Speaking and Listening: Planning and Writing “What the Moon Sees” Poem | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M2:U3:L4

Speaking and Listening: Planning and Writing “What the Moon Sees” Poem

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.1.3: Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
  • W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • L.1.1f: Use frequently occurring adjectives.
  • L.1.1j: Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.
  • L.1.2b: Use end punctuation for sentences.
  • SL.1.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can write a narrative poem using a model and evidence. (W.1.8, L.1.1f, L.1.1j, L.1.2b, SL.1.4)
  • I can plan my writing by discussing ideas with classmates. (W.1.3, SL.1.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the Closing, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor students' progress toward SL.1.4 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Shared Reading: "What the Moon Sees" Poem, Verse 1 (10 minutes)

B. Preparing for Writing: "What the Moon Sees" Verse Planner, Verse 2 (15 minutes)

C. Shared Writing: "What the Moon Sees" Poem, Verse 2 (15 minutes)

3. Closing

A. Engaging the Writer: High-Quality Work Anchor Chart (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students examine their first example of narrative poetry. Scaffolding and gradual release are built into the lesson to help students gain more independence and mastery of the writing task at hand.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Students build their understanding of the poetic structure of this specific type of narrative writing. Reinforce this understanding by connecting the poem to the text What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees from Lessons 1-2.
  • In Lesson 3, students co-created the High-Quality Work anchor chart; now students use this chart as they analyze the newly written verse 2.
  • Students continue working on the speaking and listening discussion norms from previous lessons.
  • Students continue to build comprehension and fluidity with adjectives through the Interactive Word Wall protocol.
  • Continue to use Goal 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support when using the verse planner with their partner to plan verse 2. Consider strategically pairing students with varying levels of language proficiency so the students with greater language proficiency can serve as models and supports to their partner.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 5, students use the verse planner to plan verse 3 and the closing with a partner, then they turn their planning into complete sentences. This pattern of planning, then writing is done again as students write their independent "What the Sun Sees" poems.
  • Students will continue to take part in the Interactive Word Wall protocol to reinforce the understanding of adjectives and fluidity in using them in context.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • New Interactive Word Wall cards for red, orange, large, round, and bright and add them to the set from Lessons 2-3(see supporting materials).
    • Time of Night anchor chart with vocabulary from previous read-alouds.
  • Write "What the Moon Sees" poem template verse 1 for shared reading in Work Time A.
  • Distribute the "What the Moon Sees" verse planners at student workspaces to ensure a smooth transition to Work Time B.
  • Determine:
    • Groups of three or four students for the Interactive Word Wall protocol.
    • Pairs for completing the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner in Work Time B for Lessons 4-6. Consider pairing students with varying levels of language proficiency. The students with greater language proficiency can serve as models in their partnership, initiating discussion and providing implicit sentence frames.
  • 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.

  • Create the "What the Moon Sees" poem in an online format, 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 1.I.A.1, 1.I.A.2, 1.I.A.3, 1.I.C.10, 1.I.C.11, 1.I.C.12, 1.II.A.1, 1.II.A.2, 1.II.B.4, and 1.II.B.5

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing a model of language and a format for writing their own narrative poem. Students are invited to negotiate the models and the writing process as part of shared writing, an ideal environment for language development.
  • ELLs may find forming complete sentences challenging, especially if their home language system specifies different rules for communicating. See "Levels of support" and the Meeting Students' Needs column to help students prepare for the requirements of writing complete sentences in the Unit 3 Assessment.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Consider inviting students to add sketches to represent the meaning of the Interactive Word Wall cards in Opening A.
  • During the Mini Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions, based on their experience with the Mini Language Dive in Lesson 1. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together." (What are the words before moon in the first line? What happened to these words in the second line?)

For heavier support:

  • Consider copying and cutting into strips some or all of the sentences from "What the Moon Sees" poem, Verse 1. (Example: The moon/sees/delicious dinner/on the kitchen table.) Scramble them and invite students to resequence them into complete sentences, identifying in each the "main character" (subject: the moon) with the corresponding "what the main character does" (verb: sees) or "more about the main character" (predicate: sees delicious dinner on the table).

