A. Engage the Learner – W.6.10 (5 minutes)

• As students enter the classroom, distribute Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 and allow time for students to record their responses.

• Turn and Talk:

“Why do we have learning targets? What is the purpose of learning targets?” (To give us a goal; the goal is to be able to say “I can . . . ,” which means that the target has been achieved.)

• Direct students’ attention to the posted learning target, and select a volunteer to read it aloud:

“I can infer the topic of this module from the resources.”

• Underline the word infer in the first target.

• Ask:

“What does infer mean? If you are going to infer the topic, what does that mean?” (When we make an inference, we make a good guess based on the evidence we have seen. Inferring the topic means making a good guess about the topic based on the content of the resources we will look at.)

• Ensure that students have access to an online or paper translation dictionary. ▲

• Model using a dictionary to check the preliminary definition of infer.

• With student support, record the meaning of infer on the academic word wall with translations in students’ home languages (to make a guess based on facts and observations; conclude). Write synonyms or sketch a visual above each key term to scaffold students’ understanding. ▲

A. Infer the Topic – RL.6.1 (15 minutes)

• Focus students on the Infer the Topic resources posted around the room.

• Distribute the Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher or Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher ▲ Focus students on the question at the top and read it aloud:

“What do you think you will be learning about in this module?”

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

During Work Time A, as a lighter-support alternative to the Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher ▲ , distribute a partially completed copy of the undifferentiated note-catcher. With some model answers available as a reference, students will be better able to complete the note-catcher appropriately and within the allotted time.

• Tell students that the purpose of the note-catcher is to take notes to help them remember their thinking. It isn't something they will hand in for assessment, so they can record in pictures or words. They do not need to write in full sentences.

• Be transparent about why students are noticing and wondering (because it is a helpful way to understand and explore a new topic or text).

• Read aloud and ensure students understand the Directions for Infer the Topic. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document located on the Tools Page (http://eled.org/tools) for the full version of the protocol.)

• Guide students through the protocol. Allow them to choose what resources to observe, so those who may not be able to read independently have the option to view an image. ▲ Mixed-proficiency pairs can choose the resources they want to observe and begin by discussing what the text means. Encourage students to agree or disagree with one another about what the text means using sentence frames. Examples: “I agree because _____.” “I disagree because _____.”

• Refocus whole group. Think-Pair-Share:

“Now that you have looked at some resources, what do you think this module might be about?” (Responses will vary, but could include: Greek mythology, gods, history, myths.)

“What evidence supports your inference?” (Responses will vary.)

• Use Goal 1 Conversation Cues to encourage students to expand their ideas.

“Can you say more about that?” (The resources seem to show figures from the past. They are depicted in statues and paintings, rather than in photographs. Some of the images show imaginary creatures. The quotes reference Greek mythology or are from resources that name Greek mythology in the title.)

• Scan student responses. Make a note of students who might need support, and check in with them moving forward.

B. Introduce the Performance Task and the Module Guiding Questions (10 minutes)

• Tell students that they will now look at a few additional artifacts as they continue to hone their understanding of the module topic.

• Direct students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart, and read the task aloud.

• As students may be overwhelmed by the Performance Task anchor chart, assure them that they will continue to explore the meaning of the chart in subsequent lessons and units.

• Turn and Talk:

“What do you notice?” (We will write narratives and then explain our choices for our narratives in a multimedia presentation.)

“What do you wonder?” (Responses will vary, but may include: What does multimedia mean?)

“Now that you have analyzed the performance task, has your inference of what this module might be about changed? How?” (Responses will vary.)

• Clarify anything pertinent to this specific Performance Task. If possible, display a model performance task from a former student. Ask students to make connections between the model and the performance task.

• Direct students' attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart, and read the questions aloud.

• Turn and Talk:

“Why do we have guiding questions for each module?” (Responses will vary, but may include: to help focus our learning, to help us think about the performance task.)

• Underline the word mythology. Turn and Talk:

“What does this mean? What strategy can you use to find out the meaning or confirm that the word means what you think it does?”

• Use a think-aloud to model making a guess about the word’s meaning based on context, then verifying the initial determination by looking up the word in a dictionary (mythology – the study of a collection of stories featuring traditional figures that explain natural phenomena and convey the values of the culture).

• Draw students’ attention to the affix -ology as a way to expand word knowledge. Invite them to think of other words that end with the same affix. Tell them that, in Lesson 5, they will learn more about affixes that can be added to roots to change the meaning or part of speech of different words. ▲

• Add this word to the domain-specific word wall, including translations in home languages. ▲ If students ask about point of view, explain that they will unpack that in a later lesson.

