Elementary English and Language Arts UDL Instructional Unit - Lesson 1

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Contents

Objectives:

  • Students will describe relationships among characters, setting, key events, and conflicts.
      • Common Core State Standards: RL.3.1, R.L.3.3 and RL.4.1. RL.4.3
  • Students will identify the author's purpose, message, or theme.
      • Common Core State Standards: RL.3.2, RL.4.1 and RL.4.2
  • Students will use a graphic organizer to develop and organize ideas.
      • Common Core State Standards: W.3.8 and W.4.8

Essential Question(s):

  • What is the author's purpose?
  • How does the author's purpose shape the characters and setting in the story?
  • In what ways does the key events help the reader identify author's purpose?

Vocabulary:

Teacakes - A small flat cookie
Coast - To move easily with little to no effort
Sputter - To make popping sounds
Trudge - To walk steadily with much effort
Gardenias - A bushy shrub with white or yellow flowers

Materials:

  • The picture book, Saturdays and Teacakes, by Lester Laminack
  • Graphic Organizer, story map, individual copies
  • Graphic Organizer, story map, large version for whole group (can draw it out on chart paper or use a document reader and LCD projector to project onto a screen)
  • Pencils
  • 3 Different color markers
  • Exit Slips

Introduction

Activate Previous Knowledge

  1. Show students the cover of the picture book, Saturdays and Teacakes . Take a picture walk allowing students to view each page. Students briefly share what they observe from each picture. Lead students to discuss the story elements. Who are the characters? (boy, older lady) What do you think their relationship is to each other? (grandson and grandma) Where are they at? (house, yard, in the town) How do you know? (Student describes details in the picture that lead to his/her conclusions) What is happening in the pictures? (Answer should match picture clue at the time. Some examples are: riding his bike, mowing the lawn, sitting on the porch, making teacakes, etc) What are they doing? (same as prior question)
  2. Read the title and provide a brief description of the book. This book is about the relationship of a boy with his Mammaw. Every Saturday he visits his Mammaw and helps her with chores in the yard. The boy and his Mammaw always make teacakes when the work is complete.
  3. Use the making meaning strategy, turn to your partner. Make sure students are assigned a partner prior to reading the text. They should be sitting next to each other. Begin reading the book. Stop at various points (suggestions: pp1-10, pp.11-16, pp.17-22, and pp.23-29). Ask students to turn to your partner and retell the story focusing on the most important parts, key events. Have a signal that lets students know to return to the whole group (ie: hand up, ring chime, clap, etc). Repeat the process each time you choose to stop in the text.
  4. In the whole group, students share some key points their partner recalled from the text. By students telling what their partner thought, it makes it necessary f0r students to stay on task and listen to their partner.

Definitions:

Characters: the individuals in a story that helps to move the story along

Main Characters: the individuals in a story that the plot revolves around

Setting: where the story takes place; may include location and time

Plot: what is happening in a story, the action in a story, key events

Author's Purpose: the reason an author decides to write about a specific topic


Multiple means of representation – words on flashcards, sentence strips, chart paper, projected onto a screen

Multiple means of expression – discuss ideas with partners then large group; individual pictures or books available during read aloud

Multiple means of engagement – task allows for active participation; watch a DVD and listen to the author reading the text

If the student has had little to no experience with the concepts of character, plot or setting, it might be helpful to provide instruction using the Lesson 1 Concept Reinforcement Activity (CRA) prior to teaching the Introduction to Lesson 1.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Readers

  1. Provide a personal copy of the book which the student can reference to take part in the discussion.

    2. If the student uses an augmentative and alternative communication system (AAC) (e.g., symbol-based text, voice-output device, communication board, etc.), make sure the possible vocabulary used in the activity is available (in the correct form) for him or her to use in the discussion.

    Allow the student to use his or her preferred mode of communication (verbalizing, pointing, using an augmentative and alternative communication system, etc.) in the discussion.

  2. As the teacher reads the title and provides a brief description, provide symbol-based text for the title and description so the student can follow along.
  3. Provide the text printed in symbol-based format. Adapted with symbols for key characters and events attached with hook-and-loop tape to a Saturdays and Teacakes file folder, have the student either peel off or put on the symbols as the teacher reads about them.

    4. Have the student share with his or her partner by:

    1. Using his or her preferred mode of communication (verbalizing, pointing, using an augmentative and alternative communication system, etc.).
    2. Referencing the symbol-based text.
    3. Choosing from a selection of possible answers (if the student has difficulty discriminating, make the answer choices as discrepant and as few in quantity as possible; if the student can discriminate accurately, provide more choices).

