R & PLesson Plan

Week 16th Grade Common Core ELA

GSCDSummer 2013

Draft

OVERVIEW: This lesson plan was developed by Michael Russo and Jane Petrone, sixth grade ELA teachers, from Georgetown Middle School, Georgetown, South Carolina, whose goal is to follow US Common Core Curriculum. This is a work in progress. Please, give us suggestions.

We have chosen as our first unit, the theme of, “I Won’t Grow Up.” This is, somewhat of an oxymoron, since we expect them to grow up when they enter middle school. Sixth grade is so often a transitional year. Students don’t quite know where they fit in. In our opinion, we, as teachers, want them to enter the school year with their past educational experiences in mind, but realizing that they are moving toward adulthood.

We want communication to flow. Our goal is to hook students into the topic, so that they buy in to our lessons. We have limited financial sources, so we will use our text, Prentice Hall Literature, as a major resource.

We have planned for 5, 90 minute blocks. We have divided the block into 3 parts:

Literature Circle: Model using The Revealers Readers’ Workshop – Sessions 1, 2 and 3 and Writers’ Notebook – Sessions 1 and 2

Unit lesson from text – “The Sound of Summer Running,” pages 128 – 136.

Subject: ELAGrade: 6Unit of Study: I Won’t Grow UpLength of Unit: 9 WeeksLength of Lesson Plan: 1 Week

Essential Question: What experiences from childhood impact adulthood?

Priority Standards: RI 6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says, explicitly as well as inference drawn from the text.RL 6.7: Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what

they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. S 6.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Supporting Standards:W 6.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a singe sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.RI 6.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative and technical meanings.

Hook:Bring out an old pair of sneakers and a new pair of sneakers. Invite students to free associate as you show them the 2 pairs. Have students record their reactions in their composition books, using compare and contrast graphic organizer. Students then are to answer the question, “Why are a new pair of sneakers important?

Quality Lesson Components:

1. Vocabulary: One day Give students a copy Vocabulary Warm-up Word Lists for

“The Sound of Summer Running,” and “Eleven,” page 180 from Unit I Resources: Fiction and Nonfiction, Prentice Hall Literature Grade Six

Create a Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Chart, have students copy in notebook. Suggested chart below started.

Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Chart for “The Sound of Summer Running,” and “Eleven”

Directions: Put an x in the correct box to indicate your knowledge

Vocabulary word

Never heard of it

Have heard it, but not sure of what it means

Know the word and meaning

1.alleys2. clumsily3. downtown

Introduce vocabulary by reading aloud, have students fill in chart.

Set purpose for reading: Say, “ As you read this story, think of how you feel about a new pair of sneakers (tennis shoes) and compare it to how Douglas feels.

Independent reading of “The Sound of Summer Running,” (pages 130 – 136) should be broken down into segments, with teacher guidance over a two day period. Do think alouds in TE.

Review vocabulary. Students use lap tops to practice vocabulary using Quizlet. First, review with flashcards, then play games. If students are ready, they make take test. Must raise hand and let teacher see grade. At this

point, nothing lower than a 90% is accepted. One day, 30 minutes.

In writers’ notebook, students will be directed to copy and answer the following questions in complete sentences. This will be used as an informal assessment. One day, 30 minutes.

Recall: What is Mr. Sanderson’s reaction when Douglas asks him to try on the sneakers?Deduce: Why does he react this way?Analyze: Explain the change in Mr. Sanderson when he is wearing the sneakers.Relate to Essential Question: What experiences from childhood impact adulthood?

Class discussion on above questions. One day, 30 minutes.

Brainstorm as a class, positive, negative and neutral words that may be used when bullying occurs. Put on board. Have students make chart, like the one below, in writers’ notebook.

The Revealers, Positive, Negative and Neutral words

Positive Words Negative Words Neutral Words

After students have put the words from the board in the appropriate place, students work in pairs to skim and scan the first chapter in The Revealers, and place in the appropriate column on the chart.

