Creating CCSS Literacy Lessons in Science

Today’s Agenda Brief Overview of Text Complexity Vocabulary Text Structure Review of Common Core Reading and Writing Standards How to Create a Lesson based on the Common Core Reading and Writing Standards Hands-on Practice with a Common Core science lesson Planning for your own Lessons Refer teachers to CCSS – page62.

Common Core Shifts for ELA/Literacy Complexity: The standards require regular practice with complex text and its academic language Evidence: The standards emphasize reading and writing grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational Knowledge: The standards require building knowledge through content rich non- fiction Refer teachers to CCSS – page62.

Emphasis on Standards: Texts should be complex and appropriate to learning goals and students. Texts should be content-rich and build student understanding of subject matter. Learning activities should focus on citing evidence, academic vocabulary, text structure, and visual representations. Students should regularly write in response to text. See writing standards. Refer teachers to CCSS – page62.

Overview of Text Complexity Quantitative Measure/Readability – see page 2 of “Supplemental Information for Appendix A of CCSS.” Qualitative Measure The Student The Task Science by nature is more complex than most subjects but texts are often difficult to find. See Appendix B.

Some Basics Tier 2 and Tier 3 Vocabulary: Reading Standard 4 Text Structure: Reading Standard 5

Developing a Common Core Text Lesson for Science “The Rock Cycle” Seventh Grade Comprehensive Science Big Idea: Earth’s Structures Benchmark: Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events and sub-surface events. Essential Questions: What are the patterns of the rock cycle? How do the patterns relate to surface and sub-surface events?

Creating Text-Dependent Questions for Close Analytic Reading of Texts Identify core understandings and key ideas. Start small to build confidence. Target vocabulary and text structure. Tackle tough sections head-on. Create coherent sequences of text dependent questions. Identify the standards that are being addressed. Create the culminating assessment.

Practice with Prepping the Document With 1-2 other colleagues, prepare the document for class use by addressing the seven questions. Be prepared to share with others.

Engaging Students with the Text: Prewriting How is a rock born or created? Explain the process in 5-7 sentences. Share with a partner. Change your answer if needed after hearing your partner’s response. Ask for responses from the class. “Who would like to share with everyone?”

Engaging Students with the Text Read the document out loud. The teacher reads the text out loud while the students follow along. After the 2nd or 3rd paragraph, students can read out loud with the teacher. This helps with cadence and comprehension.

Engaging Students with the Text Introduce the vocabulary. Select tier 2 and tier 3 words. Introduce the words in the context of the document. Model on projection device while students mark their own text. Highlight vocabulary in the document. Circle clues in the sentence and in the word itself. Write definitions in the margin. Do not introduce too many words at a time.

Engaging Students with the Text Identify the text structure. With a partner, review the different text structures. Determine the text structure of this document. Find key words or clues that show the text structure. Make notes on your paper. Discuss as a class.

Engaging Students with the Text Text Marking As I read out loud, mark any time you hear and see the word “process(es).” Either highlight or circle the word. With your partner, make a graphic organizer that lists the different processes and their descriptions in the article.

Engaging Students with the Text Creating Questions In the second sentence, the author suggests that all rocks are traced back to the solidification of molten magma. The chart indicates that rocks are formed in several different ways, so why does the author make this statement? Now work with your partner to create a challenging text-based question for paragraphs 2-5.

Engaging Students with the Text The Discussion Let’s hear the questions you developed. Can you answer your classmates’ questions and provide evidence from the text?

Engaging Students with the Text Culminating Written Response Describe the sequence of processes that result in the rock cycle. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Your Task Today Identify three different texts that are complex and content rich. Include a diagram or chart with at least one of the texts. The three texts should be taught within one grading period. Once you have selected the three documents, create a culminating writing prompt for each that addresses the core understanding or key idea of each document. The question should be one that can be answered strictly with text and a diagram.

Your Task in the Future Using the documents today as a guideline, plan how you will teach the document to your students. Your plan should include the following components: vocabulary, text structure, marking text, creating questions, discussion, and culminating text-based writing assignment. Be sure to include how you will engage students in the learning activities. Once you have selected your documents and created questions, send them to me for review.