A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

GRADE 5 English Language Arts Unit

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW: A STUDY OF AUTHOR PAM MUÑOZ RYAN ................................................................................. 8 What is this unit about? ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8 What content will students learn? ................................................................................................................................................... 8 How will students develop their skills and habits of reading, writing, and speaking? ............................................. 8

What is the unit outline ...........................................................................................................................................................................

UNIT OUTLINE ........................................................................................................................................... 8

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS .......................................................................................................... 8

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS IN THE UNIT

How does the unit support planning and implementation? ................................................................................................ 8

How is it best to read and use the task pages? .......................................................................................................................... 8

Why use the access prior knowledge tasks? ............................................................................................................................... 8

How is each task organized and sequenced? ............................................................................................................................. 8

Why These Task Questions? .............................................................................................................................................................. 8

How long will it take to fully implement this unit? .................................................................................................................. 8

How is Assessing Student Learning Supported in the Unit? ................................................................................................ 8

How does the Unit Provide Support for English Learners? ................................................................................................. 8

How is Writing Supported in the Unit? ......................................................................................................................................... 8

What Is Our Approach to Vocabulary Instruction? .................................................................................................................. 8

MATERIALS BY TASK ................................................................................................................................. 8

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS ...................................................................................................................... 24

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 26 TASK 0.1: Access Prior Knowledge ............................................................................................................................................... 28

TEXT 1: “THE FRIEND WHO CHANGED MY LIFE” BY PAM MUÑOZ RYAN ................................................... 33 TASK 1.1: COMPREHENSION .................................................................................................................... 34 TASK 1.2: INTERPRETATION ..................................................................................................................... 37 TASK 1.2: INTERPRETATION ..................................................................................................................... 38

TASK 1.3: AUTHOR’S METHODS – NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE ........................................................................ 41 TASK 1.4: AUTHOR’S METHODS – POINT OF VIEW ..................................................................................... 45 TASK 1.5: WRITELIKE .............................................................................................................................. 48

TEXT 2: “THE PARTY” BY PAM MUÑOZ RYAN .......................................................................................... 51 TASK 2.1: COMPREHENSION .................................................................................................................... 52 TASK 2.2: INTERPRETATION ..................................................................................................................... 55 TASK 2.3: AUTHOR’S METHODS – NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE ........................................................................ 58 TASK 2.4: ANALYSIS ACROSS TEXTS ........................................................................................................ 62

TEXT 3: “LOS HIGOS” FROM ESPERANZA RISING BY PAM MUÑOZ RYAN ................................................... 65 TASK 3.1: COMPREHENSION .................................................................................................................... 66 TASK 3.2: SIGNIFICANCE ......................................................................................................................... 69 TASK 3.3: AUTHOR’S METHODS: SYMBOLISM ............................................................................................ 73 TASK 3.4: INTERPRETATION ACROSS TEXTS ............................................................................................. 76

TEXEXT 4: INFORMATIONAL TEXT ABOUT PAM MUÑOZ RYAN .................................................................... 80 TASK 4.1: AUTHOR INVESTIGATION ........................................................................................................... 81 TASK 4.2: REFLECTION ............................................................................................................................ 85

CULMINATING ASSESSMENT CULMINATING ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................... 89 STEPBACK QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................................... 89

APPENDIX TEXTS UNIT TEXTS ............................................................................................................................................ 95 OBTAINING COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ....................................................................................................... 95

INSTRUCTIONAL GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................... 97

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES READER/WRITER NOTEBOOK ................................................................................................................ 106 TEACHER RESOURCE: READER/WRITER NOTEBOOK SUGGESTED FEEDBACK SYSTEM ............................. 107 PEDAGOGICAL RITUALS AND ROUTINES ................................................................................................. 108 ACCOUNTABLE TALK® MOVES AND FUNCTIONS IN ELA .......................................................................... 109 INQUIRY-BASED DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................. 110

Introduction:


Grade 5

Introduction to Unit

© 2013 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH 8

English Language Arts Grade 5 Literary Unit: A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

Overview: A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

WHAT IS THIS UNIT ABOUT? This unit, an author study of selected works by Pam Muñoz Ryan encourages students to discuss in detail the author’s characters, themes, events, and writing techniques. Students also create their own narratives in a WriteLike of Ryan and do online research to learn how Ryan’s life connects to what she writes about.

The unit promotes students’ wider independent reading of authors they choose to read. In addition, the critical thinking students employ in this author study will help students do similar kinds of comparative analyses of other authors.

WHAT CONTENT WILL STUDENTS LEARN? Students will deepen their understanding of:

• literary elements such as characterization, setting, events, themes, and meanings in narratives.

• narrative techniques and their impact on readers. • point of view in narratives • clues authors provide in stories of their lives. • how to compare and contrast ideas, literary elements, and narrative

techniques across texts. • their own aesthetic response to particular narratives. • genre of historical fiction and contemporary narratives.

HOW WILL STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND HABITS OF READING, WRITING, AND SPEAKING? The unit provides instructional resources and questions that guide an inquiry-based approach to teaching; students engage as problem solvers and sense-makers as they read, write, talk, and think about the texts they are reading. Each task includes an inquiry for the students to answer and/or pursue. Students are supported to develop skills and habits such as how to:

• comprehend narratives with assistance and independently. • figure things out and construct answers to big questions and open-ended,

text-based questions. • use categories to access information and to organize information in their own

writing. • analyze texts for the impact of literary elements and narrative techniques. • study and use models of analytic approaches. • form interpretations of the meaning of literary symbols in particular narratives. • participate in routines such as maintaining a Reader/Writer Notebook,

completing Quick Writes, pair/trio sharing of textual evidence, using charts, and whole group discussions on a text’s ideas to assist the application of knowledge.




• construct understandings from textual information. • recognize classmates as resources for reading and writing assistance. • value effort as a way to get smarter about reading, writing, listening,

speaking, and research.




Unit Outline: A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

Overarching Questions: • What do we learn by studying excerpts of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s work? • What narrative writing techniques does author Pam Muñoz Ryan use?

Introduction

“Aguascalitentes,

Mexico 1924” from Esperanza Rising by

Pam Muñoz Ryan

Text 1

“The Friend Who Changed My Life”

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Text 2

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Text 3

“Los Higos” from Esperanza Rising

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

About Pam Muñoz Ryan

0.1 Access Prior Knowledge

What will we learn by studying selected works by one author? What ideas will we develop about the author Pam Muñoz Ryan by reading a short excerpt of her work?

1.1 Comprehension What do you learn about the narrator? Who are Theresa and MaryAnn and what is their relationship to the narrator? What are the events in the story? 1.2 Interpretation Who changed the narrator’s life?

1.3 Author’s Methods: Narrative Technique What narrative techniques does Pam Muñoz Ryan use in this text?

1.4 Author’s Methods: Point of View How does the point of view influence the description of events?

1.5 WriteLike Use Ryan’s narrative techniques to create an alternative scenario to the fight scene beginning with the following quotation: “I couldn’t see a way out of the situation. In front of me was Theresa and in back of me was Mary Lou.”

2.1 Comprehension What do you learn about the narrator? Who is Bridget and what is her relationship to the narrator? What are the events in the story?

2.2 Interpretation Do you think the narrator will go to Bridget’s party? Why do you think so? 2.3 Author’s Methods: Narrative Technique What narrative techniques does Ryan use in this text? How do her techniques help the reader? 2.4 Analysis Across Texts How are the two Ryan stories we have read similar and different? What did you learn about Ryan’s writing from your study of the two stories?

3.1 Comprehension What do we learn about Esperanza, Mama, and the rest of the characters? How do the events unfold in the chapter, “Los Higos”? What is the chapter’s point of view?

3.2 Significance What are three moments that seem significant to the plot of “Los Higos”? Explain their significance.

3.3 Author’s Methods: Symbolism How does Ryan use symbolism in “Los Higos”? 3.4 Interpretation Across Texts Which of Ryan’s characters do you admire?

4.1 Author Investigation What have you learned about the kinds of stories Ryan writes? What connections do you make between Ryan’s life and the stories she writes?

4.2 Reflection Is Ryan an author you would recommend? Why or why not? What about Ryan’s writing might be valuable for other fifth-graders to experience and understand? What did you learn about yourself as a reader from studying Ryan’s stories?

Culminating Assessment: Please read the excerpt of a chapter from Ryan’s novel, Becoming Naomi Leon. Write an essay that explains how this text is representative of Ryan’s narrative techniques and content. Be sure to include textual evidence to develop your explanation. You may use your class notes and the posted charts in the room as you write.




Common Core State Standards1 (CCSS)

COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ANCHOR STANDARDS

READING (p. 10) 1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical

inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the

validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. 9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build

knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. 10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and

proficiently.

WRITING (P. 18) 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and

information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

SPEAKING AND LISTENING (p. 22) 1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and

collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

1 Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) & National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA

Center). (2012). Common Core State Standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science and technical subjects. (pp. 10, 18, 22, 25). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf




LANGUAGE (p. 25) 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage

when writing or speaking. 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,

punctuation, and spelling when writing. 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different

contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Note • CCSS grade-level focus standards are provided at the end of each task. The

callout boxes containing teaching and technology options contain the standards specifically aligned to those options.




INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS IN THE UNIT

HOW DOES THE UNIT SUPPORT PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION? The unit provides teacher-friendly features such as:

• a unit outline that provides a one-page snap shot of the major work that students will engage in over the course of the unit.

• texts that are fully identified for copyright purposes and are easy to locate. • tasks with identified learning targets and goals (overarching questions, open-ended

questions, text-based questions, and grade-level CCSS). • embedded teaching options allow the teacher to plan lessons to meet the needs of

individual students and the whole class. • specific means of support—for example, task questions, recommended pedagogical

routines with explanations—are provided with each lesson. • chart titles, resources, and handouts that are listed in one table in the unit introduction

to make it easy to organize materials. • a photocopy-ready culminating assessment. • a teacher’s instructional glossary with explanations of terms that are provided in the

Glossary section of the unit. • instructional tools and teacher resources relevant to this unit that are provided in the

Instructional Tools and Teacher Resources sections of the unit.




HOW IS IT BEST TO READ AND USE THE TASK PAGES? Each task on the unit outline has several pages dedicated to it within the body of the unit. Each task has an overview page similar to the first example below, a teaching approach section similar to the second example below. Some tasks contain highlighted boxes indicating different teaching options, technology option, and/or notes to the teacher.

The task number (e.g., 2.3) and title (e.g., Comprehension) correspond to the number and title on the unit outline.

The text(s) and author(s) are clearly marked.

The task(s) or question(s) corresponds to the task(s) or question(s) as listed on the unit outline.

Callout boxes provide teaching options for both student interest and additional scaffolded support.

Following the lesson overview page shown above are several pages that provide the teaching approach for the task.

The materials needed for each task are clearly marked (including the optional materials, which are in blue).




HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS UNIT? It will take approximately three to four weeks to implement this set of lessons. These lessons are designed to be implemented sequentially to support students to achieve the instructional goals. As such, the pacing of the lessons should depend on the time students need to achieve these goals.

WHY USE THE ACCESS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE TASKS? Accessing prior knowledge is fundamental to supporting students to build conceptual understandings about complex topics, skills, and texts across lessons and tasks. Asking students what they already know about a topic or skill allows students to begin from their present understanding and perspective in preparation for the lessons to new learning. The practice also elicits information that a teacher can use to monitor and adjust the next instructional steps in a task. If accessing prior knowledge reveals learning gaps, misunderstandings, or misinformation, or, just as importantly, already developed skills-based proficiencies or full conceptual understandings, then a teacher can monitor and adjust that day’s lesson/task to meet individual as well as group needs.

Almost always, it is best to ask the Access Prior Knowledge question(s) of the broadest range of students and listen to the information or demonstration students voluntarily provide or when asked directly. Charting what students know will help them to reflect on places where they can connect new knowledge to their earlier understandings. Usually, it is not as helpful to tell students what they need to know to begin work on the task—though there are unique learning situations when this approach is best.