Homework: Discuss what the word stereotype means, before assigning homework. Draw your stereotype of a bully. Describe the bullies’ actions and language. Please use blanks, such as a_ _, for inappropriate words. Your description needs to be at least 5 sentences.

The Revealers

Hooks: As a class, brainstorm as many examples of bully behavior

as they can. Write on board. Group students in pairs, and have students categorize the behaviors into verbal, written, and physical behaviors. Students are directed to copy this in their writers’ note books. One day, 30 minutes.

Show The Revealers Book Project Trailer Chapter 1 by You Tube - One day, 30 minutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGccdEvTGvAMar 26, 2010 - Uploaded by CourtTopLoading... Alert icon. You need Adobe Flash Player to watch this video. ... Revealers Movie Chapter 1by ... Do a turn and share thoughts about traier, follow by class discussion

Read Chapter One to students. Have them follow along. Do think aloud questions as doing this to model literature circles. One day – 30 minutes.

Readers’ Workshop Session 1

Concept Identity as a Reader

Teaching Point Readers see themselves as part of a reading community; they share reading stories. They know their reading preferences and talk to other readers about what they like to read and books they have read.

Preparation Copies of Memories of Reading for each student. Complete the timeline about your own reading memories and attitudes and be prepared to share

with students. Copies of "Exit Slip" for each student. Have a working knowledge of many of the books to help match students with books

Suggested Materials

Quality collection of multi-genre fiction novels that span various interests and reading levels

Essential Question How do I see myself as a reader?

Teaching Point Readers see themselves as part of a reading community; they share reading stories. They know their reading preferences and talk to other readers about what they like to read and books they have read.

Active Engagement

Teacher Model and Think-Aloud: Model your reading memories by sharing your timeline. If you can, tell about a time you did not

like reading or found it hard. Share how your experiences affected your view of yourself as a reader and your interest in reading. Share how you knew you were a reader, no matter what anyone said to you.

Model how to choose a book over the next couple of days to help students choose a book they can read in class over the next couple of weeks.

Independent Practice

Mini-task 1: Students complete the timeline with their own memories.

Intervening to Differentiate Instruction: Monitor this work and talk to students about their memories to encourage them to focus on several memories across time. Memories may not be positive for all students.

Turn and Talk: Students share their memories with a partner.

Mini-task 2: Students complete the questions at the bottom of the timeline.

Turn and Talk: Again with a partner, students discuss their view of themselves as readers and what they read outside of school.

Mini-Task 3: Students complete Exit Slip provided.Share Students share authors, genres, and topics mentioned in discussions and latest books read with the

entire class.Exit Slip Students turn in Exit Slips when they leave the classroom. Use the information gathered to assist

students in choosing a "just right" book.Optional Extension Create a bulletin board of sixth grade favorite books, authors, genres, and topics for future reference.

Homework Students look for books at home or the library they would like to read and bring them to the next class.

Pre-Unit Assessment

Read and sort timelines and Exit Slips to understand the range of reader identities in the class. Notice which students need positive reinforcement of their reading identities.Reassess at the end of this unit and look for small positive changes in reading identities.

MEMORIES OF READING—A TIMELINEDirections: Create a timeline of memorable reading experiences in your life.

Recall reading experiences in your life. Start with your youngest memory and end with your most recent. Take a moment to decide which experiences are most important to you. What did the event teach you about being a reader?

Place those 3-4 important moments on the timeline below. Write your age for each one. Review your timeline. 1) How did they affect your view of yourself as a reader? 2) How did they affect your interest in reading? Talk to a partner about your memories. Then answer the questions at the bottom of the page.

Do you see yourself as a reader? Why or why not?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How would you describe yourself as a reader?

