Lesson 2

Strategy Focus: Background Knowledge, Vocabulary, Preview, Prediction, Main idea,

Details, and Writing a Summary
Common Core State Standards:
Reading Standards for Literature Grade 9-10
CCSS 2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Writing Standards Grade 9-10
CCSS 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Speaking and Listening Standards Grade 9-10
CCSS 1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 910 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively
CCSS 2: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language Standards Grade 9-10
CCSS 1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS 2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS 3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
CCSS 4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grades 910 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
CCSS 6: Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career
readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Student Learning Objective
I can read and comprehend text in English.
I can determine the main idea and important events of a story.
I can write a summary using the writing process.
I can clarify the meaning of unknown English vocabulary and use the words in my
writing.

Materials
The Soldier by M. G. Higgins (Lexile Level 110L)
Vocabulary Semantic Maps

 Writing a Summary Graphic Organizer

Summary Rubric
Document Camera and Projector
Lesson Description (Reading Period)
Warm Up Project Google Maps onto the whiteboard. Show students where Iraq
is, and show pictures of the city. Allow students to share their experiences in
different cities around the world. Some of the students have lived in Iraq.
Explain that we will be reading a story that takes place in Iraq, and background
knowledge or their previous experiences will help with comprehension of the
story. Allow students to share about their lives in Iraq if they feel comfortable.
Modeling Label chart paper with Reading Strategies. Explain that reading
strategies help you understand what you are reading. Make 3 columns labeled,
before reading, during reading, and after reading. Under the before reading
column, add background knowledge. Explain that their knowledge of cities
around the world and life in Iraq will help them understand the story. Next, write
preview in the before reading column. Explain that previewing is looking at the
title, pictures, and new words in a text before reading it. Display The Soldier by
M.G. Higgins using the document camera and projector while students look at
their own copies of the text. Together preview the text and discussing the title,
chapter titles, pictures and pointing out new vocabulary. Add predict to the
reading strategies chart in the before reading column. Discuss and predict the
characters experiences using the pictures and chapter titles.
Guided Practice Review the vocabulary semantic maps from the previous lesson,
and add vocabulary to the before reading column of the the reading strategies
chart. Students choose 5 to 10 new words in the text. While students work on
finding new vocabulary and creating semantic maps for the words, the teacher
works with small guided reading groups to practice reading the text for fluency,
pronunciation, and to clarify meaning. Also provide groups with support on the
vocabulary semantic maps. As a whole group review and discuss new vocabulary
sharing students semantic maps.
Independent Practice Students practice reading The Soldier by M.G. Higgins
aloud with a partner. Partners work together to discuss and clarify the text and
create a list of 10 important events of the story ensuring that the events are written
in the correct order that they take place in the story. As a whole group, share each
partner groups list of events to create a class list of the 10 most important events
in the story.
Differentiation Guided-reading groups allow the teacher to assess student needs
abilities, and address the individual need of each student.
Lesson Description (Writing Period)

Warm Up Read aloud The Soldier by M.G. Higgins. Review main idea. Students
work together at their tables to write a main idea sentence for the text. Share the
sentences and vote on one to use when writing a summary.
Modeling Review the writing process, and the Writing a Summary Graphic
Organizer and class written rough draft from the last text. Give students a new
Writing a Summary Graphic Organizer to complete for The Soldier by M.G.
Higgins. As a class, add the selected main idea sentence to the graphic organizer.
Guided Practice Students work independently to fill out the rest of the graphic
organizer on their own, and use it to complete their rough drafts. The may use
their previously completed 10 important events to help them. During this time,
move around the room and have individual writing conferences to support
students with writing, revising, and editing.
Independent Practice Using their corrected rough drafts, students should type
and publish their summary on Google Classroom.
Differentiation Individual writing conferences allow the teacher to address the
individual needs of each students and work with them to improve their writing
skills.
Assessment of Student Learning (Did students meet the learning objectives?) Students
are formatively assessed on their comprehension of the text using observations during
guided reading groups and summatively using a comprehension quiz. Students are also
formatively assessed on their writing during conferencing and summatively assessed on
their final copies of summary writing using a rubric.
Teacher Reflection (What went well? What Changes should I make?) Students did well
on their assessments, showing that they comprehended the text after several readings.
Students were able to identify the main idea of the story easily. Students successfully
built upon the previous lesson to become more independent with writing a summary.
Guided reading groups were successful at encouraging discussion about the text among
small groups of students, and clarifying events and concepts. This lesson there was more
focus on fluency and pronunciation, and formative observations show improvement in
this area. Students also showed more understanding of the writing process.