Planning Commentary

Elementary Literacy
Task 1: Planning Commentary
TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 9 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.
1. Central Focus
a. Describe the central focus and the essential literacy strategy for comprehending OR
composing text you will teach in the learning segment.
[The central focus of this lesson is for students to understand that writing is a multistage process. Students will be focusing on composing text within this learning segment
through strategies like brainstorming (gathering and organizing information). Students will
first learn how to make annotated notes within a non-fiction text to gather and focus on
information in a text. Next, students will be using the information in order to organize their
information into a graphic organizer. Lastly, students will be transferring their information
from a graphic organizer into a response to a prompt. These three lessons show that writing
is a multi-stage process since students need to be able to gather textual evidence, organize
evidence, and lastly compose a piece using the information that they gathered and
organized.]
b. Given the central focus, describe how the standards and learning objectives within
your learning segment address
the essential literacy strategy
related skills that support use of the strategy
reading/writing connections
[The central focus for this lesson segment is for students to understand that writing is a
multi-stage process. The overall standard that this lesson will be focused on is CCSS.ELALITERACY.W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant
content. The learning objectives within this lesson are for students to be able to identify
within a text main details and supporting details, organizing writing, and for students to use
what they organized to transfer into composing a response to a prompt using textual
evidence from a non-fiction source.
Thus, the standard and learning objectives within this learning segment within the
learning segment address the essential literacy strategy, brainstorming, since the first two
lessons will be addressing pre-writing strategies before composing. Students will be learning
how to use annotated notes to be able to focus in on important evidence from a non-fiction
text. In the second lesson, students will be learning how to organize their annotated notes in
order to create a graphic organizer to organize their evidence. Therefore, the standard is
addressed in this learning segment through the essential learning strategy since it is
focused on examining a topic through selecting and organizing content. The learning
objectives within this lesson is also covered since students will be identifying and organizing
evidence from a text.
A skill that I focused on in this lesson is organization. The learning segments standards
and learning objectives focus on developing this skill by students learning how to organize
information within a graphic organizer (second lesson) and eventually composing using the
graphic organizer in the third lesson. Students will be using the The Better Answer
Sandwich in order to support students using transitions and topic sentences.
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Elementary Literacy
The reading and writing connections will be addressed with the standards and learning
objectives since students will need a non-fiction text in order to draw information from. Thus,
students will be using a text called Galileo and the Telescope in order to draw textual
evidence to support their response to a prompt since the standard says, to examine a
topic, the topic that students will need to examine is the reading, Galileo and the Telescope.
The last learning objective for students to focus on as well is for students to compose a
response to a prompt using evidence from a non-fiction source. Students will need to use
the reading in order to have evidence to respond to the prompt adequately. In conclusion,
the reading and writing connections are both covered through the standard and the student
learning objectives.]
c. Explain how your plans build on each other to help students make connections
between the essential literacy strategy to comprehend OR compose text and related
skills that support use of the strategy in meaningful contexts.
[All three of these lessons are able to build upon each other since the lesson segment is
focused on the pre-writing strategies before composing. Students will first learn how to make
annotated notes within a non-fiction text to gather and focus on information in a text. Next,
students will be using the information in order to organize their information into a graphic
organizer. Lastly, students will be transferring their information from a graphic organizer into
a response to a prompt (composing). Since the literacy strategy is focused on the multistage process in writing, students will be able to understand that before writing they need to
first gather information, organize information, and then compose their writing. This lesson
segment also shows that writing is something that builds upon each other.]
2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
For each of the prompts below (2ab), describe what you know about your students with
respect to the central focus of the learning segment.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support
(e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers,
underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted
students).
a. Prior academic learning and prerequisite skills related to the central focusCite
evidence of what students know, what they can do, and what they are still learning
to do.
[Students skills include taking notes orally and from text. Students take notes in most
subject areas daily. In social studies and science, students usually take two-column notes from
the textbook. While in language arts, math and health classes students take notes when
listening to a teacher teach a subject before an activity for background knowledge. Students
also had practice using different types of thinking maps (graphic organizers) in order to organize
their thoughts.