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In Work Time A, students interact with the poem What the Moon Sees in a shared reading. Students are invited to notice facts about the moon, then share their understanding of the author's use of imagination and details from the text. Students will need strong flexible thinking and metacognitive skills for this understanding. Provide scaffolds to support diverse abilities in using these skills, such as explicit highlighting of information in the text to guide students in new understandings.
  • Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): During this lesson, some students may benefit from sensory input and opportunities for movement while they are sitting. Provide options for differentiated seating, such as sitting on a gym ball, a move-and-sit cushion, or a chair with a resistive elastic band wrapped around the legs. In addition, consider providing options for physical action by inviting students to join you in a quick movement break if they seem restless during the read-alouds.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Throughout this lesson, students have opportunities to share ideas and thinking with classmates. Some may need support for engagement during these activities, so encourage self-regulatory skills by helping them anticipate and manage frustration by modeling what to do if they need help from their classmates. Example: "I can remember when I'm sharing that if I forget my idea or need help, I can ask my partner to help me. My partner could help me by giving me prompts that will help me share my thinking." Consider offering sentence frames to strategically selected peer models, such as, "I think verse 1 is high-quality work because I see ___ in it" or "One thing I noticed about verse 2 was ___." Offering these supports for engagement promotes a safe learning space for all students.

Vocabulary

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

New:

  • narrative poem, twilight, dusk (L)

Review:

  • evening, midnight, high quality (L)

Materials

  • Interactive Word Wall Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)
  • Interactive Word Wall cards (from Lessons 2-3 and new; teacher-created; one set per group)
  • Arrow cards (from Lesson 2; one set per group)
  • "What the Moon Sees" poem (one to display)
  • "What the Moon Sees" poem (example, for teacher reference)
  • Time of Night anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • "What the Moon Sees" verse planner (one per student and one to display)
  • Adjectives anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 4)
  • Pencils (one per student)
  • "What the Moon Sees" verse planner (example, for teacher reference)
  • High-Quality Work anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3)
  • Speaking and Listening Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New 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

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Building Vocabulary: Interactive Word Wall (10 minutes)

  • Tell students they are going to use the Interactive Word Wall protocol again to make more connections between words, grow their brains, and become even stronger readers and writers. Today they will use adjectives that describe the sun.
  • Remind students that they used this protocol in Lessons 2-3 and review as necessary using the Interactive Word Wall Protocol anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Move students into the pre-determined small groups and distribute the sets of Interactive Word Wall cards and arrow cards. Use the same process from Lesson 3 to guide students through the protocol.
  • Direct students to move to the whole group meeting area.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is one connection you made during the Interactive Word Wall protocol?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Provide students specific, positive feedback about the connections they made between words. (Example: "Joel, I heard you connect orange with large because at sunrise the sun often looks large and orange.")
  • When using a total participation technique, minimize discomfort and/or perceived threats and distractions by alerting individual students that you are going to call on them next. (MME)
  • For ELLs: Consider inviting students to discuss the meaning of the Interactive Word Wall cards in home language groups before beginning the Interactive Word Wall protocol.
  • For ELLs: Check for comprehension by inviting students to paraphrase the rational for each connection in their own words. Restate or rephrase as necessary.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Shared Reading: "What the Moon Sees" Poem, Verse 1 (10 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read the first one aloud:
    • "I can write a narrative poem using a model and evidence."
  • Point out the term narrative poem in the learning target and define it for students (a poem that tells a story).
  • Tell students they will write a class narrative poem titled "What the Moon Sees."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Using the title as evidence, what do you think this poem will be about?" (the moon and what it "sees" at night)

  • Tell students they are now going to read the model verse, which they will use as a reference to plan and write. Underline the word model in the learning target.
  • Display the "What the Moon Sees" poem and read it aloud fluently and without interruption.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner as you point to each line of the verse and ask:

"What does the first line of the verse tell us?" (what time it is)

"What does the second line of the verse tell us? (what the moon looks like and what it is doing)

"What does the third line of the verse tell us?" (what the moon "sees")

  • Cold call two or three students to share out. Refer to "What the Moon Sees" poem (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Remind students that the moon is not actually "seeing," but the poem uses that language, just like in the book What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees, to help readers create a picture in their mind and to make the poem beautiful.
  • Direct students' attention to the Time of Night anchor chart and tell them that the words on this chart can be used to plan and write the verses of the poem. The words were taken from the books read throughout the module. Some of the words are on the Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall, but some are new.
  • Direct students' attention to the word twilight and say: "This word gives us clues to what it means. Listen closely: 'twi - light.'"
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What time of night do you think twilight is describing?" (Responses may vary.)