HOW IS EACH TASK ORGANIZED AND SEQUENCED? Each task is organized around a modified workshop format, intended to scaffold student learning through the use of pedagogical routines such as teacher modeling (as needed), individual Quick Writes with teacher support, partner/trio sharing, whole group sharing/discussion, and individual responses. The routines assist learners

The callout box at the end of each task provides the CCSS grade-level standards to which the teaching approach is aligned.

(For standards where there is partial alignment, the underlined words and phrases indicate the part of the standard to which the task is aligned.)




toward fully independent engagement and completion of tasks. The pedagogical routines, which signal the level of scaffolding for tasks, are highlighted with bold print.

Teaching notes are provided throughout the unit. In addition, teaching options are provided to offer varied instructional methods, so that the content and pedagogy can be differentiated between classes and within a class.

Throughout the unit, students will practice writing to learn, using a Reader/Writer Notebook to complete Quick Writes, take and make notes, practice writing methods and narrative techniques, and otherwise record their work. As they move through the sequence of tasks, students will use their new understanding about what makes effective paragraphs, along with their writing in their Reader/Writer Notebooks, to develop their explanation for the culminating assessment. Please see the Instructional Tool section for the instructional tool on setting up Reader/Writer Notebooks with students as a daily routine.

WHY THESE TASK QUESTIONS? The questions have been carefully developed and reviewed to support students’ engagement with the text or texts under study. Changing the language of a question can diminish or increase the thinking work that students need to do with a question. The questions follow a sequenced pattern from initial comprehension work with a text to more difficult analytical work. This sequence has also been developed and reviewed carefully to support each lesson’s learning goal which links to the unit’s larger learning goals. Changing the questions can change the unit’s intent and purposefulness.

As part of fully supporting students to answer the questions, provide them in writing as well as saying them. Students can then see and refer back to a question at any time during completion of the task.

HOW IS ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING SUPPORTED IN THE UNIT? The unit includes practice on tasks that support successful engagement with the culminating assessment task.

The culminating assessment is completed individually. It allows students to demonstrate the content and skills they have learned throughout the unit, and provides teachers with a view of their final, summative level of content knowledge and skill application. The teacher is encouraged to read the instructions to students, the helpful ways to start the assessment, and the criteria for a successfully completed assessment with students before students begin their individual and independent work on writing the actual assessment.

In addition to the more formal assessment activities cited above, there are many opportunities in the unit for the teacher to formatively assess students’ progress in developing skills and understandings of text and concepts during individual Quick Write practice and pair/trio shares. Find times to circulate among students while they are working to get a sense of the class as a whole and offer assistance and encouragement. Below are some of the ways this conferring time can be used:

• Circulate among students to make sure they understand the task. • Engage individuals or pair/trios to check progress and/or to offer assistance. • Encourage students to help and get ideas from each other.




• Encourage students to use the charts the class has created as learning tools. • Encourage students to add other items to the class charts. • Respond to students’ writing as a reader and let them know how their writing

affects you. • Call students’ attention to the interesting things they are doing as writers. • Encourage students to take risks, experiment, and try new things as writers. • Provide students with models to study when you see what they are trying to

do as writers. • Notice and plan for students who may need extra time to finish the task

before the next lesson. • There are also multiple times in the unit when students are asked to engage

in a StepBack in order to self-assess (i.e., reflect) on what they have learned and how they have learned it. Questions and tips for using StepBacks are provided in the unit tasks.

HOW DOES THE UNIT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS? Support for English learners is provided within the lessons in a number of ways. Students learn new information in manageable segments, which are sequenced to build on existing knowledge of language and genre and explicitly relate to the overarching questions and core concepts of the unit. Students revisit new learning a number of times. For example, students read texts multiple times, each time with a new purpose and using a scaffold appropriate to the purpose and the text.

Talk is an essential part of this unit and students’ development of spoken academic language is fostered through routines of discussion. Please see “Accountable Talk2 Moves and Functions” tool in the Instructional Resources section. The tool offers practical guidelines and exemplars on how to promote and deepen students’ talking to learn and to expand their thinking with powerful facilitation moves. Students are given multiple opportunities to practice using the language in purposeful ways with effective feedback. To help English learners, as well as other students, students are often asked to share in pairs or trios before being invited to share with the large group. This allows students to practice and gain confidence sharing their responses with one or two students before doing so with the whole group.

HOW IS WRITING SUPPORTED IN THE UNIT? Throughout the unit, students will practice writing to learn, using a Reader/Writer Notebook to complete Quick Writes, take and make notes, practice writing methods, and otherwise record their work. Please see the “Instructional Tool” section for the information on setting up Reader/Writer Notebooks as a daily routine. Students will practice writing like author Pam Muñoz Ryan and write explanations of their analysis of Ryan’s stories.

2 Accountable Talk® is a registered trademark of the University of Pittsburgh.




WHAT IS OUR APPROACH TO VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION? There are at least three different contexts to consider when thinking about vocabulary instruction: during shared reading, during independent reading, and during other times in the ELA block/period/week.

During a First Reading When the Focus is Comprehension and the Context is Shared Reading At some point, in all of our units, you will be guided to lead students in a close reading of at least a portion of text or, in some cases, a whole text, in a guided reading context. You are encouraged to identify those words in the text that may be unfamiliar to your students and that are essential to comprehension of the text and for each of these words to provide a short, student-friendly definition during the reading (Collins COBUILD English Learner’s Dictionary, 20123).

The idea here is to provide just enough information (when it is needed and not before) about the new words so that students maintain the flow of ideas and can continue their focus on understanding the central ideas in the text. You will need to analyze the text carefully in advance to identify such words. In some cases, these words have been pointed out in the unit, but you may need to add to the words we have identified and write or find your own student-friendly definition. Coxhead has identified a list of 570 academic-word families that consist of words that occur with frequency across a number of academic content areas in academic texts. This list can be a resource in deciding which words are most worthy of attention (Coxhead, A. 20004).

During a First Reading When the Focus is Comprehension and the Context is Independent Reading When reading texts independently, students are likely to encounter a range of words with which they are unfamiliar. They may or may not be able to discern which of these words are essential to understanding the text and which are not. In this situation, we recommend that students use one of three approaches to figure out the meaning of the word:

1) Analyze the word to see if they are familiar with the meaning of any part of it or another form of it (e.g., decide versus decision);

2) Look for context clues, such as definitions within the sentence/paragraph; or 3) If these approaches fail, continue reading to see if they can make sense of the

passage without this particular word.

During Language Arts Instruction at Other Times during the ELA Block/Period/Week Vocabulary is a critically important part of supporting students to understand what they read. The vocabulary work within these units is not meant to replace a district’s robust vocabulary instructional program, but rather to be an important part of it. Typical vocabulary instruction that asks students to look up words in a dictionary and use them in a sentence has been demonstrated to be ineffective and, at its worst, may turn students off and diminish an interest in learning new words (Snow, Lawrence, & White,

3 Collins Language (Ed.) (2012). Collins COBUILD English learner’s dictionary. Glasgow, UK: HarperCollins

Publishers. 4 Coxhead, A. (2000). A new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2), 213-238.




2009)5. More powerful approaches include providing repeated exposure to a word in varied contexts; providing opportunities and encouragement to use the word in speaking and writing; encountering the word in the context of motivating texts (rather than in a word list); providing explicit instruction in the word’s meaning (such as through student-friendly definitions); and through explicit instruction in using word-learning strategies such as morphological analysis, cognate use and learning multiple meanings (Snow, Lawrence, & White, 2009).

For examples of robust vocabulary instruction and programs, see “Word Generation” by the Strategic Education Research Partnership (http://wg.serpmedia.org/) (for free materials, email them at [email protected]); Rev it Up! (2007) by Steck-Vaughn; and Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002, 20136). Additional Comments You should decide if talking about a particular word or phrase before reading a text would better support your students to establish essential prior knowledge. There are times when this is useful and necessary, e.g., for English language learners and for students with special needs. However, as a rule, we encourage you not to front load vocabulary and instead to give student-friendly definitions right within the text as it is needed for comprehension. We also discourage asking students to provide definitions of unfamiliar words encountered during shared reading. Guessing is likely to distract from comprehension rather than enhance it.

Research suggests that it takes many repetitions with a new word before it truly becomes part of a student’s repertoire (Beck & McKeown, 2002). Students will have many and varied opportunities to incorporate these new words into their spoken vocabulary and writing as a result of repeated use by you, the teacher, and by fellow students throughout the sequence of lessons in these units. You may also want to utilize techniques such as building a word wall on which you post new vocabulary words and to which your students contribute as they discover new words during their reading. Finally, verbally marking when students use any of the newly acquired words in their speaking or writing will encourage other students to show off their newly acquired vocabulary.

5 Snow, C., Lawrence, J. F., & White, C. (2009). Generating knowledge of academic language among urban middle

school students. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2(4), 325-344. 6 Beck and McKeown in Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002/2013). Bringing words to life: Robust

vocabulary instruction. New York, NY: Guilford Press.




Materials by Task

Task Materials

0.1

Chart: Our Favorite Authors Display: Ryan’s Name, Photo, and Titles of Unit Texts “Aguascalitentes, Mexico 1924” from Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan Handout and Chart: Author Study: Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

1.1 “The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Narrative Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

1.2

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Chart: Norms for Class Discussion Chart: Our Class Goals for Inquiry-based Discussion Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

1.3

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Narrative Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Chart: Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life Model: Narrative Technique from “The Friend Who Changed My Life” Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

1.4

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Point of View Chart: Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My LIfe Chart: Narrative Technique: The Friend Who Changed My Life Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

1.5

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements Chart: Narrative Techniques Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

2.1

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: The Party Chart: Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

2.2

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: “The Party” Chart: Our Class Goals for Inquiry-Based Discussions Chart: Norms for Class Discussions Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task Materials

2.3

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: The Party Chart: Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life Chart: Narrative Techniques: The Party Chart: Model of Narrative Techniques: The Party Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

2.4

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” and “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Charts: Literary Elements from both Ryan stories Charts: Narrative Techniques from both Ryan stories Teacher model of a VENN Diagram with a beginning analysis Chart and Handout: Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

3.1

“Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: Los Higos Charts: Narrative Elements from other Ryan stories Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

3.2 “Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements of Los Higos Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

3.3

“Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements Los Higos Chart: Interpreting the Meaning of Symbols in a Narrative Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

3.4

Three unit texts by Pam Muñoz Ryan Charts of Literary Elements from three texts Handout: Analysis of Ryan’s Characters Across Texts Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

4.1

Charts: Literary Elements in Three Unit Texts Charts: Narrative Techniques in Three Unit Texts Handout and Chart: Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Display: Ryan’s Name, Photo, and Titles of Unit Texts Teacher Resource: Websites about the Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebooks Chart paper and markers

4.2 Display: Ryan’s Name, Photo, and Titles of Unit Texts Handout and Chart: Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

Culminating Assessment

Posted Charts from Unit Excerpt from Chapter of Novel, Becoming Naomi Leon Handout: Culminating Assessment Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

Overarching Questions




Overarching Questions

• What do we learn by studying excerpts of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s work?

• What narrative writing techniques does author Pam Muñoz Ryan use?

Introduction: Access Prior Knowledge



Introduction

Access Prior Knowledge

Grade 5

Tasks, Teaching Approaches, and Standards

Task 0.1: Access Prior Knowledge



Task 0.1: Access Prior Knowledge

• What will we learn by studying selected works by one author? • What ideas will we develop about the author Pam Muñoz Ryan

by reading an excerpt of her work?

Texts and Materials

Chart: Our Favorite Authors Display: Ryan’s Name, Photo, and Titles of Unit Texts Excerpt from “Aguascalitentes, Mexico 1924” from Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan 7 Handout and Chart: Author Study: Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

7 Ryan, P. M. (2000). Aguascalitentes, Mexico 1924. In Esperanza Rising (pp. 1-3). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.



