- Author: Brianne Bland
- Topic: Reading Comprehension
- Grade Level: Third Grade
- Common Core Standard(s):CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
- Lesson Objective: The students will use the think-aloud process to demonstrate understanding of a text, recognize character traits, and monitor their thinking and comprehension of a text.
- Lesson Materials: Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. book by Doreen Rappaport, Smart Board, chart paper, black markers, Elmo, YouTube, Microsoft Office PowerPoint, writing rubric, assessment worksheet
Instructional Lesson Methods and Assessment
Anticipatory Set (approximately 15-20 minutes)
- The teacher will explain to the students that February is Black History Month, and for today’s lesson they will be learning about identifying character traits.
- The teacher will then pull a YouTube video on the Smart Board for the students to watch.
- The teacher will explain that the video talks about Martin Luther King, Jr. and what he stood for and what kind of man he was to others.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXZhXTFWnE
- The teacher will show the children appropriate images of racism in America (slavery, Rosa Parks, discrimination signs, Martin Luther King, JR., Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman). The teacher will define racism and slavery for the students who may not understand the concepts of those words.
- o Racism - prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t
- o Slavery - the condition of a slave; bondage (the state of being bound by or subjected to some external power or control).http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/slavery
- The teacher will pass out sticky notes to the class to write down how these images make them feel.
- The teacher will have a chart paper at the front of the room and call on students to come up and write a one word description of how the images made them feel. Answers written on the board are expected to be: “sad, mean, wrong, racist, hurtful”, etc. The rest of the students will place their sticky notes on the chart paper.
- The teacher will then read aloud the book “Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” to the students and allow time for thinking aloud.
- The teacher will read the introduction of the book, “Everywhere in Martin’s home town he saw the signs, whites only.” The teacher will ask the students to think back to the images she showed them.(Images of restaurants, swimming pools, drinking fountains, restrooms, laundry mats, etc. with these signs displayed.)
- The teacher will pause after reading the first few sentences and ask students, “How did these signs make Martin feel?” “How did these signs make you feel?” (Allow time for a few students to be called on and answer.)
- The teacher will read about Martin’s life and his job as a minister. He believes that everyone can be great. Martin did not want to fight and did not want to hate people. Martin wanted to love others.
- After reading the passage in the book about Rosa Parks, the teacher will stop and check for comprehension. “What did Rosa Parks do that got her arrested?” “Do you think Rosa Parks should have to give up her seat on the bus when she was there first?”
- The teacher will finish reading the text.
| Recognition “What” Multiple means of Representation | Strategic “How” Multiple means of Action and Expression | Affective “Why” Multiple means of Engagement |
| 1.1 Customize the display of information The teacher will adjust the volume on the video so it’s not too loud but loud enough for all to hear. 1.2 Provide alternatives for visual information Students will be able to read the text in their individual copies as well as follow along with the teacher reading a text at the front of the room. The video will be provided for all students to watch and the lights will be dimmed during the showing of the video. 2.1 Define vocabulary and symbols The teacher will define the words:
| 4.1 Provide varied ways to respond Students will be able to discuss out loud their emotions regarding the story and will write on sticky notes words that describe how this makes them feel. | 7.2 Enhance relevance, value, and authenticity The teacher will introduce the images, video, and book to introduce how all three tie together and discuss a man who stood up for the rights of African Americans. |
| 3.1 Provide or activate background knowledge The teacher will show the students a PowerPoint with images and a YouTube video featuring Kid President. | 9.1 Guide personal goal-setting and expectations Students will be told they will be discussing the images from the PowerPoint and the video afterwards, which holds them accountable for retaining information for the discussion. |
Introduce and Model New Knowledge (approximately 5-6 minutes)
- The teacher will ask the students questions about the text they just read to check for comprehension.
- The teacher will model a think-aloud activity by first, rereading the page in the text over Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat. The teacher would ask herself out loud, “Can I think of a word to describe how Rosa Parks reacted on the bus?”
- Have students help the teacher answer this question.
- Ask out loud, “Can I think of a word that describes Rosa’s character based on her actions?” Let students think through this with the teacher and come up with an appropriate answer (BRAVE).