  • Tell students that twilight is the time of night when the sun is just below the horizon, so there is both darkness and light. Twilight happens when the sun sets, but also when it rises.
  • Direct students' attention to the word dusk and refer to the Time of Night anchor chart as you ask:

"If dusk comes after twilight, how would you describe that time of night?" (darker than twilight)

  • Tell students that dusk is when there is more darkness than light. It comes after twilight but before night (refer to the order on the Time of Night anchor chart).
  • With excitement, tell students that they will now get to help write verse 2 of "What the Moon Sees" using the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner to do their planning and the Time of Night anchor chart as a tool for planning!
  • For students who may need additional support constructing meaning for the words on the Time of Night anchor chart: Provide visuals (e.g., photographs) for each word on the chart. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of chunks from the "What the Moon Sees" poem. Write and display student responses next to the chunks. Examples:
    • Point to the chunk The thin, silver moon. Ask:

"What are thin and silver, and what are they doing?" (adjectives describing moon; details)

"Can we say The moon thin, silver? Why?" (No. The adjectives should come before the thing/noun.)

"Can we say silver, thin moon? Why?" (No. The shape adjective should come before the color adjective.)

    • Read and point to the chunk above the hill and sketch a hill.

"Can you sketch the moon above the hill?" (Look for students to sketch the moon above the hill.)

    • Read and point to the chunk on the kitchen table and sketch a kitchen table.

"Can you sketch dinner on the kitchen table?" (Look for students to sketch as much.)

    • Reread both prepositional phrases and say:

"Why did the writer use the words above and on?" (to tell us where the moon and dinner are; to add detail)

 "How can you use words like above and on when you write?" (to tell readers where things are; to add detail)

B. Preparing for Writing: "What the Moon Sees" Verse Planner, Verse 2 (15 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read the second one aloud:
    • "I can plan my writing by discussing ideas with classmates."
  • Display the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner and tell students that this is the planner they will use to prepare verse 2. Read the labels for each row aloud.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"What do you notice about the information included on the verse planner?"(It asks for the time, what the moon looks like, where the moon is, and what the moon sees, just like the parts of verse 1.)

  • Confirm students' understanding that the verse planner is just to plan the writing, and point out that it does not contain complete sentences.
  • Tell them that they should record the most important part of the idea, just as they did when taking notes in Unit 2.
  • Tell students that they will first work with a partner to talk about and write their ideas for the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner for verse 2.
  • Move students into pre-determined pairs and ask them to remain in the whole group meeting area.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with their partner:

"What do you want to write in verse 2? Why?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Circulate and listen in as students discuss. As needed, remind students to show respect for one another's ideas by listening intently and taking turns to speak.
  • Direct students' attention back to the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner. Tell them that now they will decide on which ideas to add to the verse planner as they fill it out.
  • Display the Adjectives anchor chart beside the Time of Night anchor chart. Tell students that these will both be important tools to use while planning the verse.
  • Tell students that at their workspace, they will find the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner and pencils.
  • Dismiss students to their workspaces and invite them to begin writing.
  • As students write, circulate and provide guidance by referring them to the Time of Night anchor chart, the Adjectives anchor chart, the Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall, etc. Take note of trends in students' verse planners to inform the shared writing of verse 2 in Work Time C.
  • When 2 minutes remain, provide students with a time reminder.
  • Signal students to stop writing with the use of a designated sound. Ask them to put away the verse planners in the designated area.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their ability to plan with a partner. ("Example: Ana, I heard you and Danny respectfully come to an agreement about what the moon "sees" by combining your two ideas.)
  • For students who may need additional support recording their ideas in writing: Provide a partially filled-in or guided "What the Moon Sees" verse planner to help students know what to record. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Ask: "How do you know when you are not writing complete sentences?" (I do not include a "main character"/subject, or I do not include what the main character does/verb.)
  • For ELLs: Consider inviting students to discuss their ideas for the planner first in home language groups.
  • For ELLs: Jot down examples of successful communication as well as any language errors related to adjectives and taking notes to share with students at the end of Work Time B. Invite students to celebrate the successes and correct the errors.

