EDLI635 Theory and Practice of Literacy Instruction: Thematic Unit

Hannah Friedman

Dr. Hsu

Thematic Unit- Keystone

1. Unit Descriptions:

In this unit, students will be reading the book Frindle by Andrew Clements. This unit is designed to be completed in literary groups. Students will be divided into groups of four or five. Each group will be holding meetings in which various ideas are discussed. These discussions are pre-determined by the teacher and groups have to prepare certain chapters in advance. This means that before each meeting, students must read the required chapters on their own.

Throughout the book, there are different themes that are stressed. This unit is where students will discuss things such as conflict, standing up for what you believe in, and change. They will learn about literary elements such as characterization, similes and metaphors, and cause and effect. At the meetings, the teacher circulates between the groups to ensure that they are staying on track. The groups usually begin with a question posed by the teacher to get them started. After they hold the discussion, there is an activity for them to complete as a group to centralize what they learned and make it concrete. At times, the teacher will address the class as a whole, to bring across a certain point (i.e. explain a point in the story), or to teach a new skill (i.e. how the set up a characterization chart).

2. Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.A
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.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.5
Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.

3. Learning Objectives/Performance Outcomes

Objectives:

· Students will read Frindle and comprehend main ideas

· Students will understand how the character of a person will affect his actions

· Students will be able to trace the sequence of events in a plot and understand cause and effect

· Students will learn about ideas such as conflict, standing up for what you believe in, and adapting to change.

· Students will learn how to participate in a group discussion while abiding to the rules set by a teacher.

Outcomes:

· Students will create characterization charts

· Students will create a podcast of voice recording in which they recount specific times that they stood up for what they believed in

· Students will create a presentation on the theme of change.

· Students will create a timeline on the sequence of events.

4. Materials and Resources:

· Book Frindle

· Journals

· Characterization Charts

· Simile and Metaphor Sheet

· Excerpt from Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

· SMILE site

· One iPad per group for the podcast recordings

· Laptops (if needed) for timeline

· PowerPoint

· Google Docs

· Materials for posters (if needed)

5. Lesson Plans

Candidate’s Name: Hannah Friedman

Grade Level: 3

Title of the lesson: Frindle: How a person’s character affects their actions

Length of the lesson: 1.5 hours

Central focus of the lesson (The central focus should align with the CCSS/content standards and support students to develop an essential literacy strategy and requisite skills for comprehending or composing texts in meaningful contexts)

Key questions:

● what do you want your students to learn?

I want my students to learn how to characterize a character and how to identify how certain actions that a character does is based on his traits.

● what are the important understandings and core concepts you want students to develop within the learning segment?

Characterization

Knowledge of students to inform teaching (prior knowledge/prerequisite skills and personal/cultural/community assets)

Key questions:

● What do students know, what can they do, what are they learning to do?

Students know how to read and comprehend what they are reading, they can answer questions based on the text and pull out the main idea, now they are learning how to work as a group to discuss ideas, how to characterize characters on their own, and how to use SMILE to create questions and to answer their peer’s questions.

● What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests?

I know that most of my students are exposed to reading and literature on a daily basis. Their parents read to them and they have an extensive selection of reading materials at home. However, there are some ELLs in my class who are new to this and have little support from at home since their parents don’t know English. Most students, no matter which culture they are from, know that reading is an important skill and one which is stressed a lot. Some of them actually love to read while others see it as a burden. However, they all love to participate in class and make their voices and ideas heard which is why group discussions are a fabulous way to motivate and engage them.

Common Core State Standards (List the number and text of the standard. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant part[s].)

Common Core Learning Standards for ELA and Literacy)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

Support literacy development through language (academic language)

● Identify one language function (i.e. analyze, argue, categorize, compare/contrast, describe, explain, interpret, predict, question, retell, summarize or another one appropriate for your learning segment)

In this learning segment, students will learn to categorize characters and their traits and explain how their actions are a result of their traits.

