Benedetto 1

Name _Theresa Benedetto________________________

Lesson Title: Similar Subtopics

Grade
LessonLevel:
Title: 4
Grade:

A. Standard
MDE grade level or CCSS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

B. Objectives/Targets and I CAN Statements

What am I going to teach?
What will the students be able to do at the end of the lesson?
What formative assessments are used to inform instruction?
The students will (TSW) create a 3-column chart to compare two nonfiction text excerpts on penguins.
I CAN compare how information on the same subtopic is organized in various texts

TSW track their thinking by writing on sticky notes to describe observations they are making while reading
their two penguin excerpt texts.

I CAN describe how information on the same subtopic is organized in various texts.

Formative Assessment...

Students will provide a completed comparison chart (3-column chart) with at least 3 sentences in each of
the three elements.

C. Lesson Management: Focus and Organization

C. Lesson
What positive strategies, techniques and tools will you use?
What ideas for on task, active and focused student behavior?

Lesson Management:
Brainstorm similarities and differences of the pairings: (Pikachu and Squirtle) (Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford).
Model tracking (coding) thinking while reading excerpts on the subtopic “where penguins live”.
Model creating a venn diagram to compare information using the excerpts on the subtopic “where penguins live”.
Track their thinking using sticky notes for the 2 excerpts on the subtopic “penguins and humans”.
Create their 3-column chart on the subtopic “penguins and humans”.
Show the teacher the completed tracked thinking and 3-column chart.

Student Management:
Movement-
Students will move to different areas of the classroom to complete their group work task.
 Benedetto 2

Active Student Participation-

Students will actively participate in brainstorming comparisons between pairings introduced in the anticipatory set
and with the material displayed in the penguin subtopic excerpts. Students will respond to formative assessment
questioning by the teacher and will work in peer groups to complete tasks.

Classroom Management Focus-

Students will have three volume/engagement levels:

0.   Silent work – whether it be independently working or listening and learning from the teacher during
instruction. Hands must be raised and voices quiet in order to be called on by the teacher to have
anything clarified or to participate in discussion.
1.   Whispering to their neighbor for a pair and share
2.   Using a “2 inch” voice – group work.

D. Introduction: Creating Excitement and Focus for the Lesson Target

What will you do to generate interest?
How will you access prior knowledge?
What will you practice/review?
•   The teacher will (TTW) generate interest by beginning the lesson with comparison pairings (images) to
engage the students in discussion on similarity and difference.
•   TTW access the students’ prior knowledge of text features in nonfiction texts
•   TTW review the term, ‘subtopic’
•   TTW review tracking thinking through sticky notes
•   TTW practice comparing two separate texts on the same subtopic using a venn diagram

E. Input: Setting up the Lesson for Student Success

Task analysis:
•   What information does the learner need? If needed how will it be provided?  
•   How is the lesson scaffolded?  
Task Analysis
•   Display the first pairing images on the board
•   Discuss first pairing’s similarities and differences
•   Display the second pairing images on the board
•   Discuss the second paring’s similarities and differences
•   TTW review subtopics in a nonfiction text
•   TTW introduce and display the two learning targets on the board
•   TSW write down the learning targets in their reading notebooks
•   TTW introduce the penguin subtopic and the two texts for whole group instruction
•   TTW demonstrate responsive reading by modeling tracking thinking with at least 3 sticky
notes (on the document camera)
•   TTW model comparison thinking through creating a venn diagram with a minimum of one
sentence in each of the three portions (on the document camera)
 Benedetto 3

•   TTW demonstrate the transfer of information from a venn diagram to a 3-column chart (on
the document camera)
•   TTW introduce the penguin subtopic for small group work and instruct the groups to read
the two texts, track their thinking with at least 3 sticky notes per excerpt, and create a 3
column comparison chart with at least 3 sentences for each portion. Each student has
their own sticky notes. This happens on “GO”.
•   TTW provide the class with their groups and designated work area. One representative of
the group will go to the teacher to receive sticky notes for the group
•   TSW complete the group work tasks.
•   When complete, the student will come to the teacher to show their work
•   Closure
*early finishers may read about penguins on Epic! with a nonfiction text.

Thinking Levels: questions to engage students’ thinking

Remembering: What are subtopics? What are text features?

Understanding: What are similarities and comparisons between two texts?
Applying: Discuss similarities and differences between two texts covering the same subtopic.
Analyzing: Track thinking during reading using sticky notes. What are the main points? What text features are used?
What did I learn?
Evaluating: What similarities and differences were there in the content and how the content was presented?
Creating: Draw a 3-Column chart and complete using the subtopic “Penguins and Humans” from the two
different text excerpts provided. Give 3 sentences for each of the 3 columns.

Accommodations: Differentiating to meet student needs

1.Remediation/Intervention-
Students who have received guided support in ELA will only need to write a minimum of 1 sentence in each of the
three columns in the 3-column chart.

2.Extension/Enrichment-
Students who are highly motivated in ELA may create a venn diagram comparing a text used in the
“penguins and humans” and a text they find online in Epic! that covers the same subtopic.

Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology:

•   Pairing images (2)
•   Lined paper
•   Pencil
•   0,1,2 cut outs for management strategy
•   document camera
•   sticky notes
•   4 texts covering same main topic with paired subtopics
•   iPad (for extension)
 Benedetto 4

F. Modeling: I Do
SHOW/TELL (Visual/Verbal Input)
HOW/WHAT (Questioning and redirecting)
•   Model how to track thinking with sticky notes
•   Model comparison thinking
•   Model transferring of thinking from a venn diagram to a 3-column chart

G. Checking for Understanding

Samples of questions to be asked
Ways in which students will respond and be engaged
Formative assessment strategies to be implemented
What similarities do you notice?
What differences do you notice?
Which column would I place this noticing in in order to record my thinking?

H. Guided Practice: We Do
What do the teacher and student do together?
How will a gradual release of responsibility accomplished?
Brainstorm thinking and comparisons between two excerpts from two separate texts on the same subtopic.
During creation of venn diagram, students will contribute their ideas.

I. Collaborative (You Do Together) and/or Independent Practice (You Do)

What practices will be demonstrated/modeled?
Work in the small groups to complete tasks.

J. Closure
How will the I can statement(s) be reviewed?
How will students be involved?
What connections to future learning will occur?
Students will return to their seats and the class will review the I can statement learning targets guided by the teacher.

TTW provide the following questioning:

When your parent asks you what you learned in reading today you cannot say “nothing”. Instead you will say?
How can finding similarities and differences help you in your research for your nonfiction writing?
 Benedetto 5

K. Assessment
What evidence supports that the objective(s) were met?
What do my students know, understand and are able to do?
What formative assessments will be used to inform
instruction?
If the student has completed 3 tracking sticky notes for each of the 2 excerpts and has included 3 sentences in each
of the 3 portions of their 3-column chart, the lesson objectives have been met.

Reflection on the lesson and data collected will drive further instruction.

L. Reflection
How do you know that the objective(s)/target(s) was met? What
is your evidence?
Using your assessment data how will you change the lesson or
instruction for the next time?
How well did the students perform/respond? Were all my
students engaged?
How was my timing?
How many students struggled? What will I do to help the
student(s) who struggled?
What will I do to extend the learning for those students who
met target?
What did everyone know? What did no one know? Were there
any surprises?

(Revised/Edited by Elementary Team, 2014)