- I can describe what I observe in pictures and videos of the sun, moon, and stars. (W.1.8, SL.1.1a, SL.1.2)
- I can ask questions about what I notice in pictures and videos of the sun, moon, and stars. (SL.1.1a, SL.1.2)
These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:
- W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
- SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
- SL.1.1a: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
- SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
Daily Learning Targets
Ongoing Assessment
- As students engage in the protocols included in this lesson (e.g., Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face and Picture Tea Party), use the Speaking and Listening checklist to note whether students are following conversation norms and the types of questions they are asking. (SL.1.1a, SL.1.2)
Agenda
Agenda | Teaching Notes |
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1. Opening A. Reading Aloud: "Elvin, the Boy Who Loved the Sky," Part 1 (10 minutes) B. Picture Tea Party: Noticing and Wondering (10 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Engaging the Learner: Reviewing Effective Learners Anchor Chart (5 minutes) B. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face: Engaging the Scientist (10 minutes) C. Independent Writing: Noticing and Wondering about the Sun, Moon, and Stars (15 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Shared Writing: Noticing and Wondering about the Sun, Moon, and Stars (10 minutes) |
Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:
How this lesson builds on previous work:
Areas in which students may need additional support:
Down the road:
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In Advance
- Prepare:
- For the Picture Tea Party protocol in Opening B by copying the Picture Tea Party Protocol anchor chart onto chart paper, pre-determining groups of three to four students for the first round of the Picture Tea Party protocol, and organizing the mystery sky photos.
- Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall cards for the words sun, moon, and stars. Write or type the word on a card and create or find a visual to accompany each word.
- Technology necessary to play the "Observe Sunrise and Sunset," "Moonrise," and "Time-lapse of Starry Night Sky" videos.
- Noticing and Wondering anchor chart (see supporting materials).
- Pre-distribute materials for Work Time C at student workspaces to ensure a smooth transition.
- Review the Picture Tea Party protocol. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of this protocol.)
- Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).
Tech and Multimedia
Consider using an interactive white board or document camera to display lesson materials.
- Opening A: "Elvin, the Boy Who Loved the Sky," Part 1 could be an email.
- Opening A: Create a slideshow of the mystery sky photos.
- Opening B: Create the Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall in an online format such as Padlet (https://padlet.com/) to share vocabulary words with families.
- Work Time B: Consider showing students a sun time-lapse video now: "Observe Sunrise and Sunset." PBS Learning Media. 2016. Accessed on 18 July, 2016.
- Work Time B: Consider showing students two moon and star time-lapse videos now:
- "Moonrise." PBS LearningMedia. 2016. Accessed on 18 July, 2016.
- "Time-lapse of Starry Night Sky." PBS LearningMedia. 2016. Accessed on 18 July, 2016.
- Closing A: Create the Noticing and Wondering anchor chart in an online format--for example, a Google Doc--to display and for families to access at home to reinforce these skills.
Supporting English Language Learners
Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 1.I.A.1, 1.I.A.3, 1.I.B.6, 1.I.C.10, and 1.I.C.12
Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to build schema about the topic of the module with videos, structured discussions, and graphic organizers.
- ELLs may find it challenging to process the abundance of information about the new topic in order to articulate things that they both notice and wonder. Frequently remind students of the meanings of notice and wonder. Frequently think aloud the cognitive process of making observations and asking questions about the observations. See Meeting Students' Needs column for further suggestions.
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- If students have been strategically paired with a partner of a more advanced proficiency level throughout Module 1, consider placing students in pairs of similar proficiency for this lesson. This will foster independence while providing the opportunity to assess progress in speaking and listening.
For heavier support:
- During Opening B, work closely with a group of students who need heavier support. Dictate the sentence frames "I see _____, so I predict we might learn about ______." and "I see _____, so I wonder _____." Support students in making predictions and wonders.
- During Work Time C, work closely with a group of students who need heavier support. Consider completing the task as a shared writing experience.