Task 0.1: Access Prior Knowledge Teaching Approach

Whole Group Access Prior Knowledge Ask students: Who is one of your favorite authors?

On a chart titled “Our Favorite Authors,” list the authors and, if students remember, the titles of books, stories, and articles by that author.

Ask: What do you like about how your favorite author writes?

Have students brainstorm a list of features and elements of the texts while you chart their responses next to the authors and titles of their works.

Explain that students will be considering these same elements and features as they study selected works by Pamela Muñoz Ryan, an author who has won awards for writing stories that students like to read.

Create a display with Pamela Muñoz Ryan’s name and photo and large-font titles of the stories and chapter excerpts with book titles students will be reading. Later, in the unit, students can add more information and photos as they research the author.

In the unit, students will be asked to discuss in detail the author’s characters, themes, events, and writing techniques and even try out some of Ryan’s writing techniques in a story they create. They will also do some online research to learn how Ryan’s life connects to what she writes about.

Throughout the unit, students will use a Reader/Writer Notebook. The Notebook will give students a place to record their thinking, generate ideas, and keep track of favorite quotations or beautiful language the author uses. (Please see the Instructional Resources section for more information about how to help students use a Reader/Writer Notebook effectively.)

Teaching Option If students cannot recall favorite authors, be ready to remind them of a few who are favorites of many of the students. Have several of their favorite authors’ stories and books on display to help jog memories as well.

! Note to Teacher Since students have worked with the literary elements of character, setting, events, and themes (meanings) in earlier grades, frame today’s discussion in terms of what students already know about those concepts.



Whole Group Shared Reading Post this question: What do we learn about the author Pam Muñoz Ryan by reading a short excerpt from one of her novels?

Create a chart titled, A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan, as shown below and provide to students as a handout for their Reader/Writer Notebooks.

Categories Inquiries Learners’ Responses

Content What topics and themes does Ryan write about?

What does Ryan want us to learn?

Genre What genres does Ryan write?

What are features of the genre?

Style and Craft Why is Ryan a good author?

How does Ryan use narrative technique?

Life and Background What do we know about Ryan’s background?

How does Ryan’s life influence her writing?

Significance Why should others read Ryan’s stories?

What did you learn from reading Ryan’s stories?



Briefly preview the chart’s contents. After the preview, explain they’ll answer a few of the questions from the excerpt they are about to read. Explain that sometimes we can learn about techniques an author uses as well as clues about an author’s life by reading an excerpt.

Explain that this excerpt is from a novel of Ryan’s, Esperanza Rising that is historical fiction. Historical fiction is a kind or genre of writing that uses historical events as the basis of a created or fictional story. As a shared reading, read the excerpt, pages 1-3. Be sure to read the location, Aguascalientes, Mexico, and date 1924 written at the top of page 1.

Ask: Who are the characters? How do we know? What is the setting? What is the event?

After students briefly answer the gist questions, ask the larger, posted question: What do we learn about the author Pam Muñoz Ryan by reading a very short excerpt of one of her novels?

Students may infer information about the author’s life or offer concrete textual evidence about Ryan’s writing style (narrative techniques).

As follow up questions on narrative technique, ask: • What did you notice about how Ryan created images—that is, created pictures with

language? • How did Ryan use details that helped you imagine what a character looks like? • How did Ryan use details that helped you imagine sounds? • How did Ryan use Spanish language in this excerpt?

• What did Ryan do as an author to make the short excerpt interesting to you?

List several of students’ responses in the first three categories (i.e., content, genre, and style and craft) of the chart. Students should do the same on their handout. They will be using the handout and chart for the duration of the unit.

Teaching Option Have students find Mexico on a large map (electronic or posted). Help students form a mental image of how long ago the story took place by referencing other texts they may have read about the 1920s or show students pictures of a Mexican ranch from the 1920s.



Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p. 12, 21, 24)

Reading Literature

RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL.5.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.

RL.5.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Writing

W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

W.5.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking & Listening

SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Language L.5.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.



AUTHOR STUDY: PAM MUÑOZ RYAN

CATEGORIES INQUIRIES CONCEPTS

Content • What topics and themes does Ryan write about?

• What does Ryan want us to learn?

Genre • What genres of stories does Ryan write?

• What are the features of each genre?

Style and Craft • Why is Ryan a good author? • How does Ryan use narrative

techniques?

Life and Background

• What do we know about Ryan’s background?

• How does Ryan’s life influence her writing?

Significance • Why should others read Ryan’s books?

• What did you learn from reading Ryan’s books?

Text 1: “The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan



Text 1 “The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Grade 5


Task 1.1: Comprehension




• What do you learn about the narrator? • Who are Theresa and Mary Lou and what is their relationship

to the narrator? • What are the events in the story?

Texts and Materials

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan8 Chart: Narrative Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

8 Ryan, P. M. (2005). The friend who changed my life. In A.M. Martin and D. Levithan (Eds.), Friends: Stories about new friends, old friends, and unexpectedly true friends. (pp. 1-14). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.




Task 1.1: Comprehension Teaching Approach

Whole Group Shared and Individual Reading Post the comprehension questions for students to ask themselves as they read:

• What do you learn about the narrator? • Who are Theresa and Mary Lou and what is their relationship to the narrator? • What are the events in the story?

Tell students that you will begin reading the story “The Friend Who Changed My Life” aloud as they follow along on their copies or an enlarged copy of the text.. Read the first paragraph and pause and ask students the first comprehension question. After you elicit a few details from students about the narrator, ask students to continue reading the rest of the story individually to get the story’s gist.

Individual Work After reading the story, have students compose a Quick Write in their Reader/Writer Notebooks to answer the comprehension questions. Remind students to use textual evidence to support their responses.

Pair or Trio Work Students share their Quick Writes with a partner or in groups of three.

Whole Group Lead a discussion of the answers to the comprehension questions. When necessary, prompt students to use textual evidence to support their responses.

Keep the discussion on the gist, asking follow up questions only when students have miscomprehended.

As students respond to the questions, begin filling in the chart “Narrative Elements,” writing the details readers mention next to the corresponding listed element.

Explain to students that this chart will be displayed throughout the unit and that they will have the opportunity to think about how using these elements gives them vocabulary words—specifically, literary terms that they can use as they discuss each of Ryan’s stories. Students will no doubt offer information about the setting as they discuss the story’s events. Include information about the setting on the chart.

Teaching Option Pair/Trio: You may wish to have pairs/trios answer the comprehension questions. Intentionally pair students so students struggling with comprehension and written expression will benefit from a student role model.




Literary Elements “The Friend Who Saved My Life”

Element Textual Evidence Narrator Characters Events Setting

! Note to Teacher Other literary elements may arise through discussion during the course of the unit, although this unit will focus on how these specific elements play out across Ryan’s work.


Reading Literature RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).


Writing W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.


Speaking & Listening SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Task 1.2: Interpretation




• Who changed the narrator’s life?

Texts and Materials

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Chart: Norms for Class Discussion Chart: Our Class Goals for Inquiry-based Discussion Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 1.2: Interpretation Teaching Approach

Whole Group Tell students that today they are going to reread the story “The Friend Who Changed My Life.” This time they will read for a different purpose.

Post the guiding question for students to ask themselves as they read: • Who changed the narrator’s life?

Individual Work Ask students to reread the story. After reading, ask students to compose a Quick Write in their Reader/Writer Notebooks in response to the interpretive question.

Explain that the question has multiple and varied responses so there is no one right answer. Remind students to use textual evidence from the text to support their responses.

Pair Share Give students three to five minutes to share their Quick Writes with a partner, listening for textual evidence and points of agreement and disagreement with their partner’s response.

Prepare for Whole Group Inquiry-Based Discussion Explain to students that they will now engage in an inquiry-based discussion. Explain that inquiry-based discussions are whole group discussions in which readers discuss their responses to interpretive questions. The purpose of the discussions are to help the readers:

• “try out” their answers and explanations using specific moments and evidence from the text;

• practice making interpretations supported with evidence from the text; • accept alternative views/interpretations of the same text; • rethink what they think about the text; and • understand that readers can have different valid interpretations of the same text.

Ask students to arrange their chairs or desks in a manner so they can see their classmates.

Teaching Option Rather than asking students to reread the story individually, you may want to intentionally pair students and/or meet and read with a small group of students that may benefit from additional support.

! Note to Teacher Inquiry based discussions may be new to students. If so, it will be necessary to collaboratively create a set of norms for inquiry-based discussions prior to this task. Entitle the chart “Norms for Class Discussion.”




Whole Group Inquiry-Based Discussion As the facilitator of the inquiry-based discussion, encourage all students to participate in the discussion. Prompt students when necessary for clarification or textual evidence, and track students’ interpretations (you may want to chart them) so that you can share the interpretations that have been offered with students and assess the progress of the discussion. Avoid being a direct participant, sharing your interpretation, repeating responses, or directing the conversation unnecessarily.

Begin the discussion with the interpretive question. Remind students to talk directly to each other; agree, disagree, or otherwise build on each other’s ideas; use textual evidence to support their ideas and request textual evidence from peers when they offer unsupported ideas.

Individual Work Following the discussion, ask students to compose a Quick Write in their Reader/Writer Notebooks in which they can write on one of the following:

• Revise their original Quick Write to include what they now understand about the story given the discussion OR

• Explain an interpretation that they found interesting that was not the same as theirs and explain why they found the interpretation interesting.

Individual StepBack Ask students to write responses to the following questions in their Reader/Writer Notebooks to reflect on what they learned by engaging in discussion with their peers:

• How did your understanding of the story stay the same or change as a result of our discussion?

• How did we do today as a class at following the norms we created for inquiry-based discussions?

• What do we need to work on as a group the next time we engage in an inquiry-based discussion?

Whole Group StepBack Lead discussion and chart their responses to the reflection questions on chart entitled “Our Class Goals for Inquiry-Based Discussions.”






RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.






Task 1.3: Author’s Methods: – Narrative Technique



Task 1.3: Author’s Methods – Narrative Technique

• What narrative techniques does Pam Muñoz Ryan use in this text?

Texts and Materials

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Narrative Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Chart: Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life Model: Narrative Technique from “The Friend Who Changed My Life” Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 1.3 Author’s Methods – Narrative Technique Teaching Approach

Whole Group Remind students that they have read this text twice, once to get its gist and the second time to interpret the text. This time, they will be studying the text to help them understand narrative techniques that Pam Muñoz Ryan uses to write her stories. Post the analysis question for the task:

• What narrative techniques does Pam Muñoz Ryan use in this text?

Whole Group Access Prior Knowledge Charting Ask students what they know about narrative techniques authors employ in their writing. Remind them that narrative techniques are methods that writers use to give certain artistic and emotional effects to a story. In other words, what does the author do to make the story interesting to read? Chart student responses.

Model Charting Title a new chart: “Narrative Techniques.” Explain that you are going to model the task that students will then be asked to do.

Create and display a three-column chart as shown below:

Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life

Example How the technique helped me as a reader Name of technique

Model—by thinking aloud—how you select an example of a technique from the story. Jot it down verbatim in column one. Explain how the technique helped you understand the story

! Note to Teacher Students may not be able to provide a definition or the correct word for an example of a narrative technique. Provide the term and a definition if necessary.

It is not expected that students provide all of the answers to the analytic question regarding techniques. Techniques Ryan uses will surface over the course of the unit. Narrative techniques may include: Use of sensory language, point of view, figurative language, metaphor, dialogue, interior monologue, repetition, symbolism, personification, active verbs, verb tense (past, present, future), tone, imagery, and shifts in time (flashback, flash forward). Post these terms to help students name the examples of techniques they identify.




better and came up with the name of the technique. Remind students to observe and take notes on what you are saying and doing to complete the task.

Here are examples from the text:

Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life

Example How the technique helped as a reader

Name of Technique

“…my feet were an awkward atrocity.” “She was tiny, wiry and loud.”

