SIOP Instructional Unit Plan

Grade/Class/Subject: 6-8 Language Arts/Social Studies Key Vocabulary:

Content vocabulary/ terms: Prairies, drought, flourished, scorched, devastated, prosperous, relentless, Dustbowl. Academic vocabulary: Visualizing/ visualize, background knowledge, comprehension, images, illustrate.

Thematic Topic: The Dustbowl/Great Depression Standards:

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. (RL.6-8.2.) IA.1.Employ the full range of research-based comprehension strategies, including making connections, determining importance, questioning, visualizing, making inferences, summarizing, and monitoring for comprehension. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) (W.6-8.4.) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. (W.6-8.10.)

Higher Order Thinking Skills: Why is it helpful to visualize while reading? (It helps comprehension) How does visualization help writing? How can we synthesize pictures and sentences to summarize main ideas?

Visuals/Resources/Supplementary Materials :
Scholastic Scope article - March 12, 2012, Dust Bowl video, Vocabulary Power Point, pens, pencils, colored pencils, notebooks and other paper, sentence frames, graphic organizer. The graphic organizer is divided into 4- 6 squares, each for an illustration with a blank text box at top of each for sentences to be filled in. (4 more squares on the back as needed)

Connections to Prior Knowledge/Building Background: 1. TV & movies connect to creating an image in our mind while reading.

2. Knowledge of other stormy, windy weather connect to dust storms. 3. Briefly build background knowledge of US history during and before Dustbowl short movie. Address concepts such as buffalo, Native Americans, frontier, pioneers, ranchers and farmers. Content Objective(s):
1.I can identify descriptive words in a text. 2. I can use prior knowledge about those words and my senses to create an image in my mind. 3. I can use visualization to create an image of what life was like during the Dust Bowl. 4.I can create images and sentences related to them that illustrate my understanding of the text. 5. I can identify and discuss main causes and effects of the Dust Bowl. (main idea of article) 6. I can write a graphic novel page based on visualization that describes the Dust Bowl.

Meaningful Activities/Lesson Sequence: Lesson1: 2-3 days 1.1 Introduce content objectives 1 5 and language objectives. Have students turn to a partner and share 1 objective. Repeat twice so everyone hears or reads them at least once. (Introduce fewer at a time if lesson is broken up into several days, but always review previous ones.) 1.2 Front load vocabulary. (Short Power Point with a color photo for each content vocabulary word) Students turn to a partner and share one word and definition at end of Power Point. 1.3 Activate prior knowledge with a reminder of strong windstorm we had last spring connect to weather they are familiar with. 1.4 Visualizing Gradual Release of Responsibility comprehension lesson Activate Prior Knowledge with discussion of TV/movie images, compare to reading. (Fast map academic vocabulary as it occurs in lesson repeat definition several times.) A. Teacher models: Read first paragraph aloud, think aloud - identifying descriptive words & combining them with background knowledge to create images draw images in graphic organizer on

Review/Assessment: 1.1 & 1.5 Informal assessment group work, oral responses and graphic organizers. 2.1 Students continue to practice vocabulary words with manipulatives. (Picture cards with vocabulary word on one side match with definition card) 2.2 Review language & content objectives daily. 2.3 Review previous summarizing/determining importance lesson, as well as using context clues lesson to determine the meaning of an unknown word.

overhead, write in descriptive words. Fast map any unknown vocabulary words as necessary. Teacher shares thinking with a focus on metacognition. B. Guided Practice: Students follow along while teacher reads next section. Coach them to make lists of unknown words or use context clues to figure them out as they read. Then, turn to a partner and share descriptive words. Draw an image in graphic organizer. Take volunteers to share out orally, show picture. C. Collaborative Learning: Mixed ability partners or 3 person groups. Whisper read next section together in group & choose descriptive words. Students add drawings and words to their graphic organizer, share ideas in L1 if possible/needed. Provide L1 dictionaries as a resource. Share out. Repeat for 2 more sections. D. Independent Practice (depending on level and ability) Students read last 2 sections independently, choose descriptive words and generate their own pictures share out. (This process may take several class periods pace appropriate to student skills, allow for wait time, etc. At beginning of each class period, have different student read through language & content objectives with pointer for class. Then ttyp and share at least one objective. Review vocabulary with picture cards with definition on back match with word cards with a partner. E. Watch Life in the Dust Bowl video from Scholastic.com. How well did our visualization