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Outside of school I read:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Optional Booklist for Middle School Independent Reading UnitTitle Author Lexile

Skeleton Man Joseph Bruchac 730The Tiger Rising Kate DiCamillo 520Because of Winn Dixie* Kate DiCamillo 610The Secret Language of Girls Frances Dowell 870Catching Fire (Book 2) Suzanne Collins 820Mocking Jay (Book 3) Suzanne Collins 800The Hunger Games (Book 1) Suzanne Collins 810Crossed (Book 2) Ally Condie 630Matched (Book 1) Ally Condie 680The Chocolate War* Robert Cromier 820The Mighty Miss Malone Christopher Paul Curtis 750Bud Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis 950The Slave Dancer Paula Fox 970Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules* Jeff Kinney 910Darnell Rock Reporting Walter Dean Myers 710145th Street Walter Dean Myers 760Harris and Me Gary Paulsen 1060Hatchet Gary Paulsen 1020Soldier's Heart Gary Paulsen 1000The River Gary Paulsen 960Woodsong Gary Paulsen 1090The Golden Compass* (His Dark Materials) Philip Pullman 930Harry Potter Series* J.K. Rowling 880-990Holes* Louis Sachar 660The Slippery Slope Lemony Snicket 1150Baseball in April Gary Soto 830Petty Crimes Gary Soto 800Taking Sides Gary Soto 750Loser Jerry Spinelli 650Runaway Wendelin Van Draanen 740Sammy Keyes & the Hollywood Mummy Wendelin Van Draanen 750Sammy Keyes & the Skeleton Man Wendelin Van Draanen 890One Crazy Summer Rita Williams-Garcia 750Jumped Rita Williams-Garcia 600Miracle’s Boys Jacqueline Woodson 660The House You Pass on the Way Jacqueline Woodson 560* Video available

Text Complexity Grade Bands and Associated Lexile Ranges (in Lexiles)Text Complexity Grade Band in the Standards Old Lexile Ranges Lexile Ranges Aligned to CCR Expectations

6-8 860-1010 955-1155Common Core Standards for English Language Arts Appendix A Page 8

EXIT SLIP

Last book I read. Date completed

Favorite author(s) I read.

Favorite book(s) I have read.

Topics I like to read about.

Favorite genre.

Name____________________________________________Hour_____

EXIT SLIP

Last book I read. Date completed

Favorite author(s) I read.

Favorite book(s) I have read.

Topics I like to read about.

Favorite genre.

Name____________________________________________Hour_____

Session 2

Concept Identity as a Reader

Teaching Point Readers select “just right” books based on: author topic genre recommendations readability

Preparation Bring texts you have chosen and read for different reasons. Be prepared to share how and why you chose to read each book. Have a working knowledge of many of the books to help match students with books Copies of “How to Choose a “Just Right” Book for Independent Reading” for each student to use

and store in reading folder.Suggested Materials

Current books you have read Quality collection of multi-genre fiction novels that span various interests and reading levels A reading folder for each student

Essential Question How do readers select captivating books to engage with?

Teaching Point Readers select books based on: author, topic, genre, recommendations, and readability.

Active Engagement

Teacher Model and Think-Aloud: Based on the above ideas, share why you chose the books you read. Explain how you decided to

abandon a book or to choose not to read a certain book. Explain to students that choosing the right book is very important not only to a reader’s

enjoyment, but also in making him/her a better reader. Students should be selecting books that sound interesting and are at appropriate reading levels.

Review “How to Choose a “Just Right” Book for Independent Reading” guidelines with students.

Independent Practice

Distribute books of varying difficulty to pairs of students or students choose several books from the classroom library.

Turn and Read: Invite students to browse the books by reading the book jackets or backs, flip through the pages

and read a small section to get a sense of the narrator and story. Choose one book. Students read a page aloud to partner to see if fluent and comfortable, using the suggestions on

“How to Choose a “Just Right” Book for Independent Reading.” Did the book seem interesting? Could they read it smoothly? Did they make pictures in their heads as they read?

Repeat this process. Students note comfortable book titles in reading folder.