I understood that the narrator thought her feet were ugly, but even so, she could exaggerate and be funny about her ugly feet. As a reader, I connected with the narrator’s ability to poke fun at herself. The use of “wiry” to describe Teresa suggests that she’s tough as a wire, thin as a wire and can unwind like a wire. Even though she’s tiny, Ryan’s use of wiry and loud suggests a vision and sound of toughness.

Metaphor (comparing one thing in terms of another) and Exaggeration Sensory (appealing to the senses)

Whole Group Ask students to share what they heard and saw you doing to select, explain and name a narrative technique. Chart student responses and display for reference when they do this task individually.

Pair/Trio Work Following the model, students use the graphic organizer to select, explain, and name examples of narrative techniques Ryan uses in the text.

Whole Group Lead a discussion of Ryan’s use of narrative techniques by asking one student to share and explain one example and if possible name it using the posted list of techniques. After the student shares, ask others who chose the same example if they have anything to add to what the first student said. The class goes through the same process until at least five to six examples of Ryan’s narrative techniques in the text have been shared and discussed. Record student responses on the chart “Narrative Techniques: ”The Friend Who Changed My Life.”

Teaching Option – Small Group Tutorial Rather than having some students work with a partner, you may want to meet with a small group of students that would benefit from additional support.




Quick Write Ask students to complete a Quick Write in their Reader/Writer Notebook to the following question:

• What did you learn about Ryan’s use of narrative techniques by participating in this task?

Whole Group Allow students to share their responses with a partner before asking a few students to share their responses with the whole group.

Based on what the students have done during the activity and what they say during the final discussions, determine if further instruction is needed and if necessary, provide the appropriate kind of mini-lesson to fill in gaps in understanding or clarify any misunderstandings.

Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p.12, 21, 24, 29)

Reading Literature

RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.


RL.5.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5-text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Writing




Language

L.5.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Task 1.4: Author’s Methods – Point of View




• How does the narrator’s point of view influence the description of events?

Texts and Materials

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Chart: Point of View

Chart: Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My LIfe

Chart: Narrative Technique: The Friend Who Changed My Life

Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 1.4: Author’s Methods – Point of View Teaching Approach

Whole Group Explain to students that during this task, they will be examining the story “The Friend Who Changed My Life” to help them study how Ryan uses the narrative technique point of view to influence how the events in the story are described. Post the following guiding question:

• How does the point of view influence the description of events in the story? Explain that point of view is a narrative technique authors use to tell a story. It is the perspective from which a speaker or writer recounts a narrative or presents information. Pronouns reflect the viewpoint of the author. Explain that when a narrator tells a story in first person, they will use pronouns such as I and we. There are other ways authors tell stories, including second person (you, your) and third person (he, she, it, they) perspective. Record this information on a chart titled “Point of View” for future reference. Students record the information in their Reader/Writer Notebooks.

Refer to the chart created in Task 1.1, “Narrative Elements,” to point out that the students determined that a narrator tells the story. Explain that they are going to reread the first page of the story to determine the point of view Ryan uses in “The Friend Who Changed My Life.”

Pair/Trio Work Ask students to read the first page of the text to confirm the point of view. Students should underline or highlight words or phrases that helped them confirm the point of view.

Whole Group Lead a discussion about the words and phrases students found to support their position about point of view. Students should cite evidence from the text to support their thinking.

Individual Work Students will respond to the guiding question in their Reader/Writer Notebook.

• How does the point of view influence the description of events in the story?

Whole Group Allow students to share their response with a partner before discussing their responses with the entire group.

! Note to Teacher Add first person point of view to the chart “Literary Elements” next to the category Narrator. Explain to students that they will use the information they learned today to determine the point of view as they read other stories in the unit.






RL.5.6 Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.


Writing W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.




Task 1.5: WriteLike



Task 1.5: WriteLike

• Use Ryan’s narrative techniques to create an alternative scenario to the fight scene beginning with the following quotation: “I couldn’t see a way out of the situation. In front of me was Theresa and in back of me was Mary Lou.”

Texts and Materials

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements Chart: Narrative Techniques Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

Task 1.5: WriteLike



Task 1.5: WriteLike Teaching Approach

Whole Group Explain to students that in a few minutes they will write-like Ryan to create an alternative scenario to the fight scene in the story. Ask students to turn to the fight scene that Ryan creates on page 5, paragraph 3, sentence 2.

So that students can catch Ryan’s rhythm and narration in the scenarios they will create, ask: • How does Ryan set the stage for the fight? • How is the setting created? • How are characters created? • What verbs does Ryan use? • How is the narrator’s voice created?

Listen for how they support their answers with examples (textual evidence) from the story. As necessary, have them underline their examples and jot notes in the margins of the text.

Individual Work Tell students to take no more than 15 minutes to compose an alternative scenario to the fight scene beginning with the following quotation: “I couldn’t see a way out of the situation. In front of me was Teresa and in back of me was Mary Lou.”

Pair/share Give students time to read their WriteLikes to each other. Partners should say back the alternative fight scene he or she heard from their partner. This will allow the writer to revise parts that may be missing or unclear. Each partner should also state a Ryan-like narrative technique or two that he or she were trying in the WriteLike. During the pair/share, walk around and listen for WriteLikes that could be shared with the whole group. Ask those students if they would volunteer to share.

Whole Group Ask a few writers to share their WriteLikes. Then ask students what they liked as readers them about each WriteLike. Ask each writer who shares to explain the Ryan-like narrative techniques he or she tried in their alternative scenarios.

Teaching Option Rather than having all students work individually, you may want to meet with a small group of students who would benefit from additional support to get started on their WriteLike of an alternative fight scene.

Task 1.5: WriteLike



Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p. 12, 20, 21, 24)

Reading Literature RL.5.6 Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described. Writing

W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.



Language

L.5.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L. 5.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Text 2: “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan



Text 2 “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Grade 5






• What do you learn about the narrator? • Who is Bridget and what is her relationship to the narrator? • What are the events in the story?

Texts and Materials

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan9 Chart: Literary Elements: The Party Chart: Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

9 Ryan, P. M. (2000). The party. In L. Robb (Ed.), Differentiating reading instruction: How to teach reading to meet the needs of each student (pp. 259-261). New York, NY: Scholastic Teaching Resources.





Whole Group Tell students that they will be reading another short story by Pam Muñoz Ryan, “The Party.” Explain that they will be reading the story for the first time to get the gist of the story. Post the comprehension questions for students to ask themselves as they read:

• What do you learn about the narrator of the story? • Who is Bridget and what is her relationship to the narrator? • What are the events in the story?

Whole Group Shared and Individual Reading Provide students copies of the text. Tell them that you will begin reading the story “The Party” aloud as they follow along on their copies. Read the first paragraph and pause and ask students: What is happening in the first paragraph?

After you determine that students get the gist of the scene outside of the school, ask: What is the author saying in the last sentence of this paragraph? You may need to focus students on the phrases “flotsam and jetsam that washed under a tree” and “entity by default.” Allow students to paraphrase the sentence and if they cannot, develop a mini-lesson on each of the phrases or ask students to use the Internet to find definitions and then return to the text to determine if their “found” definitions make sense in the context of the sentence.

Then, ask: From this first paragraph, what do you learn about the narrator?

Students should now read the rest of the story individually.

Pair Work Students work with a partner to discuss and record their responses to the comprehension questions in their Reader/Writer Notebooks. Remind them to use textual evidence to support their responses. Whole Group Engage students in sharing their responses. As students respond, begin filling out the chart “Literary Elements: The Party.”

Post this chart beside the chart “Literary Elements: The Friend Who Changed My Life.”

Literary Elements The Party

Element Textual Evidence Characters Narrator (point of view) Events Setting




! Note to Teacher This task can be completed with the whole group or a particular group of students that you believe would benefit from a greater degree of attention and support. It is important for students to engage individually in the Quick Write, and talk with students about whatever they were able to write. Determine from your formative assessment of their Quick Writes what they do and do not understand of the narrative’s gist.












• Do you think the narrator will go to Bridget’s party?

• Why do you think so?

Texts and Materials

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: “The Party” Chart: Our Class Goals for Inquiry-Based Discussions Chart: Norms for Class Discussions Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 2.2: Interpretation Teaching Approach

Whole Group

Tell students that today they are going to reread the story “The Party.” This time they will reread the story in preparation for an inquiry-based discussion.

Post the interpretive question for students to ask themselves as they read: • Do you think the narrator will go to Bridget’s party? Why do you think so?

Individual Work Ask students to reread the story. After reading, ask students to compose a Quick Write in their Reader/Writer Notebooks in response to the interpretive question. Remind students to use textual evidence to support what they think the narrator will do. This is not merely speculative; they are using what the text says explicitly as well as what can be inferred about the narrator’s character in order to make an informed prediction with logical inferences.

Pair Share Give students three to five minutes to share their Quick Writes with a partner, listening for textual evidence and points of agreement and disagreement with their partner’s response.

Prepare for Whole Group Inquiry-Based Discussion Remind students of the norms that they generated for inquiry-based discussions. Then show students the chart “Our Class Goals for Inquiry-Based Discussions” to remind them of the list they generated following their previous inquiry-based discussion about what they need to work on as a class in subsequent discussions. Finally, ask students to arrange their chairs or desks in a manner so they can see their peers.

Whole Group Inquiry-Based Discussion Pose the guiding question. Remind students to talk directly to each other; agree, disagree, or otherwise build on each other’s ideas; use textual evidence to support their ideas; and request textual evidence from peers when they offer unsupported ideas.

Individual Work Following the discussion, students revise their original Quick Write to incorporate new ideas or pieces of textual evidence.

Pair Share

Teaching Option Rather than asking students to reread the story individually, you may want to intentionally pair students and/or meet with a small group of students who may benefit from additional support.




Have students share their revisions with a partner, reflecting on how their knowledge of the text changed as a result of the inquiry-based discussion.

Whole Group StepBack Facilitate a whole group discussion using the questions below:

• How did your knowledge of the text change through the inquiry-based discussion? • How did we do in following our norms for discussion? • What have we improved on since our last discussion and on what do we still need to

work? Ask students to reference the charts “Norms for Class Discussions” and “Our Goals for Inquiry-Based Discussions” in their responses to the last two questions.


Reading Literature RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences drawn from the text.



RL.5.6 Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.





Task 2.3: Author’s Methods: Narrative Technique



Task 2.3: Author’s Methods – Narrative Technique

• What narrative techniques does Ryan use in this text? How do her techniques help the reader?

Texts and Materials

“The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements: The Party Chart: Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life Chart: Narrative Techniques: The Party Chart: Model of Narrative Techniques: The Party Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 2.3: Author’s Methods – Narrative Technique Teaching Approach

Whole Group Display the chart “Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life.” Ask students to explain the process they went through to analyze that text. Explain that they will be going through the same process to analyze the narrative techniques in the story “The Party.”

Post the guiding questions for the task: • What narrative techniques does Pam Muñoz Ryan use in this text? • How do the techniques help the reader?

Model Charting Since a model was used with the previous text, only use this model with those students who are still unable to find narrative techniques without this degree of support. For students needing that extra scaffold, title a new chart “Narrative Techniques: The Party.” Explain that you are going to model the task that students will then be asked to do.

Create and display a three-column chart as shown below:

Narrative Techniques “The Party”


Model—thinking aloud—part or all of the process of explaining each of the columns on the chart. How much you model of this chart with students should depend upon your assessment of what part of the tasks students cannot complete independently.

! Note to Teacher Narrative techniques may include: Use of sensory language, point of view, figurative language, metaphor, dialogue, internal monologue, symbolism, repetition, personification, active verbs, verb tense (past, present, future), tone, imagery, and shifts in time (flashback, flash forward). Post these terms to help students name the examples of techniques they identify.




Here are examples from the text:

Narrative Techniques “The Party”


“Why hadn’t she invited me? My feet were too big?” (p. 2, paragraph 4)

“They were.., It was…There was…They were…” (p. 2, paragraph 6)

The internal monologue allows the reader to learn what the narrator is thinking. I understand that the narrator was dealing with the conflict of Bridget not inviting her by questioning Bridget’s lack of sense and logic. After all, choosing not to invite someone because they have big feet is pretty silly.

