Response-to-Text/Grade 5: The Encounter
Rebecca Cardone
TOPIC / SUBJECT / TEXT
The Encounter by Jane Yolen
This writing piece will be part of a unit of study on Native Americans. Through this project, we will examine how the Native Americans lives were changed and influenced by the arrival of the explorers. This project will bridge the unit of study on Native Americans with a unit of study on Colonial America. We will continue the theme of change and influence on early civilizations throughout the unit.
CENTRAL IDEAS
Content: Historical events influence people’s lives and lead to different consequences.
Reading: Making text-based inferences during reading helps in comprehending literary texts.
Re-reading and paraphrasing help to build a deeper understanding of texts.
Elements of author’s craft helps to enhance the understanding of literary texts.
Writing: When making inferences about characters and events in response to text they are
supported with evidence from the text.
FOCUSING QUESTION
How does the author use figurative language to show that the encounter between the natives and the “strangers” is destructive?
FOCUS (ANSWER TO FOCUSING QUESTION)
The author uses figurative language to show that the encounter between the natives and the “strangers” is destructive in a variety ways.
BUILDING CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING OF WRITER’S CRAFT
• Background information on the Taino
• Identify San Salvador on a map
• Talk about the climate of the West Indies and how that effects the characters
• Background information on Christopher Columbus (Reader’s Theater)
• Intro vocabulary: encounter, zemis, cassava
• Frayer Model with vocabulary word “encounter”
• Mini-lessons on similes, metaphors, and imagery
• Identifying figurative language from text and “defining” them (T-chart)
• Illustrating images created by figurative language
• Re-reading and paraphrasing (graphic organizer)
• 2 column chart: inferences/text-based evidence (figurative language)
STRUCTURES
How will students know how to organize their ideas and construct the piece of writing?
• T-chart of figurative language and “definition”
• Graphic organizer for paraphrasing text
• 2-column chart for inferences/text-based evidence (figurative language)
• Painted Essay template
• Teacher written model from poem
WRITING / REVISING
How will students draft / revise so that their final writing is clearly focused,
organized, and developed to show understanding of the central ideas?
1. Students will write each section and peer-edit/revise after each section.
2. Proofread with partners for GUMS.
3. Type final draft.
LESSON SEQUENCE
What steps will I follow so that students are able to effectively show their understanding
in writing?
Day 1:
4. Provide background information on the Taino.
5. Identify San Salvador on a map and discuss climate of that region.
6. Perform reader’s theater about Christopher Columbus to gain background information.
Day 2 & 3:
7. Mini-lessons on types of figurative language (simile, metaphor, imagery).
8. Create anchor chart for each type: definition and examples.
Day 4:
9. Introduce vocabulary from the text: encounter, zemis, cassava, pepper pot, serpent
10. Read aloud Encounter without showing pictures. Set purpose for reading by asking students to listen for places the author uses figurative language and what picture they see in their minds when they hear it.
11. Record examples of figurative language students heard on a T-chart.
12. Guide students through Frayer model with the vocabulary word: encounter. Use examples from Encounter.
13. Reread Encounter, again without showing pictures. During reading, after each example from the T-chart is read, ask students to turn and talk with a partner about the images they see in their minds. (Add any other examples that were not mentioned previously)
14. Students will choose a piece of figurative language to illustrate.
Day 5:
15. Reread Encounter, this time showing pictures.
16. During reading, guide students in completing the paraphrasing graphic organizer.
17. After reading, go back to the T-chart and “define” the figurative language from text. What was the author trying to say? What is the emotion that the figurative language evokes? What does it show about how the natives felt?
18. Introduce focus question: How does the author use figurative language to show that the encounter between the natives and the “strangers” is destructive?
19. Facilitate group discussion about focus question, referring to the completed T-chart with “defined” figurative language examples.
20. Complete 2-column chart during discussion: inferences (how the relationship is destructive)/text-based evidence (figurative language)
Days 6-10:
21. Mini-lesson on Painted Essay format. (Review of previously taught lesson)
22. Model completing Painted Essay graphic organizer with a poem and similar focus question: How does the author use figurative language to show _________________________?
23. Show teacher model of completed response-to-text from poem and sample focus question.
24. Students will write each section and peer-edit/revise after each section.
25. Proofread with partners for GUMS.
26. Type final draft.
ASSESSMENT:
How are students doing? What are my next steps as a teacher?
• Peer-edit with a checklist after each section
• Proofread for GUMS with a checklist
• Students will self-assess with response-to-text rubric
• Teacher will evaluate final draft with same response-to-text rubric
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey, Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI really like this lesson. I have several ??? and comments.
Have you written the model yet? May I see it?
Will you read another book with fig language?
Is that whats in AMelia Bedelia?
Where is your CC play from?
I found one through Scholastic called Will the Real Ben Franklin( or Paul Revere) Please Stand up? A nd its a whole book of to tell the truth-style plays on am hist figures.
Nice job-love to see ore. Let me know if you want the isbn on that bok- will take a bit but I can get it. Also, a friend made up a fun game about how haphazrd CCs journey was that you can make quickly- uses candy.
Other Deb,
ReplyDeleteI would be really excited to hear about that game. We love candy!!! Could you post directions or email me at karmstrong@sau88.net? I really appreciate it!
Rebecca,
Do you know the resource book "Rethinking Columbus" by Bill Bigelow, one of the Rethinking Our Classrooms series? It has some wonderful ideas for expanding a study of the explorers to include the perspective of the aboriginal people of North America. This might include some extension activities to really get into your focusing question and work to help students understand the impact we have on each other and how that perspective affects future generations. I would definitely recommend checking this out as a way to get into the social justice questions on this topic. It might even inspire the kiddos to create their own skit, or several from a couple of perspectives illustrating how the encountees felt.
I really like this unit, and am inspired to adapt it for my ELLs (with your permission, of course!)...they LOVE getting into the social questions between cultures and to investigate the truth of history. Do you love this text? A 5th grade text would be about right for some of my students. I wonder if you could expand on how you will use Amelia Bedilia--I love her for figurative language and the multiple meanings of words. Would this be part of your "mini-lessons" mentioned above?
I look forward to your response! Exciting job!
Rebecca - I think that this plan does an excellent job with taking an abstract thing (like figurative language) and helping a 5th grader understand and utilize that knowledge. I think that using the chart along with the mini-lessons about figurative language will be very effective. Something that i have found to work very well with students who are struggling with this idea is to show them an example, and then have them create their own example of the type of literary device. I certainly think that providing them with these examples helps them create a better understanding about the concept.
ReplyDeleteI believe that your use of graphic organizers, like the T-chart and two-column note approaches will be extremely beneficial for the students. It helps break the ideas down into a more literal way of thinking so that they are able to write about these ideas. I am hopeful that this lesson will be a huge success in your classroom!
Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed reading your plan. Supporting students in learning how to recognize and appreciate the use of figurative language is vital. The use of figurative language is woven into the very fabric of our language. This has been an important component of my work with sixth graders. There is so much they miss when they are not aware of the power of similes, metaphors and personification. It takes a good deal of teacher modeling and student practice, yet when students learn to integrate figurative language into their reading comprehension, they report that their understanding and enjoyment of what they read improves. This understanding empowers the imagination of the reader and raises comprehension to a whole new level. It is great that you are using the Frayer Model and other graphic organizers to support your students in this work. It is great when our students become comfortable enough with figurative language that they begin to use it in their own writing.
Best wishes!