Annie Pierce and Erin Butler

Example Literacy Block

Unit: Butterflies
Grade: 2nd
Books for Read Aloud:
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly by Bobbie Kalman
Velma Gratch & the way cool butterfly by Alan Madison

Butterfly Literature Book Bins:

Text set in book bin for Group A:
The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent
Are You a Butterfly by Judy Allen

Text set in book bin for Group B:

A Caterpillars Wish by Mary Murphy
Butterfly Story by Anca Hariton
Caterpillars and Butterflies by Stephanie Turnbull

Text set in book bin for Group C:

Becoming Butterflies by Anne Rockwell
From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman
Amazing World of Butterflies and Moths by Louis Sabin
The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco

Text set in book bin for Group D:

I Wish I Were a Butterfly, by James Howe
Magnificent Monarch by Linda Glaser
Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder
The Butterfly Alphabet Book by Brian Cassie and Jerry Pallotta
The Great Butterfly Hunt by Ethan Herberman
La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez

I. Introduction

This week of lessons would be placed towards the beginning of a unit about butterflies.
The students will come into this lesson knowing basic facts about butterflies, such as what they
are, what they look like, and what some of the parts of their bodies are. They will also have some
background knowledge of descriptive graphic organizers. This week of lessons will be focusing
on how we determine which information is most important when reading a text. The students

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will have already encountered nonfiction, but in these lessons, they will be learning how to
sequence events in nonfiction and in fiction books. Each of the lessons in the unit will follow the
gradual release of responsibility model, allowing teachers to use direct modeling, and then allow
students to repeat similar activities, following the skills demonstrated by the teacher (Graves,
2011, p. 34). Each day will follow the gradual release model, and the gradual release of
responsibility model will be seen across the weeks lessons. The gradual release is pivotal to the
success of students because it, depicts a temporal sequence in which students gradually progress
from situations where the teacher takes responsibility for their successful completion of a reading
task...to situations in which students assume increasing responsibility for reading tasks, and
finally to situations in which students take total or nearly total responsibility for reading tasks--
ideally, transfer of learning (Graves et al., 2011, p. 34). This model allows for direct teacher
instruction to be transferred into student ownership of tasks and work.
The weeks lessons focus on the knowledge goal that change happens. The teacher will
complete two read alouds, one from the book The Life Cycle of a Butterfly by Bobbie Kalman,
and the other from Velma Gratch & the way cool butterfly by Alan Madison and Kevin Hawkes.
These books were chosen to demonstrate that change can happen physically, in the case of a
caterpillar turning into a butterfly, but it can also happen emotionally, when a first grader wants
to be recognized by her teachers as positively as her sisters were, and has a hard time doing so.
Students will use the weeks new comprehension strategy of determining importance to extract
the most important steps that take place in each change. In order to demonstrate the evolution of
the change, the students will be making sequence charts, in order to make sense of the various
text structures. We chose to begin by reading Kalmans (2002) book because it is an easier
model to demonstrate how to find important information using nonfiction text structures. We
decided to couple the first read aloud with the second, because it demonstrates how events can
also be sequenced in fiction text. The students in small groups who need more practice and more
explicit instruction on the new strategies, use the class read aloud texts to practice the new skills.
This was carefully chosen so that students who need it can get more exposure to understand text
structure and understand how they can extract important information from any text. Although
students will be working closely with the book Velma Gratch and the way cool butterfly, the
book will also be read for the pleasure of storytelling.
Small groups will be reading The Life Cycle of a Butterfly by Bobbie Kalman on the first
day, as well as any one of the just right options from their groups leveled butterfly book bins
for the time they spend independent of the teacher. This is to allow scaffolding to reinforce the
reading comprehension strategy through the read aloud book, as well as motivation for reading
because the students are allowed choice in picking their just right books. On the second day,
small groups will be reading just right books, as they have already had two exposures to The
Life Cycle of a Butterfly, and can be provided the same opportunity to read a book at their level
and be motivated to continue to read in the future. Wednesday and Thursday are similar to
Monday and Tuesday in that there is much that is introduced Wednesday, and the small groups A
and B are exposed to the same text again but with a more specific purpose. Students also read

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more just right books which further the knowledge goal of the unit that change happens.
These books can be sequenced, and reside in the leveled book bins. On Thursday, small groups
will review some elements of Velma Gratch and the way cool butterfly, but mostly they will
focus on determining important events from the just right books from their book bins. During
this week, Friday is the last day of the full gradual release of responsibility, and the small groups
have more freedom in choosing their texts. All books will be from the book bins according to the
level of each child.

Overview of the Weeks Instruction

Nonfiction books are packed with information for students. The format is usually
different in each book, and definitely differs as compared to fiction books. In this weeks lesson,
the students will learn through teacher modeling, how to determine what the most important facts
are in a nonfiction book. The students will practice by asking what each element of the page
(title, image, caption, text body, diagram, bolded word(s)...) can tell them about the subject, and
will analyze what type of information each element gives to the reader, Sometimes, texts
include direct cues to what is important--overviews, headings, summaries and the like (Graves
et al., 2011, p 330). Students need to learn how to, understand what they have read and make
judgments about what is and is not important (Graves et al., 2011, p. 330) in order to remember
the most important facts and be able to summarize them for another. Determining what is
important is a difficult skill to master, because it calls upon students to read carefully and
closely, and differentiate between the main ideas and details of a text. This skill is important for
students as they read all types of text in all of the core content areas. Teaching how to determine
the importance of a text closely relates to understanding how change happens, because you need
to be able to find the steps of the change among pages of research and facts.
In order for students to understand the changes that take place both physically during the
life cycle of the butterfly, and emotionally for Velma, students will learn how to sequence events
in nonfiction and fiction books. Graves (2011) describes the benefits of creating graphic
representations for readers, Some readers can improve their comprehension by creating visual
representations of text, wither in their minds or on paper (p. 332). By visually sequencing
events, after choosing the most important information from a passage, can help students
understand the key points, and organize them in a way that makes sense with the organization of
the expository text. We will be teaching sequencing because the text structures lend themselves
to mapping the information most easily. Our nonfiction text, The Life Cycle of a Butterfly by
Bobbie Kalman, is a great example of an expository text where students can, visually organize
key ideas in a text to graphically display their relationship, used most frequently in expository
text (Graves et al., 2011, p. 332). Sequencing is the most effective graphic organizer for
demonstrating the steps of the changes that will take place in both our nonfiction and fiction
texts.
The vocabulary we chose to introduce during the week focuses on defining words that are
related to butterflies, since this weeks lesson will come close to the beginning of a unit about
butterflies. We will want to explicitly teach the vocabulary that students will use during the unit

