Elementary Literacy

Task 1: Planning Commentary

TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 9 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses
within the brackets. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

1. Central Focus
a. Describe the central focus and the essential literacy strategy for comprehending OR composing text
you will teach in the learning segment.
The essential literacy strategy for this lesson segment is comparing and contrasting. The
Central Focus of the literacy content is to model to the students how to use two different graphic
organizers called a matrix and double bubble map to compare and contrast different elements of
stories. The purpose of this learning segment is to scaffold and briefly introduce to students the first
stage of the writing process called prewriting. In prewriting, writers organize their thoughts and ideas.
According to Gale E. Tompkins, Organization provides the skeleton or structure for a composition it
enhances the ideas by providing readers with a clear sense of direction (Tompkins 59). In addition, he
states that writers create diagrams to explore their ideas to best showcase them. During the prewriting
and drafting stages, organization helps writers enhance their ideas to produce the best possible writing
(Tompkins 61).
The writing process is a five-stage process that describes what students think about and do.
The five stages are prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Within the prewriting phase,
students use graphic organizers to organize and brainstorm their ideas (Tompkins 49). For the purpose
of this lesson, students will read two different stories to identify similarities and differences.
b. Given the central focus, describe how the standards and learning objectives within your learning
segment address
According to CCS standard, students must be able to compare and contrast the adventures and
experiences of characters in familiar stories. In order to compare and contrast, students must be able to
identify characters, settings, and major events in a story as well as other elements. The central
standard of this lesson is CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.9. The essential literacy strategy being
addressed in this lesson is comparing and contrasting. In these lessons, students will learn how to fill in
their own graphic organizers after choosing details from the story. As a class, students will create a
matrix on two different stories focusing on the title, characters, setting, beginning, ending and the
moral/lesson. For their summative assessment, students will depict how two texts are similar and
different using the graphic organizer called the double bubble map.
A double bubble map is comprised of eleven bubbles: Two big bubbles linked to nine little
bubbles. The two big bubbles share three bubbles in the middle of the graphic organizer. On the double
bubble map, lines connect different bubbles show connections between details.
c. Explain how your plans build on each other to help students make connections between the
essential literacy strategy to comprehend OR compose text and related skills that support use of the
strategy in meaningful contexts.
Across the lessons I will be using a matrix to scaffold and build upon students prior knowledge.
In every lesson the content of the matrix will stay the same. In lessons 1-3, Students will be inputting
new information into the matrix after every story that is read to them. Once the matrix is completed in
lesson 4, students will be able to refer to the matrix to complete their double bubble map.
Over the learning segment, I will read three stories called, The Seven Chinese Brothers, The
Five Chinese Brothers, and The Seven Chinese Sisters. I will first read the stories to build background
knowledge for my students and participate in grand conversations. In my first lesson I will read one
story to the class and focus on the necessary literature elements. Through guided instruction and
modeling, I will show how to create a matrix on large poster board paper. Using details from the story,
the students and I will identify the title, characters, setting, beginning, ending and the moral/lesson for
each book. We will then complete the matrix after discussing the events that occurred throughout the
stories. The first three lessons will focus on identifying the literature elements. After composing a
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Elementary Literacy
Task 1: Planning Commentary

