Understanding By Design Unit Template
(Revised & adapted)
Title of Unit / Unit 5: Reading and Writing Across Genres to Learn about a Topic / Grade Level / 1Subject / Reading and Writing / Time Frame / 3/16/15 – 5/1/15
Developed By
Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results
Narrative about this Unit of Study:
Big Idea – Students will understand that they read and write for different purposes.
In this unit, students will solidify their understanding of the structure and elements of the literary genres covered through this point in the school year. Genres include narratives, informational, opinions and poetry. Readers will also make connections between the genres and understand that authors share their ideas in different ways for different purposes. Readers will learn strategies to quickly identify the genres. In addition, readers will read multiple texts on the same topic in order to make connections between the texts, using text evidence to support their connections, as well as grow their understanding of a topic by reading different genres that deal with the same topic. This unit is not meant for teaching new reading skills and strategies for each genre. Rather, the unit goal is to support students in solidifying all the skills and strategies they have accumulated over the year and fortifying those skills and strategies the teacher has identified as underdeveloped based on student data.
In order to anchor this work in something tangible for students, teachers will teach a unit on “Our Local Community: Borough Park” using a thematic approach. Teachers could create a text set by collecting stories, informational texts, poems, videos and other resources about the local community. Depending on identified learning gaps, students could write narratives, opinion pieces or informational texts about a community place during writing workshop.
Learning Outcomes – Identified Primary Standards
What relevant goals will this unit address?
RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RL.1.10 With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.
RI.1.4 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
W.1.1 Write opinion pieces in which they supply a reason for the opinion.
W.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they provide some sense of closure.
W.1.3 Write narratives in which they include some details regarding what happened.
Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas implied in the PLOs are desired? / Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content?
Students will understand that...
Readers can gather information about one topic using different resources.
Writers can share their ideas about one topic in different ways. / Why do I read different genres?
How can I share my knowledge about one topic?
Knowledge:
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? / Skills
What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know (apply to both reading and writing)...
Stories are for enjoyment.
Informational texts are for building knowledge.
Opinions are for understanding different points of view. / Students will be able to…
Use 5 Ws and H to ask questions about key details in a text.
Answer questions using key details in a text.
Reread the same text with a different focus (close reading).
Self-monitor reading.
Use different context clue strategies to determine meaning of unknown words.
Provide reasons to support an opinion.
Provide a sense of closure for writing pieces.
Include details in writing.
Use the writing process independently.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills?
Brief Written Description of the Performance Task
Rubric for Assessment:
See Grade 1 writing rubrics for narrative, opinion, informational writing from previous units.
Other Evidence
Through what other evidence – student work samples, observations, quizzes, tests, self-assessment or other means – will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
Conferencing notes, running records, writing samples, checklist of skills for reading and writing, etc.
Reading:
Objective(s)Related to knowledge, skills or both? / Listed Aim or Learning Intention of Each Lesson. / Assessment / Resources
Readers Read to Learn – We Work with Partners to Read about Topics across Fiction and Nonfiction / · Readers get ready to learn more about a topic by shopping for books about topics that fascinate them.
· Readers learn even more about topics by reading a variety of different genres of books on their topic.
· Readers identify facts in fictional story.
· Readers find facts in books by reading across genres. (Readers need to keep an open mind that something might or might not be true.)
· Readers prove a fact by finding it in other books.
· Readers understand their books by making connections between fiction and non-fiction books that are on the same topic. / Can the students find different texts on the same topic to read?
Can they distinguish between fiction and nonfiction?
Do they understand the purpose of reading fiction and nonfiction?
Can they confirm through cross checking information on the same topic using multiple resources? / Mentor Texts of Different Genres on the Same Topic (Local Community)
Readers Grow Ideas from Information / · Readers collect interesting information by pausing and thinking about what they read.
· Readers understand new information by making connections.
· Readers compare and contrast information from books on the same topic by looking for what is the same and what is different between them.
· Readers come up with big ideas by gathering information from a variety of texts. / Are the students adding to their knowledge about a topic by reading more than one text?
Readers Figure Out Tricky Words and Learn New Vocabulary / · Readers increase their vocabulary by collecting words about their topic.
· Readers figure out tricky words by using the first sound and words they know (or have heard) about their topic.
· Readers figure out tricky words by thinking about what is happening in the story (even when there aren’t any pictures!)
· Readers solve tricky words by looking for syllable and word parts that they know. / Are students trying to use a word solving strategy when they come upon a tricky word?
Can students apply different word solving strategies to different unknown words?
Are they acquiring more Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary about their topic? / Anchor Chart: Different Word Attack Strategies
1. Look at the picture.
2. Get your mouth ready to say the first sound.
3. Look for smaller part/word in the big word.
4. Use known word to help you read unknown word.
5. Reread the sentence. Ask, “What makes sense?”
6. Skip the word and read on…then reread.
7. Think about the story.
8. Try a different sound that the letter makes.
Readers Use Multiple Strategies to Determine Word Meaning / · Readers figure out what a word means by looking at the pictures and thinking about what is happening in the story.