3
of study, that describe features of the butterflies, and we will implicitly teach words that are
important for understanding certain pages of our book, but are not the most important words to
know for the unit. The explicit words we will be teaching are: hatch, chrysalis, molt,
metamorphosis, and migration. The implicit words we will teach will be: tentacles, spinneret,
silk, instar, pupa, dissolves, veins, proboscis, conservatory, and lamented. We chose the implicit
words, by determining that they are tier 3 words for most of the students, and although they are
important for understanding the pages we will read, their use will not carry over into many more
parts of the unit. Perhaps some of the scientific words taught implicitly will come up again, and
can be taught in further lessons. We will have an ongoing word wall in order for students to see
the terms used when describing aspects of butterflies and their lives. Some of the words contain
the sounds of the week taught in word study (-ar, -ir, -or), and so the words will be reviewed
during the sorts as well. The students will have many opportunities to encounter the vocabulary
words as they progress through the week, by completing graphic organizers and reading other
just right books in the text sets of each level.
The students in the two lowest groups are having difficulties with some of the r-
controlled vowels (-ar, -ir, -or), and so those will be the sounds in the focus of our word study of
the week. These patterns appear in many of the words in our books, and in some of the
vocabulary words of the week, so the students will have great exposure to them in multiple ways.
During the week, there will be a gradual release of responsibility, where on Monday the teacher
will read the words with the students to hear how they pronounce them, and slowly they will
figure out how to sort the words according to their vowels, just by listening to the words, and
will eventually be able to complete the sort independently.
Students will practice reading fluency throughout the ninety-minute literacy block of the
day, by reading independently, with the teacher, and with a partner. They will be practicing their
fluency by reading books in the text sets of their levels, and will hear books that are above their
level (grade three level), during the two read alouds of the week. Students will practice their
writing as they complete graphic organizers outlining the most important information needed to
understand the changes that occur to butterflies and to Velma.

Goals
The goals for our students during this week of instruction, is for them to gain a deeper
understanding of how readers determine what is important after reading both fiction and
nonfiction texts. We also want our students to become more comfortable working with a
sequencing chart graphic organizer. The students will still need practice, and although there is a
gradual release of responsibility throughout the week, the students will need to continue to
practice the strategy with teacher supervision. The encompassing knowledge goal for the week
will be to have students understand that change happens all the time, and can manifest itself in
many different ways. Students will read many books about butterfly changes in their just right
reading bins, so that the understanding of change happens with every book they will be reading
(as they practice their fluency as well). The primary goal is for students to be able to pick out
important information in a text and explain why the pieces are important.

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II. Instruction for the Week
Instruction for Monday

Literacy Instructiona Text(s) Description of Evidence Base

Domain/ l Instruction and
Time Objective(s Activities
)

Vocabul Students will The Life Before Reading: I will The instructor will
ary learn the Cycle of introduce the four introduce the
(Time: words hatch, a words that I am explicitly taught
15 cycle, molt, Butterfly teaching explicitly vocabulary words
minutes) and chrysalis by first, using student- first in the lesson.
through Bobbie friendly definitions, Although students
explicit Kalman and have students add will expand and
instruction, them to the word wall. enrich the meanings
and the Teacher will explain to of the words they
words students that the they know as they
tentacles, will be reading the repeatedly meet them
spinneret, Life Cycle of a in new and slightly
silk, instar, Butterfly to learn different contexts,
pupa, and about change and also direct approaches to
dissolves to practice vocabulary teaching meanings
through words. are definitely
implicit warranted (Graves,
instruction. During Reading: I will 2011, p. 212). By
read 6 pages (p. 12-13, teaching these words
16-17, 18-19) of The before the students
Life Cycle of a encounter the text,
Butterfly first, they are able to
teaching the implicit comprehend the
words along the way. literature more, and
When reading the access the text
pages, I will point out (Graves, 2011, p.
new explicitly- taught 218).
vocabulary words and
use guiding questions It is important to
to scaffold meaning. I introduce students to
will write them on the new words so that

5
charted list with other when they are put
events that will help us into context, they
sequence later. already have
experience with the
Implicit Words: word and can make
Tentacles- tentacles more meaning from
are similar to arms or it.
legs that are on some
animals. An octopus This gradual release
has eight tentacles. of responsibility
Caterpillars also have model allows
tentacles that help students to have
them move around! scaffolds when they
are working with new
Spinneret - A material. As Graves
spinneret is a tube on a (2011) stated, At
caterpillar that makes any particular point
silk. in time, learners are
likely to be-and
Silk - silk is should be- dealing
something that with some texts and
caterpillars make from tasks that are more
the spinneret. It can be challenging and some
turned into cloth and that are less
made into clothes! challenging (p. 38).
Thus, this gradual
Instar- A caterpillar release of
molts four times! responsibility should
Between each of these be implemented
molting phases, it is across lessons, days,
called an instar. weeks, months and
grades.
Pupa- When a
caterpillar hangs
upside down and
covers itself in silk, it
is called a pupa.

Dissolves- if
something dissolves, it

6
breaks apart into small
pieces, often when put
into something else.
For example, if you
put sugar in hot water
it would dissolve so
you could not see it
anymore.

Explicit Words:
Hatch- If something
hatches it means that
a living thing from
inside an egg, or
chrysalis or pupa
comes out.