Ryan uses repetition and past tense, being verbs (were, was) to create a detached narrator’s voice recounting details about the party as if it had already occurred. The passive voice and use of general “they” and “there” to describe the party goers and event make both remote from the narrator. It helped me as a reader understand that the narrator felt isolated from her friends and the party they would be attending.

Internal monologue

Repetition, verbs and verb tense

Pair/Trio Work Following the model, students use the graphic organizer to select and explain examples of narrative techniques Ryan uses in the text. Assist, as necessary, students naming the technique from the list provided.

Whole Group Lead a discussion of Ryan’s use of narrative techniques by asking one student to share and explain one example. After the student shares, ask others who chose the same example if they have anything to add to what the first student said. The class goes through the same process until several examples of Ryan’s narrative techniques in the text have been shared and

Teaching Option – Small Group Tutorial It may not be necessary to model the process of identifying narrative techniques again, if your students are ready to move ahead with the task. Be sure to review the process though.

Rather than having some students work with a partner, you may want to meet with a small group of students that would benefit from additional support.




discussed. Record student responses on the chart “Narrative Techniques: The Party.” Display the chart beside the chart “Narrative Techniques: The Friend Who Changed My Life.”

Quick Write Ask students to compose a Quick Write in their Reader/Writer Notebook on the following questions:

• What did you learn about Ryan’s use of narrative techniques by participating in this task?

• What did you do as a reader and writer to learn this? Whole Group Ask students to share their responses with a partner before asking a few students to share their responses with the whole group.

Based on your assessment of students’ skill in identifying narrative techniques and in understanding how narrative techniques work for readers, determine if further instruction is needed. If so, provide a mini-lesson to fill in gaps in understanding or to clarify any misunderstandings.

Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p.12, 21, 24, 29)



RL.5.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature including stories, dramas, poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.




Language

L.5.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Task 2.4: Analysis Across Texts




• How are the two Ryan stories we have read similar and different?

• What did you learn about Ryan’s writing from your study of the two stories?

Texts and Materials

“The Friend Who Changed My Life” and “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Charts: Literary Elements from both Ryan stories Charts: Narrative Techniques from both Ryan stories Teacher model of a VENN Diagram with a beginning analysis Chart: Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 2.4: Analysis Across Texts Teaching Approach

Whole Group Ask students to compare their notes from both Ryan stories and begin to notice where they see similarities and differences in the literary elements and narrative techniques. Tell students to focus on the literary elements or on the narrative techniques Ryan uses in comparing the two stories. Be sure that some students choose elements and some choose techniques to compare and contrast.

Pair or Trio Work Students work together to create a VENN diagram that depicts their analysis of the two Ryan stories in terms of each story’s literary elements or each story’s narrative techniques.

Whole Group Lead a discussion of what students learned about the similarities and differences between the two stories’ elements and techniques. Encourage students to use literary language as they respond.

Individual StepBack Ask students to write at least a paragraph on the following questions:

• What did you learn about Ryan’s writing from your study of the two stories? • How are the stories similar in how they are written? How are they different?

Ask students to turn in their responses for your formative assessment of their understandings of Ryan’s use of literary elements and narrative techniques and their ability to express their understandings in a focused paragraph or two.

Whole Group Lead a discussion on their responses and chart their answers for each question on chart, Author Study of Pam Muñoz Ryan,. Formative Assessment Ask students to turn in their responses for your formative assessment of their understandings of Ryan’s use of literary elements and narrative techniques and their ability to express their understandings in a focused paragraph or two.

! Note to Teacher If students have not created VENN diagrams before, plan to model your creation of a VENN diagram on one literary element or narrative technique from the stories. Choose less central observations (possibly setting and repetition) for your model in order for students to find and use the central ones in their VENN diagrams.




Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p. 12, 20, 21, 24)

Reading Literature RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.


RL.5.9 Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.


Writing W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.



Text 3: “Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan



Text 3 “Los Higos” from Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Grade 5






• What do we learn about Esperanza, Mama and the rest of the characters?

• How do the events unfold in the chapter, “Los Higos”? • What is the chapter’s point of view?

Texts and Materials

“Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan10 Chart: Literary Elements: Los Higos Charts: Narrative Elements from other Ryan stories Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers

10 Ryan, P. M. (2002). Los Higos. Esperanza Rising (pp. 39-57). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.





Whole Group Tell students that today they will be reading a chapter, “Los Higos,” from an historical fiction novel of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s entitled Esperanza Rising. It is a later chapter in the same novel student read at the start of the unit. Explain that at the start of the chapter, the main character, Esperanza, is living in Mexico on a ranch owned by her family. Her father, whom she loved dearly, has just been killed. After her father’s death, her father’s stepbrothers are trying to take over the ranch and marry Esperanza’s mother.

As with the other two texts, students will read first for the gist. Post the comprehension questions for students to ask themselves as they read:

• How do the events unfold in the chapter? • What do we know about Esperanza, Mama and the other characters in the story? • What is the chapter’s point of view?

Pair Work

Provide students with their own copies of the text. Students work with a partner to read the text and discuss the gist of the text using the comprehension questions as necessary. Students may record their answers in the margins of the text. Given the chapter’s length, students may divide their reading and work with a partner in two time segments.

Whole Group Lead a round-robin share about how the events unfold in the chapter. Each trio contributes one event. Students add missing information to their notes or Quick Writes. Next, lead students in a discussion of the characters and what we know about them. When necessary, prompt students to use textual evidence to support their responses. Engage students in sharing their responses. As students respond, begin filling out the chart “Literary Elements: Los Higos.” Ask students about the setting of the novel.

Post this chart beside the other two story charts of literary elements.

Literary Elements: “Los Higos” Element Textual Evidence Events as they unfold

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Characters

Point of view 1st person: I and we 2nd person: you and

your




3rd person: he, she, it, and they

Setting

! Note to Teacher - Small Group Tutorial This task can be completed in pairs or you may need to work with a group of students whom you believe would benefit from a greater degree of attention and support. Determine from your formative assessment of their verbal responses and Quick Writes what they do and do not understand of the narrative’s gist.

Focus Standards

(CCSS, 2012, p. 12, 21,24)

Reading RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences drawn from the text.

RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama,drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).





Task 3.2: Significance




• What are three moments that seem significant to the plot of “Los Higos”? Explain their significance.

Texts and Materials

“Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements of Los Higos Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 3.2: Significance Teaching Approach

Explain that students will reread the text to select and explain three moments that seem significant to the plot. Explain that moments can be significant for to the plot for various reasons and differ from student to student. In other words, students may choose the same moment, but explain its significance differently.

Teacher Model Assess if your students would benefit from seeing a model of selecting and explaining significant moments. If they would, model rereading a portion of the text to select a moment that seems significant to the plot. Select a moment that is illustrative of the unfolding of the plot but is not one that a reader would consider most illustrative of the plot, as that is the assignment for students.

Create a two-column chart, like the one below, and explain to students that you will model the process of selecting and explaining significant moments in “Los Higos.” In the left column, record the moment. In the right column, explain the significance of the moment by writing what the author seems to be saying with this moment and how it contributes to readers understanding the unfolding of the plot.

Significant Moments from “Los Higos”

Significant Moment Explanation about why the moment is significant to the plot

Explain that after identifying this first moment, you will continue rereading the story to locate two other moments that also appear to be significant to the unfolding of the plot.

Whole Group After completing the model, ask students to share what they saw and heard you do to select and explain a moment significant to the development of the plot. Record the information for all students to see. This record will serve as support for students when they engage in this task.

Pair Work Students reread the text to identify and explain three moments that strike them as significant to the development of the plot. Students create a two-column chart in their Reader/Writer




Notebooks to record (left column) and explain (right column) the moments. Students should identify three moments from across the text.

StepBack Students individually reflect and write on these two questions.

• How did you go about choosing significant moments? • What did you learn by hearing a range of moments and explanations?

Whole Group Ask a few students to share their StepBacks and for other students to listen and discuss how their StepBack was similar or different.

Additional Support for Small Group Significant Moments Use the teaching approach above but with a particular group of students that you believe would benefit from a greater degree of attention and support. It is important for students to engage individually in selecting moments and explaining each. Peers and the teacher will talk with students about whatever they were able to write. After you read their moments and explanations, work to determine what might be helpful to model or scaffold in another way to expand their understanding and support their skills development in using textual evidence to write an explanation of why the evidence is significant to the question.

Task 3.3: Author’s Methods: Symbolism




• How does Ryan use symbolism in “Los Higos”?

Texts and Materials

“Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Chart: Literary Elements Los Higos Chart: Interpreting the Meaning of Symbols in a Narrative Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 3.3: Author’s Methods: Symbolism Teaching Approach

Whole Group Ask students what they know about symbols. Encourage students to name famous symbols and what they stand for. Clarify misinformation and fills in gaps in knowledge about symbols and how they help develop meaning. Symbols in a story can be in the form of a word, a character, an event, or the total action.

Explain that they will be thinking about symbols in the chapter “Los Higos,” by identifying a word, a character, or an event that could be a symbol and explaining what happens in the story when the symbol appears.

Pairs or Trios Pair or trio creates a three-column chart, Interpreting the Meaning of Symbols in a Narrative, like the one below. However, for now, students should fill in only the first two columns: Symbol and What happens?

Symbol: __________ When does it appear?

What is happening in the story when it appears?

What does it symbolize?

1.

2.

Whole Group Discussion Create a master chart for all to see. Lead students in a discussion of the information on the charts.

Asks students to return to their small groups to answer the question: What might the word, character, or event you identified symbolize in the story? Remind students to use the information on their charts to help them answer this question. Groups chart and post their responses.

Gallery Walk Ask students to study the different symbols students identified and how they explained what the symbols might mean or stand for in the story. Circulate to view each group’s chart to determine how to structure whole group discussion. Structure for discussion depends on class needs (e.g., Are all the words, characters, and events viable as possible symbols that contribute meaning?

! Note to Teacher If small groups are struggling, pull them together and work through why they think the word, character, or event they selected is a symbol given what happens when it is mentioned. Then support them to come up with an interpretation of what their identified character, event, or action might symbolize.




Are all the interpretations valid? If not, which groups with valid interpretations might share their thinking with the whole class?).

Individual StepBack • What more did you learn about symbols or this story from completing this task? • What more did you learn about Ryan’s use of narrative techniques?

Whole Group Ask a few students to share their StepBacks.







Writing




Task 3.4: Interpretation Across Texts




• Which of Ryan’s characters do you admire?

Texts and Materials

Three unit texts by Pam Muñoz Ryan Charts of Literary Elements from three texts Handout: Analysis of Ryan’s Characters Across Texts Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 3.4: Interpretation Across Texts Teaching Approach

Whole Group Post the question: Which of Ryan’s characters do you admire?

Explain that we learn about a story’s characters by what they do, say, and what others say about them. In order to answer this lesson’s question, they will first need to analyze the characters across the texts.

Provide students the handout “Analysis of Ryan’s Characters Across the Unit Texts,” and explain how to complete it. Begin work on the narrator for “The Friend Who Changed My Life” as a whole class, filling in your copy on a document reader so students can see and imitate what you complete.

Pair/Trio Have students now complete their analysis of characters in pairs/trios. Each student should complete his or her own chart. This information will also help them with the unit’s culminating assessment.

Whole Group Have students share and discuss responses emphasizing the importance of providing textual evidence to support their conclusions about a character they have assessed as having traits that they admire or not.




Analysis of Ryan’s Characters in the Unit Texts

Character & Story At least three examples of what character did, said, or what others said about character

Reasons why or why not I admire this character

Narrator in “A Friend Who Changed My Life”

Theresa in “A Friend Who Changed My Life”

Mary Lou in “The Friend Who Changed My Life”

Narrator in “The Party”

Becky in “The Party”

Esperanza in “Los Higos”

Mama in “Los Higos”

Tio Luis in “Los Higos”

Alfonso in “Los Higos”

Informational Texts About Pam Muñoz Ryan



About Pam Muñoz Ryan

Grade 5


Task 4.1: Author Investigation




• What have you learned about the kinds of stories Pam Muñoz Ryan’s writes?