Universal Design for Learning
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students review the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart. Some students may benefit from context-specific visual cues to remember the meaning of each habit of character (initiative, collaboration, perseverance, and responsibility) on this chart. Consider printing and displaying photographs of students demonstrating each habit of character to connect these terms to concrete shared experiences.
- Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Students have a range of fine motor abilities and writing needs. During independent writing, vary methods for fine motor responses by offering options for drawing utensils, writing tools, and scaffolds.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): When reading "Elvin, the Boy Who Loved the Sky," some students may need explicit prompts to relate to this text. Optimize relevance by pausing at several places, asking students to share connections to the text based on their own lives.
Vocabulary
Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)
New:
- sun, moon, stars (L)
Review:
- observe, effective (L)
Materials
- "Elvin, the Boy Who Loved the Sky," Part 1 (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
- Mystery sky photos (one per student)
- Picture Tea Party protocol anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
- Classroom Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
- Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
- Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall (new; teacher-created; see Teaching Notes)
- Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall cards (new; teacher-created; three)
- Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)"Observe Sunrise and Sunset" (video; play in entirety; see Teaching Notes)
- Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
- "Moonrise" (video; play in entirety; see Teaching Notes)
- "Time-lapse of Starry Night Sky" (video; play in entirety; see Teaching Notes)
- Noticing and Wondering response sheet (one per student)
- Pencils (one per student)
- Crayons (class set; variety of colors per student)
- Noticing and Wondering anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Closing; see supporting materials)
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
Opening | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Reading Aloud: "Elvin, the Boy Who Loved the Sky," Part 1 (10 minutes)
"Based on the title of the story, what do you think this story will be about?" (a little boy who likes things in the sky; a little boy who likes the clouds; a little boy who likes to look at the sky)
"As I read this story, I want you to think hard about all of the things Elvin wonders about and all of the questions he has."
"What is one thing we know about Elvin?" (He loves to look at the sky, he wonders about the sun and the moon, and he likes to lie down in the grass to look at the sky.)
"What does Elvin observe about the sun?" (He sees it in different places in the sky, he sees that sometimes it is bright and sometimes it is pale, and sometimes he can't see it at all because they sky is full of clouds.) "What does Elvin wonder about the sun?" (He wonders how it moves, he wonders about its size, and he wonders about its different colors.)
"What does Elvin observe about the moon?" (He sees that the moon is sometimes small and sometimes large, he sees that sometimes it rises from behind buildings, and sometimes he doesn't see it at all.") "What does Elvin wonder about the moon?" (He wonders why it is different sizes and why the shape of the moon sometimes changes.)
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B. Picture Tea Party: Noticing and Wondering (10 minutes)
"Remember how we had a special place in the room to collect our tools and work words? We will also have a special spot for our sun, moon, and star words, too. Let's add our first important word--sun!"
"What is the translation of sun in our home languages?" (e.g., sol in Spanish, jua in Swahili) Call on a student volunteer to share. Ask other students to choose one translation to quietly repeat. Invite students to say their chosen translation out loud when you give the signal. Choral repeat the translations and the word in English. Invite self- and peer correction of the pronunciation of the translations and the English.
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Work Time
Work Time | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Engaging the Learner: Reviewing Effective Learners Anchor Chart (5 minutes)
"Which of these habits of character did you focus on using and learning more about during the last module? How did you show that you were using it?" (Responses will vary.) "What is one of these habits of character that you would like to continue to focus on as we start this new module?" (Responses will vary.)
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Meeting Students' Needs
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B. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face: Engaging the Scientist (10 minutes)
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C. Independent Writing: Noticing and Wondering about the Sun, Moon, and Stars (15 minutes)
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Closing & Assessments
Closing | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Shared Writing: Noticing and Wondering about the Sun, Moon, and Stars (10 minutes)
"What did you notice about the sky, the sun, the moon, or the stars?" (Responses will vary.)
"Who can repeat what your classmate said?" (Responses will vary.)
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