End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M2:U1:L13

End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • SL.5.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
  • SL.5.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
  • SL.5.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
  • SL.5.1d: Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can ask questions so I am clear about what is being discussed and to build my understanding of how we can help the rainforest. (SL.5.1a, SL.5.1b, SL.5.1c, SL.5.1d)
  • I can review the key ideas discussed and draw conclusions. (SL.5.1d)

Ongoing Assessment

  • End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion (SL.5.1a, SL.5.1b, SL.5.1c, SL.5.1d)
  • Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion (SL.5.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Infer the Topic: The Challenges of Buying Ethically Sourced Products (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Conducting a Science Talk: Round I (15 minutes)

B. Conducting a Science Talk: Round II (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Tracking Progress (15 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students participate in a Science Talk to answer the question: "What can I do to help the rainforest?" This discussion will serve as Part II of the End of Unit 1 Assessment (SL.5.1).
  • Recall that Science Talks are discussions about big questions or scientific ideas. They allow students to collectively theorize and build on each other's ideas. These talks provide a window into students' thinking that helps teachers figure out what students really know and what their misconceptions may be.
  • The structure of this Science Talk follows the Fishbowl protocol, with two concentric circles, one observing the other as they participate in the discussion. The students are paired, so one partner is in the inside circle and the other partner is in the outside circle. Consider intentionally partnering students in heterogeneous partnerships.
  • To add an extra dimension to the discussion, at the beginning of this lesson students participate in the Infer the Topic protocol to explore resources that highlight some of the challenges of buying ethically sourced products. Templates are provided in the supporting materials, but some advance research is required to gather materials and ensure that the information provided on the templates is up-to-date.
  • If students have not completed their research from Lessons 11-12, consider adding an additional lesson before this to ensure they are fully prepared to participate in the discussion.
  • The research reading that students complete for homework helps build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to the rainforest, specifically rainforest species and research. By participating in this volume of reading over time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it. Inviting students to share what they have been learning through independent reading holds them accountable.
  • In this lesson, the habits of character of focus are working to become an effective learner and working to contribute to a better world. The characteristics students are reminded of specifically are collaboration, as they have a collaborative discussion, "I take care of and improve our shared spaces and the environment," and "I apply my learning to help our school, the community, and the environment," as they consider ways to help the rainforest.

How it builds on previous work:

  • This Science Talk is similar to the one students participated in in Lesson 10.
  • In Lessons 11-12, students conducted research to answer the question that they will discuss in the Science Talk: "What can I do to help the rainforest?"
  • Continue to use Goals 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Some students may find it challenging to speak aloud to the rest of the group and may require adult or peer support to say their ideas aloud.

Assessment guidance:

  • Use the Grade 5 Collaborative Discussion Checklist to assess student participation in the Science Talk (see Informal Assessment Checklists Grades 3-5).
  • All assessment materials are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
  • When assessing and providing feedback to students on this assessment, use the teacher answer key, rubrics, and sample student responses (see Assessment Overview and Resources) to help you complete the student Tracking Progress sheet. Consider making notes in the appropriate column for each criterion and marking evidence with flags/sticky notes on student work in a different color than that of student responses. There is also space for you to respond to student comments.
  • In this assessment, students are tracking progress toward anchor standard SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing my own clearly and persuasively.

Down the road:

  • In Unit 2, students will begin to consider how authors use concrete and sensory details to help the reader imagine they are in the rainforest. They will then write their own narratives set in the rainforest, in which they will use all they have learned about the rainforest to choose factually accurate concrete and sensory details.

In Advance

  • Provide feedback on students' Science Talk Notes and Goals note-catchers from Lesson 10 in preparation for returning them in Work Time A.
  • Prepare resources for the Infer the Topic protocol. Use the templates provided in the supporting materials to provide examples of the cost and quality of buying ethically (to save the rainforest) versus not buying ethically.
  • Gather Tracking Progress folders.
  • Review the Infer the Topic, Science Talk, and Fishbowl protocols. See Classroom Protocols.
  • Post: Learning targets, Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart, Participating in a Science Talk anchor chart, and Discussion Norms anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Consider audio or video recording the Science Talk to review with students afterward.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.A.1, 5.I.A.3, and 5.I.B.5

