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ELA G4:M4:U3:L15

Launching Research of How Kids Can Take Action

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can collaborate with my peers to write a press release about the results and impact of our class project. (W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Participation in shared writing of press release (W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5)
  • Language Dive Practice: Model Press Release homework from Lesson 14

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Shared Writing: Drafting a Whole Class Press Release (45 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment 

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. None for this lesson.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • Students work together to write a class press release. Because of the purpose of a press release--to share the class project--students work as a whole group to write it, using their planning and drafts from the previous two lessons (W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5).
  • Students needing an extension can look up the contact information for local reporters and news anchors so the press release can be shared with the local media.
  • Students focus on working to contribute to a better world by applying their learning to write a class press release.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Throughout the unit, students have been learning about how kids have taken action to make a difference. They planned and carried out a project to take action in their own community. In this lesson, they share the impact of their project.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Some students who need additional support with oral language and/or auditory processing may need additional support. Consider providing sentence frames for students to refer to during discussions or a note-taking template for taking notes during discussion.

Assessment guidance:

  • An example of the class press release is not provided because of the differing content based on the specifics of the class project. Refer to the model press release from Lesson 13 as an example of what students should produce.
  • Collect the Writing Thank You Notes I and II homework from Lessons 13-14.
  • Collect the Language Dive Practice: Model Press Release homework from Lesson 14. Refer to Language Dive Practice: Model Press Release (example, for teacher reference).

Down the road:

  • This is the final lesson of Module 4.

In Advance

  • 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 4.I.A.4, 4.I.C.10, 4.I.C.12, 4.II.A.1, 4.II.B.3, 4.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by building on the work they began in the previous two lessons, providing an opportunity to work on a shared press release to distribute to the local media, and setting aside time to reflect on the meaningful work they completed in this unit.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to contribute ideas for the shared press release. Consider inviting students to review their draft of the press release before the lesson and prepare one or two sentences or ideas they can share during Work Time A (see Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Challenge students who need lighter support to create sentence frames to support the reflection during the Closing. (Examples: "My favorite part of the unit was _______ because ________." "The highlight of the unit for me was __________. The reason why is ____________.")

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students reflect on their learning in Unit 3. Some students may struggle to recall the work they did throughout the entire unit. Scaffold memory and access of prior learning by listing the activities on chart paper or the board.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support students who may need it with expressive language by providing sentence frames to help them organize their thoughts.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to support sustained effort by prompting students to restate the goal for reflection at the conclusion of the unit.

Vocabulary

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

  • support, organization, make a difference, take action, impact (W)

Materials

  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Chart paper (one piece; used by the teacher and students to co-write the class press release)
  • Press Release Planning note-catcher (from Lesson 13; one per student)
  • Press release draft (from Lesson 14; one per student)
  • Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart (begun in Lesson 13)
  • Model press release (from Lesson 13; for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive Practice: Model Press Release (example, for teacher reference)

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. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning target and read it aloud:

"I can collaborate with my peers to write a press release about the results and impact of our class project."

  • Direct students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart and read the prompt aloud.
  • Remind students that they have been working on planning and writing a press release over the past few lessons. Tell students that today they will work as a class to write a final press release to be submitted to the local media. Generate excitement--this is a great accomplishment!
  • Focus students on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart and remind them that they have been putting their learning to use to improve their community throughout this entire unit. Focus specifically on the "apply my learning" criteria. Remind students that because they will be writing a press release to share with the local media, they will be sharing how they applied their learning through the class project.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation and engagement: (Summarizing the Target) Ask students to summarize and then to personalize the learning target. (MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Writing: Drafting a Whole Class Press Release (45 minutes)

  • Begin a shared writing experience by gathering students so they can all see the chart paper. Invite students to retrieve their Press Release Planning note-catcher and their press release draft.
  • Direct students' attention to the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart and review the structure, purpose, and audience of a press release.
  • Say something like: "We will now begin writing the class press release. Because our class worked to plan and carry out the same project together, we will write and share only one press release."
  • Ask students to help you begin the class press release by choosing a student to come up to the paper and write "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" on the left of the first line on the page (see the model press release from Lesson 13). Remind students that there are specific formatting guidelines they need to follow when writing a press release.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What should our headline be for our press release? Remember, the headline should be clear, but creative and attention-grabbing." (Responses will vary, based on the project the class did.)

  • Drawing from the ideas shared, craft and write a headline, using the model press release as a model. Continue this process to write the rest of the press release, reminding students to refer to their planning note-catcher and draft as they share their ideas, and being sure to model it after the model press release and the criteria on the Characteristics of Press Releases anchor chart.
  • Invite students to chorally read the finished class press release.
  • 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 ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge and comprehension: (Reviewing Drafts) Invite students to review their drafts from the previous lesson in pairs before beginning the whole-class press release. This helps jog students' memories about the content of their press releases and increase their confidence in contributing ideas for the shared press release. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Celebrating Home Languages) As the class writes a shared press release, consider inviting a group of students who speak the same home language to create a press release in their home language based on their drafts from the previous lesson. This allows the class to distribute a bilingual press release to the local media, allowing the class and the community to learn from the rich background of ELLs, and it will reinforce the message that home languages and cultures are valued and considered assets in the classroom, school, and local community.
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained engagement: After writing a selected statement, invite students to turn to a partner and share why this statement is important to include in the press release. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Ask and give students 1 minute to think before inviting volunteers to share with the group:

"What was a highlight of this unit for you? Why?" (Responses will vary.)

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

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their presentations.
  • Collect the Writing Thank You Notes I and II Homework from Lessons 13-14.
  • Collect the Language Dive Practice: Model Press Release homework from Lesson 14. Refer to Language Dive Practice: Model Press Release(example, for teacher reference).
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Display, Repeat, Rephrase) Display, repeat, and invite students to rephrase the questions. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with organizing ideas for verbal expression: (Sketching before Sharing) Allow students to sketch the highlight of the unit before they share their reflections with the group. (MMAE, MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with working memory: Display a list of the activities in this unit for students to reference as they think about their highlights. (MMAE)

Homework

Homework

There is no homework for this lesson.

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