The Commonn Core Standards include two that I jokingly call “the challenging twins.”
RI.4.8. Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
W.4.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.
“Challenging” because teaching students how to do this is not easy, and “twins” because they are linked – one is what the writer does and the other is what the reader has to figure out about what the writer does.
Challenge accepted! My co-teaching team wanted to tackle these and asked me to help plan for specially designed instruction. We clarified a one-lesson target of “I can evaluate and choose the best text evidence to use in my writing.” We checked to see what IEP goals might be relevant and then followed the rest of my 7 Steps for Specially Designed Instruction.
Steps 4 and 5 really seemed to be where the bulk of the work lay for this lesson. What is the metacognitive process a successful learner uses to accomplish this task? I searched for information regarding how text evidence might be evaluated and came up mostly empty handed. That meant I had to use my own metacognition to figure it out. The result is the following flow-map.
RI.4.8. Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
W.4.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.
“Challenging” because teaching students how to do this is not easy, and “twins” because they are linked – one is what the writer does and the other is what the reader has to figure out about what the writer does.
Challenge accepted! My co-teaching team wanted to tackle these and asked me to help plan for specially designed instruction. We clarified a one-lesson target of “I can evaluate and choose the best text evidence to use in my writing.” We checked to see what IEP goals might be relevant and then followed the rest of my 7 Steps for Specially Designed Instruction.
Steps 4 and 5 really seemed to be where the bulk of the work lay for this lesson. What is the metacognitive process a successful learner uses to accomplish this task? I searched for information regarding how text evidence might be evaluated and came up mostly empty handed. That meant I had to use my own metacognition to figure it out. The result is the following flow-map.
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Everyone also hadStep 5 – “How can me make it more multi-sensory?” – led me to create the flow map on a shower curtain liner to place on the floor. This strategy, which I call a Hop-Step Curtain, allows students to walk through the process before writing. Adding movement keeps engagement high and improves memory.
To help support participation, we worked in two groups, but if you are by yourself the lesson can still be successful. I also created an “Expert” version of the flow map so that students who needed extra prompts could have it in front of them as a scaffold. Because we called them “experts, “ there was no negative stigma and they chose to help their peers out, simultaneously reinforcing their own learning. Everyone was also given an empty chart so that they could actively retrieve the steps as a lesson closure.
All the documents you need for this can be downloaded right here. Let me know if you have questions. I am happy to help!
To help support participation, we worked in two groups, but if you are by yourself the lesson can still be successful. I also created an “Expert” version of the flow map so that students who needed extra prompts could have it in front of them as a scaffold. Because we called them “experts, “ there was no negative stigma and they chose to help their peers out, simultaneously reinforcing their own learning. Everyone was also given an empty chart so that they could actively retrieve the steps as a lesson closure.
All the documents you need for this can be downloaded right here. Let me know if you have questions. I am happy to help!
 All the documents you need for this can be downloaded right here. Let me know if you have questions. I am happy to help! |  |
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