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing opportunities to use oral language in a structured way and to participate in an assessment that is similar to the classroom task completed in Lesson 10. This will foster English language development as students struggle to communicate within an authentic and content-rich context.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to be expected to speak up during class; they may still find the activity culturally unfamiliar, and they may struggle to verbalize the science content as well as the form of the English language itself. Encourage students to pause before speaking and to make room for new voices. Actively encourage some students to speak up without embarrassing them.
  • Model and think aloud the process of looking at a note-catcher, forming a coherent thought, and sharing the thought in formal Science Talk language. This will prepare students for the cognitive process of offering ideas throughout the conversation. Direct students' attention to any helpful resources in the room.
  • Review language for initiating discussions, politely taking a turn, and clarifying the conversation.
  • After the assessment, ask students to discuss what was easiest and what was most difficult on the assessment, and why. To facilitate this discussion, prepare a concise rubric of the elements of the assessment and allow students to rank the difficulty level of these elements on a Likert scale. Example: The multiple choice questions were easy to answer. 1 2 3 4 5
  • In future lessons and for homework, focus on the language skills that will help students address these assessment challenges.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: Students who may need additional support with receptive and expressive language will benefit from scaffolds to participate in the Science Talk. Consider offering visual sentence starters for them to reference. In addition, consider having students "practice" the specific roles for the Science Talk before beginning the exercise so that students can visually see how the activity will occur.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Consider strategically grouping students. Those who may need additional support with receptive and expressive language may benefit from participating in Round II of the Science Talk so they have the opportunity to observe their peers first.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Build excitement about the Science Talk by reflecting on all the knowledge that the students have gained and how they now get to be experts, just like scientists. Consider sharing short biographies of famous scientists who study the rainforest to make the Science Talk more relevant to students who may not personally know a scientist.

Vocabulary

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

  • Do not preview vocabulary for this assessment lesson.

Materials

  • What Can I Do to Help the Rainforest? note-catcher (from Lesson 11; one per student)
  • End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Web Research (from Lesson 12; one per student)
  • Infer the Topic resources (various; see supporting materials)
  • Notices and Wonders recording form (one per student)
  • Tracking Progress folders (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Science Talk Notes and Goals (returned with feedback during Work Time A; one per student)
  • End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion (one per student; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Participating in a Science Talk anchor chart (begun in Lesson 10)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (begun in Module 1, Unit 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Grade 5 Collaborative Discussion Checklist (for teacher reference; see Informal Assessment Checklists Grades 3-5)
  • Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion (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

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Infer the Topic: The Challenges of Buying Ethically Sourced Products (10 minutes)

  • Remind students of the question they have been researching for the past couple of lessons: "What can I do to help the rainforest?"
  • Invite students to retrieve their What Can I Do to Help the Rainforest? note-catcher from Lesson 10 and the notes they recorded on their End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Web Research in Lesson 12 and to review what they recorded.
  • Focus students on the Infer the Topic resources posted around the room. Tell them they are going to participate in a modified Infer the Topic protocol to learn about something new in connection to what they can do to help the rainforest. Remind them that they participated in this protocol at the beginning of the unit.
  • Distribute the Notices and Wonders recording form.
  • Inform students that they will have 6 minutes to silently circulate around the room to look at as many of the resources as they can and record their findings on the Notices and Wonders recording form.
  • Tell students you want them to keep their research and the research question in mind as they record their notices and wonders. The notices and wonders should be relevant to their research. Provide an example as necessary.
  • Invite students to begin circulating.
  • After 6 minutes, refocus whole group. Invite students to turn to an elbow partner to discuss (don't elicit responses from the group, as this will be something to add a new dimension to their discussion):

"What new insight did this give you about how we can help the rainforest?" (Responses will vary, but may include: that ethically sourced products can be more expensive.)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Include lines on the Notices and Wonders recording form to make it easier for students to write neatly. (MMR, MME)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and select volunteers to read them aloud:
    • "I can ask questions so I am clear about what is being discussed and to build my understanding of how we can help the rainforest."
    • "I can review the key ideas discussed and draw conclusions."
  • Remind students that in this lesson, they will participate in a Science Talk as the second part of their End of Unit 1 Assessment.
  • Distribute Tracking Progress folders and invite students to read through the "How can I improve next time?" section on previous Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion forms.
  • Encourage students to keep these goals in mind as they participate in the Science Talk.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Ensure that students are clear about all assessment directions. Rephrase the directions for them. Monitor during the assessment to see that students are completing it correctly. Stop those who are on the wrong track and make sure they understand the directions. (MMR)
  • Reflect on the previous Science Talk by asking students what went well and how they can improve. This will help students to generalize skills across lessons. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Conducting a Science Talk: Round I (15 minutes)