Chrysalis- A chrysalis
is a hard case made
around the caterpillar
when it is changing
into a butterfly.

Molt- When a
caterpillar grows and
is too big for its skin,
it sheds the skin. This
is called molting.

Cycle- A cycle is
something that
happens in a specific
order over and over
again. All caterpillars
have to go through this
life cycle to become a
butterfly

I will ask the students

to help put the

7
 explicitly taught words
on the word wall once
I have scaffolded the
meaning using guiding
questions.

Word Students will The Life In this lesson we will This will increase the
Study be introduced Cycle of introduce some students fluency
(Time: to words in a words that we will because they are
10 the text sets Butterfly encounter in the books practicing saying and
minutes) that use the by we read later this hearing sounds in
word pattern Bobbie week. These words are certain words before
-ar, -or, -ir Kalman similar in some ways. they even read them
which we are The instructor will in the context of a
focusing say, We will talk story.
during the more about these
week. words tomorrow, but This will also add
we are going to read meaning to the
them on the first day words, because they
so that we have can see the words in
experience seeing multiple contexts
them. The words will before they even are
all have -ir, -or, and - required to
ar in them. (See understand the word
Appendix A) pattern.

Compreh Determining The Before Reading: Tell This follows the

ension importance in Life students that we are gradual release of
(Time: a non-fiction Cycle reading selected pages responsibility model
15 text. How to of a of The Life Cycle of a within the
minutes) extract info. Butterfl Butterfly by Bobbie comprehension
y by Kalman to learn how to component of the
Bobbie determine importance lesson by having the
Kalman when reading non- teacher model how to
fiction books and to determine important
learn about how a information using
butterfly is created. text structures and
listing important
Tell students that we are

8
going to make a list of information which
important information will be sequenced in
that we notice while the next lesson.
reading on pgs. 12-13 ,
and 16-17. The teacher writes on
a chart for four pages,
During Reading: The and the students
teacher will do a think assist the teacher in
aloud. The instructor writing important
will be sure to include information on the
information about what chart from the last
makes things important two pages. Because
in nonfiction books by students have to
highlighting text justify their answers
structures in particular. while being guided
For example, we will and scaffolded by the
talk about what the title, teacher, this allows
headings, subheadings, for a positive joint
captions, pictures, effort included under
etc..tell us when we the gradual release of
examine information in responsibility
a page. This will set the (Graves, 2011).
foundation for teaching
sequencing in the next To further the
lesson, but will get strategy of
students familiar with determining
the concept of importance, students
extracting information will work more with
early in the reading text structures in
process. small groups. By
understanding text-
The teacher will then structures, a child can
read pages 18-19 with better access non-
the students, and ask fiction and its
them to assist her in information.
picking out the most
important information Because students are
(gradual release of recording this
responsibility). The information now, it
instructor will ask the will allow them to

9
 students to explain why sequence on their
we listed certain own in later lessons
information from the six and with small
pages on our chart. groups.

After reading: The This part of the

teacher will ask students lesson also furthered
to write three methods our knowledge goal
of determining if that change
information is important happens. The
from examining students observed
nonfiction text in their many of the
reading notebooks. beginning stages of
the life cycle of a
butterfly, and it was
possible to
communicate that to
them by just reading
a couple pages to
them.

Guided Group A The Before Reading: The Students are getting

Reading Students will Life instructor will tell the further exposure to
Group 1 be working Cycle students that we are text structures under
(Time: on of a reading the book to guided practice,
20 determining Butterfl practice determining which allows them to
minutes) importance. y by important information access non-fiction
Our Bobbie in nonfiction, and to books more easily.
instructional Kalman decide where in a
focus is how book to find important Students are writing
and where to information about the to learn by filling out
find life cycle of their chart with
important butterflies. Before important
information picking up the book information, as well
in nonfiction we will do an activity as writing why each
books. where the students text structure helps
circle and label determine important
important text information.
structures in the
literature so they can Students are whisper

10
see where to look for reading to practice
important information fluency by rereading
on a page (the labeling towards the end of
will happen on a instruction in this
photocopied page). At small group.
the bottom of the page,
students will write The students will
why each text reflect on the
structure helps information they have
determine important recorded in order to
information. analyze how change
happened in the life
During Reading: cycle of a butterfly.
When this is
completed, the
instructor will read
pages 20-21 using the
same steps from the
whole group
instruction, but the
students will be using
their own charts.

After Reading: At the

end of each page the
teacher will ask
students what they
want to write on their
chart of important
information and why.

Last, the students will

reread pages 20-21 in
whisper-reading
voices while filling out
their chart with any
other text structures,
and then will share
their important
information with the

11
 group.

Guided Group B The Life Before reading: The Students are getting
Reading Students will Cycle of teacher will tell the further exposure to
Group 2 be working a students that we are text structures under
(Time: on Butterfly reading the book to guided practice,
20 determining by practice determining which allows them to
minutes) importance. Bobbie important information access non-fiction
Our Kalman and by deciding where books more.
instructional in a book to find
focus is how important information Students are writing
and where to about the life cycle of to learn by filling out
find butterflies. Before their chart with
important picking up the book important
information we will do an activity information, as well
in nonfiction where the students as writing why each
books. circle and label text structure helps
Before important text determine important
reading, we structures in the information.
will tell the literature so they can
students that see where to look for Students are whisper
we are important information reading in a buddy
reading the on a page. At the read to practice
book to find bottom of the page, fluency by reading
out how and students will write towards the end of
where in a why each text instruction in this
book to find structure helps small group.
important determine important
information information. They will
about complete this activity
butterflies. with two photocopied
pages of a book.

During Reading:
When this is
completed, the
instructor will read
pages 20-21 using the
same steps from the

12
 whole group
instruction, but the
students will be using
their own charts.

After Reading: At the

end of each page the
teacher will ask
students what they
want to write on their
chart of important
information and why.

