Reading, Speaking, and Listening: Close Read-aloud, Session 5 and Discussion about Moisture | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA GK:M2:U1:L6

Reading, Speaking, and Listening: Close Read-aloud, Session 5 and Discussion about Moisture

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • RI.K.2: With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
  • RI.K.4: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
  • SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
  • SL.K.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can ask and answer questions about moisture using Weather Words and What They Mean. (RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.4)
  • I can use words and pictures to describe what I observe about how clouds and rain form. (SL.K.1, and SL.K.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the close read-aloud in Work Time A, use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.K.1, RI.K.2, and RI.K.4 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to track progress towards SL.K.1 and SL.K.5 in Work Time B and C (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Song and Movement: "What's the Weather like Today?" Song (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Close Read-aloud, Session 5: Weather Words and What They Mean, Pages 23-25 (20 minutes)

B. Engaging the Scientist: Interactive Experience with Moisture, Part II (10 minutes)

C. Structured Discussion: Sharing Observations about Moisture (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Interactive Writing: Class Weather Journal (10 minutes)

B. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson invites students to use the knowledge and rich vocabulary about weather and its components they have acquired as they draw and write about what they observe about how clouds form, and then use those drawings to engage in a discussion with a classmate.
  • During Work Time A, students closely study pages 23-25 of Weather Words and What They Mean, building a rich bank of vocabulary to support their understanding of moisture and how it makes the weather. (RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.4)
  • During Work Time B, students are able to add to their drawings about moisture observations after briefly reviewing the interactive experience with moisture. (SLK.1 and SL.K.5)

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Revisiting learning targets over several lessons familiarizes students with the language of the target and gives them time to practice the skills in the target over time.
  • In the last several lessons, students engaged in close read-aloud sessions of portions of the text of Weather Words and What They Mean. Now, in Session 5 of this close read-aloud, students study pages 23-25 of the text. At this point in the series of close read-aloud sessions, it is important to ensure continued engagement by reinforcing the value of revisiting this rich and complex text many times to think about the important ideas and learn new content-based vocabulary.
  • In the previous lesson, students engaged in an interactive experience with moisture about which they will continue to draw and write in Work Time B and then discuss with a partner in Work Time C

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Consider providing students with sentence frames to support the discussion in Work Time C. Example: "I observed _________, and this taught me __________ about clouds and rain."
  • During Closing A, students engage in the interactive writing instructional practice as part of the class weather journal routine. In Part 3 of the class weather journal, students will share the pen with the teacher as they complete the sentence using one of six predetermined weather words to describe the day's weather. Continue to consider when to share the pen, based on students' letter-sound relationship knowledge.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 7, students will finish the series of close read-aloud sessions of Weather Words and What They Mean and complete a culminating task. Preview the culminating task portion of the close read-aloud guide to better understand what is asked of students during this task.
  • In the Closing, students reflect on their progress toward becoming weather experts. Throughout the module, guide students toward more specific responses (e.g., "I know that moisture is water in the air and that is what causes clouds, rain, and snow").

In Advance

  • Preview the Close Read-aloud Guide: Weather Words and What They Mean to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students. Note that the close read-aloud guide is divided into sessions. Complete only Session 5 in this lesson; students will complete the remaining session and the culminating task in Lesson 7.
  • Prepare the class weather journal template by writing it on chart paper.
  • Gather a clear plastic cup, white shaving cream, and food coloring from Lesson 5 to be used again during Work Time.
  • Distribute student materials for Work Time B (pencils, meteorologist's notebook) at students' seats in the whole group area. This helps to ensure a smooth transition for Work Time.
  • Post: Learning targets, "What's the Weather like Today?" song, Frayer Model: Moisture chart, class weather journal template, Think-Pair-Share anchor chart, and Conversation Partners chart.

Tech and Multimedia

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

  • If students were recorded singing "What's the Weather like Today?" in Lesson 5, consider playing this recording to remind students of the song.
  • Record the whole group singing the third and fourth verses of "What's the Weather like Today?" and post it on a teacher web page or on a portfolio app like Seesaw for students to listen to at home with their families. Most devices (cellphones, tablets, laptop computers) come equipped with free video and audio recording apps or software.
  • If you recorded students participating in the Think-Pair-Share protocol in Lesson 3, play this video to remind them of what to do.
  • Complete the class weather journal using a word-processing tool, such as a Google Doc, for display and for families to access at home to reinforce these skills.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards K.1.A.1, K.1.B.5, and K.I.B.6

Important points in the lesson itself:

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to review and revisit their experience with the shaving cream and food coloring to understand moisture. This offers students a familiar schema that will help them comprehend and develop academic language.
  • ELLs may find the abundance of unfamiliar vocabulary during the close read-aloud challenging. Guide them through the Mini Language Dive during Work Time A for additional support with key academic words, phrases, and concepts.