C. Shared Writing: "What the Moon Sees" Poem, Verse 2 (15 minutes)

  • Redirect students' attention to the displayed "What the Moon Sees" poem and reread verse 1 aloud.
  • Tell students that you were listening in as they talked and planned using the verse planner, and you were inspired by their creative ideas.
  • Display the "What the Moon Sees" verse planner. Refer to "What the Moon Sees" verse planner (example, for teacher reference) to complete the plans for verse 2.
  • Think aloud as you write to model how you use information in the room to help you fill in the verse planner (e.g., the Time of Night anchor chart; Sun, Moon, and Stars Word Wall; Adjectives anchor chart).
  • Tell students that now that they have helped to plan verse 2, you are going to model how to write it in complete sentences on the "What the Moon Sees" poem underneath verse 1.
  • Redirect students' attention to the "What the Moon Sees" poem and point to the section titled "Verse 2." Think aloud and model how to turn the ideas from the verse planner into complete sentences (e.g., "Midnight. Hmm, I wrote that because it was the time of night. So I write it as a complete sentence: 'It is midnight.' I want to make sure I use a period at the end of my sentence and spell midnight correctly using the Time of Night anchor chart.").
  • If time permits, invite students to call out the proper letters and words needed for the sentences and model how to use the tools in the classroom to support high-quality writing.
  • When verse 2 is complete, reread verses 1 and 2 of the poem without interruption to support comprehension.
  • If productive, cue students to think about their thinking:

"How does our shared writing add to your understanding of how to write a verse for the "What the Moon Sees" poem? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on how they helped to take the ideas from the verse planner and turn them into complete sentences. (Example: "Kai, you reminded us that the adjectives big and round were describing the moon. That helped me to write the sentence: 'The big, round moon is high in the sky.'")
  • Consider highlighting words from anchor charts to use during shared writing. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: As you model, color-code the verse planner and the corresponding phrases in the "What the Moon Sees" poem. For example, if the planner says "raccoon looking for food," highlight it in green. In the "What the Moon Sees" poem, write, "The moon sees a curious raccoon looking for food," highlighting in green "looking for food."
  • For ELLs: Ask: "How do you know that I am writing complete sentences?" (You include a "main character"/subject with what a main character does/verb.) Invite students to point out examples of each subject and verb.
  • For ELLs: Ask students how the completed Verse 2 answers the planner questions.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Engaging the Writer: High-Quality Work Anchor Chart (10 minutes)

  • Remind students that today they learned how to plan a verse of the narrative poem "What the Moon Sees" and to turn the ideas from the verse planner into a complete verse.
  • Direct students' attention to the High-Quality Work anchor chart and the "What the Moon Sees" poem with verses 1 and 2 complete.
  • Tell students that just as they did in Lesson 3, they are going to analyze these two verses to determine what makes them high quality.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner:

"Do verses 1 and 2 of 'What the Moon Sees' meet the expectations for high-quality work? Why or why not?" (Answers may vary.)

  • Circulate and listen in as students share their thoughts. Use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to track students' progress toward SL.1.4.
  • Refocus whole group and confirm with students that this writing is high quality because it includes details and follows conventions.
  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their ability to use the High-Quality Work anchor chart. (Example: "Vinay, you pointed out that using adjectives added details to the writing.")
  • If productive, cue students to provide evidence:

"What, in the poem, makes you think so?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Emphasize that as students continue writing, they should work toward high quality by including details and following writing conventions.
  • For students who may be uncomfortable sharing their own preferences with the entire class: Consider allowing them to share what their partner said so that they still have a chance to speak in front of the class. (MME)
  • For ELLs: Review the learning target introduced in Work Time A. Ask students to give specific examples of how they worked toward achieving it in this lesson. Invite students to rephrase the learning target now that they have more experience writing a narrative poem using a model and evidence.

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