Resource Center

Wow! Word Choice Matters!

Author:

Ms. Akeyla

Why does our choice of words matter when we write or when we speak?

Grade Level

K - 1st

Subjects

English Language Arts

Duration

30 Minutes

Mode

Face-to-Face Hybrid

Learning Objectives

I can identify different parts of speech in a story.
I can replace the identified parts of speech with new vocabulary to create a new sentence.
I can use a model to write a complete sentence.

Instructional Rationale

How will you access students’ prior knowledge and incorporate that into the lesson?

There will be a quick game of 5 pictures showcasing either a noun or a verb. If it is a noun, students squat (or sit) and if it is a verb, students jump up (or stand).

To introduce the lesson and see what prior knowledge students have, a picture from the text will be shown and discussed as a class.

Given this picture, can you create a sentence (verbally) that has a noun and a verb?
Given this sentence from the text, can you identify the noun and the verb?
- “At breakfast, he woke up to leche and churros.”

How does the lesson support student learning of the content in a meaningful way?

This lesson supports student learning by having multiple means of engagement. The chosen text utilizes English and Spanish for inclusive purposes. It helps both Spanish speakers to feel included and for native English speakers to learn new words and better understand how it may feel to not know what a word means because of language. Additionally, the lesson can be hands-on, involves movement, and it allows for collaboration in the classroom.

How are you integrating UDL (multiple means of engagement, representation, and action & expression) into your lesson?

Multiple means of engagement
- Integration will occur through individual work and a whole class mini lesson.
Multiple means of representation
- Integration will occur through various sample sentences (these will come from the one selected text, however, they could come from various texts that have already been read). Additionally, representation will be seen through a google slides presentation, a movement game, and a paper handout.
Multiple means of action and expression
- Integration will occur through Google Slides, which will utilize a drag and drop method, word banks, and short writing. Additionally, a mini worksheet will be included to assess student learning (all prompts read aloud).

What evidence do you have that you are connecting teaching to the CRP tenets (academic success, cultural competence and critical consciousness)?

The list of diverse texts supplies ample choice for educators to select a text that targets the classroom demographic for inclusive purposes. For the purpose of this lesson, the text Gazpacho for Nacho is written with translanguaging (English and Spanish). Additionally, students will be tasked to try to infer meaning from the text, using the pictures and the author’s word choice. Students will also use some fill-in-the-blank questions to create new coherent sentences (replacing the nouns and verbs) and sharing out.

How are you using technology to enhance and enrich the lesson?

Various forms of technology will be used throughout the lesson. Google Slides (and a smart board if classrooms have it) will be the main platform used.

Assessments

Are you using formative or summative assessments or both?

Formative assessment will be used in this specific lesson. There are activities included in the extension section for summative assessment ideas.

What is the purpose of each assessment?

The purpose of the formative assessments throughout the lesson is to simply gauge how well students are identifying the parts of speech, see if their replacement choices create coherent sentences, and if student level enables how well they are able to formulate their own new sentences based on a model from the selected text.

How is each assessment linked to UDL, CRP or both?

The formative assessments used in the lesson allow for students to respond in a variety of ways to demonstrate what they have learned and are learning. It is never too early to introduce students to the importance of understanding language and using models to create something new. This is the starting point to understanding the importance of word choice and these choices can shape the impression on the reader and the information that is being delivered.

How will you check each student’s level of knowing, understanding or doing related to the learning objectives or outcomes?

The TPR entrance exercise will give a gauge of what students know and understand about whether a word is a noun or a verb. The short worksheet will be an exit ticket with pictures that has students identify the nouns or verbs in a sentence. It is important to read these aloud to students to ensure there aren’t any misinterpretations or errors due to lack of reading fluency.

Throughout the lesson design, there are ample opportunities for formative assessment to occur. After each Google Slide, formative assessment can take place. Additionally, at the end of the lesson, the teacher can take a look at the exit tickets to have a better understanding of their students’ levels of knowing, understanding, and doing, which can ultimately allow the teacher the information needed to make an informed decision on how to proceed.