● Identify a key learning task from your plans that provide students opportunities to practice using the language function.

Students will fill out characterization charts, engage in a discussion about traits affecting actions, and use SMILE to create questions about characters’ traits.

● Describe language demands (written or oral) students need to understand and/or use.

Students will need to analyze characters and write down their thoughts in their journals. They will discuss their ideas with their groups and then together they will categorize the traits and explain how certain actions are a result of that.

Note: Consider range of students’ understanding of language function and other demands-- what do students already know, what are they struggling with, and/or what is new to them?

Students know how to identify character traits but are now taking it one step further. They will discuss the traits, write them down on the chart, and then see how traits affect our actions. Group discussions are new to them as is preparing reading beforehand and then discussing it as opposed to reading in class.

Learning objectives

1. Students will know how to characterize a character

2. Students will learn how to facilitate a group discussion in the right context and with decorum

3. Students will learn about SMILE and how to post their questions and answer other ones

Formal and informal assessment (including type[s] of assessment and what is being assessed)

● Explain how the design or adaptation of your assessment allows students with specific needs to demonstrate their learning. Consider all students, including students with IEPs, ELLs, struggling readers, and/or gifted students.

Formal Assessment- The teacher will assess the students SMILE question and the answers they gave to others. Additionally, the teacher can collect the student’s journals and read their summaries/reflections.

Informal Assessment- As the groups are meeting, listen to the conversations and discussions. Ask a group how they answered the aim question.

These assessments can be adapted for all learners:

ELLs/Struggling writers- can write their reflections in picture form, in a diagram, or any way that will help them. ELLs can use their native language for important details or difficult words.

Gifted Students- Create more questions on SMILE and use media and diagrams in their questions.

Struggling Readers- can receive the text from the teacher in a simpler and more concise format. This will enable them to follow the class and discussions but not make them get frustrated with a lot of reading.

Instructional procedure: Instructional strategies and learning tasks (including what you and the students will be doing) that support diverse student needs. Your design should be based on the following:

● understanding of students’ prior academic learning and personal/cultural/community assets

● research and/or theory

● developmental

● appropriateness

Consider all students, including students with IEPs, ELLs, struggling readers, and/or gifted students.

Students should have read the first few chapters in the book, written a reflection, and if they had any questions, written that down too.

Before they divide into groups, discuss what a character trait is and how to find it. Give an example to model the correct way to do it.

Have them divide into their groups and read their reflections. Additionally, if anyone had a problem with the text they can pose it to the group and together fond an answer.

Have them compete the characterization chart.

Have them answer the question “Do our character traits affect what we do?”

After discussing it, they should write down as a group a few examples.

Review the groups responses by putting them on the overhead projector so that everyone can see.

Demonstrate on the smartboard what SMILE is and how to use it.

Have each group post 3 questions about a character and their traits for instance:

The fact that Nick always come up with new ideas shows that he is:

A. Shy

B. Creative

C. Smart

D. Kind

Have them answer the other questions posed.

This lesson can be adapted for all students:

ELLs should be placed in a group with strong English speakers but even more preferably also with a peer that can translate for him/her. If no peer can do this, an assistant should be provided. They should have a simpler version of the text or a translated one if needed. Their reflections can be written in a shorter form, using bullets instead of full sentences. If no help can be given at home with the independent reading, a teacher or assistant should help them with it and institute comprehension strategies such as pulling out main ideas, summarizing in their native language, learning new vocabulary and so on. In the group discussion, give the ELL a chance to participate and give him/her more time to express him/herself.

Struggling Readers can be taught to implement the abovementioned comprehension techniques and be given the text in simpler language.

Gifted Students can lead the discussion, make more complex SMILE questions, and characterize more characters for extra credit.

Instructional resources and materials used to engage students in learning.

SMILE platform

Frindle

Characterization Sheets

Smartboard

iPads

Reflection

● Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge?