Independ Students will All After the teacher Independent reading

ent learn the groups stops meeting with assists in developing
Reading importance will be Group A: fluency for all
(Time: of text- reading Group A students will students. Graves
40 structures just read a just right book (2011) states that
minutes) when right about butterflies for because independent
determining books them in buddy reads - reading and time that
important from the ELL students will the teacher spends
information appropria meet with another reading in class
in texts te student in group A so motivates students to
butterfly that they can have read, children should
text set. support. be required to have
at least 30 minutes
Group B: will buddy of in-school reading a
read with just right day (p. 59).
books about butterflies
from the library for the This independent
first 20 minutes, and reading will allow
then meet with the students to benefit in
teacher. multiple ways.

Students in group C
and D: will be
independently reading
a just right book
about butterflies in

13
 buddy reads for the
first 20 minutes,
marking vocabulary
words they see as they
read. For the last 20
minutes they will read
independently.

Instruction for Tuesday

Literacy Instructional Text(s Description of Evidence Base

Domain/ Objective(s) ) Instruction and
Time Activities

Word The objective The teacher will begin The students will
Study of word study by reminding students complete the original
(Time: 10 today will be that they read certain sort with a teacher,
minutes) to have words yesterday that because of the nature
students all had similar sounds. of the sort. The
classify the The teacher will ask words all contain r-
words based the students if they controlled vowels, so
on the three think the words could if students were
sounds they be sorted in any directly faced with
hear (-ar, -ir, - manner, reminding the the cards, they would
or), and point students that they were sort them based on
out any listening to the words appearance, but the
oddballs if yesterday to hear the /r/ goal is for the
they hear sound. students to hear the
them. The teacher will guide various sounds. It is
Students will the students to hear the important to focus on
be asked to /r/ sound in all of the these sounds, the r-
sort the words words, and will suggest influenced vowels
based on now to the students that form a major
they sound at they classify the words subcategory of
first, and the based on the -ar, -ir, vowels that will need
teacher will and -or found in the to be examined more
walk the words.The teacher will closely (Bear et al.,
students define the oddballs as 2012, p. 171) Also,
through the the words in which you A teacher directed

14
 sort by can hear the vowel and sort is helpful when
looking at the the /r/ sound at the students are new to
words, once same time (See word sorts or when
the students Appendix A). they start the study of
have heard a new feature (Bear,
them all. Together, the class will 2011, p, 192). It is
lead the sort that the important for
teacher will complete teachers to scaffold
on the large pocket the sort at the
chart. The teacher will beginning to check
read a word to the students
students for them to misconceptions and
hear it first, in order for initial understandings
them to try to classify of the words.
the words by only
hearing them. Once
they think they have
the word in the right
category, the teacher
will show the students
the card with the word
on it, so the students
will be able to check if
they got the sound
right.

This process will be

repeated for every
word until they have
all been placed in the
chart.
Once the students have
put all of the words
into the proper
category, they will read
the words in each
column to listen for the
common sound.

Vocabular The Before Reading: The The teacher will

15
y Life teacher will review begin by reviewing
(Time: 10 Cycle of with the students the the words from the
minutes) a words explicitly day before because,
Butterfl learned yesterday, and multiple encounters
y by will point to them on over time are called
Bobbie the word wall so the for if the goal is more
Kalman students can make the than a temporary
connection that they surface-level
are in the classroom for understanding and if
their own use. The new words are to
teacher will say that become permanently
the students will be and flexibly
reading the two pages represented in
of the day (p. 20-21) to students vocabulary
find out what happens repertoires (Beck,
at the end of the 2002, p. 32). During
butterflys life cycle. the week, the
students will be
During Reading: The going back to the
teacher will begin to word wall to practice
read A Completely New reading and defining
Look on pages 20-21 in the words in order to
Kalmans book. The deepen their
first page will review understanding of the
some of the terms words, and make
learned the day before, them practical words,
such as chrysalis. as they will be used
through the unit.
On page 21, the word Students will be
metamorphosis is reading books about
introduced and well- butterflies at their
defined. The teacher level all week, and
will read that throughout the unit,
paragraph and will so they will be
discuss the meaning exposed to the
with the students after vocabulary words
reading the relevant repeatedly. This will
paragraph. The teacher help them understand
will describe their meaning and
metamorphosis using use in multiple

16
the definition below. contexts.

Explicit word:
Metamorphosis: when
something goes
through a
metamorphosis, it
changes form or shape.
It means that an
animals body changes
from one form to
another.

The students will

discuss if they could
ever, or have ever gone
through a personal
metamorphosis.

The following implicit

words will be defined
and described as the
teacher reads the pages
on which they can be
found.
Implicit words:
Veins: small tubes in
our bodies that carry
blood towards our
heart
Proboscis: a part of
the butterflys head
that allows it to drink
nectar
Conservatory: a place
where real butterflies
are collected and cared
for

All students, especially

17
 those who have
difficulties accessing
grade-level text, will
be encouraged to ask
questions about the
new content when they
hear something they do
not understand. The
teacher will emphasize
the new vocabulary,
learned Monday and
Tuesday, in order to
make the read aloud,
and the independent
books more accessible
to the students who
need assistance.

The students will add

the new words to the
word wall.

Comprehe Today, the The After Reading Once This section begins
nsion students will Life the word with the after
(Time: 15 learn the Cycle of metamorphosis has reading section,
minutes) comprehensio a been described, the because the
n strategy that Butterfl students will discuss vocabulary and
will be y by this form of physical comprehension
applied and Bobbie change. They will sections are tied very
practiced all Kalman discuss the similarities closely, and depend
week. They and differences on the same reading.
will learn between a butterflys The after reading will
how that change, and a persons incorporate the same
sequencing is growing older. purpose for reading,
an example of Then, the teacher will because students will
a graphic direct students back to be determining
organizer that the list they made on importance and
can be used to Monday, with the most sequencing the final
determine important information events in the
important they learned in the butterflys life cycle.