Image found on Google Images under "Rosa Parks"
| Recognition “What” Multiple means of Representation | Strategic “How” Multiple means of Action and Expression | Affective “Why” Multiple means of Engagement |
| 3.3 Guide information processing The teacher will model a think-aloud activity where the students must think through a series of questions with her and recognize specific character traits found in Rosa Parks. | 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress The teacher will allow students to share their own ideas about the situations in the text and what character traits they recognized. | 7.2 Enhance relevance, value, and authenticity Both the teacher and the students will have an opportunity to share their feelings about the text as well as what character traits they saw exhibited. |
Guided Practice (approximately 10 minutes)
- The teacher will group students into groups of four.
- These students will spread out into their groups in different parts of the classroom to work together and discuss before coming together once again as a class.
- Each group will receive a piece of chart paper and a black marker. The students will be instructed to find words in the story that are most important to Martin Luther King Jr. and discuss those within their group.
- The teacher will then help students post these on the wall around the room for all to see. (These words should include; freedom, peace, love, together, brothers, sisters, I have a dream, etc.)
| Recognition “What” Multiple means of Representation | Strategic “How” Multiple means of Action and Expression | Affective “Why” Multiple means of Engagement |
| 1.1 Customize the display of information The students will be creating on chart paper their findings from the text. | 4.1 Provide varied ways to respond Students will be able to respond in a group verbally, on chart paper, or by taking notes while in their groups. | 7.1 Increase individual choice and autonomy Students will be working in groups and able to choose their own words from the text that they find most important to Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| 3.2 Highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships Students will recognize words with the most importance in the text, and the relationship those words shared with Martin Luther King, Jr. | 4.2 Provide varied ways to interact with materials Students will be able to interact with chart paper while divided up into groups instead of writing in their notebooks individually. | 8.3 Foster collaboration and communication Students will be discussing this activity in groups. |
Independent Practice
- The teacher will pass out a writing prompt to each student. Each student will also have their own copy of the Martin’s Big Words book.
- The teacher will use the Elmo (document camera) to project information on the SmartBoard to model for the students how to answer their writing prompt.
- The teacher will use the character from the text Rosa Parks as her example for modeling. The teacher will write Rosa’s character trait “BRAVE” and then provide a page number and example from the text that supports this trait. Then the teacher will answer the question, “What would you have done?”
- The students will then write their own character trait about Martin Luther King, Jr. They will provide page numbers and examples from the text to support their answer. Then answer a questions regarding what they would’ve done in that situation.
- The model of the character traits worksheet will be left on the Elmo for the students to look back at for support.
- Students will also be given a rubric that will explain the teacher’s expectations of their work. The teacher will go over what is expected out of their writing and emphasize the most important parts. (Finding evidence from the text that supports their character analysis is most important.)
| Recognition “What” Multiple means of Representation | Strategic “How” Multiple means of Action and Expression | Affective “Why” Multiple means of Engagement |
| 3.3 Guide information processing The teacher will show the students the structure to use when writing their prompts. 3.4 Support memory and transfer Students will use what they learned in the text to analysis a character as well as find and support their information by referring to the text. | 5.2 Provide appropriate tools for composition and problem solving Students will be provided with a writing rubric and a model of how to complete their writing prompt. 5.3 Provide ways to scaffold practice and performance The teacher will model an example on Rosa Parks’ character traits so the students can see how to write their own analysis of Martin Luther King, Jr. | 7.1 Increase individual choice and autonomy Students will work individually on the writing prompt, using support found in the text, followed by how they think they would’ve reacted. |
| 6.1 Guide effective goal setting Students will be given a writing prompt to write one character trait of Martin Luther King, Jr. They will provide a page number and information from the text that supports their answer. They will then write what they think they would’ve done in that character’s situation. |
Wrap-up
- The students will turn in their worksheets as they finish up.
- Once the teacher has collected all of the worksheets, the students will engage in a class discussion about their new learning.
| Recognition “What” Multiple means of Representation | Strategic “How” Multiple means of Action and Expression | Affective “Why” Multiple means of Engagement |
| 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure After all writing worksheets are turned in, the teacher will review character traits of Martin Luther King, Jr. having students reflect on their writing in a classroom discussion. | 6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources Students will have a designated area where they turn in their writing worksheets. | 8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives The teacher will discuss the importance of using evidence from a text to recognize and identify character traits of a given character. |
| 9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection Students will write scenarios based on the text about what they think they would’ve done in the characters situations, and then reflect on them in a class discussion. |
Assessment
- The teacher will check for understanding by listening to the responses of students during the whole group instruction.