Monitor to Support and Differentiate: Monitor and confirm student book choice by listening to students read a page from their “just-right” book.

Share Invite students to share titles that seemed interesting to them. How did they determine a book was “just right”?

Homework If students have not found a "just right" book in class, they look for books at home or the library they would like to read and bring them to the next class. They need a book to begin reading tomorrow.

How to Choose a “Just Right” Book for Independent Reading

First, preview the book and ask yourself:1. Does the book cover look interesting?2. Read the blurb on the back cover. Are you interested?

If yes, now use the Five Finger Test : 1. Open the book to a random page in the middle.2. Hold up Five fingers on one hand.3. Begin reading at the top of the page.4. Put down a finger each time you stumble over a word or come to a

word you don’t know.5. If you can get to the bottom of the page & still have at least one finger up, this

book has passed the Five Finger Test!

Easy You can read the words fluently (smooth & with an interesting voice) You know how to pronounce all the words You have a lot of prior knowledge for the topic You totally understand what is going on in the story You can easily make pictures in your head. Your thinking comes easy as you read the words

Challenging Many of the words are too hard to decode (failed the Five Finger Test) You don’t know what the TRICKY words mean Your reading becomes choppy You lose focus as you are reading You are confused You can’t make pictures in your head You are not enjoying the book because you have to do too much word work Your reading rate slows way down

Just Right You can understand what you are reading You enjoy the book You can read the book with smooth fluency, but there are some

choppy places You can figure out the TRICKY words & still get the meaning of the story Your reading rate is just right—not too slow & not too fast You can mostly make pictures in your head

Lastly, if you are reading the text and you… Understand & enjoy the topic Can tell a friend what’s happening from each chapter Can read the sentences aloud smoothly & fluently (as fast as

you speak in conversation) Find just a few places (less that 4 words per page) where

you have to think about what the meaning of a word might be Then you are reading a “JUST RIGHT” book!

Session 3

Concept Identity as a Reader

Teaching Point Readers develop stamina and fluency, reading longer, more complex texts and for longer periods of time.

Preparation Copies of the Independent Reading Log for all students to use and store in their reading folders. Copies of "6th Grade Independent Reading Unit Guidelines" for each student to use and store in

their reading folders.

Suggested Materials

Quality collection of multi-genre fiction novels that span various interests and reading levels A reading folder for each student

Essential Question How do readers recognize they have become stronger?

Teaching Point Readers develop stamina and fluency, reading longer, more complex texts and for longer periods of time.

Active Engagement

Teacher Model and Think-Aloud: The only way to get better at any skill is to work hard at it. In this unit students will work hard at

becoming stronger readers. One way to know if they are becoming stronger readers is to keep track of how much they read

and for how long. Distribute and review Reading Logs. Model the types of comments students might make. "Reading

seemed jerky." "Fast sometimes, other times slow." Read about as fast I talk." "Had to reread a lot to make sense of story."

Review the “6th Grade Independent Reading Unit Guidelines” with the students. These guidelines list how students can be successful during this unit.

Independent Practice

Stamina: Students read silently for 20 minutes. If most of the students cannot sustain reading for that length of time, reduce the time and build each day.

Monitor to Support and Differentiate: Monitor and confirm student book choice by listening to students read a page from their “just-right” book. Assist students in finding another book, if they have chosen a book that doesn't seem to fit.

Volume: Sixth graders are expected to silently read 185 words per minute. (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2006) The typical novel has about 250 words on each page. Students "should" read a page in about 80 seconds and should have read 14 pages in 20 minutes. Reading speed should increase as they progress through their books. Balance your conversation about speed with equal time talking about comprehending the story.

Share Turn-and-Talk: Partners share what has happened in the story so far. Who is the main character? Where is the story taking place? Do you know what the problem is yet?

Reading Log Students complete name, book title and author and record date, pages read, and number of minutes read on Reading Log. Remind students to comment on speed and fluency.