My lesson and instruction allowed for differentiation for all student’s needs.

● What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus?

I would give the students more time to clarify the main ideas in the story and to ask the teacher any questions they may still have after the discussion.

● Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory.

While students at this age can learn about ideas and make inferences and so on, they still need concrete ideas. This lesson may have some transitive ideas in it so providing them with more opportunities to clarify points would be beneficial. (Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.)

Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu Spring 2014

Rubric:

Collaborative Work Skills: Working and Learning as a Group

Teacher Name: Hannah Friedman
Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Contributions	Routinely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort.	Usually provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A strong group member who tries hard!	Sometimes provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A satisfactory group member who does what is required.	Rarely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. May refuse to participate.
Quality of Work	Provides work of the highest quality.	Provides high quality work.	Provides work that occasionally needs to be checked/redone by other group members to ensure quality.	Provides work that usually needs to be checked/redone by others to ensure quality.
Time-management	Routinely uses time well throughout the project to ensure things get done on time. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person\'s procrastination.	Usually uses time well throughout the project, but may have procrastinated on one thing. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person\'s procrastination.	Tends to procrastinate, but always gets things done by the deadlines. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person\'s procrastination.	Rarely gets things done by the deadlines AND group has to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person\'s inadequate time management.
Focus on the task	Consistently stays focused on the task and what needs to be done. Very self-directed.	Focuses on the task and what needs to be done most of the time. Other group members can count on this person.	Focuses on the task and what needs to be done some of the time. Other group members must sometimes nag, prod, and remind to keep this person on-task.	Rarely focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Lets others do the work.
Preparedness	Brings needed materials to class and is always ready to work.	Almost always brings needed materials to class and is ready to work.	Almost always brings needed materials but sometimes needs to settle down and get to work	Often forgets needed materials or is rarely ready to get to work.
Attitude	Never is publicly critical of the project or the work of others. Always has a positive attitude about the task(s).	Rarely is publicly critical of the project or the work of others. Often has a positive attitude about the task(s).	Occasionally is publicly critical of the project or the work of other members of the group. Usually has a positive attitude about the task(s).	Often is publicly critical of the project or the work of other members of the group. Often has a negative attitude about the task(s).
Working with Others	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Tries to keep people working well together.	Usually listens to, shares, with, and supports the efforts of others. Does not cause \"waves\" in the group.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others, but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Often is not a good team player.

Candidate’s Name: Hannah Friedman

Grade Level: 3

Title of the lesson: Conflict: Standing up for what you believe in

Length of the lesson: 1.5 hours

Key questions:

● what do you want your students to learn?

I want my students to learn how to identify metaphors in context and how to derive meaning from them.

● what are the important understandings and core concepts you want students to develop within the learning segment?

I want my students to understand that element of conflict in the text and how characters stood up for their beliefs.

Knowledge of students to inform teaching (prior knowledge/prerequisite skills and personal/cultural/community assets)

Key questions:

● What do students know, what can they do, what are they learning to do?

My students know how to read a text and derive meaning from it. They are learning to share their thoughts on the text in a group setting and discussing various literary elements. They are learning about metaphors and how to find them.

● What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests?

Common Core State Standards (List the number and text of the standard. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant part[s].)

Common Core Learning Standards for ELA and Literacy)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

Support literacy development through language (academic language)

Students will have to analyze metaphors and interpret them to their correlation in the text.

● Identify a key learning task from your plans that provide students opportunities to practice using the language function.

Students will find examples of metaphors in the text and record them along with their explanation of what it’s trying to portray.

● Describe language demands (written or oral) students need to understand and/or use.

Students need to be able to comprehend the text and then analyze the metaphors found within it.