- The teacher will grade the writing prompts by the rubric that was provided to the students to use when writing their responses.
| Recognition “What” Multiple means of Representation | Strategic “How” Multiple means of Action and Expression | Affective “Why” Multiple means of Engagement |
| 3.1 Provide or activate background knowledge The teacher will activate prior knowledge by showing students images on a PowerPoint. | 6.2 Support planning and strategy development The teacher will provide students with a rubric showing expectations for their writing prompts, including all specific elements. | 7.2 Enhance relevance, value, and authenticity The teacher will grade the students’ writing prompts, which will be passed back to the students at a later time, along with a rubric with teacher’s comments for each specific student’s performance. |
| 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress The teacher will collect the writing prompts to assess student comprehension and follow the activity with a class discussion. |
UDL Principle
I. Multiple Means of Representation ensures that the Recognition networks of students are supported.
Specific UDL Accommodations (1.1 - 3.4)
Recognition Networks "What"
| Key Elements | Please Put a Check Mark Next To the Ones You Incorporated | Where in the project?(Which Lesson Phase 1-6) |
| **Provide options for perception** | ||
| 1.1 Customize the display of information | X | Anticipatory Set Guided Practice |
| 1.2 Provide alternatives for auditory information | X | Anticipatory Set |
| 1.3 Provide alternatives for visual information | X | Anticipatory Set |
| **Provide options for language and symbols** | ||
| 2.1 Define vocabulary and symbols | X | Anticipatory Set |
| 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure | X | Wrap-Up |
| 2.3 Decode text and mathematical notation | ||
| 2.4 Promote cross-linguistic understanding | ||
| 2.5 Illustrate key concepts non-linguistically | ||
| **Provide options for comprehension** | ||
| 3.1 Provide or activate background knowledge | X | Anticipatory Set Assessment |
| 3.2 Highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships | X | Guided Practice |
| 3.3 Guide information processing | X | Introduce and Model New Knowledge Independent Practice |
| 3.4 Support memory and transfer | X | Independent Practice |
II. Multiple Means of Action and Expression ensures that the Strategic networks of students are supported
Specific UDL Accommodations (4.1 - 6.4)
Strategic Networks "How"
| Key Elements | Please Put a Check Mark Next To the Ones You Incorporated | Where in the project?(Which Lesson Phase 1-6) |
| **Provide options for physical actions** | ||
| 4.1 Provide varied ways to respond | X | Anticipatory Set Guided Practice |
| 4.2 Provide varied ways to interact with materials | X | Guided Practice |
| 4.3 Integrate assistive technologies | ||
| **Provide options for expressive skills and fluency** | ||
| 5.1 Allow choices of media for communication | ||
| 5.2 Provide appropriate tools for composition and problem solving | X | Independent Practice |
| 5.3 Provide ways to scaffold practice and performance | X | Independent Practice |
| **Provide options for executive functions** | ||
| 6.1 Guide effective goal setting | X | Independent Practice |
| 6.2 Support planning and strategy development | X | Assessment |
| 6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources | X | Wrap-Up |
| 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress | X | Introduce and Model New Knowledge Assessment |
III. Multiple Means of Engagements ensures that the Affective networks of students are supported
Specific UDL Accommodations (7.1 - 9.3)
Affective Networks "Why"
| Key Elements | Please Put a Check Mark Next To the Ones You Incorporated | Where in the project?(Which Lesson Phase 1-6) |
| **Provide options for recruiting interest** | ||
| 7.1 Increase individual choice and autonomy | X | Guided Practice Independent Practice |
| 7.2 Enhance relevance, value, and authenticity | X | Anticipatory Set Introduce and Model New Knowledge Assessment |
| 7.3 Reduce threats and distractions | ||
| **Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence** | ||
| 8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives | X | Wrap-Up |
| 8.2 Vary levels of challenge and support | ||
| 8.3 Foster collaboration and communication | X | Guided Practice |
| 8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback | ||
| **Provide options for self-regulation** | ||
| 9.1 Guide personal goal-setting and expectations | X | Anticipatory Set |
| 9.2 Scaffold coping skills and strategies | ||
| 9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection | X | Wrap Up |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXZhXTFWnE
