- I can check my peers' work for correct capitalization and spelling. (W.4.5, L.4.2a, L.4.2d)
- I can check my peers' work for correct use of a comma before a coordinating conjunction. (W.4.5, L.4.2c)
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.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
- L.4.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
- L.4.2a: Use correct capitalization.
- L.4.2c: Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.
- L.4.2d: Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
Daily Learning Targets
Ongoing Assessment
- Edits of informative piece (W.4.2, W.4.5, L.4.2)
Agenda
Agenda | Teaching Notes |
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1. Opening A. Research Reading Share (5 minutes) B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Mini Lesson: Using Commas before Coordinating Conjunctions (10 minutes) B. Guided Practice: Editing for Conventions (15 minutes) C. Editing Stations (20 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes) 4. Homework A. Complete Coordinating Conjunctions I in your Unit homework resources. B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal. |
Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:
How it builds on previous work:
Areas where students may need additional support:
Assessment guidance:
Down the road:
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In Advance
- Prepare a research reading share using with the Independent Reading: Sample Plan document, or using your own independent reading routine.
- Prepare the Parts of Speech anchor chart (see supporting materials).
- Set up editing stations. Ideally these stations will have enough room for about a third of the class, with all stations having the appropriate colored pencils, a surface to write on (table/desks or clipboard), and a clear view of the Spelling Conventions, Capitalization Conventions, and Punctuation Conventions anchor charts.
- Review the millipede informative piece draft and make changes as necessary.
- Post: Spelling Conventions, Capitalization Conventions, and Punctuation Conventions anchor charts; learning targets.
Tech and Multimedia
- Work Time A: Conjunction and Compound Sentences videos: There are a number of free videos on YouTube and Vimeo about combining simple sentences into compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions. Perform a video search for "using coordinating conjunctions" in a search engine. Carefully preview the video to ensure that it is age-appropriate and meets the criteria of the lesson. Be aware that many free online videos contain advertisements that may not be suitable for children.
- 'Schoolhouse Rock: Grammar - Conjunction Music Video.' Video. Disney Education Productions. YouTube. 8 Dec, 2011. Web. 9 Apr, 2015.
- Work Time A: 'Identify Coordinating Conjunctions.' IXL Learning. Web. 9 Apr, 2015. .
- Work Time A: 'Use Coordinating Conjunctions.' IXL Learning. Web. 9 Apr, 2015.
- Work Time C: If students are creating their writing on a shared doc such as a Google Doc, ask them to color code the revisions they make.
- Work Time C: Students complete their revisions in a word processing document, for example a Google Doc using Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software like Dictation.io.
- Students fill out a Google Form or write on a class Google Doc or Google Spreadsheet.
- Audio exit tickets: Students record their ideas in audio through free software or apps such as Voki, Audacity, or Garageband.
Supporting English Language Learners
Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.A.4, 4.I.C.10, 4.II.C.6
Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by alluding to the English clause system and through explicit instruction as to how coordinating conjunctions can connect related clauses.
- ELLs may find using coordinating conjunctions challenging. They need to know when words such as and are used as coordinating conjunctions to connect two independent clauses. Therefore, they have to know what an independent clause is, which means they also need to remember how to identify a subject with a predicate. Be explicit about these grammar terms (or use equivalent terms, such as "complete thought" for "independent clause"). This information may be new and possibly overwhelming for students. Reassure them and encourage them simply to do their best, emphasizing that learning these terms and concepts will help them become clear writers over time.
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- Not all languages require a subject and a predicate to form an independent clause. However, nearly all languages use coordinating conjunctions to connect ideas. Use these facts as a departure point for talking with ELLs about English, or invite students to discuss these facts with students who need heavier support in home language groups.
- Invite students to prepare a FANBOYS glossary to share with students who need heavier support. Include a simple explanation for each coordinating conjunction. Example:
FOR: because. Use for to connect a fact with a reason. It also relies on a tough external shell for protection.
AND: Use and to connect two similar ideas, or to connect the first thing that happens with what happens next (sequence or result).
For heavier support:
- Ask students: "Which steps have we finished in the writing process?" (plan, draft, revise) "What steps will we do next?" (edit, publish)
- Give students practice identifying independent clauses and their parts. Have them highlight the independent clauses in a paragraph of their complex text. Have them underline the subjects and write "S," underline predicates and write "P," and circle coordinating conjunctions and write "CC."
- As students move toward the End of Unit 2 Assessment, emphasize that it is critical for them to raise their hand if they don't understand something. Remind them of sentence frames they can use: "Sorry, but I don't understand. How do I _____?" "Could you say that again slowly?"