Learning objectives

1. Students will understand what a metaphor is.

2. Students will find metaphors in the story and interpret what the author is trying to bring out.

3. Students will understand the element of conflict in the story and find examples with proof to back it form the text.

4. Students will draw parallels from their own lives of when they had a conflict and stood up to what they believed in.

Formal and informal assessment (including type[s] of assessment and what is being assessed)

Formal Assessment- Teacher will assess the student’s examples of metaphors from the story and the podcasts that they created of stories from their personal lives.

Informal- The teacher will circulate from group to group to see how they are interacting and discussing the new concepts. The teacher can ask questions after the read aloud to check for understanding.

Gifted Students- Can get extra credit for more examples of metaphors.

ELLs- can write their reflections in short points as opposed to full sentences.

Struggling Students- can receive simpler text.

● understanding of students’ prior academic learning and personal/cultural/community assets

● research and/or theory

● developmental

● appropriateness

Consider all students, including students with IEPs, ELLs, struggling readers, and/or gifted students.

Before the students divide into groups, read the chapter of when the principal goes to Nick’s house out loud.

Ask what the principal and Nick’s mom are being compared to. Explain that this is a metaphor.

Write it on the board along with the definition. Explain that when a metaphor is not just one comparison but an ongoing one, it’s an extended metaphor. Read through the chapter with the class and have them identify the parts of the extended metaphor. (i.e. chess game)

Have them divide into their groups and ask, “Why did the author choose to use the metaphor of a chess game? What is he trying to get the reader to envision?”

Have them discuss this idea in groups. When they finish, tell them to record their answers in their journals. Then have them find another example of a metaphor and explain why the author used it.

Review the answers with the class, have one representative from each group read the group’s answer out loud.

Show that the chess game represented a conflict. Ask what a conflict is. Show how each side of the conflict was standing up for their beliefs.

Have them go back to their groups and share personal examples of standing up for beliefs during a conflict. Explain that a conflict does not have to be a physical fight, it can be internal or a fight of beliefs.

Have them record their stories by creating a podcast.

Gifted Students- can come up with more examples of metaphors and do the writing for the group.

ELLs- this project is good for ELLs since many of them have a rich background and now they have an opportunity to share it, additionally, they can record as opposed to writing which makes it easier. For the group work, have them placed with strong readers that can guide them, give simpler versions of the text, and provide an assistant to translate if needed.

Struggling students- can write their reflections using a picture, short bullets or record it. Provide one on one assistance with new concepts.

Instructional resources and materials used to engage students in learning.

Frindle

Journals

Laptops to create the podcasts

Reflection

● Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge?

My lesson allowed for differentiation thus supporting all levels of instruction and learning.

● What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus?

Provide more opportunities for them to find metaphors in a text.

● Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory.

The more students practice a skill, the more they will be able to do it correctly and fluently.

Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu Spring 2014

Rubric:

Digital Storytelling: Standing Up for What You Believe In

Teacher Name: Hannah Friedman
Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Voice - Consistency	Voice quality is clear and consistently audible throughout the presentation.	Voice quality is clear and consistently audible throughout the majority (85-95%) of the presentation.	Voice quality is clear and consistently audible through some (70-84%)of the presentation.	Voice quality needs more attention.
Voice - Conversational Style	Uses a conversational style throughout.	Uses a conversational style the majority (85-95%)of the time	Uses a conversational style most (70-84%)of the time.	Presentation style is primarily monologue.
Voice - Pacing	The pace (rhythm and voice punctuation) fits the story line and helps the audience really \"get into\" the story.	Occasionally speaks too fast or too slowly for the story line. The pacing (rhythm and voice punctuation) is relatively engaging for the audience.	Tries to use pacing (rhythm and voice punctuation), but it is often noticeable that the pacing does not fit the story line. Audience is not consistently engaged.	No attempt to match the pace of the storytelling to the story line or the audience.
Economy	The story is told with exactly the right amount of detail throughout. It does not seem too short nor does it seem too long.	The story composition is typically good, though it seems to drag somewhat OR need slightly more detail in one or two sections.	The story seems to need more editing. It is noticeably too long or too short in more than one section.	The story needs extensive editing. It is too long or too short to be interesting.
Point of View - Purpose	Establishes a purpose early on and maintains a clear focus throughout.	Establishes a purpose early on and maintains focus for most of the presentation.	There are a few lapses in focus, but the purpose is fairly clear.	It is difficult to figure out the purpose of the presentation.
Duration of Presentation	Length of presentation was 4 minutes.	Length of presentation was 3 minutes.	Length of presentation was 2 minutes.	Presentation was less than 2 minutes long OR more than 4 minutes.