completed matrix, students will then compare and contrast the stories using the information provided.
Students will create a double bubble map identifying similarities and differences in the story.
2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
For each of the prompts below (2ab), describe what you know about your students with respect to the
central focus of the learning segment.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support (e.g., students
with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers, underperforming students or those
with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students).
a. Prior academic learning and prerequisite skills related to the central focusCite evidence of what
students know, what they can do, and what they are still learning to do.
Students have been exercising different reading strategies throughout the first and second
quarter. According to Tompkins, there are four different literal comprehension levels. Students must be
able to comprehend what theyre reading in order to understand what they are looking for. My students
are approaching the basic level of comprehension called literal comprehension. At this level students
are able to identify main ideas, sequence details and notice similarities and differences with information
(Tompkins 253). With prompting and support, majority of my students are able to identify these parts.
Students have been learning about different types of texts such as fiction and non-fiction texts.
Theyve been practicing how to identifying different parts of the texts such as character, setting and
main idea. My students have learned how to identify all three elements in The Very Hungry Caterpillar
and did very well drawing and writing details. Every time a book is introduced, students are asked to
identify the title and author of a book to build schema.
Students have been introduced to graphic organizers such as double bubble map and flow
charts in the second quarter. However, the only elements students have learned to distinguish are
characters and settings in two stories Its a Bear and Wheres Teddy. In a flowchart, students have
learned to sequence the events of a story from beginning to end for the story Swimmy.
b. Personal, cultural, and community assets related to the central focusWhat do you know about your
students everyday experiences, cultural and language backgrounds and practices, and
interests?
My students are predominantly natives of Hawaii. With the exception of few military students
and pacific islanders, my students grasp a basic understanding of the Hawaiian culture through
different interactions and experiences. Students that come from military families provide different insight
about different cultures as well. According to research, diversity reflects not only the motivational and
cognitive abilities that children bring, but also the culture that accompanies them (Borich 22). The
interactions Ive observed both in and out of the classroom are influenced by each students
backgrounds.
3. Supporting Students Literacy Learning
Respond to prompts 3ac below. To support your justifications, refer to the instructional materials and
lesson plans you have included as part of Planning Task 1. In addition, use principles from research
and/or theory to support your justifications.
a. Justify how your understanding of your students prior academic learning and personal, cultural, and
community assets (from prompts 2ab above) guided your choice or adaptation of learning tasks and
materials. Be explicit about the connections between the learning tasks and students prior academic
learning, their assets, and research/theory.
Students have completed a matrix prior to this lesson. They have also practiced identifying
characters, settings and titles of multiple stories. The books Ive selected to read are called The Seven
Chinese Brothers, The Five Chinese Brothers, and The Seven Chinese Sisters. Ive selected these
books to coincide with the upcoming holiday: Chinese New Years. These books introduce many cultural
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Elementary Literacy
Task 1: Planning Commentary

elements that the students can compare and contrast. I thought these books would appeal to my
students the most because my students love non-fiction stories. These books have similar elements
and will therefore assist with scaffolding.
b. Describe and justify why your instructional strategies and planned supports are appropriate for the
whole class, individuals, and/or groups of students with specific learning needs.
For this segment, Ive decided to do a mix of small group and whole class instruction with my
students. Id like my students to participate in grand conversations and share their ideas with those
around them. According to Gale E. Tompkins, When students use think-alouds, they become more
thoughtful, strategic readers and writers and improve their ability to monitor their reading and writing
(Tompkins 65). During small group instruction, I believe students will have opportunities to refine their
thinking with others. In small groups, I can target specific learning needs in a controlled environment.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support (e.g.,
students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers, underperforming
students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students).
b. Describe common developmental approximations or common misconceptions within your literacy
central focus and how you will address them.
In many cases, my students may provide the wrong answers while filling out the matrix as a
class. If this occurs, I would refer to the text and find evidence for each part. I would ask students to
explain their thinking and build upon their responses. I will scaffold using principles that theyve already
learned in class from previous lessons. If this continues, I will address the problem with the student
through one-on-one instruction during free time.
To instill procedural knowledge, I will provide step-by-step instruction and focus on the content.
During the summative assessment, if students struggle to find different elements to compare and
contrast, I will have students refer to the matrix that the class had created.
4. Supporting Literacy Development Through Language
As you respond to prompts 4ad, consider the range of students language assets and needswhat do
students already know, what are they struggling with, and/or what is new to them?
a. Language Function. Using information about your students language assets and needs, identify one
language function essential for students to develop and practice the literacy strategy within your central
focus. Listed below are some sample language functions. You may choose one of these or another
more appropriate for your learning segment.
Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Compare/contrast