• What connections do you make between Ryan’s life and the stories she writes?

Texts and Materials

Charts: Literary Elements in Three Unit Texts Charts: Narrative Techniques in Three Unit Texts Handout and Chart: Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Display: Ryan’s Name, Photo, and Titles of Unit Texts Teacher Resource: Websites about the Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebooks Chart paper and markers




Task 4.1: Author Investigation Teaching Approach

Whole Group Post questions:

• What have you learned about the kinds of stories Pam Muñoz Ryan writes? • What connections do you make between Ryan’s life and the stories she writes?

Pairs/Trios Have students look over the literary elements and narrative techniques charts to note information that answers the inquiries of the first three categories: Content, Genre, and Style and Craft on handout “Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan.”

Whole Group Chart students’ responses on chart “Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan” next to the categories Content, Genre, and Style and Craft. Use this activity as an informal assessment of students’ ability to group information about Ryan into categories and their understanding of how Ryan composes stories.

Ask students what they would like to learn about Ryan’s life and how she writes. List their questions and ask students to note in their Reader/Writer notebooks at least two questions that they would like to research online about Ryan. Ask students to create a two-column chart such as the one below in their Reader/Writer notebooks to record answers to their questions.

My questions about author Ryan Connection to Ryan’s stories

Individual or Pair/Trio Give students time in the computer lab or assign a small group to bring to class information related to the questions that they research online about Ryan. See the teacher resource, “Websites about the Author, Pam Muñoz Ryan” to help students begin their search.

Teaching Option - Pair/Trio You may wish to intentionally pair students so students just learning how to group textual evidence into categories will benefit from working with a student more experienced in comparing narrators, characters, settings and events and types of narrative writing techniques.




Whole Group Bring the class together to discuss what they learned from the online interviews, articles, and blogs. Note information on chart “Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan.” Students should add answers to their handout “Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan” next to the category Life and Background.

Students could also add information and pictures to display on Ryan.

Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p. 12, 14, 21, 24, 28-29)





Reading Informational Text RI.5.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

RI.5.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Writing W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.



SL.5.2 Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.




Websites About the Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

http://www.pammunozryan.com

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/pam-muntildeoz-ryan-interview-transcript

http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/pam-munoz-ryan/news/interview-020209

http://www.slideshare.net/elizfutch/pam-munoz-ryan-author-study

Task 4.2: Reflection




• Is Ryan an author you would recommend? Why or why not?• What about Ryan’s writing might be valuable for other fifth-

graders to experience and understand?• What did you learn about yourself as a reader from studying

Ryan’s stories?

Texts and Materials

Display: Ryan’s Name, Photo, and Titles of Unit Texts Handout and Chart: Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Reader/Writer Notebook Chart paper and markers




Task 4.2: Reflection Teaching Approach

Whole Group Post these questions:

• Is Ryan an author that you would recommend? Why or why not?• What about her writing might be valuable for other fifth-graders to experience and

understand?• What did you learn about yourself as a reader from studying Pam Muñoz Ryan?

Ask students to talk about how they might answer these questions. Listen for what they can say about how the text might work for their peers and how the text worked for them as readers. As necessary, ask the following prompts:

• What kinds of stories do they think other fifth-graders like to read? How do you know?• What, if anything, surprised them about how one of Ryan’s story turned out?• What surprised them about a character?• What parts of each story excited them? Bored them?• What idea was the author exploring in each story?

As necessary, explain that the three posted questions ask students to think about themselves as readers and the kinds of books and stories that they like to read as well as what they think other fifth-graders might like to read.

StepBack Ask students to write at least two paragraphs in response to the posted questions. One or more paragraphs should focus on what other fifth-graders would like to read and one or more paragraphs should focus on what they liked or did not like about Ryan’s stories.

Whole Group Have a few students share their responses. Chart students’ responses on chart “Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan” next to category, Significance.








RL.5.5 Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.








CULMINATING ASSESSMENT

Grade 5





A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan Culminating Assessment

Texts and Materials

Posted Charts from Unit Excerpt from Chapter of Novel, Becoming Naomi Leon Handout: Culminating Assessment Reader/Writer Notebooks Chart paper and markers




Culminating Assessment Teaching Approach

TEACHER PREPARATION Be sure to complete the assessment yourself and determine possible answers. Your paper will provide sample evidence statements to draw on as you draft feedback to students and score their papers.

ASSESSMENT SESSION Whole Group Post these questions:

• How does this new story excerpt represent Ryan-like narrators, characters, events, or settings?

• How does the new excerpt use Ryan-like narrative techniques?

Read the questions and explain that today you will be asking students to read a new story excerpt from the Ryan novel Becoming Naomi Leon11 to figure out how this new story excerpt answers the posted questions.

Distribute the handout “Culminating Assessment.” Read the directions, getting started, and best explanations with students and make sure that they understand how to complete the assessment. Students should complete the task individually and be given sufficient time to do so.

11 Ryan, P. M. (2004). A paddling of ducks. Becoming Naomi Leon (pp. 4-7). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.




Assessment Task Please read the excerpt of a chapter from Ryan’s novel, Becoming Naomi Leon. Write an essay that explains how this text is representative of Ryan’s narrative techniques and content. Be sure to include textual evidence to develop your explanation. You may use your class notes and the posted charts in the room as you write.

Getting started on your assessment: • First, read the excerpt from Becoming Naomi Leon to get its gist. Then, take notes on

the excerpt’s literary elements such as its narrator, characters, events, and setting. Your notes may be used as your textual evidence.

• Next, underline or jot in the text’s margins narrative techniques that Ryan uses that have an impact on you as a reader. What you jot will be your textual evidence.

• Compare your new notes on the reading to your earlier notes on the other Ryan stories and begin to notice where you see similarities and differences between the new story and the other Ryan stories. In the space below or on another page, you may choose to create a two- to three-column chart to record your identified literary elements and narrative techniques in the new story and the unit stories.

• Begin to see and plan how you will group related information logically about Ryan’s writing in the new story and earlier stories.

• Begin composing your explanation.

The best explanations will have: • Textual evidence that comes from all the stories that we read • Textual evidence of details, quotations, and examples that develop your explanation of

Ryan’s writing in the new story and earlier stories • A new paragraph for each topic (i.e., literary element or narrative technique) • Paragraphs with textual evidence developing your explanation of Ryan’s writing • A logical organization from beginning to end of your explanation




StepBack Questions Please answer the following questions in the space below. Your responses will be collected but not graded.

1. What did you find easy about completing the assessment?

2. What did you find difficult about it?

3. What questions do you still have?

Appendix


Accountable Talk® is a registered trademark of the University of Pittsburgh

English Language Arts Unit, Grade 5: A Study of Author Pam Munoz Ryan,

Focus Standards (CCSS, 2012, p. 12, 14, 21, 24, 28-29)





Writing W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.



Language L. 5.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L. 5.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L. 5.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

L. 5.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).

Appendix




Appendix

Appendix




Unit Texts Introduction: “Aguascalitentes, Mexico 1924” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ryan, P. M. (2000). Aguascalitentes, Mexico 1924. Esperanza Rising (pp. 1-3). New York: Scholastic Press. Text 1: “The Friend Who Changed My Life” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ryan, P. M. (2005). The friend who changed my life. In A.M. Martin and D. Levithan (Eds.), Friends: Stories about new friends, old friends, and unexpectedly true friends. (pp. 1-14). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Text 2: “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ryan, P.M. (2000). The party. In L. Robb (Ed.), Differentiating reading instruction: How to teach reading to meet the needs of each student (pp. 259-261). New York: Scholastic Teaching Resources.

Text 3: “Los Higos” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ryan, P. M. (2002). Los Higos. Esperanza Rising (pp. 39-57). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Culminating Assessment: “A Paddling of Ducks” by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ryan, P. M. (2004). A paddling of ducks. Becoming Naomi Leon (pp. 4-7). New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Appendix




Obtaining Copyright Permission

A number of texts, such as journal and newspaper articles, book chapters, children’s books, and poems, may be mentioned in this IFL Unit. Because of copyright considerations, these resources could not be included in the unit. A comprehensive reference citation has been included in this section of the unit.

The resources referenced in this unit may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). You are responsible for obtaining permission from the rights holder(s) in order to reproduce and distribute copyrighted material. The rights holder may require a fee for this permission, which will be based on the number of copies made. Even if the rights holder does not require a fee, you are still obligated to make a formal request before redistributing copyrighted material.

Notes • The rights holder will need the following information to process your request—

Title of work, author, place of publication, page numbers, and how and when the resource will be used.

• When text comes from an anthology or a textbook, the publisher of the book is most likely not the rights holder. The publisher generally gets permission to include the text in their book. The rights holder will need to be determined in order to get permission to use the text.

• Picture books generally have two rights holders, one for the text and another for the images. Both rights holders must grant permission to make copies of the texts.

• Other resources, such as painting, photographs, graphics, cartoons, videos, songs, etc., also require copyright permission.

Copyright laws may prohibit photocopying this document without

express permission.

Appendix




Instructional Glossary

Assessments in IFL English Language Arts reflect what is known about the assessments under development by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). Both consortia closely align their assessments to the Common Core State Standards.

Assessment Tasks • Allow for an assessment of how well students are learning the content and habits of

thinking that they are being taught through the designed curriculum. • Build from the notion that we should assess what we actually teach. Therefore, the

assessment and unit content learning goals, skills, and habits of thinking are the same. • Ask students to individually complete tasks that mirror tasks they have completed, often

with others, as part of the unit’s daily instruction. The specific content of the assessment is new to students, yet within the scope of the content they have been studying as part of the unit of study.

• Use student work to assess what students know, what teachers need to re-teach, and what modifications teachers must make as they continue the work of the unit.

Blog refers to a web site that allows individuals or groups of users to post facts, opinions, stories, etc. and allows other uses to respond to those posts using comment boxes on the blog page.

Charting of the pair/trio sharing by or for members of the group represents the work of the group to the entire class. Wall charts are dynamic displays that are frequently revisited and revised by the teacher and learners as their understanding of the particular content is developing. In the process of creating these charts, learners voice their own interpretations of content or ideas, providing teachers with key opportunities to assess learners’ understanding. While the teacher is collecting the students’ ideas, often s/he is also shaping and organizing their ideas given the content and standards that are the focus of the lesson or unit. Wall charts also act as a way to provide support for students who may not have understood the work individually (or in their pair/trio/group work). Additionally, wall charts provide learners with clear expectations of what they are learning or expected to produce. Learners use these charts as references when doing work independently or in small and large groups; this allows students to begin to self-manage their learning. Therefore, these charts should be strategically placed in the classroom so that students can use them as tools of instruction. Wall charts are part of the gradual release of the responsibility for learning from teachers to students. They are intended to reflect and impact the learner’s work and achievement, unlike posters, which are fixed products and are often used as decoration.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have been adopted by most states. Information about this standards project and the English language arts/literacy standards are on the CCSS website: http://www.corestandards.org.

Comprehension/Sorting Questions promote close reading and allow students to get the gist of a text while sorting out, for example, the characters and settings, central and supporting ideas, or claims and counterclaims.

Appendix




Culminating Assessment: refers to the final unit assessment. Students complete this performance assessment individually. It focuses on the big ideas and skills students have studied and used in the unit. It takes into account the standards and sequence of lessons, and it tests what has been taught, modeled, and included on criteria charts and trackers.

Culminating Assignment refers to the final unit assignment. The culminating assignment focuses on the big ideas and skills students have studied and used in the unit. Unlike the culminating assessment, students receive support in its completion including opportunities for multiple drafts, peer review, and revision. Usually, students learn about the culminating assignment at the beginning of the unit, which helps them to understand how the work that they do throughout the unit connects and supports their completion of this individual but scaffolded assignment.