Students have done a college research paper where they had to research a college that
they would like to attend with requirements such as the minimum GPA to enter into the
university, cost, major requirements etc. Students had to gather information and organize it in a
graphic organizer before composing their informative essay. Students also had projects on
researching an ancient civilization and make an artifact box filled with different inventions that
the culture created. The students had to also gather information, organize their information in a
graphic organizer and make a brochure with the information that they learned.
Although a disconnect that I have observed between prewriting strategies like taking notes
and graphic organizers is being able to apply it in a test setting. Students will take notes and
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Elementary Literacy
complete a graphic organizer when told to do so and when a worksheet is given to them to
complete. However since students are not given a graphic organizer during an assessment or
told to take notes on the text, students will not do it. Its not automatic for them. Thus, students
are learning how they can apply note taking and graphic organizers into a test-taking critical
response prompt in this learning segment.]
b. Personal, cultural, and community assets related to the central focusWhat do you
know about your students everyday experiences, cultural and language
backgrounds and practices, and interests?
[The students that attend Webling Elementary come from a variety of backgrounds.
Everyday students work in groups or in pairs like during literacy circles where each person in a
group is assigned a job to complete after reading a chapter or two in the book for the quarter.
This shows that students are always collaborating on projects and is more focused on student
driven work. Thus, allowing the instructional practice to be based upon collaboration will allow
students the opportunity to be successful in understanding that writing is a multi-stage process.
Students cultural and language backgrounds and practices relate to the central focus since
students will see that in any language and culture it is essential to be able to write clearly and in
a organized way. Since the lesson segment revolves around gathering information and
organizing information, students will be able to relate this idea into their own culture where it is
also important that they are able to communicate clearly their ideas or beliefs to others.
Students write a journal to me every week and have the option to write about anything they
want as long as it is five sentences or longer. In these journals students express their interests,
hobbies, or thoughts. The central focus is able to address students interests in different topics
since writing is a very fluid concept. Students are able to write about anything that interests
them, but the central focus is working on improving their writing pieces to be able to coherently
articulate their thoughts and ideas.]
3. Supporting Students Literacy Learning
Respond to prompts 3ac below. To support your justifications, refer to the instructional
materials and lesson plans you have included as part of Planning Task 1. In addition, use
principles from research and/or theory to support your justifications.
a. Justify how your understanding of your students prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, and community assets (from prompts 2ab above) guided your choice or
adaptation of learning tasks and materials. Be explicit about the connections between
the learning tasks and students prior academic learning, their assets, and
research/theory.
[Students have prior academic experience with answering critical response prompts like on
the School Rise Assessments that they take about twice a year. Students prior academic
learning guided the choice of learning task and materials since student have a difficult time with
knowing how to tackle critical responses during a test setting. Thus, the learning tasks of
creating annotated notes in a text, making a graphic organizer from the notes is especially
important since these are strategies that students will be able to use on any assessment.
Students assets (personally, cultural, and community assets) relate to the learning task and
materials since students will be doing group work and presentations in the first lesson. During
the second lesson, students will be working in pairs to check one anothers work to make sure
that they have met the expectations written on the whiteboard. Thus, students personal assets
are met since students seem to like to work in groups or in pairs. Also, their cultural and
community assets relate to the learning task since students also are learning how to
communicate between different individuals and express their own thinking and ideas through
writing.
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Elementary Literacy
A study called Childrens Voices on Group Work: A Playlet. Reading Research Report No.
49 by Jane West and Penny Oldfather interviewed students between third and fifth or sixth
grade and their views of group work in the classroom. Their study found that group work allows
students to share ideas, the burdens of work, receiving help from other classmates, and
learning how to cooperate between members. However, as students get older they found that
there is tension between group members, so the challenge for teachers is to develop students
to be individuals while having students work in groups. Therefore, the instructional tasks of
working in groups at this age are important since students need to be able to collaborate
together. However, students will also need the opportunity to express themselves as individuals
with is seen when they complete their individual work in the last lesson. Students have a good
mixture of group work, pair work, and individual work throughout this learning segment.]
b. Describe and justify why your instructional strategies and planned supports are
appropriate for the whole class, individuals, and/or groups of students with specific
learning needs.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students).