18
information book about the steps of
in nonfiction butterfly change. The The teacher will
and fiction teacher will ask the introduce the
text. students if they learned sequence chart
anything else important graphic organizer on
for understanding the second day using
butterfly changes in the the list the students
last two pages. The began the day before.
students will most It is important for
likely respond yes students to learn
and the teacher will about sequencing
guide the students to events, especially to
extract the most track changes in both
important information, nonfiction and fiction
about how the butterfly texts. This skill will
has to grow and stretch be carried over to
out its wings before making lists of
being able to fly for the mathematical and
first time. And finally, science procedures as
the butterfly appears! well, Using graphic
The teacher will add organizers such as
these final items to the webs and weaves
list and will then ask supports high-level
the students how they thinking and
would want to organize comprehension by
the information they providing a
collected about the framework for
steps of change the focusing on
butterfly goes through. important points,
The teacher will listen rather than getting
to the students ideas, lost in myriad
and will then present unimportant,
the graphic organizer, unrelated details
known as a sequence (Graves, 2011, p.
chart. The students 265).
will practice labeling
the steps, and the The use of
teacher will write one sequencing charts
fact, in each row, will help students see
making sure to how to present the

19
 maintain the proper most important
order for the change. information in a text,
The students will have while demonstrating
completed with the the logical
teacher, their first progression the
sequencing graphic information in which
organizer. the information is
told.

Guided Group C The Before Reading: The This group will

Reading This group teacher teacher will explain to continue to work on
Group 1 will need will the students that they the strategy that was
(Time: 20 some select a will be practicing how just presented to the
minutes) reinforcement page or to find important class, in order for the
after learning two information and how to strategy to be taught
the new from sequence that to them more
graphic one of information. The explicitly. The
organizer. the teacher will tell the practice directly after
They will books in students that they will whole-group
practice the the be reading the book to instruction is very
full model, of group C find out the order of beneficial to students
finding the book events. at this level because
importance bin. The During Reading: The they benefit greatly
and then page teacher will take a page from the extra
sequencing will be from a just-right book practice. The practice
the events in copied for this reading level, will be teacher-
the same text. and and will first practice driven, in order to
distribut finding the most monitor the
ed to important information. misconceptions that
each of The teacher will read may have been
the the passage out loud produced in the
students with the students, who lesson. It is important
. will be following along for students to
with guided reading. determine the
important
After Reading: Then, information after
the teacher will ask the they read a passage,
students to circle the because it is still
information fresh in their minds
they think is most and it is fulfilling the

20
 important after reading knowledge goal of
the passage. Once they learning that change
have circled what they happens.
think are the most
important parts, the
teacher will ask them
to sequence the
important information
they selected.

When this group gets

released at the end of
their time with the
teacher, the teacher
will hand them a
sequencing chart
similar to the one they
completed as a whole
class, and the students
will be asked to
complete it with the
important information
they have already
circled and numbered.

Guided Group D The Before Reading: The Before being able to

Reading This is the teacher teacher will give push these students
Group 2 highest will students a passage to sequence above
(Time: 20 group, and select a from a third-grade- grade level texts,
minutes) the focus of book level text, and will tell they need to have
their small from the the students they will continuous practice
group group D be reading it to find out and exposure to these
instruction level what the most above grade level
will be book important facts are. texts, about the same
finding bin, and topic as the unit. That
importance in will During Reading: The way, the students are
above grade- photoco students will read the still exposed to the
level text. py the passage with the same content, so they
The book needed teacher and the teacher have prior
they will be pages will stop to check for knowledge, but the

21
 using will be for each understanding with the teacher is pushing
at their of the students as they read. them to become more
fluency level, students comfortable with
but they will . After Reading: The higher-level text. It is
need the students will very important to
practice with independently go back keep challenging the
deriving through the book and students who are
meaning from place post-its by the reading above grade
the more facts they believe are level text, because it
challenging most important. The keeps them
texts. teacher will then ask motivated, and gives
students to share with them a challenge so
the group which parts they do not become
they thought were most bored.
important, and share
them, saying why they
thought the part was
important for the
understanding of the
text.

Independ Students in Students While teacher is with The students in some

ent groups A and will Group C groups will practice
Reading B will focus choose Group A: will use a fluency, and others
(Time: 40 on improving the computer program that will practice the new
minutes) their fluency, books shows a book they can strategy that was
by working they read along with. They taught. It is important
independently read will hear stories and for students to work
and working during have to decide what the independently, but
on listening partner most important parts also to collaborate
to reading, reading are, by writing a quick with their peers, and
and writing and journal entry in the work with partners to
responses to indepen Computer Center complete
the stories. dent Notebook. They will assignments.
Students in reading be allowed to listen
group C will in order and follow along to the Students need to
practice for them book twice. practice choosing
finding the to Group B: Partner just right books, so
important choose Reading. One student they will get the

22
information books will read a book from autonomy of
and labeling that the butterfly book bin choosing books that
(with interest at their level with their interest them during
numbers) the them. classmate and together partner and
sequence of a they will talk about the independent reading
text. most important parts. times.
Students in One student will share
group D will their idea, and then the
focus on their other one will share.
fluency These students will
reading third focus on increasing
grade-level their fluency and
text. discussion of important
information
.
Group D: These
students will work on
fluency, reading third
grade-level texts about
butterflies. They will
work independently.

While teacher is with

Group D
Group A: These
students will move
onto independent
reading, using the texts
from the butterfly book
bin at their level.
Group B: These
students will listen to
reading on a CD in the
listening center. They
will listen to a book,
and the second time,
they will read along
with a copy of the
book while listening to
it on the CD again.

23
 They will write the
most important part in
the Listening Center
Notebook and they
will write an
explanation about why
they think that part of
the text is important.

Group C: The students

in group C will work
together with a partner
to finish numbering the
events in the passage.
Then, they will start
filling out a sequence
chart with their partner.
Each student will be
responsible for handing
in a chart, but they will
work with a partner.

