
  • Determining the Main Ideas Note-catcher: Pages 24-25 of One Well (one per student and one todisplay)
  • Determining the Main Ideas Note-catcher: Pages 24-25 of One Well (example, for teacher reference)
  • Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution (one per student and one to display)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution (example, for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive V Practice: One Well: Adverbs (homework from Lesson 9; one per student)
  • Language Dive V Practice: One Well: Adverbs (answers, for teacher reference)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

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: One Well, Pages 24-25(5 minutes) 

  • Move students into pre-determined pairs.
  • Invite students to retrieve their copies of One Well and turn to page 24.
  • Read pages 24-25 aloud as students read along silently in their heads.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What is the gist of these pages? What are they mostly about?" (Water pollution is making less water available, and our water is becoming unable to clean itself.) 

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

  • Focus students on the word pollution in the title. Invite them to count how many times they see this word and a very similar word (pollute/polluted) on these pages (nine). Use total participation techniques to select students to read some of the sentences containing this word on pages 24-25.
  • Focus students on the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart and invite them to work in pairs to determine the meaning of the word (the presence in the environment of a poisonous/harmful substance).
  • Use total participation techniques to select students to share their responses whole group.
  • Focus students on the word population. Invite them to count how many times they see this word on these pages (four). Use total participation techniques to select students to read the four sentences containing this word on pages 24-25.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Using the context and reading around the word, what do you think this means?" (the number of people)

  • Add pollution to the Domain-Specific Word Wall with translations in home languages.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Recounting) Before reading, invite students to recount the main ideas from the previous sections of One Well in 30 seconds or less (with feedback) and then again in 20 seconds or less with a partner. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with vocabulary: (Parts of Speech: Noticing) Ask: "What is the difference between the words pollution, pollute, and polluted?" (Pollution is a noun and means the presence of harmful substances in the environment. Pollute is a verb and describes the act of creating pollution. Polluted is an adjective that describes a noun or pronoun affected by pollution.) Add these words to the Examples column on the Parts of Speech anchor chart. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Visual Reinforcement) Consider adding a sketch or drawing next to pollution as you add it to the Domain-Specific Word Wall. (MMR)

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

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

"I can determine the main ideas and supporting details of pages 24-25 of One Well."

  • Remind students that they have seen this learning target in previous lessons.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and invite them to read the habits of character on the chart to themselves. Tell students to choose a habit to focus on as they work with their classmates today. Cold call students to share with the whole group and select one as a class.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with sustained effort: (Working on the Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward a similar learning target. (MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Determining the Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary: One Well, Pages 24-25 (15 minutes) 

  • Distribute the Glossary: Pages 24-25 of One Well. Remind students that there is some challenging vocabulary on these pages and that to determine the main idea and supporting details, it's important that they understand the text.
  • Briefly review what students should record in each column. Emphasize that the translation column is optional for those students who speak other languages, but if pairs include a student who speaks another language, this is a great opportunity for the partner to learn words from a different language.
  • Focus students on the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
  • Invite pairs to work together and circulate to support them as they complete their glossaries.
  • When 3 minutes remain, refocus whole group and cold call students to share their definitions for each word and the strategies they used to determine the meaning. Refer to the Glossary: Pages 24-25 of One Well (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with vocabulary: (Parts of Speech: Explaining Function) As students complete their glossaries, invite them to determine the part ofspeech of each word and write it next to the word on their glossaries. Challenge them to "prove" which part of speech each word falls under. Provide a sentence frame for support and add each word to the Examples column of the Parts of Speech anchor chart. (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Sketching Meaning) Invite students to sketch or draw the meaning of each word in the second column of their glossary. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with motivation and sustained effort: Provide feedback that is specific, timely, and informational as students are writing. (MME)

B. Determining the Main Ideas: One Well, Pages 24-25(15 minutes) 

  • Distribute Determining the Main Ideas Note-catcher: Pages 24-25 of One Well and use the same routine from the Closing of Lesson 6 to guide students through determining the main idea(s) and supporting details of the text:
  • Refocus whole group and use a total participation technique to select students to share their main ideas and supporting details. Refer to the Determining the Main Idea Note-catcher: Pages 24-25 of One Well (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • 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 and how well they demonstrated the habit of character they decided to focus on today. Select one or two students showing they met the learning target to provide evidence.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: (Fishbowl: Determining Main Idea and Details) Invite two confident students to model and think aloud the process for determining the main idea and supporting details before inviting the rest of the class to complete their note-catchers. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Checking Comprehension of Main Idea and Details) Check student understanding of the main idea and supporting details of pages 24-25. Ensure that students' note-catchers represent the main idea and details accurately, as they will use this information when comparing and contrasting this text to another in the end of unit assessment. (MMR)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Researching: Why Must We Act Now to Protect Our Water Supply? (20 minutes) 

  • Distribute and display the Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution and use the same process from Lessons 7 and 9 to guide students through completing the note-catcher in pairs.
    • Focus students on the question at the top of the note-catcher and remind them of the Performance Task anchor chart and of the PSA they will create about a water issue.
    • Review the boxes on the note-catcher as needed: Issue, Impact, Action, and Call to Action.
    • Encourage students to read the question, refer back to the text, and then say the answer, using the sentence starter provided in the box, before recording their responses. Remind students that they may not find answers to all of the questions on these pages of text, but not to worry because they will read more texts in Unit 2 to answer these questions.
    • Invite students to begin and circulate to support them as they work. Refer to the Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Collect the Language Dive V Practice: One Well: Adverbs homework from Lesson 9. Refer to the Language Dive V Practice: One Well: Adverbs (answers, for teacher reference).
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for expression: (Highlighting and Rephrasing Key Sentences) Consider highlighting key sentences on pages 24-25 of One Well that encapsulate the ideas in each section of the research note-catcher. Invite students to identify which sentence best articulates each idea (issue, impact, action, and call to action) and then rephrase the sentence in their own words before adding their thinking to the note-catcher. (MMR, MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with expression: (Sentence Starters) Encourage students to use the sentence starters on the research note-catcher when sharing their thinking about the issue, impact, action, and call to action. (MMAE)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. 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 written expression: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from grades 4 or 6, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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