    As his or her partner shares, have the student:

    1. Write a key word from the answer.
    2. Identify a symbol representing the answer.
  4. For sharing his or her partner's key points in large group, allow the student to use his or her preferred mode of communication (verbalizing, pointing, using an augmentative and alternative communication system, etc.)

Additional Consideration for Emerging Communicators

  1. Provide a personal copy of the book which the student can reference to take part in the discussion. The pictures might be supplemented with textures, accompanied by symbols or concrete tactile representations /real which can be used throughout the lesson (this will help the student learn to connect the symbols to their referents). Pictures could be copied twice with one copy cut apart into "puzzle pieces" which the student can manipulate, match to the other "whole" copy (using hook-and-loop tape), or pulled off (using the hook-and-loop tape) to use in communication.

    2. If the student uses an augmentative and alternative communication system (AAC) (e.g., symbol-based text, voice-output device, communication board, concrete tactile representations /real), etc.), make sure the necessary vocabulary used in the activity is available (in the correct form) for him or her to use in the discussion.

  2. As the teacher reads the title and provides a brief description:
    1. Provide symbol-based text for the title and have the student follow along.
    2. Provide symbols (pictures, photographs, icons, concrete tactile representations /real, any of the preceding supplemented with textures/colors/sounds/smells: e.g. perfume for Mammaw, cookie scented candle for the teacakes, etc.) and begin pre-teaching, connecting those symbols to their referents.
  3. Provide the text printed in symbol-based format, with tactile qualities, with concrete tactile representations /real. Adapted with symbols (and supplemented with textures, sounds, smells, etc. if appropriate) for key characters and events attached with hook-and-loop tape to a Saturdays and Teacakes file folder, have the student either peel off or put on the symbols as the teacher reads about them. If the student uses concrete tactile representations /real, have him or her take them out of or put them into a Saturdays and Teacakes basket or box.

    4. Have the student share with his or her partner by:

    1. Using his or her preferred mode of communication (verbalizing, pointing, using an augmentative and alternative communication system, etc.)
    2. Referencing the symbol-based text.
    3. Referencing the concrete tactile representations /real.
    4. Choosing from a selection of possible answers (if the student has difficulty discriminating, make the answer choices as discrepant and as few in quantity as possible; if the student can discriminate accurately, provide more choices which require a higher degree of discrimination).

    As his or her partner shares, have the student:

    1. Write a key word from the answer.
    2. Identify a symbol or object representing the answer.
    3. Record the partner's answer using assistive technology.
  4. For sharing his or her partner's key points in large group, allow the student to
    1. Use his or her preferred mode of communication (verbalizing, pointing, using an augmentative and alternative communication system, etc.).
    2. Show the representative symbol or object.
    3. Play the recording.
    4. Pre-plan what the student will share. Decide with the teacher when he or she will share and what the question/answer will be.

Establish Goals/Objectives for the Lesson

Explain to students: "We are going to use the picture book, Saturdays and Teacakes, to complete a story map with our partner that helps us to decipher the main characters, setting, and key events in the text. Then we will come back to the large group and share what we have written in the map."

Multiple means of representation – provide words on flashcards, sentence strips, chart paper, projected onto a screen

Multiple means of expression – discuss ideas with their partners and large group

Multiple means of engagement –students use graphic organizer to collect data with a partner and share in large group.

Lesson 1 - Body

Direct Instruction and/or Facilitation of the Lesson

  1. The teacher reviews the meaning of character, setting, and plot. The teacher reiterates that the author introduces many events in the plot to move the story along. Remind students to write/tell about the key events. (Allow students to define the key events with their partners.) Introduce the concept of author's purpose. Define the term: an author's purpose is the reason why an author wrote the book.
  2. Students work with the same partner from the read aloud. They complete a story map graphic organizer defining the main characters, setting, and plot. Copies of, Saturdays and Teacakes, are available for partners to use. Students are encouraged to go back into the text to find the necessary information.


Multiple means of representation – graphic organizer in small and large formats, copies of book

Multiple means of expression – read with partner, discuss and write answers with a partner

Multiple means of engagement – Students use graphic organizer to collect data with a partner.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Readers

  1. As the teacher reviews character, setting, plot and events, provide the student with symbol-based text definitions of those words. This should be a review of information and words the student is already familiar with. Author's purpose is a new concept so may require more direct instruction with the concept and a symbol for it.
  2. Provide the story map graphic organizer:
    1. With symbols supplementing the section titles.
    2. Plot sections could have numbered sections (1. Beginning, 2. Middle, 3. End).
    3. Plot sections could have ordinal words added (first, middle, last).