Candidate’s Name:

Grade Level:

Title of the lesson:

Length of the lesson:

Key questions:

● what do you want your students to learn?

I want my student to learn how to identify literary elements in the book and specifically in regard to the theme of change.

● what are the important understandings and core concepts you want students to develop within the learning segment?

I want my students to understand the concepts of change and how it can play out on a superficial level and on an intrinsic level. Additionally, I want them to learn how to collaborate and create a finished object such as a book.

Knowledge of students to inform teaching (prior knowledge/prerequisite skills and personal/cultural/community assets)

Key questions:

● What do students know, what can they do, what are they learning to do?

My students know how to read a text and write a reflection of what they understood. They have had practice with meeting in groups and discussing ideas. Now they are learning to collaborate and work together as a group to create a project.

● What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests?

Common Core State Standards (List the number and text of the standard. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant part[s].)

Common Core Learning Standards for ELA and Literacy)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

Support literacy development through language (academic language)

Students will have to analyze the concept of change and then compare it to another text. Then they will summarize their own experiences in regard to change.

● Identify a key learning task from your plans that provide students opportunities to practice using the language function.

Students will create a collaborative book where they recount their experiences.

● Describe language demands (written or oral) students need to understand and/or use.

Students will have to use the correct conventions in regard to writing. Additionally, they will have to interpret the text and compare it to another one.

Note: Consider range of students’ understanding of language function and other demands-- what do students already know, what are they struggling with, and/or what is new to them?

Students know how to read and identify key events and ideas. They now how to participate in group discussions. Now they are learning to work collaboratively as a cohesive unit and how to delegate jobs according to their strengths and interests.

Learning objectives

1. Students will learn about the element of change in the story.

2. Students will compare two different texts.

3. Students will create a book of their own experiences with change.

Formal and informal assessment (including type[s] of assessment and what is being assessed)

Formal Assessments- The student’s journals and the book can be assessed according to a pre-determined rubric.

Informal- as the groups work together.

Gifted Students- can add more depth to the book and be assessed accordingly. They can get a more difficult text compare the book to.

ELLs- create a more generalized rubric for them to work with and provide assistance with their job in the book creations.

Struggling students- get a simpler text for the comparison activity.

● understanding of students’ prior academic learning and personal/cultural/community assets

● research and/or theory

● developmental

● appropriateness

Consider all students, including students with IEPs, ELLs, struggling readers, and/or gifted students.

The students should have read until the last few chapters.

Pose the question “Is change a good thing?”

Explain that change is hard but in the end, is it good or bad? Have them discuss this in their groups after reading their reflections. Have them come up with examples of change in the story and say if it’s good or bad. Review their answers on the overhead projector.

Hand out the passage on change.

Have them fill out a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories.

Then, explain to them how the project will work. They will be creating a book of experiences that they went through in regard to change. It can be something relatively small (moving houses, a new baby) or more complex (coming to a new country, a divorce or illness). This Is a wonderful way for students to recount their experiences and have others understand their lives. This is a great way for ELLs for feel a part since many of them are from a different country which is a huge change.

Gifted Students- After the group writes their experiences, a gifted student can type them up.

ELLs- can dictate their story to a peer and the peer will write it for them. Alternatively, they can draw it.

Struggling Students- can write shorter stories or work with a peer to create one.

