Lesson Name: Test Preparation
Grade Subject: Third Grade
Course Topic‐Strand: Language Arts Reading
Unit 7 Name: Test Preparation
Estimated Time Needed for Lesson: 2 Month
CCSS:
3. RL.1Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
3. RL.2Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
3. RL.3Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
3. RL.4Determines the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from non-literal language.
3. RL.10By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
3. RI.1Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
3. RI.2Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
3. RI.3Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
3. RI.4Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topics or subject area.
3. RI.5Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
3. RI.7Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
3. RI.8Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
3. RI.10By the end of the year read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
3.L.4Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
- Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/ uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
- Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion).
- Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
3. L.5Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a. Distinguish the literal and non-literal meanings of words and phrases in context
3. L.6Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
Key Vocabulary:Fact and opinion, author’s argument (purpose), imagery, symbolism, figurative language, cause and effect, sequence, search for and use information, analyze charts, graphs, and diagrams, “How To”, step by step list, passage, narrator, author, statement, selection, events, most likely, least likely, narrative, non narrative, heading, perspective, biography, topic sentence, differentiate between, predictable, relevant, best, except for, refer, right before, explains, right after, best describes, mostly about, article, not, doesn’t, persuade, almost, closest, most like.
Anchor Texts: Sample text passages from prior years, Time for Kids passages, Highlights magazine passages, Ranger Rick passages, National Geopgraphic passages, and simple text questions.
Assessments / Formative / Summative(Including CCSS performance task.) /
- Anecdotal notes
- Conferring notes
- Pre-test giving for strands analysis
- Practice test giving throughout the unit
- Read to Achieve passages
- EOG
WORKSHOP CALENDAR FOR: / Grade 3 Reading Unit 7 / Dates:
Unit of Study: / Test Preparation / March 17, 2014 to May 2, 2014
MONDAY / TUESDAY / WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY / FRIDAY
3/17
Introduction to Test Taking as a Genre & Chunking:
Step 1 (Scanning for Subject & Structure)
Lesson 1 / 3/18
Chunking Step 2 (Setting Stopping Points)
Lesson 2 / 3/19
Teachers Choice
Skills or Strategy
Mini-lesson / 3/20
Chunking Step 3 (Jotting Along the Way)
Lesson 3 / 3/21
Answering the Questions:
Question Type Overview
Lesson 4
3/24
Predicting Answers/Choosing the Best Answer: Expository Text
Lesson 5 / 3/25
Predicting Answers/Choosing the Best Answer: Narrative Text
Lesson 6 / 3/26
Teachers Choice
Skills or Strategy
Mini-lesson / 3/27
Test takers prepare for a test passage by quickly scanning the passage and questions to identify the type of passage it is.
Lesson 7 / 3/28
Test takers recognize predictable questions by being alert for them.
Lesson 8
3/31
Test takers prepare to answer questions by reading and coding question stems.
Lesson 9 / 4/1
Test takers prepare to answer questions by predicting the answers before finding them.
Lesson 10 / 4/2
Teachers Choice
Skills or Strategy
Mini-lesson / 4/3
Test takers confidently tackle test questions by recognizing and understanding common test language and being alert for deceptive answers.
MWTP Remember, test writers are going to try and trick you by making all the answers seem correct. Lesson 11 / 4/4
Test takers pay attention to and infer about characters by reading between the lines.
Lesson 12
4/7
Test takers organize main idea and details by using a boxes and bullets format.
Lesson 13 / 4/8
Test takers tackle nonfiction passages by paying attention to text features.
Lesson 14 / 4/9
Teachers Choice
Skills or Strategy
Mini-lesson / 4/10
Test takers answer questions about the purpose and main idea by thinking about the whole passage.
Lesson 15 / 4/11
Test takers comprehend step by step (“how to”) directions by examining the subtle/pivotal details in the questions.
Lesson 16
4/21
Test takers differentiate between fact and opinion by identifying evidence in the text.
Lesson 17 / 4/22
Test takers recognize the author’s purpose of a poem by thinking about what the author wants to teach me or wants me to feel.
