Unit Topic/Focus:

Comprehension

Date:

3.09.15

AusVELS Domain(s):

English and The arts

Year level(s):

Year3/4

AusVELS strand (s):

AusVELS sub-strand(s):

AusVELS Dimension(s) or
Religious Education
Guideline:

English: Reading and viewing

Lesson duration:

Lessons
1: 1.5hr
2: 40mins
3:45mins

English: Literacy
English: Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred
meaning to expand content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas and
analysing and evaluating texts
The arts: The Exploring and responding dimension focuses on context,
interpreting and responding, criticism and aesthetics. It involves students
analysing and developing understanding about their own and other
peoples work and expressing personal and informed judgments of arts
works. Involvement in evaluating meaning, ideas and/or content in
finished products is integral to engagement in the Arts.

Learning Standard(s)/Outcome(s)/Objective(s):
Standard:
Display comprehension strategies to analyse and evaluate a text.
Evidence is drawn from the text to develop arguments.
Evaluate a text focussing on a specific sections.
At the conclusion of this lesson, the students will know/understand that:

How to use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning to expand

content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas, analysing and evaluating texts.
Evaluation does not always have to be of a whole text but only specific sections of it.

At the conclusion of this lesson, the students will demonstrate the skills/strategies of:

Comprehension
Inferring
Assessment and editing their own work and assisting others with editing: peer work

Assessment:

Success Criteria

Students show evidence that their arguments are drawn from the book through inferring.
Analysing is evident in arguments from examples drawn from the book

Assessment criteria for analysis:

Rubrics are used throughout the three lessons for teacher to assess with and for students
to self-assess.
Observations are made by teacher throughout.
Teaching focus:
Introducing different ways to comprehend text such as inferring and analysing through a class
structure that incorporates differentiation.
Focusing the lesson structure on differentiation and allowing all students to have the right tools to
gain the best understanding.
Background to the learning:
A.
References for teacher background knowledge.
Teacher must have a deep understanding of the text The boy who grew Flowers, comprehension,
inferring and questioning.
Understanding the level of all students is critical in order to plan the instructions at each tier level
and what students may be at those levels and what they would need to assist them in getting the
most out of the lesson.
B.
Identify students current knowledge
Students will need to be able to take notes from the books content to answer the question, the
skills and strategies to do so will have already been learnt by the students.
Students will have an understanding of comprehension but need to be introduced to inferring and
further analysing a text.
Self-assessment is familiar to students as is working with a rubric.

LESSON 1:
Lesson focus:
Introducing inferring and revisiting comprehension.
Lesson resources:
Book: the boy who grew flowers by Jen Wojtowicz
Activity sheet
Whiteboard
Class set of ipads
Lesson content:
A.
Introduction
_5_ mins
Class gathers on the floor, teacher introduces to the class that the next three lessons on
English will be focusing on comprehension with an art class at the end. Class will be
reading a book and then doing activities on it after. The activity will be self-assessed and
teacher assessed using rubrics.
B.

Development

__1.15__ mins

Differentiated Instruction
Tier 1: whole class instruction

Tier 1: Universal Core Curriculum - All students

1.

In preparation to the lesson a brainstorming session about comprehension will

take place. Using a mind map as a class have students discuss what they know
about comprehension.
2.
Introduce inferring: Does anyone know what inferring means?
Once gathering class info proceed to introduce inferring built on what students already
know (if they know). This should be done as a class with relevant information recorded on
the white board for students to refer to.
3.
Teacher then reads the book The boy who grew flowers to the class. Followed
by a quick discussion focusing on the statement "townspeople argued as to
whether it was because they were such strange folk that they lived there, or
whether it was because they lived there that they were such strange folk."
4.
The activity is that the class will need to focus on this statement and make an
argument for either side. Drawing on evidence from the text (inferring).
5.
An activity sheet will be provided.

Differentiated instruction (overall strategy)

Tier 1: Whole group Instruction.

Using activity sheet students are to draw on evidence from the story to write down at
least three clear points to back up their argument they have chosen to side with.
Students will have a rubric to follow thus knowing what level is expected for them.
Students will need to work silently for the first 10 mins, then will be allowed to discuss
with students on their table.
Student should have a draft produced of the activity sheet.
Once activity is complete students are to self- assess their work following the rubric.

Tier 2: Small group focused instruction.

Students that need further assistance will have access to a class set of iPad.
IPads will have a folder of videos for the students to refer to as many times as needed. These
videos will include:
1. The teacher reading the book- students can particularly watch listen to sections that
refer to their work.
2. Teacher explaining the activity again in further detail with some given examples.
3. A brief overview of inferring and some examples relating explicitly to the book.
4. ESL students could access a translator on the iPad if needed.
5. Teacher recording a number of helpful hints including questions and sections of text
that may be useful for the students.
This way students will be able to access further help whilst the teacher can focus on
Tier 3 students.
Ipads also have apps that assist students with learning about comprehension.

Tier 3: Individual or small group Intense instruction.

Teacher or aid will work explicitly with students in a small group or one to one if further
assistance is needed beyond iPads.
Teacher will go through required work in further detail and go through the activity step
by step with the student where needed.
This will mainly impact ESL students who may struggle with comprehension.
Teacher will prompt students to think about certain sections of the text that will assist
them in answering the question.
Prompting questions may include:
Constant referral to the rubric will reinforce the students, to know what he or she is
aiming for.
*for students that excel they will need to answer the question for both sides of the statement.
-teacher could prompt these students provide deeper insight to their answers and providing
why statements to their answers.

