EL Support Lesson
Evidence as a Statement
Students will be able to find text evidence in nonfiction text to support their answers.
Students will be able to explain details with declarative sentences using sentence stems.
- Engage students in a discussion about the types of punctuation that we put at the end of sentences. Prompt students to talk about the types of sentences that use each punctuation mark. For example, say, "An interrogative sentence, or question, uses a question mark."
- Share that today's lesson will be about using Declarative sentencesTo explain details from informational text. These sentences are simply statements that require a period at the end.
Building academic language
- Introduce the tiered vocabulary words by handing out a set of Vocabulary Cards to each student. Give students time to read the definitions and look at the images. Ask students to discuss the images with a partner.
- Go over the words and definitions for students. Model how to pronounce each word, and discuss additional images that could help us remember each word. Allow students to sketch any additional images they feel would help them.
- Pass out the Glossary worksheet to each student and have them label the last column as Example. Model writing an example word or phrase for the first word on the Glossary, and have students work in small groups to record examples of the remaining words.
- Call on students to share their examples of each of the vocabulary words, and provide feedback as needed.
- Distribute a copy of the Answering Questions: 5W + H worksheet to each student and go over the information at the top. Explain to students that they will read the text and then answer questions by creating a sentence with details from the text.
- Read aloud the text to the class and ask them to circle any vocabulary words they see. Review the definitions by looking at the Vocabulary Cards.
- Model completing the answer for the first question by looking back into the text for information, underlining the answer and writing it on the line to complete the sentence frame.
- Engage the class in completing the answer for the second question together. Call on students to explain the steps in the process for finding the details in the text and completing the sentence frame.
- Instruct students to work with a partner to complete the sentence stems in the next four questions. Go over them as a class by calling on students to read their completed sentences. Ask their partner to explain where they found the answer. Provide a sentence stem for explanation, such as "We found the answer __."
- Tell students that you are going to display a variety of sentences, and that students are going to pick out the declarative sentences by looking at the words and the punctuation. Instruct students to give a thumbs up if the sentence is a declarative sentence or a thumbs down if it is not a declarative sentence.
- Display each sentence and give students time to respond. Engage the class in discussion about each example, allowing students who agree/disagree to share.
- Have students take out a blank piece of paper. Tell them that they are going to practise writing declarative sentences by answering basic questions about their lives.
- Display the following questions and sentence stems, and model writing an answer to each question in a declarative sentence:
- Who is your favorite person? (My favorite person is ____.)
- What did you eat for breakfast this morning? (I ate ____.)
- When do you brush your teeth? (I brushed my teeth ____.)
- Where do you sit in the classroom? (I sit ____.)
- Why do you sleep? (I sleep because ____.)
- How do you stay warm in winter? (I stay warm in the winter by ____.)
- Give students time to write their answers to each question. Then, put them in partnerships to share their answers.
Additional EL adaptations
- Provide a sentence stem for students as they discuss Vocabulary Card images. For example, "In this picture, I see ____."
- Pair students with a sympathetic partner to write sentences with during the Sentence Level section.
- Allow access to reference materials in home language (L1).
- Have learners repeat instructions and key vocabulary to the teacher.
- Allow learners to utilize glossaries and dictionaries for unfamiliar words.
- Choose advanced ELs to share their ideas first in group and class discussions.
- Have learners repeat instructions and key vocabulary, summarizing important information for the class.
Formative Assessment of Academic Language(6 minutes)
- Give each student a copy of the Graphic Organizer Template: Frayer Model worksheet. Explain what information should go in each section, and make sure students have access to necessary reference materials.
- Instruct students to complete the graphic organizer for the vocabulary term Declarative sentence. Allow them to utilize their Glossary or Vocabulary Cards as a reference for information.
Review and closing(1 minute)
- Ask students to share their Frayer Models with a partner.
- Remind students that we use statements, or declarative sentences, to explain the details in a text that answer questions. Relying on the text as a place to find answers is an important way to make sure we understand what we read.