Lesson 18 / 4/23
Teachers Choice
Skills or Strategy
Mini-lesson / 4/24
Test takers answer questions about charts and graphs by analyzing the information and the purpose of the chart.
Lesson 19 / 4/25
Test takers read actively by note-taking in smart ways and marking the text where the answer is found.
Lesson 20
4/28
Test takers determine the meaning of a word by using the context, or reading around the word.
Lesson 21 / 4/29
Test takers determine the meaning of a word by using true cognates that they know.
Lesson 22 / 4/30
Teachers Choice
Skills or Strategy
Mini-lesson / 5/1
Test takers use word work strategies to solve unfamiliar words, (i.e. prefixes, suffixes, roots)
Lesson 23 / 5/2
Readers solve words by substituting other words in the sentence to see if they make sense and eliminating those that don’t.
Lesson 24
Unit of Study Assessment Checklist
Unit: 7 Test PreparationName / I can identify author’s purpose. / I can identify the main idea / I can analyze charts and graphs and determine the important elements that answer questions. / I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. / Notes
●= Beginning√= DevelopingX= Secure
Unit 7 Mini Lesson 1
ML1: Introduction to Test Taking as a Genre & Chunking Step 1 (Scanning for Subject & Structure)
Getting Ready: For their independent work during Test Prep workshop, you will want to provide students with passages on their independent reading level (see the Active Engagement section of this lesson for more specific information). Before this lesson you will also want to establish partnerships of students who are on the same reading level. They will work together throughout the unit to read and discuss passages. Also note that students will not answer questions this week. Instead, we’ll work on all of the steps you take to read a passage before you answer the questions.
Connection: For the past 2 weeks we’ve been working on passages in our Read to Achieve portfolios so that I could find out where you are as test takers. Throughout the next six weeks, we will be exploring test taking as a genre. (You may want to pause here to explain your shift in schedule and how the literacy block will now be broken up.) Reading for a test is different than reading for enjoyment. It is very important that as we read we are alert, with our minds turned on full blast (can compare to revving up for nonfiction).
Teach & Demonstration: Today I want to teach you that before we read a passage, we need to make sure that we scan the text to find its subject, structure, and genre. This will help get our minds ready to read the passage. We can do this by analyzing the text features, headings, illustrations, graphs, and character names. These things can give us hints as to the subject (what it is about), structure (how it is organized) and genre (whether it is narrative text, expository text, or poetry). Let me show you what I mean… (Using a passage from your mock EOG, model scanning the text to determine the subject, structure, and genre. Move through one bullet point at a time, making sure you answer the question next to each. You can use starters like, “I can tell the text is going to mostly be about…because…” or “I noticed that the information is organized by…” or “Since I see photographs and sections of text with subheadings I know…”) Did you notice how I….(Refer back to the anchor chart, noting what you did.)
Anchor Chart:
Chunking the Text-Step 1: Scan the text to find its
- Subject (What is it about?)
- Structure (How is it organized?)
- Genre (Is it narrative text, expository text, or poetry?)
(we’ll add to this throughout the next two weeks, so leave space for more)
Active Engagement: Now I want to give you a chance to try. (Give partners passages that are on their reading level. You may want to have a packet of 3-4 passages on students’ reading levels to use for Week 1 and 2, which will help organize their active engagement and independent work. These passages can be of a variety of genres and may include a “challenge” passage that is above a child’s reading level. Have partners turn and talk to each other, working to determine the subject, structure, and genre of the passage. As they work, circulate and coach as needed.)
Link: Throughout this unit, we will be working through many passages. Every time you read a passage, I want you to start by scanning the text to find its subject, structure, and genre. This will help prepare your mind for reading!
Independent Work: You may want to have students do this with 2-3 more passages, pausing between each to coach the whole group and then letting them try again.
Unit 7 Mini Lesson 2
ML2: Chunking Step 2 (Setting Stopping Points)
Connection: Yesterday we learned that reading for a test is different than reading for enjoyment. It is very important that as we read we are alert, with our minds turned on full blast. We talked about the first step you take when you encounter a new passage, which is to scan the text to find the subject, structure, and genre. This will help get our minds ready to read.
