Earth CyclesSeasons

Day and NightWeather.

English unit planning

Writing

Level 2

Text Type: Explanation.

Handwriting

Big book studyReading Blend study

Guided reading

Spelling

Literacy rotations

Library

Shared reading Speaking and listening

Writing

Weekly PlannerLevel 2

Doveton North Primary School

9.00-10.00 10.00-11.00 11.00-11.40 11.40-12.40 12.40-1.40 1.40-2.3010min lunch

in room

2.30-3.30

Monday Reading +Literacy Rotations1

Writing 1

Spelling

RECESSYard Duty11.00-11.20

Numeracy 1

Numeracy 2

LUNCHYard Duty1.50-2.10

Share room

Tuesday Reading +Literacy Rotations3

Writing 2

Spelling

RECESSYard Duty11.00-11.20

Numeracy 3

Phonics and Blend study

LUNCH PE

Wednesday

Reading +Literacy Rotations3

COMPUTERS RECESS ART LIBRARY LUNCH IntegratedStudies1

Thursday Reading +Literacy Rotations4

Writing 3

Handwriting

RECESS Numeracy 4

GuidedReading circles.

LUNCH Integrated Stuidies2

Friday Assembly. Writing4

Spelling

RECESS Integrated studies.

Rotations

Rotations.PMP

SOCIALSKILL

MUSIC

LUNCH Numeracy 5

Term 2

2007

Reading Planner

Punctuate sentences from the text and illustrate. Match corresponding sentences to group of characters from book. Eg. Blue people

(Not all link to a character)

Sets of Emotions cards.

Sentence strips

I feel _____ when_____

Students create a short flip book about emotions.

Grade 1: Colour match snap. Write a sentence about one of the cards

Grade 2: Conversation game. Talk about a time when boardgame

Grade 1:Aplphabet fishing game. Match the picture to initial sound.

Grade 2’s: Reading M100w words board games.

Reading Group 4.Reading Group 3.Reading Group 2.Reading group 1.

Big Book: The land of many Colours.

Responding to text and making statements and giving reasons.

I think _______ because___________.

Students might justify from illustrations or text or personal experience.

(This could be an oral activity or written task)

Big Book: The land of many Colours.

Blend search in text. Search for weekly blend sound throughout book. Refer to thrass chart for other letter combinations making same sound.

Big Book: The land of many Colours.

Cause and effect chart.

What caused the problem in the text and what was the effect.

How was the problem solves.

What is the moral of the story?

Big Book: The land of many Colours.

Making predictions-

Prior- look at cover/ title

During- identify problem in text and predict possible solutions

After- discuss and identify moral of story, relate to own experiences.

Session 4Session 3Session 2Session 1

Big Book: The land of many Colours.

Reading sessions.Big book study

Literacy rotations.

Writing Writing generally focuses on a particular text type

linked to inquiry unit.

Including;

•Narrative

•Recount

•Procedural

•Explanation

•Exposition

•Report

Writing is the focus of this scaffolded planning.

Students have been successful writing simple narrative and recount text.

Ranging from Writing letter strings, short simple sentences to texts up to a page in length with

some complex features.We explored exposition text which some of the

students found difficult as they are still working at a phonetic (basic sounds heard in words and

stretching out) level.

Progression point Range 0.5-2.25

Student current understanding

Understanding Goal

For students to write, recognise the purpose and structure of explanation texts.

(Related to inquiry unit focusing on weather cycles, seasons and day and night.)

Explanation may vary in length from a simple sentence to a fully structured paragraphed text dependent on student’s

development

Informal explanations- When talking with children encourage them to reflect on things that are happening around them so they begin to think about cause and effects eg. Why do we eat soup in winter? What happens to the leaves on some trees in Autumn. Why? Why does school start at 9.00am? Why do we eat lunch? Why do some plants die in Summer?Planning oral explanations: Teachers can extend language by providing a framework to guide children to reflect on the process involved in making things, e.g.What is it called?What did you need ot make it?How did you make it?How does it work? Why does it work?Did you have any problems? What did you do?Shared reading: Exposure to different explanatory text will help students internalize language used to understand the structure of the text. Big Books, Guided Reading texts, Information texts, group constructed texts and individual students writing samples shared.Look for and list cause and effect signal words in these texts for use in future writing.Tell your partner: After reading a section of text or a shared experience have children orally explain to a partner what they have just read. Make sure they include reasons.

Strategies for writing explanation text.

Tell from the diagram: Using a text that has an explanatory diagram, ask children to work together to write an explanation of the phenomenon illustrated.Eg. Day and night diagram. Weather chart. Seasons diagram showing earths rotation and position of sun.Direct model: Students work together to build a framework of headings and understanding to illustrate the structure of an explanation text.ExplanationTitle –Tells the reader what is being explainedDefinition-tells us what it is.Sequenced Explanation- Components/parts-describes the componentsOperations- Tells and how it works (cause and effect)Applications- Tells us where it can be used.Modelled writing: Model the writing of an explanation about Seasons, Day and Night and the Weather e.g. Why is it hot in Summer? What will the weather be like today?Joint construction: Collaborative and shared writing. Students work in pairs to write a short explanation in response to student developed questions. Students work in small groups of 3 and 4 to write an explanation ‘Why do we sleep at night?’Independent construction: Use a plan: Students use an appropriate graphic organizer to plan writing.