    Allow the student to:

    1. Write the answers (student may trace his or her own answers if they are working on writing as a fine motor skill).
    2. Draw the answers.
    3. Using picture symbols to complete the organizer.
    4. Verbalize the answers which a partner (peer or adult) scribes.


Additional Consideration for Emerging Communicators

  1. As the teacher reviews character, setting, plot and events, provide the student with symbol-based text definitions of those words and/or tactile or concrete tactile representations /real for the referents. Depending upon the student's needs, these symbolic tactile representations of the referents might also be supplemented with sounds or smells (e.g., perfume for Mammaw, cookie scented candle for the teacakes, etc.). This should be a review of information and words the student is already familiar with. Author's purpose is a new concept so may require more direct instruction with the concept and a symbol for it. Resources such as Standard Tactile Symbol List available from the Texas School for the Blind http://www.tsbvi.edu/tactile-symbols may be useful in determining symbols. Some symbols may need to be pre-taught (Rowland, 2012) but use of the same symbols (or the system) during this and other lessons will reduce the need for pre-teaching.
  2. Provide the story map graphic organizer:
    1. With symbols supplementing the section titles.
    2. With textured backgrounds and/or outlines.
    3. Enlarged if necessary due to student's response mode (e.g., if the student uses concrete tactile representations /real to communicate, there may need to be larger spaces).
    4. Plot sections could have numbered sections (1. Beginning, 2. Middle, 3. End).
    5. Plot sections could have ordinal words added (first, middle, last).
    6. Plot sections could be color coded (e.g., beginning – green, middle – yellow, end – red).
    7. Plot sections might be reduced to only beginning and end.

Allow the student to:

  1. Use picture symbols to complete the organizer.
  2. Select, through preferred communication mode such as eye gaze, vocalization, head turning, assistive technology, etc.), the answers which a partner (peer or adult) scribes. Depending upon the student's discrimination abilities, the choices might vary in number (one correct and one incorrect answer to one correct and several incorrect answers) and the answers may vary in the degree of difficulty of discrimination. For example, if a guiding question such as "Who makes teacakes with the boy?", a student who is learning to discriminate might be given answer choices such as "Mammaw" and "the dog"; whereas a student who can make finer discriminations might be given the choices of "Mammaw", "his daddy", "his mommy", and "his sister."

Lesson 1 - Practice

  1. Students come back into the whole group but sit next to their partner. Show students a larger version of the story map graphic organizer (written on chart paper or projected onto a screen from the document reader).
  2. Complete the large story map using the information students have written into their partner maps. Invite students to write the answers into the large story map using a different color marker for character, setting, and plot. The answers for main characters (Mammaw and 9/10 year old boy) and setting (Mammaw's house/yard in 1960's) are absolutes. Partners may have some different ideas about the key events in the novel.
  3. Write down the various events that students have chosen to write into their story map. Engage in a class discussion to decide the key events. Remind students of the definition of author's purpose. Ask: What events support the author's purpose? Encourage students to provide a rationale for their choice. Accept all plausible student answers. Do not define the author's purpose at this time.
  4. After the whole group has come to a consensus on the key events, invite students to fill in the plot portion of the large story map.


Multiple means of representation – graphic organizer on partner copies, drawn on chart paper, or projected onto a screen

Multiple means of expression – share answers with large group, add data to class graphic organizer, discuss author's purpose

Multiple means of engagement – Students use large graphic organizer to write the whole class consensus on the story map.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Readers

  • As the teacher shows the large version of the story map, allow the student to reference his or her personal story map.
  • As the teacher fills in the large version of the story map:
  1. Allow the student to select and communicate (using his or her preferred mode of communication) information from his or her personal story map to include on the story map of the class.
  2. Pre-plan information for the student to communicate. For example, the teacher may decide to ask this particular student for a certain piece of information so there may be some pre-teaching done before the question is asked, giving the student a greater certainty of accuracy and positive reinforcement.
  • In the large group discussion of the events that support the author's purpose, pre-plan information for the student to communicate. For example, the teacher may decide to ask this particular student for a certain event so there may be some pre-teaching done before the question is asked, giving the student a greater certainty of accuracy and positive reinforcement. As the class discusses events which support the author's purpose, highlight those events on the graphic organizer for the student to use later:
  1. Put a dot on them.
  2. Circle them.
  3. Provide a second copy of the events which can be placed in an envelope or file folder.
  4. Hook-and-loop tape them to a "author's purpose" section of a file folder.
  • Follow step 2 above in this section as the class fills in the plot portion of the large version of the graphic organizer.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Communicators