Levels of support:

For lighter support:

  • During the Mini Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together."
  • Encourage students to use Conversation Cues with classmates to promote productive and equitable conversation and enhance language development.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time B, as students draw and label their observations, give struggling writers index cards with illustrations for key words. They can use the index cards as guides for writing labels.
  • During Work Time B, invite students to work with a mentor of a more advanced proficiency level as they add details to their drawing. If they speak the same home language, allow them to discuss the task in their home language.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): After the close read-aloud, support comprehension of the word freeze by playing a few rounds of freeze dance as you sing the "What's the Weather like Today?" song.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students add more details to their drawings of an experiment from the previous lesson. Support self-monitoring and reflection by thinking aloud as you model adding details to your own drawing.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): When reading about snow during the close read-aloud, contextualize the discussion based on the students' experiences with cold weather. Some students may have had few experiences with snow and may benefit from additional time studying the images. (MME) 

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • snow, freeze (T)

Review:

  • moisture (L)

Materials

  • "What's the Weather like Today?" song (from Lesson 5; one to display)
  • Weather Word Wall cards (new; teacher-created; two)
  • Weather Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1; added to during Work Time A; see Teaching Notes)
  • Close Read-aloud Guide: Weather Words and What They Mean (from Lesson 2; Session 5; for teacher reference)
    • Weather Words and What They Mean (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
    • Reading Informational Text Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
    • Frayer Model: Moisture chart (begun in Lesson 5, added to during Work Time A)
    • Moisture pictures
  • Clear plastic cup (from Lesson 5; one for teacher modeling)
  • White shaving cream (from Lesson 5; one can for teacher modeling)
  • Food coloring (from Lesson 5; one bottle for teacher modeling)
  • Meteorologist's notebook (from Lesson 2; one per student)
    • Moisture page (from Lesson 5; page 3 of Meteorologist's notebook)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • Think-Pair-Share anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Conversation Partners chart (from Module 1)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Class weather journal template (blank; from Lesson 1)
  • Sofia paper doll (from Lesson 4; one to display)

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. Song and Movement: "What's the Weather like Today?" song (5 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Remind students that in the previous lesson, they began learning a new song about being prepared for different types of weather.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What types of weather did we sing about in the previous lesson?" (sunny weather, stormy weather)

  • Display the "What's the Weather like Today?" song and invite students to join you to sing the first two verses.
  • After singing the first two verses together, tell students that you will model singing the next two verses of the song.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What are some hand gestures and actions that might help us remember these verses about windy weather and snowy weather?" (gesturing for wind blowing or swaying the trees; bundling up or rubbing our arms like we are cold when it is snowing)

  • Invite students to join you to sing the first four verses and use their chosen hand gestures and actions.
  • Repeat two or three times or as time permits.
  • Consider providing differentiated mentors by seating students who may be more comfortable singing aloud with physical motions near students who may not feel as comfortable. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Before singing the song, reread the lyrics and invite students to put their thumbs up when they hear a word that they know and to put their thumbs to the side when they hear a word they do not remember. Review and re-teach words as necessary.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Close Read-aloud, Session 5: Weather Words and What They Mean, Pages 23-25 (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:
    • "I can ask and answer questions about moisture using Weather Words and What They Mean."
  • Invite students to take out their magical bows and take aim at the learning target.
  • Briefly review the definition of moisture (a small amount of liquid in the air or on a surface).
  • Tell students that while reading the text today, they will learn about a few forms of moisture.
  • Show students the Weather Word Wall cards for snow and freeze.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is snow? What words could you use to define snow?" (Snow is ice. Snow is frozen rain. Snow falls in flakes.)

  • Provide students with the definitions for snow and freeze (Snow is small, soft, white pieces of frozen water that fall from the sky like rain. Freeze means to make into ice or become solid from cold temperatures).
  • Place the Word Wall cards and pictures for snow and freeze on the Weather Word Wall.
  • Guide students through the close read-aloud for Weather Words and What They Mean using the Close Read-aloud Guide: Weather Words and What They Mean (Session 5; for teacher reference). Consider using the Reading Informational Text Checklist during the close read-aloud (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Refer to the Close Read-aloud Guide for the use of the Frayer Model: Moisture chart and moisture pictures.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: As you read about snow on page 23, contextualize the discussion based on the students' experiences with cold weather. Some students may have had few experiences with snow and may benefit from additional time studying the images. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with word acquisition: After the close read-aloud, support comprehension of the word freeze by playing a few rounds of freeze dance as you sing the "What's the Weather like Today?" song. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of chunks of this key sentence from the lesson/text: "Snow crystals form when water freezes inside the cloud." Write and display student responses next to the chunks. Examples:
      • "What does this sentence mean?" (Responses will vary.)
      • "What is snow in our home languages?" (xu? in Chinese) Invite all students to repeat the translation in a home language other than their own.
    • Read and display the chunk Snow crystals form and ask:
      • "What does this chunk mean?" (When something forms, it grows or comes together. It is about how snow crystals grow.)
    • Invite students to move their hands and fingers together in a fist to illustrate forms. Ask:
      • "Snow crystals are small parts of snowflakes. So what do you think they will form when they come together?" (They will form snow.)
    • Read and display the chunk when water freezes and ask:
      • "What does the word when tell us?" (the time or the events that make snow crystals form)
      • "When do the crystals form?" (when the water freezes)
      • "How does water freeze? What is another word for something that is formed when water freezes?" (Water freezes when it gets cold and turns hard. Another word for frozen water is ice.)
    • Read and display the chunk in the cloud and ask:
      • "What does the word in tell us?" (the place where the water freezes and snow crystals form)
      • "Where does the water freeze?" (in the cloud)
    • Reread the sentence and ask:
      • "How does this sentence help us understand snow?" (It tells us that it comes from water freezing in clouds.)