• Tell students that these are the questions that will guide their thinking and learning throughout the module. Turn and Talk:

“What do you notice?” (Responses will vary, but may include: we will be studying the stories and figures of Greek mythology.)

“What do you wonder?” (Responses will vary, but may include: I wonder what stories we’re going to read? I wonder how Greek mythology pertains to my life?)

“Now that you have analyzed the guiding questions and performance task, has your inference of what this module might be about changed?” (Responses will vary.)

“What evidence did you find to support your inference?” (Responses will vary.)

• To support ELLs’ comprehension, invite a student to paraphrase the module guiding questions using familiar synonyms. Provide sentence frames to prompt paraphrase construction (e.g., “What is the value of studying other cultures?” could be paraphrased with a question that begins “Why . . .?”). ▲

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

To support ELLs’ independent notices and wonderings when launching the text, provide students with scaffolded instructions for locating important information (e.g., main characters) within the text. These instructions could include

• 1. “Scan the text for character names that you see repeated many times. Remember that names always begin with a capital letter. Who do you think are the three main characters of this book?”; or

  2. “Read the chapter titles on the Contents page. Do the titles seem serious? Silly? Strange?”; or

  3. “Go to page 1, and find the paragraph that begins ‘My name is Percy Jackson.’ How old is he?”

• Clarify that this module is about Greek mythology and how it is woven into the fictional text, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

• Acknowledge that students may have strong feelings about mythology and religious figures. Tell students that for homework they will reflect on the module guiding questions and how they feel about them based on their personal experiences, and that this will be discussed more at the beginning of the next lesson.

C. Launch the Text: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (10 minutes)

• Move students into pairs and invite them to label themselves partner A and partner B.

• Distribute the text, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

• Tell students to take 2 minutes to look through the book with a partner and discuss what they notice and wonder about the book, including the cover, synopsis, and chapter titles. Partner B shares a notice or a wonder first, then partner A, then partner B again, and so on.

• Provide whiteboards and dry-erase markers or sticky notes as an option for students to record (in drawing or writing) their ideas. This helps scaffold active listening for key details.

• Use equity sticks to select students to share out what they notice and wonder about the book. Listen for suggestions such as:

  • Notice: first book in a series

  • Notice: cover art shows a male main character in the midst of an action sequence

  • Notice: humorous chapter titles

  • Wonder: Percy Jackson is the protagonist but he appears to be in trouble often. Can he be a hero if he is not disciplined and obedient?

• After spending some time looking through the book, invite students to spend 1 minute reflecting silently. Ask:

“What does what you read or saw in the book make you think about? Why?” (Responses will vary.)

• After 1 minute, refocus whole group.

• Tell students that reflections can be very personal based on an individual’s background and previous experiences. Guide students through an intentional Think-Pair-Share, ensuring that partner A and partner B both have think time, both get to say the question aloud to the other, and both have an allocated time to respond and then to discuss to build deeper understanding. Cold call students to share their responses with the whole group:

“Knowing that reflections can be very personal, how do you think we should behave when people share their reflections?” (Responses will vary, but may include: listening without interrupting, not disagreeing with how someone feels as that is personal to them, showing respect and empathy—thinking about how they feel and treating them with care.)

• Focus students on the Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart. Explain that, as it says at the top of the chart, ethical people are people who treat others well and stand up for what is right.

• Read aloud the habit of character recorded:

“I show respect. This means I appreciate the abilities, qualities, and achievements of others, and treat myself, others, and the environment with care.”

• Invite students to Turn and Talk to an elbow partner:

“Using the anchor chart as a guide, what does respect mean in your own words?”

“What does respect look like? What might you see when someone is showing respect to someone else?”

“What does respect sound like? What might you hear when someone is showing respect to someone else?”

• See Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

• If helpful, provide some visual examples of showing respect and empathy. These can be images or short videos. ▲

• Tell students they will now have the opportunity to share their reflections, if they would like to, with the whole group. Remind students to respond with respect as necessary.

• Invite volunteers to share their reflections with the whole group. Be prepared to discuss any issues students feel they need to discuss further.

A. Reflect on Learning Targets (5 minutes)

• Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the learning target, using a checking for understanding technique--for example, Thumb-O-Meter.

  • Thumb-O-Meter:

    • Tell students they are going to use the Thumb-O-Meter strategy to reflect on their comfort level or readiness on the learning target.

    • When prompted to reflect on the learning target, students show their comfort level with it by holding their thumb up, down, or sideways. By holding their thumb sideways, they are indicating they will need some support. By holding their thumb down, they are indicating they feel uncomfortable with the learning target.

    • Use students' self-assessment to adjust instruction, and check in with students showing a thumb-down or thumb-sideways.

• Scan student responses, and make a note of students who might need support. Check in with them moving forward.