Materials & Resources

A list of diverse text
- Gazpacho for Nacho (the example used for the lesson would work)
An interactive Google Slides: Google Slides Presentation – Interactive
- Can be done when projected by teacher’s computer
- Call on students to complete examples
  - You can allow students to drag and drop on your device or via the smart board.
Teacher’s Computer
Smart Board (if applicable)
Exit Ticket – Canva Created Worksheet

Procedures & Implementation

Facilitating Learning

In order to facilitate learning for this lesson the following strategies will be used: questioning, total physical response, pair work, share outs, and open discussions.

Lesson Introduction

The lesson will be introduced by a review of objectives, then there will be a short discussion with a carpet partner to come up with a sentence (verbally) that has a noun and a verb. Groups can share out as the teacher permits. Next, there will be 5 pictures to go through to determine if pictured words are nouns or verbs (a little formative assessment) so that students are already familiar with the text.

Sequence of Events & Time Frame

You will need the Google Slides Presentation

Review of lesson objectives and standards (5 minutes)
Warm Up activity (5 minutes)
Whole class mini lesson (15 minutes)
Wrap Up & Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

Tying Activities to Assessments

Formative assessment will occur during each interactive Google Slide. Additionally, an exit ticket will be given with the same format as the sample questions of the mini lesson.

Future Options

There are many possible options of where to go after this lesson is complete. If students did not do well with the lesson, then re-teaching is needed. However, if students did do well, then here is a follow up activity:

As a class, you can make a new story.

Decide on character names, themes, or contexts of the story.
Students work with the teacher in small groups to recreate the story. Each small group can be tasked with one page of the text. The small group can then draw a picture to match what they have written.
- With K-1 grade level, the topic can still be related to food (maybe pizza or spaghetti) to resemble the natural sequential order of the original story. Especially since the standard is to understand nouns and verbs.
Write a new story using the original as a model.

Opportunities for CRP, UDL, & Technology

There are ample opportunities for using CRP, UDL, and technology throughout the lesson. The lesson allows for different levels of uses of technology, depending on the teacher’s comfort level (e.g., students can drag and drop in the interactive Google Slide or the teacher can do it for them). Additionally, materials are presented in multiple means and students are able to engage through various methods, whether through movement, or the Google Slides presentation. CRP is used throughout the selected text using translanguaging, and students will be formulating meaning within the text and in turn create their own sentences through modeling and sharing out.

Standards & Indicators

From Indiana’s Kindergarten ELA Content Connectors

K.W.6.1: Nouns/Pronouns – Writing sentences that include singular and/or plural nouns (e.g., dog/dogs, cat/cats).
K.W.6.1b: Verbs – Writing sentences that include verbs.
K.RV.3.1: With support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in stories, poems, or songs.

From the Indiana Academic Standards English Language Arts: Grade 1

1.W.6.1a Nouns/Pronouns: Writing sentences that include common and proper nouns and personal pronouns.
1.W.6.1b Verbs: Writing sentences using verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future.
1.RV.3.1: Identify words and phrases in stories, poems, or songs that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses (touch, hearing, sight, taste, smell).

Trajectory

Acknowledged

Engages in discussions and activities around representative diversity and individual differences without grappling with structural oppressions. Culture is externalized and the focus is on the abstract. Minor discomfort may be felt and tensions are largely avoided.

Throughlines

Empowering Families and Communities

Families and community members are key stakeholders in determining the ways materials and resources are accessible, equitable, and inclusive for all students.

Intentional Use of Technology

Technology is used in a purposeful manner that is informed by context and is oriented towards building equitable and inclusive learning environments.

Multiple Ways of Knowing and Doing

The knowledge and wisdom of the students, families, and communities are centered in content and materials to promote equitable and inclusive learning experiences.

Standards

Social Justice

Identity 5 - Students will recognize traits of the dominant culture, their home culture and other cultures and understand how they negotiate their own identity in multiple spaces.

Diversity 7 - Students will develop language and knowledge to accurately and respectfully describe how people (including themselves) are both similar to and different from each other and others in their identity groups.

ISTE NETS

Empowered Learner 1a - Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.