C.
Consolidation, practice, extension
__1.15mins_
After giving students a 10 min then 5 min warning that they need to finish gather students together
and share work.
Give all students the opportunity to share a point or two that they made to further their chosen
statement.
Discuss the strategies that students used to find evidence from the book.
Extension:
1. Students that finish early will need to answer the question for both sides of the statementprovided they finish with enough time.
-students could also help another students out or begin the process of editing their work.
-teacher could also prompt these students to provide deeper insight to their answers and providing
why statements to their answers.
- use ipads and explore the apps for comprehension including (online resource);
Reading Comprehension practice, inference clues and main idea sentences.

D.
Closure
__10mins__
Discuss the strategies that students used to find evidence from the book.
Students to return to seat and state something to the person next to them that they gained from
this lesson on way to seats all students need to ensure that their draft copy is placed away safely
for next lesson.
Lesson/activity transition:
Step 1: clear away desks
Step 2: once students has returned to seat call together classes attention and have a quick 1
minute session of movement on the spot to get the students ready for next activity.

LESSON 2:
Lesson focus:
For students to become confident in editing and Self-assessment using a rubric.
Lesson resources:
Student rubric
Activity sheet for good copy
Lesson content:
A.
Introduction
_5mins_
Following the first lesson, students will now edit their work and self-assess it using the student
rubric.
Briefly cover some strategies students could use to edit- class discussion.
B.

Development

Differentiated Instruction
Tier 1: whole class instruction

Tier 1: Universal Core Curriculum - All students

1. Instruct students that they will be editing there work pieces from last session in
preparation for self-assessment and writing a good copy.
2. As a class revisit strategies to edit work. Teacher to point out that there is a check
list for students to use if needed.
3. All the class will be working on this activity although a handful will be working in
small groups and a few one on one with the teacher.
4. Discussions may take place throughout the activity.
5. All students to show there edited draft to teacher before writing a final copy.
6. Upon completing this activity all students will have an edited draft, a marked rubric
from self-assessment and a final copy.
Differentiated Instruction (Overall Strategy)
Tier 1: Whole group Instruction
Through group discussion students are to edit work using strategies such as
rereading, asking a friend and following the rubric.

Tier 2: Small group focus Instruction

Work as a small group with an aid or a teacher following a step by step way of
editing your work (appendix 2).
Prompting questions the teacher may use:
- Have you used as many strategies as you can to edit your work?
- Have you reread and reread your work?
- Could a friend reread your work for you?
- Have you read all the rubric and aimed for the highest standard?
Tier 3: Individual or small group Intense instruction.
One on one with teacher students will edit their work.
Teacher will guide the student through the whole process, particularly focusing on
editing strategies and the rubric.

ANCHOR ACTIVITIES
(options to organise and manage classroom program while teacher engages in direct instruction with
Tier 2 or Tier 3 students)
ANCHOR ACTIVITY: Editing and self-assessing work. Then completing a good copy.
1.

1/3 works on
ANCHOR activity:
Students to edit work
individually and selfassess before writing
up a good copy.

1/3 works on a different

activity:
Work in small groups
helping each other out
and rereading others
work. Through helping
others they can further
learn themselves.

1/3 works with

TEACHER direct
instruction:
Work through editing
and self-assessing
with the teacher going
through each stage and
strategy.

Scaffolding and differentiation creates success for all learners

STUDENT ANCHOR ACTIVITY

(may operate concurrently with Tier 2 and Tier 3 Activities)
The teacher gives clear instructions, expectations and timeframes for activities
The students work independently or in small groups to consolidate learning

C.
Consolidation, practice, extension
_30mins_
Regrouping together students are to share how they approached editing their work to the class. If
they wish they may share there good copy.
Extension: those who finish early may assist other students.
Also they may decorate their final copy as they wish, they may like to draw a picture relating to the
story.
D.
Closure
Clear away desks
Lesson/activity transition:
Step 1: send students back to seats to prepare for the next activity.

_5mins_

LESSON 3:
Lesson focus:
Concluding the lessons by visual representing what they gained from the story.
Lesson resources:
Collage matterials
A3 paper
Pens, textas, glue and scissors
Book: The boy who grew flowers by Jen Wojtowicz
Lesson content:
A.
Introduction
_5mins_
Completing an art class in response to the book we have been working on.
Discussed how we can analyse and interpret text through writing now how we can visual interpret
it.
Summarize what was discussed in the pieces if work in an art piece.
B.
Development
All class will be working at a tier one level

Tier 1: Universal Core Curriculum - All students

In response to what students discussed in the previous lessons in the workings they now
have the chance to visually represent what they wrote about. Although the lesson is very
open to interpretation and student may wish to visually represent many aspect of the book.
The aim is for students to visually comprehend what they took from the text they focused
on.
Students will be completing an art piece of choice using collage materials.
As a class discuss some options that students could draw, use collage materials to create.
Some of these options may include;
-the hill with the house on it
-the characters
The students have free option of what they wish to create and how.
All students will need to do a brief description about their artifact.
C.
Consolidation, practice, extension
Students will regather as a class to share their artifacts.
Extension: have free time on Ipads or quiet reading.

_30mins_

D.
Closure
_10mins_
Once students have shared the class needs to be cleaned and all supplied put away.
Lesson/activity transition:
Step 1: As a final finish to the 3 lessons going around the room each student is to share something
they have learnt.
Step 2: lesson was contacted at end of the day so students must gather things ready to leave.