Jessica Smith 8th Grade English 7/17/2010 Response to Text
| Topic / Subject / Text | ||
| CENTRAL IDEAS
Content: Our actions cause unknown repercussions that connect us all to one another. Reading: Understanding the connections of plot and subplot. Writing: Response to Text that demonstrates a connection to the broader world of ideas, draws conclusions and cites evidence. |
| Focusing Question | Focus (answer to focusing question) | ||
| What might the whirligigs in the novel represent? | The whirligigs represent the often unknown interconnectedness of our world before, during and after Brent’s journey. |
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| • vocabulary • guided reading • text mapping • paraphrasing • summarizing • visualizing/ • imaging • dramatizing • oral processing / guided conversation / think-pair- share • experience • debating • taking notes (graphic organizers, T-charts, 2 column notes, etc.) • craft lessons (intro, transitions, conclusions, etc) | - Frayer model about interconnectedness - Pre-reading vocabulary work - Preview of the important text features - Teamwork/interconnectedness activity and debrief - Discussions about interconnectedness - Creation of whirligigs - Responses to how the whirligig affects the different people in the “in between” chapters - Note-taking graphic organizer to extract quotes about interconnectedness | |||||
| How will students know how to organize their ideas and construct the piece of writing? | |||
| • graphic organizers • teacher-written models • teacher-and-student written models • various types of templates or frames (ex: Painted Essay) | - web-map to demonstrate interconnections - creation of a timeline to understand the before, during and after sections - Teacher-written model - Evidence/elaboration organizer | ||
| How will students draft / revise so that their final writing is clearly focused, organized, and developed to show understanding of the central ideas? | |||
| • group write, fully or in part • write section at a time • write full piece independently • revise /share full group • revise /share partners • proofreading in partners • proofread w/tubaloos | - write one section at a time - revise/share partners and small groups - revise/share whole group - read aloud to partners for editing | ||
| Lesson Sequence What steps will I follow so that students are able to effectively show their understanding in writing? |
| Day 1 - Have students preview the book by looking at the back cover, flipping through the pages and recording observations about the text features. - Discuss the purposes of chapters, white-space and italics. Prepare students for the narrator switches throughout the book, ask them to discuss other books or stories where the narrators switch. - Assign chapter 1 vocabulary for homework, students will be given the word in context and must provide the correct definition. Day 2 - We will do a Frayer model using the word interconnectedness - Distribute and work with the note-taking template - Students will partner-read chapter 1 while taking notes on the template and complete chapter 2 vocabulary for homework. Day 3 - We will do the string-toss and knee sit activities with a debrief and constructed response about how it relates to interconnectedness, - As a class, we will discuss chapter 1, specifically predictions and notes. They will do chapter 2 vocabulary and reading for homework. Day 4 - As a class, we will write a constructed response about how the people in the second chapter were affected by Brent’s whirligig to serve as a model for the other responses. - Chapter 3 vocabulary will be homework. Day 5 - Students will partner read chapter 3 in class, take notes on the note-taking template about the focus. - No homework. Day 6 - Discussion about chapter 3 and interconnectedness. - Create whirligigs out of paper plates. Today we will decorate. - Chapter 4 vocabulary Day 7 - Out loud reading of chapter 4, with a constructed response to follow that answers the question, “How does the man in this chapter connect to Brent?” Students will write them in pairs, and share to whole-class. - Chapter 5 vocabulary homework. Day 8 - Complete the whirligigs - Partner-read chapter 5, while taking notes about connections. - Chapter 6 vocabulary for homework. Day 9 - Chapter 6 reading in class - Constructed response to answer the question “How is the boy in this chapter connected to Brent?” Individual responses. - Chapter 7 vocabulary for homework Day 10 - Chapter 7 read out loud in class. - Re-read and take notes for homework. Day 11 - Vocabulary for chapter 8 in class - Review chapters 1 – 7 - Discussion about connections - Possibly hang whirligigs around the school - Read chapter 8 for homework Day 12 - Discussion and constructed response to answer the question, “How are the characters in this chapter connected to Brent?”. Graded responses - Introduce the written essay assignment and show model. - Chapter 9 vocabulary for homework Day 13 - Read final chapter in class - Finalize notes Day 14 - Pair up and share notes - Whole-class sharing of notes - Develop web-maps about connections and timelines. - Develop thesis statements Day 15 - Organize evidence to begin development of paragraphs. - Look towards model. - Write the “before” paragraph in class, finish for homework. Day 16 - -Share out “before” paragraphs. - -revise as a class - -begin writing “during” paragraphs. Day 17 - -Share “during” paragraphs in pairs - -create “after” paragraphs Day 18 - Write introductions - Share introductions Day 19 - Write conclusions, share conclusions, begin typing. Day 20 - Type and conference with teacher Day 21 - Finish typing - Read papers out loud to partner for peer revisions/editing. Day 22 - Complete revisions - Papers due on Day 23. |
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| The constructed responses and discussions in class will help the teacher assess whether or not the students understand the connections within the novel. The final response to text will be completed in sections, the students are already familiar with the format and expectations of response to text, the concepts will be more difficult for this unit. Students will self-assess with a rubric, teacher conferences, peer review and the teacher will assess the final essay. |
Assessment: How are students doing? What are my next steps as a teacher?| |
| Teacher-model of a response to text essay answering a different focus question. |
Next Steps: Gradual Release of Responsibility
Nice work, Jess.
ReplyDeleteHope that your summer is going well. If you have time and think of it, would you please post your progress as you are teaching this unit?
Hi Jessica!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see this unit in its entirety! I really like the progression you outlined--it is so logical that I think the kiddos will be able to follow the thoughts you are stringing together with few detours into confusion. You have made an abstract idea concrete enough to enable clarity in writing. I particularly like the active front-loading on your central idea and the concept-in-action activities that you included. The stop and assess points you built in will serve the final product as well.
I wondered what sort of reading you will do for each chapter, and how you will support the understanding of the story. Are there any techniques you had in mind? I learned a fun and active reading style at a conference last year. As you read a chunk, you purposefully mumble some words, and then immediately ask the group a 5W/1H question to see if they are with you. Ex. MPIOUYYGFVH went to town...Who went to town? The whole group can respond and then take turns being the reader/questioner--this is fun on sleepy days when reading aloud can lose students.
I also was wondering if you will use any frames for the writing itself? How are you planning to support struggling writers as you assign the writing for homework? I like having the model for comparison, and wondered how you would help the kids who can't really yet look at a finished piece and pick out the parts they need to include themselves...writing template? Check-list with examples? Graphic Organizers?
I am eager to hear your ideas on helping this population, as that will help me in addressing mine! Thank you for your hard work!
Hi Jess - First of all - love the boxes - very eye catching - looks very organized. Whirligig is a great book to use for plot and sub plot - the kids will really enjoy it. I think the kids will appreciate doing something different with the reading each day. Examples: reading at home, pair reading, reading together etc. I certainly agree preparing the students for the narrator switch - that can be confusing at the 8th grade level. Whirligig is the perfect choice for a writing assignment. Interconnectedness is not an easy concept, so it will be beneficial that you will be working on this together. Looking forward to hearing how it goes this year. Guess you might have to visit the elementary wing after all.
ReplyDeleteHell Jess, I admire the organization of your unit. Interconnectedness is a challenging theme. Your use of the string exercise to demonstrate connectedness and interrelationships is a marvelous "hands on" exercise. You are using a variety of comprehension strategies and graphic organizers. This will greatly support your students in building a strong foundation for their final response to text. The collaborative nature of your approach to revision will be an excellent model to support student success. Best wishes!
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