This project provides multiple entry points since students that are computer whizzes can type them, students can illustrate the book, write a poem for it or even a song.

Instructional resources and materials used to engage students in learning.

Frindle

Text to compare it with

Computer for typing (if needed)

Drawing tools (if needed)

Art supplies (if needed)

Reflection

● Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge?

My lesson provided for all students on their level.

● What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus?

More time to create the book.

● Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory.

The more students work on a project, the more they identify themselves with it and want it to succeed. Hence, there will be more motivation and outstanding results.

Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu Spring 2014

Story Writing: Change

Teacher Name: Hannah Friedman

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Introduction	First paragraph has a \"grabber\" or catchy beginning.	First paragraph has a weak \"grabber\".	A catchy beginning was attempted but was confusing rather than catchy.	No attempt was made to catch the reader\'s attention in the first paragraph.
Focus on Assigned Topic	The entire story is related to the assigned topic and allows the reader to understand much more about the topic.	Most of the story is related to the assigned topic. The story wanders off at one point, but the reader can still learn something about the topic.	Some of the story is related to the assigned topic, but a reader does not learn much about the topic.	No attempt has been made to relate the story to the assigned topic.
Organization	The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions.	The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used.	The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear.	Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged.
Spelling and Punctuation	There are no spelling or punctuation errors in the final draft. Character and place names that the author invented are spelled consistently throughout.	There is one spelling or punctuation error in the final draft.	There are 2-3 spelling and punctuation errors in the final draft.	The final draft has more than 3 spelling and punctuation errors.
Problem/Conflict	It is very easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.	It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.	It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face but it is not clear why it is a problem.	It is not clear what problem the main characters face.
Characters	The main characters are named and clearly described in text as well as pictures. Most readers could describe the characters accurately.	The main characters are named and described. Most readers would have some idea of what the characters looked like.	The main characters are named. The reader knows very little about the characters.	It is hard to tell who the main characters are.

Candidate’s Name: Hannah Friedman

Grade Level: 3

Title of the lesson: Do our actions affect the future?

Length of the lesson: 1.5 hours

Key questions:

● what do you want your students to learn?

I want my students to learn how to follow a sequence of events and how to identify how actions affect the future.

● what are the important understandings and core concepts you want students to develop within the learning segment?

I want my students to develop in comprehension by being able to follow key events and how they unfold.

Knowledge of students to inform teaching (prior knowledge/prerequisite skills and personal/cultural/community assets)

Key questions:

● What do students know, what can they do, what are they learning to do?

My students know how to read independently, they can read and then create reflections based on their understandings. They are learning to collaborate as a group and hold discussions to come to a conclusion and to explore new ideas.

● What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests?

Common Core State Standards (List the number and text of the standard. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant part[s].)

Common Core Learning Standards for ELA and Literacy)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

Support literacy development through language (academic language)

Students will have to analyze events and summarize how they occurred in a sequence.

● Identify a key learning task from your plans that provide students opportunities to practice using the language function.

By creating an interactive timeline, students will be sequencing events.

● Describe language demands (written or oral) students need to understand and/or use.

Students need to be able to consolidate ideas and record them in a clear and organized fashion while providing evidence from the text.

Learning objectives

1. Students will recognize how key events lead to other events in the story.

2. Students will apply this concept to their own lives and see how things they do now can affect their futures.

3. Students will create a timeline of important events in the story.

Formal and informal assessment (including type[s] of assessment and what is being assessed)

Formal Assessment- The teacher will review the timelines to see how well they understood the text. For gifted students, the teacher can provide extra credit for additional features (fun facts, trivia, media, poem etc.) Struggling readers can have a simplified text to base their timeline on as can ELLs. To help ELLs have them use a translating tool or provide and assistant who can translate for them.

● understanding of students’ prior academic learning and personal/cultural/community assets

● research and/or theory

● developmental

● appropriateness

Consider all students, including students with IEPs, ELLs, struggling readers, and/or gifted students.