match the real dustbowl? http://video.scholastic.com/services/player/ bcpid858992059001?bctid=1466663974001 F. 3-2-1 Exit Slip Three details about Dust Bowl, Two causes of the Dust Bowl and 1 question I still have. Lesson 2: Duration 2 days 2.1 Review language & content objectives and add content objective 6. 2.2 Review main ideas from Dust Bowl article and discuss any questions students mentioned in exit slips. 2.3 Review previous summarizing/determining importance lesson, as well as using context clues lesson to determine the meaning of an unknown word. 2.4 Hand out several short graphic novel pages to partners. Have partners read through together. partners. Have partners read through together. Give some time to discuss how pictures and text work together to create a story. 2.5 Teacher Models: Display graphic novel page I created based on graphic organizer ideas from the previous class. Leave last panel undone. Display on overhead and think aloud why I chose the pictures and text for several panels. Think aloud while I draw

the illustration for the last panel, including the vocabulary word relentless in my sentence. Model consulting my graphic organizer for ideas from the article. (metacognition) 2.6 Collaborative & Independent Practice: Coach students to create their own graphic novel page using ideas from the graphic organizers they filled out during reading. Allow some collaborative work (i.e. idea sharing, partners) initially, but they should eventually finish the pages independently. 2.7 When novel pages are complete, share out to the whole class using the page as a visual.

Language Objective(s): 1. I can write and speak with a

command of Standard English conventions appropriate to my grade level.

Meaningful Activities/Lesson Sequence: 1.1 Introduce language objectives. Have students turn to a partner and share 1 objective. Repeat twice so everyone hears or reads them at least once.

2. I can define and use vocabulary

introduced in the lesson.

3. I can write sentences connected

to illustrations I draw.

4. I can effectively share my

thoughts aloud and in writing with my classmates.

Review/Assessment: 1.4 Informal assessment, 3-2-1 Exit Slip. 2.1 Review language & content objectives. 2.2 Review previous 1.2 Front load vocabulary. (Short Power Point with summarizing/determining a color photo for each content vocabulary word) importance lesson, as well as using Students turn to a partner and share one word and context clues lesson to determine definition at end of Power Point. the meaning of an unknown word. 2.4 Informally assess understanding of graphic novels, 1.6 Students follow along while teacher reads next pictures and text working together, section. Coach them to make lists of unknown words reteach, more examples as

or use context clues to figure them out as they read. Then, turn to a partner and share descriptive words. Draw an image in graphic organizer. Take volunteers to share out orally, show picture. C. Collaborative Learning: Mixed ability partners or 3 person groups. Whisper read next section together in group & choose descriptive words. Students add drawings and words to their graphic organizer, share ideas in L1 if possible/needed. L1 dictionaries available. Share out. Repeat for 2 more sections. D. Independent Practice (depending on level and ability) Students read last 2 sections independently, choose descriptive words and generate their own pictures share out. 2.1 Review language & content objectives and add content objective 6. 2.3 Review previous summarizing/determining importance lesson, as well as using context clues lesson to determine the meaning of an unknown word. 2.4 Hand out several short graphic novel pages to partners. Have partners read through together. Give some time to discuss how pictures and text work together to create a story. 2.5 Display graphic novel page I created based on graphic organizer ideas from the previous class. Leave last panel undone. Display on overhead and think aloud why I chose the pictures and text for several panels. Think aloud while I draw the illustration for the last

necessary. 2.5 Writing 1 page graphic novel about the Dust Bowl performance assessment summative. Students will create at least 6 panels containing an illustration and at least one sentence summarizing Dust Bowl. They will use at least 2 of the content vocabulary in their graphic novel. Evaluate on basis of vocabulary used, coherence of summary, conventions and how pictures and text interact to enhance readers understanding. 2.6 Each student briefly explains and presents their novel page to the class orally. Evaluate on basis of volume, general fluency and content presented. (Simple rubric)

panel, including the vocabulary word relentless in my sentence. 2.7 When novel pages are complete, share out to the whole class using the page as a visual.

Wrap-Up/Closure: Good readers use visualization to make movies in their heads while they read. Generalize to other texts. Review procedure. Additional Features: If students really struggle with visualization, practice with another text before moving on to writing the graphic novels. Preparation/Lesson Delivery Scaffolding Group Options/Interaction _*_Adaptation of Content _X_Modeling _X_Whole Class _X_Links to Background _X_Guided Practice _X_Small Groups _X_Links to Past Learning _X_Independent Practice _X_Partners _X_Strategies Incorporated _X_Comprehensible Input _X_Independent _X_Lesson Pacing _X_L1 Support NA Technology Integration of Processes Application Assessment _X_Reading _X_Hands-on _X_Individual _X_Writing _X_Meaningful NA Group X_Speaking _X_Linked to Objectives _X_Written _X_Listening _X_Promotes Engagement _X_Oral *I might choose to adapt the content of this article if I had a number of ELL with limited reading skills. However, in general, I would prefer to have those who
can grapple with grade level texts with some accommodation and supports if at all possible.