  • Return students' Science Talk Notes and Goals sheets with feedback.
  • Invite students to bring the following and sit in the Fishbowl arrangement to begin the discussion:
    • Science Talk Notes and Goals (Lesson 10)
    • What Can I Do to Help the Rainforest? note-catcher (Lesson 11)
    • End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Web Research (Lesson 12)
    • Notices and Wonders note-catcher (Lesson 13)
  • Distribute the End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads, as you read the directions aloud. Remind students that similar to the previous Science Talk, when they are in the inside circle, they will participate in the discussion. When they are in the outside circle, they will listen to their peers and record ideas and questions in the first box on their End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion note-catcher. At the end of the lesson, they will write their conclusions, so they should leave that space blank for now.
  • Focus students on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart and remind them specifically of the criteria about taking care of the environment and applying learning to help the environment. Remind students that as they discuss ways to help the rainforest, they are thinking about how to help the environment.
  • Direct students' attention to the Participating in a Science Talk anchor chart and the Discussion Norms anchor chart. Briefly review the anchor charts and answer any clarifying questions.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and remind them specifically of the collaboration criteria. Remind students that because they will be working together to have a group discussion, they need to be conscious of working effectively with others.
  • Direct students to begin Round I of the Science Talk.
  • If productive, use Goals 1 and 2 Conversation Cues to cue students to expand the conversation, give an example, listen carefully and seek to understand.
  • As students discuss, use the Grade 5 Collaborative Discussion Checklist to monitor their progression toward the learning targets. Quickly redirect and support students as needed but avoid leading the conversation. Based on the Infer the Topic protocol completed at the beginning of the lesson, consider asking the following questions to provoke further discussion:

"I heard someone suggest buying _____ that doesn't come from the rainforest. What is the potential problem with this? How could we work around it?"

  • Remind students that their questions and comments should be directed to one another, not the teacher.
  • After 15 minutes, refocus whole group.
  • Consider thoughtfully organizing the groups so that students who may need additional support with expressive or receptive language participate in the inside circle during Round II so that they have a chance to observe their peer models during Round I. (MME, MMAE)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with executive function skills: As you explain, display a "map" of the assessment on the board. (MMR) Example:

One Part:

  1. Read and Analyze Informational Text.

A. Part II. Participate in a text-based discussion.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with expressive language: Encourage students to use nonverbal signals (e.g., signaling whether they agree or disagree using a thumbs-up or thumbs-down). This may better enable students to process what their peers are saying. (MMR, MMAE)

B. Conducting a Science Talk: Round II (15 minutes)

  • Ask students to switch places with their partners so that those who were sitting in the outside circle are now sitting in the inside circle.
  • Review the norms on the Collaborative Discussion anchor chart as needed.
  • Direct students to begin Round II of the Science Talk.
  • As students discuss, use the Grade 5 Collaborative Discussion Checklist to monitor their progression toward the learning targets. Quickly redirect and support students as needed but avoid leading the conversation. Remind students that their questions and comments should be directed to one another, not the teacher.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Tracking Progress (15 minutes)

  • Refocus students on the discussion question: "What can we do to save the rainforest?"
  • Focus students on the Key Ideas and My Conclusions boxes on the End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: Text-Based Discussion. Remind them that the key ideas were those that came up multiple times, were voiced by multiple students, or were discussed for a long time.
  • Remind students that their conclusions are how they would answer the discussion question after having participated in the Science Talk.
  • Distribute the Tracking Progress: Collaborative Discussion recording forms. Explain that as students finish reflecting on the key ideas and drawing conclusions, they can move on to filling out their Tracking Progress recording forms.
  • Tell students the sticky notes are for them to find evidence of the following criteria:
    • SL.5.1c
  • Invite students to begin working independently to complete the Key Ideas and My Conclusions sections and the Tracking Progress recording form.
  • Circulate to support students as they work.
  • After 15 minutes, refocus whole group and collect students' end of unit assessments (both Parts I and II) and Tracking Progress recording forms.
  • Use a checking for understanding protocol (for example Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against how well they collaborated and applied their learning in this lesson.
  • Developing self-assessment and reflection supports all students, but research shows it supports struggling students most. Examples: Having visible prompts, reminders, rubrics, or checklists that support students to self-regulate their goals. (MME)
  • For students who have been sketching definitions of key words in learning targets throughout this unit: Allow students to refer to those sketches as they explain each learning target on the Tracking Progress: Research recording form. (MME)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Allow students to orally paraphrase the meaning of the Tracking Progress criteria, self-assess, and discuss the evidence with a partner before they begin writing. (MME)
  • When completing the teacher response on the Tracking Progress recording form, provide feedback that emphasizes individual effort, improvement, and achieving a standard rather than performance relative to other students. (MME)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading and writing: Refer to the suggested homework support in Lesson 1. (MMAE, MMR)

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