Disciplinary Literacy (DL) is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates academically rigorous content with discipline-appropriate habits of thinking. In DL, students become literate in a specific discipline by learning the big ideas and habits of thinking of that discipline simultaneously.

Embedded Assessment Tasks describe assessments that are integral to a curriculum and are part of a unit’s instructional sequence. They are literally embedded as on-demand “tests” in units of instruction and require students to perform tasks that mirror work they have completed, often with others, as part of the unit’s daily instruction. Embedding assessments throughout instruction allow teachers to find out what students don’t know or aren’t able to do while there is still time to do something about it. These assessments provide formative data that allow teachers to change or modify instruction to address better the needs of individual learners.

Formative Assessment is assessment for learning. This type of assessment occurs throughout the course of a unit and is used to measure students’ understanding of the unit’s key concepts, content, and skills. The data from formative assessments are used to adjust instruction and learning to meet the needs of students. This adjustment may include reteaching certain concepts either to the whole class or a specific group of students, or incorporating alternative approaches to assessing the content.

Gallery Walks refer to walks students do around the classroom in order to read, take notes on, or respond to various classroom artifacts such as individual or pair/trio charts, whole group charts, displays constructed by the teacher or peers, etc. Gallery walks provide the opportunity for students to share their work with others and/or display what they know or have learned. Additionally, gallery walks can provide teachers with an active way to share information with students on various topics. Gallery Walks are usually followed by whole class discussions.

Genre: “A genre of writing is a rough template for accomplishing a particular purpose with language. It provides the writer and the reader with a common set of assumptions about what characterizes the text” (Hampton, S., Murphy, S., & Lowry, M. (2009) in Using Rubrics to Improve Writing, New Standards, IRA, University of Pittsburgh & NCEE, p. 1). Informational Text: The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) explicate expectations for reading and writing informational text. The CCSS section below elaborates on these expectations for writing informational text:

“Informational/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more closely related purposes: to increase readers’ knowledge of a subject, to help readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept. Informational/explanatory writing addresses matters such as types (What are the

Appendix




different types of poetry?) and components (What are the parts of a motor?); size, function, or behavior (How big is the United States? What is an X-ray used for? How do penguins find food?); how things work (How does the legislative branch of government function?); and why things happen (Why do some authors blend genres?).” (Appendix A, p. 23)

Writers of informational/explanatory texts:

“use a variety of techniques to convey information, such as naming, defining, describing, or differentiating different types or parts; comparing or contrasting ideas or concepts; and citing an anecdote or a scenario to illustrate a point. Informational/explanatory writing includes a wide array of genres, including academic genres such as literary analyses, scientific and historical reports, summaries, and précis writing as well as forms of workplace and functional writing such as instructions, manuals, memos, reports, applications, and résumés.” (ibid)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress addresses the reading of informational text in its reading framework, “Informational texts include three broad categories: exposition; argumentation and persuasive text; and procedural text and documents.” Informational texts include such reading materials as textbooks, magazine and newspaper articles, documents, essays, and speeches.

The sidebar of the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading advocates that students read "increasingly challenging literary and informational texts." They provide examples of informational text such as "texts in history/social studies, science and other disciplines" (2010, p. 10).

Following sections from the CCSS provide examples of informational texts, which are meant to illustrate the kinds of texts that can be selected, but not to be the only texts students would read:

Informational: Historical/Social Science Texts

Historical/Social Science texts are informational texts with historical or social science content. Examples from Appendix B of the CCSS include: Preamble and First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Freedman, The Great Fire by Murphy, and Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist by Greenberg.

Informational: Scientific and Technical Texts

Scientific and Technical texts are informational texts with scientific and technical content. Examples from Appendix B of the CCSS include: The Building of Manhattan by Mackay, Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet out of Idaho by Katz, “Space Probe” from Astronomy & Space: From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch, and “The Evolution of the Grocery Bag” by Petroski.

Literary Nonfiction

Literary nonfiction “includes the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays, speeches, opinion pieces, essays about art or literature, biographies, memoirs, journalism, and historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience” (2010, Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, 2010, p. 57). These texts can be informational, persuasion, and narrative.

Appendix




Examples from Appendix B of the CCSS include: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave by Douglass, “Letter to Thomas Jefferson” by Adams, Travels with Charley: In Search of America by Steinbeck, and “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: Address to Parliament on May 13th, 1940” by Churchill.

Interpretive Questions are text-based, thought-provoking questions that stem from genuine inquiry. These open-ended questions can sustain multiple, varied responses based on evidence from the text. Interpretive questions are the focus of WriteAbouts and inquiry-based discussions.

Inquiry-Based Discussions are whole group discussions in which readers discuss their responses to interpretive questions (WriteAbouts). These student-centered discussions usually follow a second or third reading of the text. Before students engage in inquiry-based discussions, they have had the opportunity to write individually on the interpretive question and share their responses in pairs or trios. The purposes of an inquiry-based discussion are to help readers:

• “try out” their answers and explanations using specific moments and evidence from the text;

• practice making interpretations supported with evidence from the text; • accept alternative views/interpretations of the same text; • rethink what they think about the text; and • understand that readers can have different valid interpretations of the same text.

Mentor Texts are texts that are written in the same genre being studied by students. These serve to assist students to recognize the common characteristics found in a particular genre and to learn how best to read such texts. Additionally, mentor texts assist students to develop their own capacity for writing in the genre, as they analyze the choices an author makes. Both published texts and student work samples can be used as mentor texts.

Metacognition refers to thinking about one’s thinking and how one learns. Students are asked to think metacognitively when they answer StepBack questions. During this part of the learning, students consider WHAT they learned and HOW they learned it.

Models are examples of work, either oral or written, that support students producing similar work. A model is of a total performance, which can be large or small, in order to help learners understand the essence of an activity and to develop a mental picture of what the real thing looks like. It may be an example of one way to explain significant moments, answer a StepBack question, write the culminating assignment, etc. Models include work completed by peers, the teacher, and/or professional writers. Before completing the task/assignment themselves, learners are usually asked to deconstruct these models in order to analyze what makes them effective. Models are not necessarily exemplars; therefore, they do not need to be perfect.

Overarching Questions present the big ideas of the unit as inquiry questions that reach across and connect all of the texts under study including the students’ writing. These overarching questions are informed by the standards and central ideas worth knowing about a particular topic within a given discipline.

Pair/Trio Sharing refers to students working in groups of two or three to share their responses to individual Quick Writes or other tasks in order to establish academic conversations in a safe environment with high accountability to the task and the group members.

Appendix




Patterned Way of Reading, Writing, and Talking refers to DL ELA pattern of reading, writing about/like, and discussing texts multiple times for different purposes using scaffolded questions that lead students from literal comprehension to higher-order thinking.

Quick Writes are short pieces of writing composed by individual learners in response to questions and tasks for any and all of the design features of lessons, tasks, and units. The term “Quick Write” is a synonym for free writes, discovery writing, writing to learn, written reflections, etc. The following chart shows how Quick Writes can vary:

Type of Quick Write: How the writing varies:

Discovery Writing Quick. Students are accessing prior knowledge or thinking on paper.

Entry Slips Usually quick. Students respond to a writing prompt from the teacher on previous or current learning.

Exit Slips Usually quick. Exit Slips are similar to Entry Slips except these are handed in at the end of the class rather than at the beginning and most often require students to focus on an aspect of the learning done that day.

Getting the Gist

Quick. Students are sharing events, characters, key ideas, etc. Length of time depends on amount and difficulty of text.

Appendix




Significant Moments

Longer. Students are sharing moments and evidence, questioning each other, identifying similarities and differences.

WriteAbout

Time for writing and sharing is longer since the task is more difficult. During the pair/trio share, students are sharing ideas and evidence, debating interpretations, questioning each others ideas and evidence, etc.

WriteLike

Time allotted depends on students’ familiarity with the task. Writing and sharing might look more like working together to solve a problem, find examples of a literary device, analyze aspects of an author’s style, etc.

Read Aloud is a reading approach in which the text is not seen by the students, but is read aloud by the teacher with intermittent questions designed to foster student discussion that builds meaning. Read to Get the Gist is the first reading of a text in which readers read for literal comprehension. Literal comprehension questions such as, “What is happening?” in a narrative, “What are the arguments?” in an argumentative text, or “What are the issues?” in an informational text guide this first reading. For narrative writing, questions such as “Who are the characters? What do you know about them? How do you know it?” help students sort the characters and develop literal comprehension.

Reader/Writer Notebook is a classroom tool students use to record their thinking and/or ideas, generate writing ideas, and try out new voices. Students compose Quick Writes and WriteAbouts, take notes, compose observations for writings, respond to questions and tasks, and track their learning in their Reader/Writer Notebooks. The Reader/Writer Notebook is a place students can go back to when working on larger pieces such as their culminating assignment. It also serves as a central notebook to store handouts, papers, calendars, and other materials used in the class. It is helpful to use a loose-leaf notebook so that pages from each student’s Reader/Writer Notebook can be collected, shared, returned, and re-arranged with greater ease.

Reread for Significance involves having students reread or skim through a text for the purpose of identifying moments or specific kinds of moments (e.g., author’s arguments, character’s response to challenge) that strike them as significant to that text. Students are then asked to explain the significance of the chosen moments to the text.

Retrospective tasks on each text or across texts invite students to rethink and revise writing on the unit’s big ideas and overarching questions as they progress through the unit.

Rubrics delineate the criteria of different levels of performance. In writing instruction, formative and summative ones are used. Summative rubrics are primarily useful for the teacher to quickly assign a score to a piece of student writing. These are usually too complex or abstract to be helpful to students. Formative rubrics, developed by students with their teacher as part of instruction on specific writing assignments, can be helpful checklists/gauges for students of what they have included in their writing and how well their writing represents each element. Students with their teacher update rubrics as their writing improves through instruction, practice, and feedback.

Appendix




The table below presents a brief overview of the main types of rubrics used to assess student work in ELA and some of the differences among them.

Type of Rubric and Description

Advantages Disadvantages

Holistic assigns a single, overall rating or score to a product or performance based on an overall impression

• good for simple products or performances (i.e., ones characterized by a single element or dimension)

• provides a quick “snapshot” of overall quality or achievement performance

• represents overall “impact” of a product or performance

• does not provide detailed analysis of strengths and weaknesses, so not useful for diagnostic purposes or to inform instruction

• does not help students to see what they need to do to improve

Analytic assigns separate ratings or scores to identified elements or dimensions of a product or performance so that each category or dimension can be judged separately on a quality scale as the basis of determining a total score/judgment

• captures complexity of product or performance that involves several elements or dimensions

• identifies the essential components of quality by element or dimension

• provides specific feedback to teachers, students, and parents regarding individual strengths and weaknesses as well as a final score/judgment

• time consuming, especially at first, to learn and to use

• raises issues of reliability among different raters who are dealing with several elements or dimensions

• components of quality scale may be more generic

• applied across writing tasks which can result in generic kinds of writing

Primary trait focuses attention on rating of a single trait considered to be the most essential for demonstrating success regarding a particular product or performance; in writing: isolates one component of written discourse and assesses the writer’s aptness for that particular trait; in reading and writing, isolates the essential attribute of the reading performance

• gives a sharp view of the complex aspects of a particular skill, thus allowing for more precisely identifying particular strengths and weaknesses

• the dimension or trait being rated is clearly reflected in the primary trait at each score point;

• task-specific

• time consuming, especially at first, to learn and to use

• tasks may require secondary trait rubrics in addition to a primary trait one adding additional complexity to the scoring of papers

References: Arter, J. & McTighe, J. (2001). Scoring rubrics in the classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc. Lloyd-Jones, R. (1977). Primary trait scoring. In C. Cooper & L. Odell (Eds.), Evaluating writing: Describing, measuring, judging (pp. 33-66). Urbana, IL: NCTE. Shultz, L. & Laine, C. (1986). A primary trait-scoring grid with instructional uses. Journal of Teaching Writing, 5(1), 77-90.

