Caring for Birds / Grade 1: Module 4: Unit 1: Lesson 5

Language Dive Guide: Pierre the Penguin

(For Teacher Reference)

Notes / Refer to the Language Dive in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3, for detailed notes on how the Language Dive format has changed starting in
Module 3.
Sentence / One day aquatic biologist Pam, observing the penguins, saw one
in a jam.
Rationale / This sentence is compelling because it helps address the daily learning targets and L.1.1j by providing an opportunity for students to restate it using coordinating conjunctions. Note that the Sentence Practice varies from the standard activity to reinforce work with compound sentences. This sentence connects to the guiding question by helping us understand how a character in a story helps care for a bird. Invite students to discuss each chunk briefly but encourage extended conversation and practice with the highlighted focus structure: observing the penguins. Students apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when writing their literature responses to prompts in this unit and as they write an opinion piece in Unit 2.
Time / 10 minutes
Throughout the Language Dive / Follow the same routines found in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3.
Deconstruct / Refer to the Chunk Chart for language goals; display the sentence strip chunks. Follow the same routine found in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3, to assist students in deconstructing, reconstructing, and practicing the chosen sentence.
Practice (Focus Structure)
Reconstruct
Practice (Sentence)

Chunk Chart: Pierre the Penguin

(For Teacher Reference)

One day
Deconstruct: Language Goals /
  • “When does this sentence take place?” during an unidentified time in the past

aquatic biologist Pam,
Deconstruct:
LanguageGoals /
  • “Who is the subject of this sentence?” This chunk introduces Pam again and gives more information about her: She is a scientist who studies animals that live in water, like penguins. Sometimes we put the person’s job in front of their name to indicate who they are or what they do.
  • Prompt students to share out names of school staff and faculty with their titles. (Examples: Principal Lopez, Nurse Janet, Coach Nizhoni)

observing the penguins,
Deconstruct: Language Goals /
  • “What does this chunk tell us about aquatic biologist Pam?” She was observing or watching the penguins. (adjectival phrase)
  • A student can act out being an aquatic biologist like Pam and come to the front of the group, observing the rest of the students acting out being penguins.

saw one in a jam.
Deconstruct: Language Goals /
  • “What did Pam do as she was observing the penguins?” She saw a penguin in a jam, or in a difficult situation.
  • Invite students to act out what Pierre was doing when Pam noticed he was in a jam. (He was away from the other penguins; he was shivering; he was afraid to go for a swim.)

observing the penguins,
Practice
(Focus structure) /
  • One day [teacher], [gerund] ______the students, saw ______.
    (One day Mrs. Nelson, lining up the students, saw one picking hisnose.)
  • To provide lighter support: Invite students to write the word while in front of the chunk to signal the function of this chunk. (while observing the penguins)
  • To provide heavier support: Can you make this into a compound sentence by adding a conjunction? How?” (Example: One day aquatic biologist Pam was observing the penguins, and she noticed one was in a difficult situation.)

One day aquatic biologist Pam, observing the penguins, saw one in a jam.
Reconstruct /
  • “Can you say this sentence in your own words?” (Pam the aquatic biologist was observing the penguins one day, and she noticed one was introuble.)
  • “How does the Language Dive add to your understanding of the guiding question?” (It connects to the guiding question by showing us an example of how a character in a story helps care for a bird.)

Practice (Sentence) /
  • “Can we divide this sentence into two or more sentences? What do we have to remove or change?” (One day aquatic biologist Pam was observing the penguins. Pam noticed one was in a jam.)
  • “Can we add the conjunction and to our two sentences to make them one compound sentence?” (One day aquatic biologist Pam was observing the penguins, and she noticed one was in a jam.)
  • To provide heavier support: Invite students to discuss the meaning of the sentence in home language groups.
  • Language Chunk Wall suggestions:
—Language to talk about time: One day
—Nouns and noun phrases and clauses (people, places, things): aquatic biologist Pam,
—Adjectives and adjectival phrases and clauses (describing nouns): observing the penguins,

Sentence Strip Chunks: Pierre the Penguin

One day aquatic biologist Pam,
observing the penguins,
saw one in a jam.
/ | Language Arts Curriculum / 1