Instruction for Wednesday

Literac Instructio Text(s Description of Evidence

y nal ) Instruction and Base
Domai Objectiv Activities
n/ e(s)
Time

Students In a similar way to By teaching

Vocabul will Velma the first day of this words that
ary review Gratch week, the teacher are
(Time: vocabular & the will define the important
10 y learned way word migration to
minutes in the last cool prior to beginning comprehens
) two days, butterf to read Velma ion before
and learn ly by Gratch and the reading to
the word Alan way cool butterfly. the class

24
migration Madis The instructor will aloud, the
explicitly, on and implicitly teach students
and Kevin the word have a
lamented Hawk lamented. During foundation
implicitly es the story, he or she before
will remind beginning
students of other to listen.
vocab words by Explaining
having them recall other words
the definitions. implicitly
while
After reading the reading can
story, the instructor also assist
will also ask, Did students in
you notice that making
Velma heard some meaning
big words in the with texts
story? What did she (Beck,
do to so that she 2002, p. 42)
could remember
them? How can we Having the
practice learning students
words? examine a
vocabulary
migration: the learning
process of moving strategy
from one place to that Velma
another to live for used in the
a long time. Many story is a
animals will powerful
migrate from one way to
place to another. make
meaning
lamented: If you with words
have lamented they are
something it learning as
means you have well.
expressed your
sadness because of
it.

25
Word Velma Students will do a Repeating
Study Gratch word sort word sorts
(Time: & the independently. are
10 way The teacher will important
minutes) cool monitor the room to reinforce
butterfl to check for the new
y by understanding. If word
Alan there are common patterns,
Madiso mistakes, the and to
n and instructor will assess
Kevin guide the class to whether
Hawkes the correct students
information. can
understand
the new
word
pattern on
their own.

Compreh Determinin Velma Before reading, the This

ension g whats Gratch teacher will tell teaching
(Time: important in & the students that they strategy
15 a fiction way are reading the book employs the
minutes) book Enjoy cool to see how change gradual
the butterfl happens in Velma release of
literature, y by from the beginning responsibili
wont stop Alan of the story to the ty, similar
as Madiso end of the story. to
frequently n and Students should pay Mondays
Purpose for Kevin attention to how she lesson. This
reading: to Hawkes acts in the first half allows
track of the story that will students to
Velmas be read Wednesday, see a
character because we will teacher
developmen complete a model
t sequence of her strategies
character correctly

26
development from first, and
the beginning of the then
story through the practice in
end. a non-
threatening
During the pages 1- environmen
8 of reading, the t with their
teacher will write peers, and
down important then
characteristics of continue
Velma on chart independen
paper. For the rest tly.
of the pages up until
Velma goes to the The teacher
conservatory, the will break
teacher will ask up the
students to raise reading into
their hands after two days to
reading two pages focus on
to give suggestions the
for important components
information. of the
Students will justify lesson
their answers. about
determining
After reading: importance
halfway through in fiction
the book, (end on and
page before they nonfiction.
go to the
conservatory) the
instructor will ask
the students to
state what they
think was
important about
Velmas character
in the beginning
part of the book.
The instructor will

27
 ask students,
How did you
know that? How is
finding
importance in this
book different
from reading a
nonfiction book
like the Life Cycle
of a Butterfly?

Guided Group A Velma Before reading, The

Readin Gratch the teacher will students
g Determine & the tell the students, will
Group importanc way We are going to practice
1 e of cool read the sentences using a
(Time: character butterf on these individual sequence
20 developme ly by sentence strips graphic
minutes nt and Alan from Velma organizer
) change Madis Gratch and the in order to
from the on and way cool butterfly help
beginning Kevin so that you can determine
of the Hawk practice putting meaning in
story to es events in a the text.
the middle sequence. Because
using this graphic
sequencin During reading: organizer
g. Students will take gives
turns reading each students a
sentence strip structured
aloud to the small method of
group. Then the categorizin
teacher will ask g
students which information
one they think , it allows
goes first in the them to
sequence and why. create more
meaning
After reading: The and
teacher will ask if comprehens

28
 students could ion with the
make any text to text.
text connections
between the This
sequencing organizer in
completed in the particular
Life Cycle of a will allow
Butterfly and students to
Velma Gratch and understand
the Way Cool the concept
Butterfly. that
change
happens.

Guided Group B Before reading, The

Readin Velma tell the students students
g Practice Gratch that we are going will work
Group the sounds & the to read the second on sorting
2 of the way half of the story to words and
(Time: word sort cool practice the -ir, - comprehen
20 of the butterf or, -ar sounds that ding text
minutes week ly by we have been because
) when Alan learning in the they gain
reading Madis past couple of more
Velma on and days. understandi
Gratch and Kevin ng of the
the way Hawk During reading: content and
cool es As the teacher learn
butterfly. reads, he or she sounds
will ask students if better when
they heard any of they are
the sounds after exposed to
each page. If there texts
are particular multiple
sounds on pages, times.
the teacher will
tell students to,
look out for -ar,
and raise your
hand if you hear it

29
 when I read.
Students will
guess how the
word is spelt and
justify their
answers to the
class.

After reading:
Students will do
an independent
word sort of all of
the words for the
week.

Indepe Students Velma Group A (when Students

ndent will Gratch they are will
Readin practice & the independent): will independen
g word way do a buddy sort of tly read to
(Time: study cool the words using - increase
40 and gain butterfl ar, -ir, and -or. If their
minutes fluency y by they finish sorting, fluency and
) in Alan they will buddy comprehens
reading Madiso read Velma Gratch ion.
by n and and the Way Cool
independ Kevin Butterfly. Their
ently Hawkes buddy sorts
reading. Group B will work will allow
and free with group D on a them to
reading buddy sort of -ir, - practice
just or, and -ar words word
right while the teacher patterns so
books works with group. they can
If they finish they understand
will read a just more texts
right book from in the
their bin. future.

Group C will do a
buddy sort with

30
 other members of
the C group for the
first half of the
group instruction
until groups A and
B switch with the
teacher. Then
group C will
independently
read a just right
book.

Group D will
work with group B
on a buddy sort of
-ir, -or, and -ar
words while the
teacher works with
group A. When
group B meets
with the teacher,
group D will
independently
read a just right
book.