B. Engaging the Scientist: Interactive Experience with Moisture, Part II (10 minutes)

  • Tell students that they are going to revisit their experience with clouds and rain from the previous lesson. Tell them that today they will get a chance to add details or additional information to their drawings and then discuss what they observe about temperature with their conversation partner.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:
    • "I can use words and pictures to describe what I observe about how clouds and rain form."
  • Show students the clear plastic cup, white shaving cream, and food coloring and, using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What did we observe happening yesterday when I dropped food coloring into the cup with shaving cream?" (The food coloring seeped into the shaving cream and then started to leak out and color the water.)

  • Invite students to show with their bodies what happened to the cloud of shaving cream as the food coloring was dropped into it.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How is this related to clouds and rain?" (Just like a cloud gets full of raindrops, the shaving cream got full of food coloring. Once it was full, the food coloring went everywhere in the cup because the shaving cream couldn't hold it anymore. Clouds do the same thing. They get filled with raindrops and once they are too full, the rain falls.)

  • Point out the Meteorologist's notebook and pencils already at students' tables. Invite them to take their notebook and turn to the Moisture page.
  • Invite students to add any details or labels to their drawings. Circulate to support students as necessary, prompting them by asking:

"What did you observe happen with the shaving cream and water?"

"How does your drawing show that?" (Student responses will vary.)

  • Prompt students to use the Frayer Model: Moisture chart as a resource to add details to their drawings or accompanying labels.
  • Allow students 5 minutes of drawing and writing time.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with strategy development: Before inviting students to add to their drawings on the Moisture page of their Meteorologist's notebook, support self-monitoring and reflection by thinking aloud as you model adding details to your own drawing. (Example: "Hmm. Today when I was studying the shaving cream, I noticed how drippy it became when the food coloring started to leak out. I will add more wavy lines to show how the food coloring made the shaving cream get so drippy, just like rain makes clouds get drippy.") (MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with composition: Generate and display an illustrated list of possible details students can add to their drawings. (Examples: wavy lines, different colors, curvy lines to show how the shaving cream is fluffy, labels that compare the experiment to rain and clouds) (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Remind students that details are small and important parts of something. Before inviting students to add to their drawings, prompt them to think about one detail they might add. After 30 seconds of think time, call on some students to share the detail they are planning to add to their drawing, using the sentence frame: "One detail I will add is _______."

C. Structured Discussion: Sharing Observations about Moisture (10 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group and offer specific, positive feedback about their drawings. (Example: "I saw that everyone added one or two new details to their drawings to clearly show what they observed about moisture.")
  • Tell students they are going to use the Think-Pair-Share protocol to discuss what they know about moisture with their conversation partner. Remind them that they used this protocol in Module 1 and review as necessary using the Think-Pair-Share anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Referring to the Conversation Partners chart, invite students to partner up with their predetermined talking partner and sit facing one another. Make sure students know which partner is A and which is B and ensure that each partner has his or her Meteorologist's notebook and Moisture page easily accessible.
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What did you observe about how clouds and rain form? What have you learned about moisture?" (I observed the food coloring leaking from the cloud of shaving cream like raindrops fall from a cloud. I learned that clouds and rain are forms of moisture.)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen in. Prompt them to use their drawings to support their discussions. Take note of the ideas students are sharing and target a few students to share out with the whole group.
  • Using the Speaking and Listening Checklist, take note of how students use their drawings to support what they are saying. Document progress toward SL.K.1 and SL.K.5 on the checklist.
  • Refocus whole group and call on the selected students to share out.
  • When circulating and listening in during the Think-Pair-Share, scaffold partner conversations as needed. Some students may benefit from explicit prompting or a sentence frame. (Example: "I noticed that rain forms when _____.") (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Interactive Writing: Class Weather Journal (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group and offer specific, positive praise on their drawing and writing. Example: "I noticed that everyone really thought about what they observed about temperature as they drew and labeled."
  • Direct students' attention to the class weather journal template and remind them that they will report on the daily weather just like meteorologists do. Remind students that meteorologists observe the outside conditions and use that information to create weather reports.
  • Follow the Interactive Writing: Class Weather Journal process from Lesson 5 to complete Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the class weather journal template.

B. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Display the Sofia paper doll and remind students who she is.
  • Tell students that Sofia is visiting them again because she wants to find out what they have learned so far to help her be prepared for any type of weather.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What have you learned about weather so far that will help Sofia be prepared for any type of weather?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Select a few students to share out.
  • As students share responses, offer alternatives to auditory information by scribing their responses on chart paper or the board. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Briefly review the learning target from Work Time A. Prompt students to ask or answer one question they had about moisture for Sofia.

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