Appendix




Shared Reading involves the teacher displaying an enlarged copy of the text and showing only the portions of the text to be read aloud and discussed as the text unfolds. It is important that students’ eyes track the text as it is being read aloud by the teacher, especially during an initial reading. The power of the shared reading component is that the teacher is taking on the decoding work, while the students are able to see the words and hear how they sound, simultaneously.

Significance tasks ask students to locate significant moments in a text and to explain why those moments are significant to the text.

StepBack tasks ask students to reflect on what they are learning and how they are learning it. They are deliberate efforts to help students accumulate their growing body of knowledge on the unit focus and overarching questions and develop a meta-cognitive awareness that prompts transfer of learning to relevant new situations.

Summative Assessment is a final score or can occur at the end of the unit, usually in the form of a culminating assessment or assignment, and measures what students have learned over the course of the unit.

Tasks ask learners to use knowledge, skills, and habits to accomplish an activity, project, or to solve a problem in reading, writing, and thinking. In completing tasks, learners “do” the subject of literature, composition, and/or language study within the disciplines working in ways authentic to the discipline. Typically, tasks are prompted by open-ended questions about a text(s) students are reading and/or writing.

Think Aloud is a form of modeling in which the teacher or a peer thinks aloud as s/he is performing a task such as reading a text, gathering evidence to answer a question, writing a thesis statement, etc. The person performing the think aloud usually chooses three or four strategies or techniques to explicitly model and asks learners to focus on, listen for, or take notes on those things. The purpose of a think aloud is to make the implicit explicit so that others may learn and apply these strategies when doing the task themselves.

Trackers assist students to self-assess and monitor progress in relation to established criteria for success on a culminating assignment/assessment.

Unit focus identifies the big ideas (e.g., “Miseducation” or “Writing and Identity” or “Child Labor”), genre, or author to be studied, linked to the standards

Wiki refers to a website with a collection of pages that are developed and edited collaboratively by a group of people. Each page in a wiki allows readers to leave comments about the content and many wikis allow readers to edit the content within each page. WriteAbouts are short pieces of writing students do in response to interpretive questions based on their reading. WriteAbouts usually follow a second or third reading of the text and are written in students’ Reader's/Writer's Notebooks. They are usually in preparation for an inquiry-based discussion.

WriteLikes ask students to write like the texts, either in the style of the selection or in imitation of an author’s sentence and grammatical structures.

Appendix




INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

Appendix




Reader/Writer Notebook

What is the Reader/Writer Notebook? It is a notebook with loose-leaf paper that can be added, rearranged, or temporarily removed. Loose-leaf holed paper between pressboard covers, held together with rings would suffice.

Students will be asked to use a Reader/Writer Notebook this year.

What are two main purposes of the notebook? It gives the writer a place for thinking and for trying out different voices and techniques.

It also serves as a central notebook to store handouts, other papers, and calendars used in English language arts.

What are other specific uses of the notebook? It is our classroom tool for thinking, recording ideas, generating writing ideas, and trying out new voices.

We use it for Quick Writes, 2-column notes, WriteAbouts, WriteLikes, criteria charts, class notes, brainstorming, etc.

• It is a place for writers to work through writing problems and to brainstorm. • It is a place where we can go back to reread and/or to select pieces for revision. • It is a place where we can go back to reflect on how we have grown as readers and

writers.

How may students set up their own Reader/Writer Notebooks? Either on the cover or the first page of the notebook, ask students to write their name, class period, and the date they began using their notebook. They might also personalize their notebooks with decorations, pictures, nicknames, etc.

On the top of the second page of the notebook, ask students to write “Table of Contents.”

On the first line of the Table of Contents page, ask students to write: “date,” “topic,” and “page number.”

Beginning with the Table of Contents, ask students to number the first 30 pages; students may number the rest of the pages when they get to page 30.

Students can now begin using the Reader/Writer Notebooks on page 6 (pages 2-5 will be set aside for the table of contents).

Note: Because the Reader/Writer Notebook is a place for students to think and try out different writing and reading ideas, encourage them to write and collect ideas in their notebooks as a habit of practice that extends beyond the times related to specific assignments for class.

Appendix




Teacher Resource: Reader/Writer Notebook Suggested Feedback System

Since the Writer’s Notebook is expressive writing (writing for the writer), it is important to lower the students’ level of anxiety relative to grammar and usage errors. Randy Bomer12 suggests that teachers also use a Reader/Writer Notebook. This helps to deepen the idea of a writers’ community in the classroom and allows teachers to give students ideas for their notebooks by sharing from time to time from their notebooks.

Bomer has also devised a method of feedback based on the following criteria:

1. Volume

A. One entry from each class, including one long selection.

B. Five for homework, including two long selections. 2. Variety 3. Thoughtfulness 4. Habits of Thought – Intention for Writing

Specifically: A. description B. precise dialogue C. movement between facts and ideas.

5. Playful Experimentation with Language

He then uses a class rotation system, collecting every student’s notebook once every two weeks. He writes brief comments and the score from the class rubric on sticky notes and places them in each notebook.

12 Bomer, R. (1995). Time for meaning: Crafting literate lives in middle and high school. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Appendix




Pedagogical Rituals and Routines

When we ask students to engage in inquiry units and lessons, we ask them to use the following key Pedagogical Rituals and Routines. These rituals and routines, derived from research on cognitive apprenticeship, are designed to engage all students as learners in collaborative problem solving, writing to learn, making thinking visible, using routines for note-taking/making and tracking learning, text-based norms for interpretive discussions and writings, ongoing assessment and revision, and meta-cognitive reflection and articulation as regular patterns in learning. These cyclical apprenticeship rituals and routines build community when used with authentic tasks through collaboration, coaching, the sharing of solutions, multiple occasions for practice, and the articulation of reflections (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989).

The key English language arts pedagogical routines that support students’ learning are:

• Quick Writes composed by individual learners in response to questions and tasks for any and all of the design features of lessons and units;

• pair/trio sharing of individual Quick Writes to establish academic conversations in a safe environment with high accountability to the task and the group members;

• charting of the pair/trio sharing by members of the group to represent the work of the group to the entire class;

• gallery walks for members of the class to read and take notes on the pair/trio work in preparation for a whole class discussion of the task;

• whole group discussions of the questions or tasks that prompted the scaffold of Quick Writes, pair/trio share, charting, and gallery walks to deepen understandings and address lingering questions;

• model of a total performance in order to help learners understand the essence of an activity and to develop a mental picture of what the real thing looks like;

• Reader/Writer Notebooks in which learners compose Quick Writes, take notes, make notes, compose observations for writings, respond to questions and tasks, and track their learning; and

• StepBacks in which learners meta-cognitively reflect through Quick Writes, pair/trio shares, charting, gallery walks, discussions, and writing assignments on the content and pedagogy of their learning to develop and track their understandings and habits of thinking.

Appendix



English Language Arts Unit, Grade 3, Ocean Animal Life

Accountable Talk® Moves and Functions in ELA Teacher Move Function An Example

To ensure purposeful, coherent, and productive group discussion

1. Marking Direct attention to the value and importance of a student’s contribution.

“I hear you saying _____. Let’s keep this idea in mind.”

2. Challenging students

Redirect a question back to the students or use student’s contributions as a source for a further challenge or inquiry.

“What do YOU think?” “What surprised you about what you just heard about the text’s ______?”

3. Modeling Make one’s thinking public and demonstrate a total performance in order to help learners understand the essence of the activity and to develop a mental picture of what the real thing looks like.

“Here’s what good readers do…”

To support accountability to accurate knowledge

4. Pressing for accuracy

Hold students accountable for the accuracy, credibility, and clarity of their contributions.

“Where can we find that…?” “What is your basis for that conclusion?” “Who said that?”

5. Building on prior knowledge

Tie a current contribution back to knowledge accumulated by the class at a previous time.

“How does this connect…?” “How do we define ______ in this context?” “What else comes to mind given our discussion about ____________?”

To support accountability to rigorous thinking

6. Pressing for reasoning

Elicit evidence and establish what contribution a student’s utterance is intended to make within the group’s larger enterprise.

“Why do you think that…?” “What evidence from the text supports your claim? How does this idea contrast with _____?”

7. Expanding reasoning

Open up extra time and space in the conversation for student reasoning.

“Take your time… say more.” “Given what we just read and discussed, what would you now say about ______?”

8. Recapping

Make public in a concise, coherent way, the group’s developed, shared understanding of the content or text under discussion.

“What have we discovered?” “So far, we have discussed the following… What else do we need to address?”

To support accountability to the learning community

9. Keeping the channels open

Ensure that students can hear each other, and remind them that they must hear what others have said.

“Please say back what _____ just said.”

10. Keeping everyone together

Ensure that everyone not only heard, but also understood, what a speaker said.

“Do you agree or disagree with what _______ just said? Explain your thinking.”

11. Linking contributions

Make explicit the relationship between a new contribution and what has gone before.

“Who wants to add on to …?” “What do you notice is missing?”

12. Verifying and clarifying

Revoice a student’s contribution, thereby helping both speakers and listeners to engage more profitably in the conversation.

“So, are you saying…?”

Appendix



Inquiry-Based Discussion

In an inquiry-based discussion, readers discuss their responses to an interpretive question about a text(s). An interpretive question stems from a genuine inquiry about a text, is thought provoking and can sustain multiple and varied responses supported by textual evidence.

The purposes of the discussion are to help readers to: • “try out” their answers and explanations anchored with specific moments from the text; • accept alternative views/interpretations of the same text (not about reaching consensus

or proclaiming a winner); • rethink what they think about the text; and • understand that readers can have different, valid interpretations of the same text.

Preparing for the Discussion • The discussion lead, usually the teacher, explains inquiry to readers, models some

responses, and describes the teacher’s and the students’ roles during the discussion. • Allow enough time for the discussion given the text complexity. • The discussion usually follows the second or third reading of a text. • Individually, students WriteAbout the interpretive question and mine the text for evidence

supporting their responses. • Students are seated so they can see, talk to, and listen to each other.

Features of the Inquiry-Based Discussion • A central inquiry/question that can sustain multiple responses related to interpreting the

ideas of one text or across texts focuses the talk. • The facilitator prompts students to “say more” and to anchor their talk in the text. • Initial student talk is exploratory and can be halting as participants “try out” and modify

their answers and explanations. • Participants return often to cite or re-read the text, texts, or their notes. • There is usually genuine talk related to the question by over 60% of the group. • Participants listen to each other using the ideas of others in their answers. • At the end of the discussion, there is time for each participant to jot down what they are

thinking about the text given the discussion. • The teacher takes the long view on students’ discussions, expecting the students to get

better as they have more experience.

Appendix



Facilitator’s Role • The teacher facilitator is not a direct teacher or a presenter. The facilitator does not talk

too much, does not repeat the talkers’ responses, and does not verbally compliment or negate responses.

• When teachers step out of their role as guides and into their role as participants or teachers, they limit participation. (Vygotsky, 1986; Alvermann et al., 1996)

• As teacher facilitator, you elicit what readers are thinking and validating with evidence, but you are not telling them your interpretation.

• The teacher facilitator: – Uses questions to get others talking; – Encourages everyone—not just some—to participate; – Presses for clarification and evidence from the text; and – Keeps the conversation on track during the time frame provided; – Encourages readers to listen to and learn from each other by not repeating their

responses; – Reminds them, only if and when necessary, of the guiding question under

discussion; – Asks each discussant to validate answers with explanations anchored in evidence

from the text; – Summarizes a flow of 3 or 4 responses or questions further to raise rigor of

discussion—not to do the mental work for students; – Asks participants to step back and reflect on what they learned from the

discussion: Would they now change their first Quick Write response and, if so, what would they change and why?;

– Asks the idea tracker to recap the intellectual work of the discussion. • The facilitator asks readers to step back and reflect on the discussion: If they didn’t

participate successfully, what needs to improve and who has responsibility for the improvement?



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A Study of Author Pam Muñoz Ryan

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