Instruction for Thursday

Literacy Instructi Text( Description of Evidence

Domain onal s) Instruction and Base
/ Objectiv Activities
Time e(s)

Word The The students will Buddy sorts

Study objective begin the days are great
(Time: of word literacy block by for when
10 study for completing a students are
minutes the day, is buddy sort. One more

31
) to have student will sort familiar
students the words, and the with the
practice other student will sounds, and
self- check their work, having
monitorin and then they will them work
g, and switch with
monitorin responsibilities. partners
g with a The students increases
partner to should be more their
check if confident with the accountabil
their sorts sort, and it should ity for
were done be taking less time knowing
correctly. to complete. The the sort,
The other teacher will walk and being
objective around and help able to hear
is for those partnerships the
students that need it. differences
to become between the
more words.
familiar
with the This section
new follows the
sounds in gradual
the words release of
being responsibili
sorted, by ty model
increasing because the
the speed students
at which will have
they sort more
and by autonomy
increasing to practice
their their sorts,
fluency in but the
reading teacher will
the words. be
monitoring
to check for
understandi
ng.

32
 Vocabul Velma Before Reading: The
ary Gratch Students will read students
(Time: and the the words on the will be
10 way butterfly word wall reviewing
minutes cool to increase the
) butterfl fluency. Then, the vocabulary
y and teacher will ask words, and
Life students to recall will be
Cycle what happened in reading the
of a the part of the words in a
Butterfl story they read the pocket
y day before. The chart, in
teacher will then order to
state the purpose practice
of the book: reading
When we finish them, and
our book today, we to practice
are going to think familiarity.
about how our The more
main character exposure
changes in the end they have
of the story. to the
words, the
better they
will be
learned
(Beck,
2002).

Compreh The Velma During Reading: As a whole-

ension objective Gratch The teacher will group
(Time: 15 of the and the read the second discussion,
minutes) comprehe way half of the story, the class
nsion cool pausing to check will discuss
lesson is butterfl for understanding directly the
for y and to ask the changes
students students about that happen
to become signs of character to Velma in
more change. The the story.
familiar teacher will pay They will

33
with the special attention to discuss how
concept of the language used the text can
change. on the last page, give us
By Then, with her great
discussing fine finger where evidence,
the the monarch has and how
changes sat still atingle, you should
Velma Velma--followed always rely
goes by her two sisters-- on it for
through, floated home. The information
students teacher will ask about a
can make how the language character.
connectio tells us that there This part of
ns to their has been a change. the
own lives, comprehens
thus After Reading: ion lesson
deepening After reading, the will relate
their teacher will ask the directly to
understan students how the
ding of Velma changed. knowledge
the The teacher will goal of the
change ask students if they week,
that have ever had a change
occurs. similar experience, happens.
of feeling shy and This will be
then learning to an open
not feel shy discussion
anymore. The between the
teacher will ask teacher and
students to the
compare Velmas students,
change to the who will be
butterflys change invited to
(text-to-text share their
connection). The experiences
teacher will ask the , if they
students to think have any
about whether similar
Velmas change stories.
could be seen like This will

34
 the butterflys (it foster good
can be because she text-to-self
got more connections
confident). The , which we
teacher will make always
a list of the ways want to
Velma has build in
changed, that the students
students can work (Graves,
on sequencing. 2011).

Guided Group C Velma Before Reading: This group

Reading The goal Gratch The teacher will will once
Group 1 is to and the tell the students again,
(Time: continue way that they will continue to
20 to work cool reread the last work
minutes on what butterfl pages of Velma in directly off
) the class y order to find the what the
started as order of her class was
a whole change, using doing as a
group, in evidence from the group.
order to text. This will be They will
familiariz done as guided practice the
e the reading. The sequencing
students teacher will tell the of the text.
with the students that they This will
graphic will be rereading give the
organizer certain pages to students
and the look for the order another
determini of her change. chance to
ng what is practice
most During Reading: sequencing,
important The students will while
in a text. put their thumbs monitoring
up when they feel the changes
as though a part of that happen
the page gives to Velma
them a clue as to through the
Velmas change. story. The
They will explain focus will

35
 why, and together be on
the group will character
make a list of the change, to
most important make the
parts. connection
between the
After Reading: two types
The students will of change
begin filling out a they read
sequencing chart about
for Velmas during the
change. They will week.
complete the chart
with a partner
when the time is
up.

Guided Group D The Before Reading:

Reading The goal teacher The students will
Group 2 will be to will do a guided
(Time: expose select a reading with the
20 these just teacher, using a
minutes students right third grade-level
) to the book text from the
applicatio from butterfly bin. The
n of the the teacher will tell
sequencin group them that they will
g chart to D book be reading to find
more bin to the most important
complex use for information, and
texts. the they will also have
purpos to keep in mind
e of that they are
this looking to find the
small order of events.
groups
instruct During Reading:
ion. The students will
put post-its next to
the important facts

36
 in their books as
they read. Each
student will be
practicing their
fluency.

After Reading:
When they have
finished the book,
they will go back
through the post-it
marked pages, and
will try to label the
sequence of events
in the book. They
will have just the
time to number the
events. In
following weeks,
they will practice
filling out
sequence charts for
their third grade
level texts.