Describe

Interpret

Predict

Question

Retell

Summarize

Explain

b. Identify a key-learning task from your plans that provides students with opportunities to practice using
the language function in ways that support the essential literacy strategy. Identify the lesson in which
the learning task occurs. (Give lesson day/number.)
The central focus- Comparing and Contrasting- will serve as part of the key-learning task. In three
separate lessons, I will read The Seven Chinese Brothers, The Five Chinese Brothers, and The Seven
Chinese Sisters. After compiling information from each story into a matrix, students will choose different
aspects of the story to compare and contrast in their double bubble map.
c. Additional Language Demands. Given the language function and learning task identified above,
describe the following associated language demands (written or oral) students need to understand
and/or use:
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Elementary Literacy
Task 1: Planning Commentary

Vocabulary or key phrases

Compare
Contrast
Similarities
Differences
Text Reference
Identify
Students will learn the following key academic terms to:

Lesson 1- Title, Character, Setting, Beginning, End, Lesson/Moral Graphic Organizer, Matrix,
Identify, Sequence, Elements

Lesson 2 Title, Character, Setting, Beginning, End, Lesson/Moral Similarities, Differences,

Graphic Organizer, Matrix, Compare, Contrast, Identify, Sequence, Elements

Lesson 3- Title, Character, Setting, Beginning, End, Lesson/Moral, Graphic Organizer, Matrix, and
Identify, Sequence, Elements

Lesson 4- Title, Character, Setting, Beginning, End, Lesson/Moral, Graphic Organizer, Matrix,
Identify, Sequence, Double Bubble Map, Compare, Contrast, Elements

Plus at least one of the following:

Syntax: Students will list details that correlate to the stories in a matrix and double bubble map.
Discourse: Students will participate in grand conversation pertaining to the matrix.

The title of the story is

The characters of the story are

The story takes place in

In the beginning

At the end

The lesson/ authors message was

d. Language Supports. Refer to your lesson plans and instructional materials as needed in your
response to the prompt.

Identify and describe the planned instructional supports (during and/or prior to the learning task) to
help students understand, develop, and use the language demands (function, vocabulary or key
phrases, discourse, or syntax).
In the first lesson, students will answer the following questions about the matrix:

What is the title of the book?

Who are the mains characters in the story?

Where does the story take place (setting)?
What happens in the beginning of the story?
What happens at the end of the story?
What is the lesson/ Moral of the story?

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Elementary Literacy
Task 1: Planning Commentary

In the fourth lesson, students will organize their ideas into their graphic organizer by answering the
following questions:

What are some similarities you see between the two stories?
What are some differences you see between the two stories?
Compare and contrast the two stories

As the teacher, I will use questions and sentence starts to prompt students to answer.
5. Monitoring Student Learning
In response to the prompts below, refer to the assessments you will submit as part of the materials for
Planning Task 1.
a. Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments will provide direct evidence that students
can use the essential literacy strategy to comprehend OR compose text AND related skills throughout
the learning segment.
Students will be graded on the following aspects of their double bubble map
Double Bubble Map

Comparisons

ME

MP

DP

Student accurately
compares 3 details
from the same two
stories stores from
matrix

Student has
compared at least 2
details and examples

Student had 0-2

details

Student has
compared at least 4
details and examples

Student had a 0-2

details

Student identifies
two stories being
compared and
contrasted with, with
one detail from the
other story.

Student does not

clearly indent two
stories. Student
compared more that
two stories

Student is inaccurate
with details.

Details and
examples were used
from text
Contrasts

Student accurately
compare a minimum
of 6 details from the
same two stories
stores from matrix

Student is inaccurate
with details

Details and
examples were used
from text
Assignment

Student clearly
identifies two stories
being compared and
contrasted.

Students who are able to create a double bubble map reveals their knowledge of the content. This
assessment is a good indicator because it focuses on the strategy that the students are learning.
b. Explain how the design or adaptation of your planned assessments allows students with specific needs
to demonstrate their learning.
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Elementary Literacy
Task 1: Planning Commentary

In all four lessons, students who are struggling may work together to complete the task. With help from
a peer, the work can get done. For ELL students, a list of vocabulary words will be issued to prior to
lesson to enhance vocabulary knowledge. ELL students may present their answers in various forms
such as oral communication or drawing a picture. The lesson can accommodate learners who need
assistance or have special needs.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support (e.g.,
students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers, underperforming
students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students).

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