· Readers ask questions about a sentence (5 Ws and H) to help them use the context to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words or phrases.
· Readers can use known words in a sentence and their meanings to help them figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word or phrase in the sentence.
· Readers can use the affixes (prefixes and suffixes) that they recognize and the base word (root word) as clues to determine the meaning of the unknown word (e.g., happy, unhappy, excited, exciting). / Are students monitoring their reading?
Do they stop reading and try to figure the meaning of an unknown word before moving on? / Anchor Chart: Different Context Clue Strategies
Readers Use Fluency to Comprehend / · Readers understand their books better by reading like they talk.
· Readers understand more by reading with expression.
· Readers read smoothly by rereading the sentence again. / Are students reading fluently?
Are they using different tones when reading different genres?
Writing:
Related to knowledge, skills or both? / Listed Aim or Learning Intention of Each Lesson. / Assessment / Resources
Writers Include Concrete Details, in Their Narratives to Help Their Readers Imagine the Action, Providing Sensory Descriptions, and Explaining Character’s Thoughts and Feelings / · Writers visualize (make a movie in their mind) to help them write details for their stories.
· Writers ask themselves Ws and H questions to add information to clearly show what happened during an event.
· Writers show don’t tell to add details to help readers make a picture in their mind.
· Writers add feelings and thoughts to their stories (I felt…I thought…I wished...I wondered…I remembered…).
· Writers use different descriptive words (synonyms of different adjectives) to help better describe a noun (person, place or thing) in their story.
· Writers use vigorous verbs to show how something is moving or what it is doing.
· Writers take away details that don’t go with their story. / Can students develop their stories?
Are students using strong words in their writing?
Are students’ stories developed with specific details that are related to the main event?
Do all of the details move the story along?
Do students’ stories have enough elaboration so that the reader can see and feel what is happening?
Can students show an example where their reader can see or feel what is happening? / · Mentor texts that have different types of details
For Example:
Ish by Peter Reynolds – strong verbs, word choice
Puddles by Jonathon London – sound words/descriptive language
The Mightiest by Keiko Kasza – story elements
Poppleton by Cynthia Rylant – details that tell what the character is like
I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley – show feelings through words and pictures
My Little Island by Frane Lessac - a strong sense of place (developing setting); descriptive details to help reader visualize (using senses to add details)
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold – describe setting
Up North at the Cabin by Marsha Wilson Chall – describe setting
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco -details
· Anchor charts
§ Sentence starters to add feelings/thoughts
§ Synonyms for adjectives and verbs
§ Show don’t tell (description of action, description of physical states, descriptions of internal states)
Writers Provide a Sense of Closure for Their Informational Pieces / Writers understand that there are several ways to end a piece of informational writing and they can use literature as models.
Ending Samples:
· Surprise ending
· Circular ending
· Emotional/poignant ending (can be a question)
· Image (visual ending)
· Summarization (of key points) ending
· A strong fact saved for the end
· Drawing a personal conclusion or connection / Are the students studying the endings in different mentor texts?
Are the students trying different endings to conclude their writing? / · Mentor texts that have different endings
For Example:
My Big Brother by Valorie Fisher – provide a reaction at the end of the text
My Visit to the Aquarium by Aliki – wrapping it up with a feeling
· Anchor chart (different endings)
Writers Support Their Opinions with Reasons / · Writers use vocabulary to support their opinion (because, when, the reason, one reason).
· Writers use precise words (specific nouns, verbs, and adjectives) to state their reasons.
· Writers use factual information as reasons to support their opinion
· Writers revise their reason(s) if it’s not strong enough to support their opinion.
· Writers can support their reasons with illustrations or other visuals.
· Writers can provide an example to develop their reason. / Are the students including reasons for their opinions? Do they give good reasons?
Are students’ opinion piece developed with specific details that are related to the main topic?
Does all of the information support the opinion?
Do students’ opinion pieces have enough supporting evidence to persuade their reader? / · Mentor texts that have characters who use reasons to convince or persuade their audience to think the way they do or to persuade them to do something for them
Examples:
Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School
Earrings!
I Wanna New Room
I Wanna Ignana
Can I Have a Stegosaurus Mom? Can I? Please?
· Anchor Chart
Convince your Reader! (TC):
Writer your opinion “I think…”
Give LOTS of reasons 1. 2. 3. “One reason is… Also… Another reason…”
Add details “For example...I think that because…”
Universal Design for Learning
REPRESENTATION
The ‘what’ of teaching & learning.. / ACTION & EXPRESSION
The ‘how’ of teaching & learning… / ENGAGEMENT
The ‘why’ of teaching and learning…
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)