At this point, the students have completed the entire text. Now they get together for the final group meeting. They read their reflections and clarify any last questions.

Pose the question “Do our actions today, affect our tomorrow?” and explain what that means.

Have them discuss it and write down examples (i.e. healthy eating, getting a good education, making friends)

After giving them enough time, review the answers on the overhead projector.

Have them regroup and find evidence in the story to support this idea. Gide them to see how key events lead to the next because of a person’s actions.

Write the word “sequence” on the board and define it.

Ask the class for the best method to portray a sequence of events (answer: timeline) and explain to them that each one of them will create a timeline of the story using any means they want. It can be by hand (a poster), a PowerPoint presentation, a flow chart on Google Docs, or anything they wish.

Create a rubric with them that you will use to evaluate their work.

Gifted Students: Can create a more complex timeline with more detail

ELLs: First ensure that they understand the key events of the text. Use strategies for comprehension to help them. For instance, they can write down key ideas, events, and people in short points and base their timeline on that. They can participate in discussions via translator or if they have sufficient command of the language, by themselves.

Struggling Readers: ensure that they understand the text by giving them a simplified version.

Instructional resources and materials used to engage students in learning.

The book Frindle

Journals

Overhead projector for interactive review

PowerPoint

Google Docs

Materials for posters

Reflection

● Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge?

My lesson provided adequate room for differentiation.

● What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus?

I would have each student record their ideas in their journal so that they can always refer back on it.

● Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory.

Research has shown that when a person writes down his ideas as opposed to just saying them, it will stay with him for longer.

Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu Spring 2014

Rubric:

Timeline: The Sequence of Events in Frindle

Teacher Name: Hannah Friedman

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Readability	The overall appearance of the timeline is pleasing and easy to read.	The overall appearance of the timeline is somewhat pleasing and easy to read.	The timeline is relatively readable.	The timeline is difficult to read.
Graphics	All graphics are effective and balanced with text use.	All graphics are effective, but there appear to be too few or too many.	Some graphics are effective and their use is balanced with text use.	Several graphics are not effective.
Learning of Content	The student can accurately describe 75% (or more) of the events on the timeline without referring to it and can quickly determine which of two events occurred first.	The student can accurately describe 50% of the events on the timeline without referring to it and can quickly determine which of two events occurred first.	The student can describe any event on the timeline if allowed to refer to it and can determine which of two events occurred first.	The student cannot use the timeline effectively to describe events nor to compare events.
Resources	The timeline contained at least 8-10 events related to the topic being studied.	The timeline contained at least 6-7 events related to the topic being studied.	The timeline contained at least 5 events related to the topic being studied.	The timeline contained fewer than 5 events.
Spelling and Capitalization	Spelling and capitalization were checked by another student and are correct throughout.	Spelling and capitalization were checked by another student and were mostly correct.	Spelling and capitalization were mostly correct, but were not checked by another student.	There were many spelling and capitalization errors.
Content/Facts	Facts were accurate for all events reported on the timeline.	Facts were accurate for almost all events reported on the timeline.	Facts were accurate for most (~75%) of the events reported on the timeline.	Facts were often inaccurate for events reported on the timeline.

6. Culminating Activity:

Have the students mirror what happened in the book, by conducting an experiment. With the faculty’s permission, they will choose a new word to implement in their vocabulary. They should each submit a word and then vote on one. They should use it all the time and all over.

They should keep track of the progress of their word. Every student will be put into a group. One group will make charts, marking the progression of who uses the word. One group will record the word being used and one group will write periodic reflections on their experience. At the end, each student will either, write a short passage, poem, or record their experiences with the new word.

This project is a wonderful extension of the book since it will make the students relate to it on a personal level. Additionally, it makes use of multiple entry points to ensure that each student can participate and make use of their talents.

EDLI635 Theory and Practice of Literacy Instruction

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Thematic Unit

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