Reading a “Just Right” book helps you become a better reader!

Writers Workshop Unit of Study6th Grade – Launching Writer’s Notebook, Unit 1Lesson Plans

Session 1

Preparation

Discuss we have a unique opportunity during our day to focus just on spectacular stories we have to tell.

During the time we have for writing we must behave in a way that respects all writers in the room. While writing time is in progress lets do so quietly so we can all concentrate.

Our notebooks will be stored in a special place in the room. Teachers and students will make that decision together.

Discuss how materials should be respected.

Teaching Point Writers will establish a writer’s notebook and use various strategies to gather ideas in a meaningful way.

Active Engagement Make anchor chart of topics during discussions.

Independent Practice Start a discussion of how writers must act during writing and sharing time.

Record such information on an anchor chart being established in a collaborative manner.

Inform students that everyone will be expected to share the first week we write in our notebooks. We will adjust this as the unit moves forward.

Share Allow students to use this time to personalize their writing notebooks to promote a sense of excitement and ownership. Decorate the outside of notebook.

Students will also organize and personalize their writing notebooks and

portfolios.

Focus Question: How do writers use their notebooks to gather and record writing?

Homework/ Extension Students can bring in other items from home to continue personalizing the notebook.

Assessment Ways we live and share in our notebook anchor charts should be duplicated in notebooks.

1.) Write in pen only. Visual mistakes are a good thing and help us show growth in our writing.

2.) Personalize your cover to make it specific and special to you.

3.) Writing time is quiet time. Be respectful of others as they write.

4.) Notebooks are for writing only. They should not be used for math, science, or history.

WAYS WE LIVE IN OUR NOTEBOOK

5.) Do not tear pages from your notebook. All writing and drafting is important to our becoming great writers.

6.) Put date and title with each notebook entry.

1.) Be Respectful to all people who share. It is a time to celebrate stories and be proud of those who share.

2.) Give positive constructive feedback to person sharing. We want to help the writer.

3.) Be responsible with what you hear from others. Notebook writing can be very personal.

WAYS WE LIVE DURING SHARING

4.) Be attentive to the person sharing. Listen well so you can offer insightful feedback.

Session 2Preparation Share teaching point with students.

A good place to art searching with writers for topics of interest can be items such as home, vacations, people they love, objects etc…

Today’s focus is a person who matters greatly to you. Students are to begin listing people who matter to them and

the occasions they can remember spending with that person. These should be events they can remember in great detail.

Teacher can model on chart paper, board etc.

Teaching Point Writers will establish a writer’s notebook and use various strategies to gather ideas in a meaningful way.

Active Engagement Writers need to pick a memory they have listed and now create a quick list of details that show the order of that memory.

Remind students only try to focus what is most important.

Independent Practice Have a turn and talk moment and share your lists and story verbally with a partner.

Students can then return to write that story. Teachers should do the same to build community within the

room.

Share Discuss learning from the day and review expectations set in session #1 as needed.

Again have students turn and talk and read stories to each other.

Create anchor charts of strategies performed today to generate writing.

Focus Questions: What are some strategies writers use to establish importance?

Assessment Review Notebooks to make sure all students are writing during writing time. Check that students are keeping anchor charts in their notebooks up to date for future use throughout the unit.

Closure: Students will revisit the essential question of this unit. What experiences from childhood impact adulthood? In their writers’ notebooks, they will answer the question, comparing characters in “The Sound of Summer Running,” and The Revealers.

Assessments: Quizlet test for vocabulary, writers’ notebooks, class discussions, end of unit assessments

Webb’s Depth of Knowledge:Recall – level oneAnalyze – level fourDeduce – level three

Relate – level two

Scaffolding Extensions:

Questioning students to make sure they understand, and then filling in the blanks.

Triads with mixed ability grouping Reading more aloud. Advanced groups find a way to express emotion

and idea of “alien” from what they have read, such as a collage, a sculpture, illustrations or music