Use diagrams: Children are encouraged to include diagrams, flow charts and pictures to support the text in their explanations.

Other scaffolding not specific to text type:•Stretching out of words appropriate to text for students still learning alphabet sounds, to put sounds of paper.•Explanations written by students may be in form of a simple sentence up to a paragraphed text.•Rewrite and illustrate writing samples for display and for sharing with others.•Spell unfamiliar words using strategies such as syllabification, sounding out and matching familiar words and word parts.•Use spelling strategies (e.g. word wall, word lists, have a go book, THRASS chart)•Model writing upper and lower case letters legibly with consistent slope and spaces. Text presented in Victorian cursive script as model for students own writing. Alphabet charts in appropriate font available for each student.•Model use of capital letters, full stops and question marks correctly.•Use resources to select appropriate vocabulary and have vocabulary charts on concepts displayed in classroom.•Have a range of explanation texts on related topics available for student browsing in book corner.

Modelled writing:

Do a class construction of an explanation text ‘Why is it hot in summer?’ Using structure and features outlined in model shared reading text.

Construct a class explanation about how Seasons are created (Earth’s rotation around sun) including some of cause and effect words.

Model writing an explanation text.

Show students diagram ‘Day and Night’ BLM 59

pg 106 Blake Understanding Science

Lower Primary.Why is it dark at night?Discuss this question in relation to diagram and

come up with an explanation.

Refer back to previous model of structure and

cause and effect words.

Ask: What will the weather be like today?Share: Discuss the possibilities. Do not indicate

correct or incorrect hypothesis. Accept every shared ideas.

Explain: What will the weather be like today? Will it be warm? Cold? Wet? Dry? The weather

changes depending on the time of year and what the wind blows into the area you live. Sometimes

the weather can be very powerful and bring violent storms or cyclones.

Experience: Watch a weather report for your area. On chart paper, draw pictures to show

what the weather will be like. E.g. draw a sun for sunshine, raindrops for rain showers, sun and

cloud for partly cloudy and so on.Class model: Write an short explanation ‘What

will the weather be like today?

Shared reading:

Read ‘Why can you see your breath on a cold day?From Text type books level 3. Look at structure and features of an explanation text.Definition of Phenomenon -What is being explainedSequenced ExplanationComponents/parts-Description of partsOperations-How it works-Why it works-Cause and effectApplications-When and where it works or is appliesInteresting Comments, Special Features, Evaluation

Read Big Book‘Seasons”In response students write an explanation for the following

questions. Refer them back to modeled writing from

yesterday for structure.Why is it cold in winter?

Why do we have to wear a hat and sunscreen in

summer?How do we know when it’s

Spring? (Or what do we see that tells us it is Spring?)

What is the difference between Summer and

Autumn?

Read text about seasons Big Book. Search explanation text for cause and

effect words.(Have these words on class chart)Focus on words such as if …then,

becomes…when, causes, effects, in view of, because so, as a result of,

since, as, consequently, makes, results in, creates, forms, therefore, for this

reason, hence, due to, brings about, by reason of, on account of, gives rise to,

makes, produces

Shared reading ‘The Sun’ and ‘The Moon’ BLM 53 and 54. page 97 and 95.

Students attempt to independently write an explanation one of the

following choices.What is the Sun?

What is the Earth?

Group task.

• Identify current understanding

• Set goal

• Develop strategies

Based on the following Spelling Assessment data from a grade 1/2 class.

Spelling Assessment data

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1st Qtr

Student 1a

Student 1b

Student 1c

Student 1d

Student 1e

Student 1f

Student 1g

Student 1h

Student 1i

Student 1j

Student 1k

Student 1lGrade 1 spelling M100w (Hundred Most Used Words)

Spelling Assessment data

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1st Qtr

Student 2a

Student 2b

Student 2c

Student 2d

Student 2e

Student 2f

Student 2g

Student 2h

Student 2i

Grade 2 spelling M100w (Hundred Most Used Words)

Spelling Assessment data

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1st Qtr

Student 1a

Student 1b

Student 1c

Student 1d

Student 1e

Student 1f

Student 1g

Student 1h

Student 1i

Student 1j

Student 1k

Student 1lGrade 1.Hearing and Recording sounds in dictated sentence.

Spelling Assessment data

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1st Qtr

Student 2a

Student 2b

Student 2c

Student 2d

Student 2e

Student 2f

Student 2g

Student 2h

Student 2i

Grade 2.Hearing and Recording sounds in dictated sentence.