  1. As the teacher shows the large version of the story map, allow the student to reference his or her personal story map.
  2. As the teacher fills in the large version of the story map:
    1. Allow the student to select and communicate (using his or her preferred mode of communication) information from his or her personal story map to include on the story map of the class.
    2. Pre-plan information for the student to communicate. For example, the teacher may decide to ask this particular student for a certain piece of information so there may be some pre-teaching done before the question is asked, giving the student a greater certainty of accuracy and positive reinforcement.
  3. In the large group discussion of the events that support the author's purpose, pre-plan information for the student to communicate. For example, the teacher may decide to ask this particular student for a certain event so there may be some pre-teaching done before the question is asked, giving the student a greater certainty of accuracy and positive reinforcement. As the class discusses events which support the author's purpose, highlight those events on the graphic organizer for the student to use later:
    1. Put a dot on them.
    2. Circle them.
    3. Provide a second copy of the events which can be placed in an envelope or file folder.
    4. Hook-and-loop tape them to a "author's purpose" section of a file folder.
    5. Provide a special texture or other tactile quality to them such as a small pencil or pen indicating "author's purpose."
  4. Follow step 2 above in this section as the class fills in the plot portion of the large version of the graphic organizer.

Lesson 1 - Closure

Revisit/Review Lesson and Objectives –

  1. The teacher reviews the information in the large story map. Students begin to brainstorm a list of possible author's purpose. The teacher will record student ideas on the bottom section of the story map.


Multiple means of representation – list written on chart paper or projected onto a screen

Multiple means of expression – share answers and ideas with the large group

Multiple means of engagement – Students use the completed large group graphic organizer to list purposes and themes.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Readers

  1. As the teacher reviews the large story map, provide access to the student's personal graphic organizer utilizing the accommodations already in place.

    2. As the teacher records a list of possible author's purposes, provide those to the student in the most accessible format (use whatever accommodations are already in place).

    Pre-plan some possible author's purposes for the student to select to contribute to the brainstorming list.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Communicators

  1. As the teacher reviews the large story map, provide access to the student's personal graphic organizer utilizing the accommodations already in place.

    2. As the teacher records a list of possible author's purposes, provide those to the student in the most accessible format (use whatever accommodations are already in place).

    Pre-plan some possible author's purposes for the student to select to contribute to the brainstorming list.

Exit Assessment

  1. Each student will write down a key event from the book. Then answer the question: What is the author's purpose?


Multiple means of representation – book, small and large graphic organizer

Multiple means of expression – write and select key idea

Multiple means of engagement – Student chooses key idea and provide the purpose; student choice.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Readers

  1. Have the student select one event from the bank of events created in the Practice section, step 3.
    2. From the bank of possible author's purposes created in Closure section above, step 1., have the student select, using his or her preferred mode of communication, a corresponding author's purpose. Depending upon the student's ability to discriminate, provide one author's purpose which is directly linked to that event and from one to three other author's purposes which are not linked to that event. Note: Because this is an assessment activity and not instructional like all of the other activities so far, all of the author's purposes must be plausible (even though only one is the most appropriate). Here you are trying to assess the student's understanding of author's purpose. Providing distractors that are clearly not linked to the story (such as "persuade the reader to buy a dog") would not give information to verify the student's achievement of the learning objective.

Additional Consideration for Emerging Communicators

  1. Have the student select one event from the bank of events created in the Practice section, step 3.

    2. From the bank of possible author's purposes created in Closure section above, Step 1. have the student select, using his or her preferred mode of communication, a corresponding author's purpose. Depending upon the student's ability to discriminate, provide one author's purpose which is directly linked to that event and from one to three other author's purposes which are not linked to that event.

    Note: Because this is an assessment activity and not instructional like all of the other activities so far, all of the author's purposes must be plausible (even though only one is the most appropriate). Here you are trying to assess the student's understanding of author's purpose. Providing distractors that are clearly not linked to the story (such as "persuade the reader to buy a dog") would not give information to verify the student's achievement of the learning objective.

Lesson 1 – Resources

Author's Purpose. (n.d.). In Gourmet Learning. Retrieved from http://gourmetlearning.com/site/media

Coast. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster's online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coast

Gardenias . (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster's online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gardenias

Laminack, L. (2007). Cracking Open the Author's Craft. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Laminack, L. (2004). Saturdays and Teacakes. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers, LTD.

Sputter . (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster's online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sputter

Teacakes . (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster's online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teacakes

Trudge . (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster's online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trudge


Proceed to Lesson 2

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