Teach & Demonstration: Today I want to teach you that the next step we take before we start reading a passage is to make a quick reading plan by setting stopping points. Sometimes, when we encounter a new passage it can be overwhelming. We look at it and think, “How am I ever going to get through this?”. To help avoid getting overwhelmed, it is important to make a reading plan, which will lay out how you plan to read the passage. All you need to do is draw lines that break the text into sections, or “chunks” as we’ll refer to them, that are manageable. As you read, these breaking points will be like speed bumps in the road. They’ll tell you to slow down before moving on. By manageable, I mean that you’ll be able to focus long enough to read the whole chunk without getting lost or overwhelmed. At the same time, we don’t want to stop after every sentence because then we will never get through the passage. Let me show you what I mean… (Using the same text you modeled with from the Mock EOG, show students how you would break the text into chunks. You may want to show them the “wrong way” first by breaking the text into two big chunks and then thinking aloud as you decide to break it up further.) Did you notice how I…
Anchor Chart:
Chunking the Text-Step 1: Scan the text to find the…
- Subject (What is it about?)
- Structure (How is it organized?)
- Genre (Is it narrative text, expository text, or poetry?)
-Step 2: Make a quick reading plan by setting stopping points
Draw lines/boxes around paragraphs or sections of the text that break the text into manageable chunks
Active Engagement: Now I want to give you a chance to try. (Have students take out the passage they used yesterday. Have partners turn and talk to each other, working to break the text into manageable chunks. As they work, circulate and coach as needed.)
Link: Throughout this unit, we will be working through many passages. Every time you read a passage, I want you to start by scanning the text to find its subject, structure, and genre. Next, I want you to break the text into manageable chunks so that you’ll have a plan for reading before you get started.
Independent Work: Have students go through the rest of the passages they worked on yesterday and break the text into chunks.
Unit 7 Mini Lesson 3
ML3: Chunking Step 3 (Jotting along the Way)
Connection: This week we have learned that the first step you take when you encounter a new passage is to scan the text to find the subject, structure, and genre. Next, you need to make a plan for reading by breaking the text into manageable chunks.
Teach & Demonstration: Today I want to teach you the third step to chunking the text is to read every word on the page, pausing to jot after each chunk. You’re going to use the stopping points that you set in Step 2 as your plan for reading. When you pause, you’re going to think to yourself, “What was the main idea of that chunk of text?”. Then, in 5 words or less you are going to jot that main idea in the margin of your paper. Let me show you what I mean… (With the passage you have been using throughout the week, model reading a chunk of the text and then pausing to jot the main idea. Make sure that you’re thinking aloud as you decide not to write a whole sentence, but to write the main idea in the most concise way possible. You will probably want to do 2-3 chunks during your demonstration and review main idea as needed.) Did you notice how I…
Anchor Chart:
Chunking the Text-Step 1: Scan the text to find the…
- Subject (What is it about?)
- Structure (How is it organized?)
- Genre (Is it narrative text, expository text, or poetry?)
-Step 2: Make a quick reading plan by setting stopping points
Draw lines/boxes around paragraphs or sections of the text that break the text into manageable chunks
-Step 3: Read every word on the page, pausing to jot after each chunk
Jot 5 words or less (not complete sentences), tell the main idea of the chunk
Active Engagement: Now I want to give you a chance to try. (Read aloud the next chunk of text from the passage that you have been modeling with. Then, have students turn and talk to decide what a good jot would be. Repeat 2-3 times so that students are able to practice this skill. Circulate and coach as needed)
Link: Throughout this unit, we will be working through many passages. Every time you read a passage, I want you to start by scanning the text to find its subject, structure, and genre and setting stopping points. Next, I want you to read every word on the page, pausing to jot after each chunk of text.
Independent Work: Have students start working on the passages they have used throughout the week, reading each passage and jotting after each chunk of text.
Unit 7 Mini Lesson 4
ML4: Question Type Overview
Note: The purpose of this lesson is to get students thinking about the types of questions that they will be asked on a test. We want to expose kids to this type of thinking, but also make sure that students do not getting caught up on determining question types. What is most important is that students take the time to really understand what the question is asking them to do.