Indepen The goal Student While teacher is The

dent of the day s will with Group C students
Reading is for choose Group A: These who are not
(Time: students just students will read working
40 to read right with a partner from with the
minutes and books group B to practice teacher will
) continue from their fluency and be
to work the to hear stories of practicing
on their book higher levels read fluency, as
fluency. bin at to them. it is still
For the their Group B: These key in
more level. students will read second
advanced with a partner from grade, and
students, group A to practice the higher-
they will their fluency and level

37
practice to help their peers students
the who need to will be
strategy practice fluency. practicing
on harder Group D: These the new
texts in students will work comprehens
order to independently on ion
deepen sequencing a strategy,
their passage from a and the new
understan third grade-level graphic
ding of book about organizer.
the new butterflies. They Students
graphic will mark with who
organizer. post-its the struggle
elements of the with
sequence. fluency
should
constantly
While teacher is be reading
with Group D in order for
Group A: These them to
students will improve
practice reading their
the words on the reading
butterfly word wall skills. The
with a partner. The students
words will be on a who are
ring, and they will more
read through them advanced,
until they will also
pronounce them all benefit
correctly. from
Group B: These reading in
students will work order to
on fluency, reading gain more
butterfly books at fluency.
their level Students
independently, and should also
marking new be
vocabulary words practicing
as they find them, the new

38
 to share with the skill close
class and maybe to when it
put up on the word was taught
wall. to address
Group C: These any
students will difficulties.
continue to work
in partners on their Students
sequencing chart will have a
for Velmas choice
character about
development. If which
they complete the books they
chart early, they read,
will practice because it
fluency through fosters
independent more
reading with books motivation
in the butterfly to read, and
book bin at their a sense of
level. ownership.

Instruction for Friday

Literacy Instructional Text(s) Description of Evidence Base

Domain/ Objective(s) Instruction and
Time Activities

Vocabulary Review all Velma Students will For the same

(Time: 10 learned Gratch & the receive a blank reason students
minutes) vocabulary way cool graphic organizer learn about
words from butterfly by that has sections graphic
the week Alan for ways that organizers in
Madison and Velma and Tuesdays
Kevin butterflies learning, we
Hawkes changed. They will want to assess
fill out the graphic whether students
The Life organizer using the can
Cycle of a vocabulary words independently

39
 Butterfly by from the week. complete a
Bobbie graphic organizer
Kalman that allows them
to determine the
important
information in a
text.

Word Study Students Students will have This independent

(Time: 10 will be able a word sort sorting allows
minutes) to sort all - notebook that they students to
ar, -or, and - can glue their demonstrate their
ir words sorted words into mastery of a
independentl once they have pattern. Even if a
y completed the sort student does not
independently and complete it
it has been correctly the first
checked by an time it is
instructor. checked, it gives
the teacher a
clear message
whether or not
the students
understand the
word pattern.

Comprehens Review how The Life The instructor will This review
ion to use Cycle of a review how to find allows a wrap up
(Time: 15 graphic Butterfly by important of the
minutes) organizers to Bobbie information in comprehension
help Kalman non-fiction books skills for
determine by showing building on the
meaning in and just students The Life knowledge goal
stories. right books Cycle of a of the week that
Sequences students Butterfly chart change
charts assist choose from listing information happens, and
with book bins as well as how to includes writing
showing compile a to learn activities
how change sequence graphic from them to
happens over organizer. Students utilize.

40
 time. will read either
fiction or non-
fiction books and
chart important
information about
the characters or
subjects. Students
can use a sequence
graphic organizer
to categorize
information.

Guided Group A just right Before Reading: As graphic

Reading books Have students organizers allow
Group 1 Review how select a book from students to
(Time: 20 to determine their groups text improve
minutes) importance in set to read comprehension,
books by independently. students will
using graphic employ writing
organizers as During Reading: to learn strategy
well as how to Students will pick to record what
assess out important they determine
whether information to add important in the
change has to their sequencing text.
occurred in a graphic organizers.
book or not. Students will
After Reading: also use
Students will classroom
justify why the discourse by
information put in justifying what
their graphic they wrote in the
organizers was graphic
important and how organizer.
it demonstrated
change by This is the last
discussing with step in the
their small group gradual release
and writing at the model for the
bottom of their week. The
sequencing chart. teacher should be

41
 facilitating
discussions, but
not giving
answers. The
discussion
among the
students will
allow them to
improve their
connection with
tests.

Guided Group B The students Before Reading: As graphic

Reading will be Have students organizers allow
Group B Review how selecting just select a book from students to
(Time: 20 to determine right books their groups text improve
minutes) importance in from the book set to read comprehension,
books by bin that independently. students will
using matches their employ writing
sequencing level. During Reading: to learn strategy
graphic Students will pick to record what
organizers as out important they determine
well as how to information to add important in the
assess to their sequencing text.
whether graphic organizers.
change has Students will
occurred in a After Reading: also use
book or not. Students will classroom
justify why the discourse by
information put in justifying what
their graphic they wrote in the
organizers was graphic
important and how organizer.
it demonstrated
change by This is the last
discussing with step in the
their small group gradual release
and writing at the model for the
bottom of their week. The
sequencing chart. teacher should be

42
 facilitating
discussions, but
not giving
answers. The
discussion
among the
students will
allow them to
improve their
connection with
tests.

Independent Students will just right Students will This will allow
Reading practice books choose a book that students to gain
(Time: 40 fluency and is just right for their 30 minutes
minutes) writing to them and all of reading three
learn. groups will times a week and
independently read continue to
books, keeping a increase fluency,
journal in their writing to learn
reading notebooks and the
that discusses knowledge goal
change in their that change
chosen books. happens.

Appendices
Appendix A

43
 The words below are from The Life Cycle of a Butterfly by Bobbie Kalman
Velma Gratch & the way cool butterfly by Alan Madison

-AR -IR -OR

Regular learned first memories

starts girls chorus
caterpillar third word
library squirt more
arms colorful
park forget
monarch short
instar conservatory

Oddballs aquarium hair metamorphosis

hear worms

Works Cited

44
Bear, D. R., Invernizzzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnson, F. (2012). Words their way, 5th ed.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Beck, I., McKeown, M.G. & Kucan, L. (2002) Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary
Instruction, New York, NY : The Guilford Press

Graves, Michael F., Juel, Connie, Graves, Bonnie B., Dewitz, Peter. (2011) Teaching Reading in
the 21st Century, Motivating All Learners, Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc

Kalman, B. (2002). Life Cycle of a Butterfly. Crabtree Publishing Company. Print.

Madison, A. & Hawkes, K. (2007). Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly. Schwartz &
Wade Books, New York. Print.

45