Problem/Solution

Lauren Nearhoof

Unit: “Franklin R. Chang-Diaz”

Skill: Problem and Solution

Essential Question: How can you use your knowledge of problem and solution to identify them in a nonfiction text?

Assessment Prompt: Can you evaluate the problems located on the graphic organizer and identify the solution by citing evidence from the text?

Standards:

·        R6.B.3.3.1: Identify, explain, and/or interpret text organization, including sequence, question/answer, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, or problem/solution.

·        R6.A.2.1.2: Identify and apply meaning of content specific words used in text.

·        R6.A.2.5.1: Summarize the major points, processes, and/or events of a nonfictional text as a whole.

Materials:

·        Leveled readers

·        Problem/Solution Graphic Organizer

·        Specified groupings

·        Note cards

Activating Strategy:

1.      Ask students to “think, pair, share” about what problems could arise during space travel.

a.       Have students think for 1 minute silently

b.      Have students pair with a student in close proximity

c.       Have students share the problems they identified

2.      In pair, have students come up with solutions for the problems identified

3.      Take volunteers to share the problems/solutions found during activating strategy

Teaching Strategy:

1.      Discuss with the students the differences in problem/solution based on text genre

a.       In fictional texts, problem and solutions can be unrealistic, exaggerated, or “too good to be true”

                                                               i.      Examples: Harry Potter uses the indivisibility cloak to investigate Hogwarts without being seen

                                                             ii.      This is unrealistic

b.      In nonfictional texts, problem and solution have to be realistic and based on true facts

                                                               i.      Franklin R. Chang-Diaz didn’t have the money to travel to the United States so he got a job and saved the money for a one-way trip

2.      Ask students if his/her definition of problem/solution has changed since yesterday after discussing the different types

a.       Have students rewrite a definition of problem and solution on a note card

b.      Have students share his/her definitions with a partner

c.        Take volunteers from the class to share

d.      Tell students to keep this note card for reference for the remaining of this unit

3.      Introduce the two leveled reader text options

a.       Read the Title

b.      Show students the cover

c.       Give a brief scenario about each book

4.      Have students decide which book they would like to read and find problem/solutions with

a.       Call students up one row at a time to pick a book

b.      Give student the corresponding graphic organizer

5.      Give students instructions

a.       Read silently the book you chose

b.      Fill out the graphic organizer correctly

c.       Inform students that this will be taken as a grade to show individual knowledge of problem/solution

6.      Monitor the students as they read to insure that everyone is staying on task

7.      As students finish, have one student from each book selection meet for a “book talk”

a.       In the book talk, students will summarize what the text was about only identifying the main ideas

b.      Students will read the problems that arose during the text

c.       Students will read the solutions to the problems

                                                               i.      Make sure that students are finding the solutions in the text, not creating his/her own to the problem

d.      Have students swap roles and discuss the same topics about the other book

8.      Bring students back into full group instruction

9.      What are some similarities between the two texts based on your book discussion?

10.  What are some differences between the two texts based on your book discussion?

11.  Evaluate which genre each text is from- fiction or nonfiction

a.       Have students defend his/her answer using knowledge about the two types of genres

Summarizing Strategy:

1.      On the back of the note card have students reply to the following prompt:

a.       3 main ideas from the text (can be a quick list)

b.      2 problems that arose from the text

c.       1 reason why the problems occurred

2.      Once students are completed with this, have them place their card on the front desk before exiting the room 

Franklin R. Chang-Diaz Intro

Lauren Nearhoof

Title: “Franklin R. Chang-Diaz”

Reading Skill: Problem and Solution

Essential Question: How can you use your knowledge of problem and solution to identify them in a nonfiction text?

Assessment Prompt:

·         What is the definition of a nonfiction text and how does it differ from a fictional text?

Standards:

·         R6.B.3.3.1: Identify, explain, and/or interpret text organization, including sequence, question/answer, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, or problem/solution.

·         R6.A.2.1.2: Identify and apply meaning of contentspecific words used in text.

·         R6.A.2.5.1: Summarize the major points, processes, and/or events of a nonfictional text as a whole.

Materials:

·         Note cards

·         Post-it notes

·         Overhead transparency prepared of workbook page

·         Reading Books (pg. 578)

·         Reading Journals

·         Access to YouTube

·         Small groups prepared

Activating Strategy:

1.      On the note-card located on your desk, write one problem that you have encountered in the last year

a.       Prompt students of realistic problems that he or she may have encountered if they cannot think of something

                                                              i.      A missed homework assignment

                                                            ii.      Not understanding your homework assignment

                                                          iii.      Missing school because of an illness, and having to make-up all of the work

                                                          iv.      Forgetting a relatives birthday

                                                            v.      Missing the bus

b.      Ensure that students are staying on task by walking around the class and monitoring student behavior

c.       Allow 1 minute for students to think of a problem and write it down on one side of the note card

