Grade: Grade 3 Subject: English Language Arts Created by: Michelle Cummings Lesson Length: 1 hour 15 minutes Keywords/Tags: community, television news, public interest, change, famous Lesson Description: Students will gain experience closely reading a short story for comprehension and discussion. Students will identify meanings Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary words using evidence from the text and know how to correctly use the vocabulary words in a sentence. Students will work with a partner(s) to answer critical thinking questions about the text. Students will learn from the reading of the text a way to change their community and some of the roles people have in television news. Students will write an essay from their own point of view using specific examples and a clear conclusion statement.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4c: Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1d: Provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.
See Our Progress
My school was on the news last week. We had made a big change in our community. We had planted a big garden where there had been a vacant lot.
I learned a lot about television news. First, our principal called the TV station. She told them what we were doing. She talked with a producer. That is a person who sends reporters to do stories.
The producer checked with the director. He said there were lots of stories like this, so he wanted to know what was special about our garden.
The principal explained that we had made a prairie garden. She told how we had gone on the Internet to learn about the prairie. Then we had gone to a prairie and gotten seeds. We got the seeds from the plants. Then we planted them. We did not water the garden, but we did weed it. We let nature water it with rain because that was how prairies grew in the past. We sent a picture of the garden. In the picture the grass was so high it was taller than the fourth grade students.
The director thought this was interesting. It was not just a garden. It was a history lesson. It was a science lesson, too. So they sent a reporter. A camera man came, too.
They interviewed the principal. They asked questions about the garden. Then they interviewed us. We told what we had learned. They interviewed a person on the street, too. They asked what he thought about the garden.
They were at our school for two hours. We were excited. Then that night we watched the news. There we were. They told our story. It was only two minutes long. But it was us. We were famous.
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity
(35 points)
Instructions: Please complete the following vocabulary activity by choosing the correct meaning of each word selected from the passage and use of each word correctly in a sentence. Read each question carefully.
Vocabulary Questions
Word/Phrase: community | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q1
The author says, "We made a big change in our community." What does the word "community" mean in this sentence?
A. playground
B. town *
C. family
D. garden
Which sentence below does NOT use the word "community" correctly.
A. Our community has many people living in it.
B. Mr. Rogers loves his community.
C. I live in a small community.
D. I planted a community. *
Word/Phrase: vacant | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q2
The author says, "We had planted a big garden where there had been a vacant lot." What does the word "vacant" mean in this sentence?
A. empty *
B. filled
C. busy
D. pretty
Which sentence below uses the word "vacant" CORRECTLY?
A. The vacant flowers were beautiful.
B. The store was so crowded that it felt vacant.
C. The school parking lot was vacant on Saturday because no one was there. *
D. A vacant house is filled with furniture and people.
Word/Phrase: famous | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q3
The author says, "They told our story. It was only two minutes long. But it was us. We were famous." What does the word "famous" mean in this context?
A. unknown
B. unimportant
C. beautiful
D. well-known *
Which sentence below uses the word "famous" CORRECTLY?
A. He was famous because no one knew who he was.
B. Superman is a famous superhero. *
C. A famous museum is never visited.
D. People think being famous will never make them rich.
Word/Phrase: interesting | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q4
In the passage we read, "The director thought this was interesting. It was not just a garden." What does the word "interesting" mean in this context?
A. boring
B. average
C. impressive *
D. dull
Choose the sentence below that uses the word "interesting" CORRECTLY.
A. Our class thought the news report about the dolphins at Sea World was interesting. *
B. My brother fell asleep in the movie because it was so interesting.
C. I had a hard time finishing the book because the plot was interesting.
D. I could not pay attention to the teacher because the topic was interesting.
Word/Phrase: producer | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q5
In the story, the author says the principal "talked with a producer." What is the text evidence that describes what a "producer" is?
A. "First, our principal called the TV station."
B. "That is a person who sends reporters to do stories." *
C. "She told them what we were doing."
D. "She talked with a producer."
Choose the sentence below that uses the word "producer" CORRECTLY as it applies to the story.
A. The television producer sent a reporter to find out more about the service project. *
B. The producer sold vegetables at the store.
C. The producer of the restaurant asked us if we liked our food.
D. J.K Rowling is the famous producer of the Harry Potter Series.
Word/Phrase: director | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q6
The author says, "The producer checked with the director. He said there were lots of stories like this, so he wanted to know what was special about our garden." What is a "director" in the context of this story?
A. Someone who works for a producer.
B. The boss of a producer who chooses what stories make it on the news. *
C. A reporter.
D. A camera man.
Choose the best sentence that uses "director" CORRECTLY as it relates to the story.
A. The director took video recordings of our interview.
B. The director gave a great news report to the producer.
C. The director listened to the producer's information about the story and made the final decision to put it on the news. *
D. The director made us a delicious birthday cake.
Word/Phrase: reporter | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q7
The author says, "So they sent a reporter. A camera man,too. They interviewed the principal. They asked questions about the garden." What does the text tell us is a "reporter" in the context of the story?
A. A reporter asks questions and interviews people to find out details for a news story. *
B. A reporter makes funny jokes.
C. A reporter sells cameras at a camera store.
D. A reporter sends a producer to interview people to find out details for a news story.
Which sentence below uses the word "reporter" CORRECTLY?
A. The reporter sold us a great camera.
B. The reporter told the director to interview the school principal about the garden.
C. The reporter interviewed the principal, the students, and the community members to find out more details about our garden. *
D. The reporter took lots of pictures of the garden.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4c,
Task 2: Discussion Activity
(35 points)
Instructions: This discussion activity will have questions for students to respond. Read the questions. Turn and talk with your partner (or partners) about how they would respond and what evidence they found in the text to support their answers. Students may work together, but they are responsible for writing their answers on their own paper using text evidence to support responses.
Topic Title
Replies
What can we infer from the text is a "prairie"?
We learn from the text that the students went to a prairie and found seeds to bring back to plant in the vacant lot. What can we learn from the text that tells us what kind of place is a "prairie?" Explain using text evidence what a prairie is like and what grows in a prairie.
Sent on: Feb 15, 2020 by: Michelle Cummings
0
What is the process for getting on the news?
The author says, "I learned a lot about television news." What evidence from the text describes the process of getting on television news? Give a list of jobs involved in television news and the responsibilites of those jobs. Make sure to include what characteristic (or characteristics) is needed to get a story on the news.
Sent on: Feb 15, 2020 by: Michelle Cummings
0
Why did the author feel his class was famous?
The author says, "We were famous." Why does the author feel they were famous? Explain using text evidence why the author believed his class was famous. Do you think his class was famous? Why or why not. Give at least one complete sentence defending your position.
Sent on: Feb 15, 2020 by: Michelle Cummings
0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1a,
Task 3: Writing Activity
(30 points)
Instructions: Think about the following questions: If you were to make a change in your community, what would it be? Would you like to become famous for the change? Why or why not?
You are to write a 500 word essay (3 to 4 paragraphs) about what you would do to make a change in your community and why. Please make sure to give at least three specific reasons why you chose to make that change. Conclude with answering if you would like to be famous for making the change or not. Give at least two reasons why or why not you would want to be famous for making a change in your community.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1d,