- As students move toward the End of Unit 2 Assessment, remind them that they will be asked to complete tasks that are similar to those in Lessons 7-11. However, the texts and presentation of the tasks can be quite different. As a test-taking strategy, remind them to look for language they have learned in Lessons 7-11 that they can apply to the assessment. For example: common structures in directions such as "use details from the source to support" and "Write an informational piece that describes _____" and common vocabulary such as threaten and poisonous.
- Prepare ELLs for the End of Unit 2 Assessment by allowing them to read one of their peers' model informative piece drafts about a different expert group animal. Have them highlight the focus statement, the defense mechanisms and concrete details in each proof paragraph, and the concluding statement.
Universal Design for Learning
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, support learning about the usage of commas before coordinating conjunctions. Support comprehension by pre-teaching with targeted instruction on terms such as subject, verb, independent clause, and simple sentence in order to grasp the concept of a coordinating conjunction.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): 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. Recall that varying tools for construction and composition supports students' ability to express knowledge without barriers to communicating their thinking.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): In this lesson, remind students of the goal for the work they are doing with their writing. Returning to the learning goals lifts up their value and relevance to students.
Vocabulary
Key: (L): Lesson-Specific Vocabulary; (T): Text-Specific Vocabulary; (W): Vocabulary used in writing
- capitalization, spelling, comma, simple sentence, subject, verb, compound sentence, coordinating conjunction, part of speech, phrase, clause (L)
Materials
- Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (from Module 1)
- Independent Reading: Sample Plan (see the Tools page; for teacher reference)
- Informative Writing Checklist (from Lesson 7; one per student and one to display)
- Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (from Module 1)
- Equity sticks
- Parts of Speech anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to in advance; see supporting materials)
- Coordinating Conjunctions handout (one per student and one to display)
- Coordinating Conjunctions handout (for teacher reference)
- Spelling Conventions anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time B)
- Capitalization Conventions anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time B)
- Punctuation Conventions anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time B)
- Millipede convention-less paragraph (one to display)
- Three different colored pencils (one of each color per student)
- Affix List (from Module 1; one per student and one to display)
- Informative piece drafts (begun in Lesson 8; one per student)
- Index cards (one per student)
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
Opening | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Research Reading Share (5 minutes)
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B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)
"Why is it important to follow the rules of writing, including using proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation?" (Following the rules of writing helps our reader better understand our writing.)
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Work Time
Work Time | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Mini Lesson: Using Commas before Coordinating Conjunctions (10 minutes)
"What is the same between the first and second bullets? What is different?" (The first bullet point has two sentences, and the second bullet point has only one sentence; both bullet points have the same meaning.)
"Which flows better: the first example or the second example?" (The second one flows better; be aware that students may not know at this stage.)
"For the compound sentence we just copied onto the handout, what are the independent clauses? What is the coordinating conjunction? What punctuation mark comes before the coordinating conjunction?" (the two independent clauses, the word "and," and a comma)
"What if we remove the coordinating conjunction? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (We would have a run-on sentence; the writing would sound choppy; we might not understand how the two independent clauses are related.) "Can you say more about that?" (Responses will vary.)
"Are there any specific criteria about the rules of writing in this piece that you should be aware of that you want to add to the Informative Writing Checklist to make it more precise?"(I can use a comma before a coordinating conjunction correctly in my writing.)
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Label the first sentence on the board with the following terms: Independent Clause, Subject ("They" and "Two pairs of legs"), Verb ("have" and "are"). Ask students to label the second sentence.
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B. Guided Practice: Editing for Conventions (15 minutes)
"I know that one of the rules for capitalization is to be sure the first word of each sentence is capitalized."
"I see that I did not do this when I wrote the first sentence, so I am going to circle it with a colored pencil from this station."
"I notice that one hint is to think about whether the word has any common prefixes or suffixes."
"I'm not sure if I spelled the word decaying right in this sentence in the first paragraph: 'They roll into balls and eat leaves or decayin vegetation.' I think it ends with a suffix. I'm going to look at my Affix List and see if there's a suffix on here that I hear in the word decaying. On this handout, I see the suffix -ing! That's how the word decaying ends. I'll circle 'decayin' on my draft with a colored pencil from this station and write -ing above it."
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C. Editing Stations (20 minutes)
1. Count off or choose one station to begin work. 2. Take your informative piece draft with you to your first station. 3. At that station, trade papers with a partner. 4. Read your partner's draft (with revisions for supporting details and vocabulary from Lesson 10) and identify any mistakes related to that station's convention (e.g., capitalization). 5. When both partners are finished, move to the next station. 6. Be sure to visit all three stations.
"How does our editing process add to your understanding of one another's informative piece drafts? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)
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Closing & Assessments
Closing | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes)
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Homework
Homework | Meeting Students' Needs |
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A. Complete Coordinating Conjunctions I in your unit homework resources. B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal. |
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