2.      Instruct students to swap note cards with someone else in the room without getting out of his/her seat

3.      Allow 2 minutes for the students to read the problem on the note card and write a possible solution for that problem underneath it

a.       This does not have to be written in complete sentences

b.      Walk around the room to ensure that students are staying on task

4.      Allow 3 students to share the problem that was located on his/her note card and the solution that they came up with

Teaching Strategy:

1.      On the opposite side of the note card ask students to write their own definition of the words “problem” and “solution” based on the activating strategy

a.       This will also be written on the PowerPoint as a visual for ESL or 504 students

2.      Introduce the title of the story and prompt students section-by-section to get a reading book off of the shelf if they hadn’t already

a.       Title: Franklin R. Chang- Diaz

b.      Nonfiction

                                                              i.      Ask the first assessment prompt

                                                            ii.      Take one volunteer to answer this question

c.       About the first Latino to travel to space

3.      Show YouTube video about Franklin R. Chang-Diaz

a.       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Rnz2PI5Bc

b.      Require students to write down one interesting fact about Franklin while watching the video somewhere on that note card

                                                              i.      Does not have to be written in complete sentences

                                                            ii.      Have students share with an elbow buddy his/her fact from the video

4.      Ask students to open his/her workbook to the problem/solution graphic organizer

a.       Explain the directions of the graphic organizer to the class

b.      Ask if anyone has any questions before moving on

5.      Read aloud the first few pages until the top of 577

a.       Stop at the first problem on the graphic organizer

b.      Model the solution from the text

c.       Show answer on overhead projector

d.      Prompt students to fill in the answer for the first block

6.      Break students off into designated groups

a.       Read aloud the groups

b.      Give a place where the groups should be working in the room

c.       Direct students to complete the next 4 problems in the graphic organizer together in their groups

d.      If students in one group finish before another group does instruct the students  to begin working on the vocabulary page that corresponds with this story

7.      Once all students have completed the reading the text up to page 579 and completed the graphic organizer, prompt students to return to his/her seat

8.      Go over answers aloud with the class from the problems on the graphic organizer

a.       Take volunteers

b.      Follow along on overhead projector

9.      Assign the remainder of the graphic organizer and reading of the text as individual work that students will complete at his/her own desk

a.       Pull back small group instruction for additional help of students who scored below grade level on Star Assessment

b.      Read the text together and complete the remainder of the graphic organizer  as small group

10.  Ask students finish, they may continue working on the vocabulary worksheet

11.  If students finish reading the story, the graphic organizer, and the vocabulary worksheet they may recreational read until the remainder of the students have completed the assigned work

Summarizing Strategy:

1.      Prompt students to write a brief summary of one problem Franklin experiences as a child and the solution to the problem on the post-it note

2.      Use as a ticket out the door

Differentiation:

·         PowerPoint instructions allow visual aids for students who learn visually, have a 504, or are learning English as a second language

·         Designated grouping allows students from a variety of skill levels to participate and cooperate to complete a common task

·         Small group instruction with me during individual class-work allows extra instruction for students below grade level

Summarizing Lesson "A Kind of Grace"

Lauren Nearhoof

“A Kind of Grace” Unit

Skill: Summarizing

Essential Question:

How can you apply your knowledge about summarizing into writing?

Assessment Prompts:

Standards:

R6.A.2.5.1: Summarize the major points, processes, and/or events of a nonfictional text as a whole.

Materials:

·         Lined paper

·         Writing utensils

·         Timer

·         Access to chalkboard

·         Summary of MLK book

o   http://davidcolbertbooks.com/page3/page3.html

Activating Strategy:

1.      Hand out lined paper

2.      Have students complete the writing prompt

a.       Summarize what you did over the weekend in 1-2 paragraphs.

b.      Have the writing prompt wrote on the screen so students can refer to it as needed

3.      Allow 7-10 minutes

4.      Set timer to 8 minutes and see how many students are finished with summary

Teaching Strategy:

1.      Ask students to think about how they wrote their summaries

a.       How did you know which information to add to your summary?

b.      What kind of information did you leave out?

2.      Teach students what a summary is and how it can be applied in writing

a.       When writing a summary, one must decide which information is important and which information isn’t as important

b.      A summary should be smaller than the original event or piece of writing

                                                              i.      Your summary of your weekend shouldn’t have everything you did in the past three days- just the highlighted information

                                                            ii.      When you read a book, you write a summary of what the book is about, not rewrite the book

c.       Thought of as an outline

3.      Pass out summary of the MLK book

a.       Explain to students that this is a summary of the book they had just read

b.      Read with a partner

c.       Create a t-chart

                                                              i.      What information was provided in the summary or book review?

                                                            ii.      What information wasn’t provided in the summary or book review?

4.      Ask students if they could revise their summary, what changes would they make?

a.       Have a discussion

b.      Allow several students to share

c.       “This story we will be focusing on enhancing our summarizing skills”

Summarizing Strategy:

1.      On a piece of paper answer the following questions

a.       3 things you knew about summaries, 2 things you learned about summaries, and 1 thing I still am confused about

b.      If you can’t answer the questions, you can write more of the others