[The instructional strategies and planned supports are appropriate for the whole class since
the instructional strategies and planned supports are strategies that students will be useful in a
test taking setting. Students will be faced with SBA in the ending of the school year, so students
learning how to take annotated notes and make graphic organizers are extremely important
when taking their assessments.
As individuals these instructional strategies and planned supports are appropriate since
students will be able to apply this throughout their own schooling career. For every writing piece,
students will have to be able to gather information, organize their information, and compose a
piece. These strategies will be able to give students the necessary skills in order to use it for
any paper whether argumentative, expository, or narrative.
Throughout the lesson segment students use visual tools like the graphic organizers or
using different colors to differentiate their essays to be able to organize their responses. A
Qualitative Investigation of the Use of Graphic Organizers study by Elizabeth Culbert found that
graphic organizers increases comprehension of text and students were more engaged when
they participated in the completing of a graphic organizer. Thus, for students that are in
ELL/MLL, have IEP/504 plans these visual aids are helpful with them comprehending text and
being more engaged in completing their graphic organizers.]
b. Describe common developmental approximations or common misconceptions within
your literacy central focus and how you will address them.
[My central focus is that writing is a multi-step process. Thus a common misconception
about the writing process is that one can skip the brainstorming stage of the writing process and
instead go into composing a piece. However, a masterful piece is one that develops over
brainstorming and organizing in order to compose a piece. I will address this misconception by
reminding students the importance of going through each step before writing. I will give
examples of writing that did not go through the brainstorming process in comparison to writing
that wen through the brainstorming process for students to see the difference between the
quality of the two different pieces.]
4. Supporting Literacy Development Through Language

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Elementary Literacy
As you respond to prompts 4ad, consider the range of students language assets and
needswhat do students already know, what are they struggling with, and/or what is new to
them?
a. Language Function. Using information about your students language assets and
needs, identify one language function essential for students to develop and practice the
literacy strategy within your central focus. Listed below are some sample language
functions. You may choose one of these or another more appropriate for your learning
segment.
Analyze
Argue
Categorize
Compare/contrast
Describe
Interpret
Predict
Question
Retell
Summarize
Explain
[The language function that is essential for students to develop and practice in this literacy
strategy is to analyze. Students will need to work on this since they will need to be able to
analyze non-fiction text in order to find the main and supporting details of the text. Students will
need to be able to sort through details in a reading in order to be successful in finding textual
evidence that supports their response.]
b. Identify a key learning task from your plans that provides students with opportunities to
practice using the language function in ways that support the essential literacy strategy.
Identify the lesson in which the learning task occurs. (Give lesson day/number.)
[A learning task that gives students an opportunity with analyzing is in the first lesson.
Students will be learning how to use annotation codes in order to look at a text and point out the
different main details, supporting details, vocabulary, and definitions. In order for students to be
able to find these different annotation codes within their readings, they will need to be able to
analyze their reading. This supports the essential literacy strategy of brainstorming since
students will need to be able to first gather information as a first step into the writing process.
Using annotated notes, students will be able to gather textual evidence in order to support their
reasoning.]
c. Additional Language Demands. Given the language function and learning task
identified above, describe the following associated language demands (written or oral)
students need to understand and/or use:
Vocabulary or key phrases

Plus at least one of the following:
Syntax
Discourse
[Throughout the learning task described above, students will need to be using for vocabulary
these words or phrases; main idea, key details, other details, vocabulary, definitions, questions,
and interesting ideas of a text. For the discourse of this learning task, students will be focusing
on identifying different details in a text in order for information to be emphasized. Thus, this
lesson is focusing on the essential points of a text in order to communicate clearly.]
d. Language Supports. Refer to your lesson plans and instructional materials as needed
in your response to the prompt.
Identify and describe the planned instructional supports (during and/or prior to the
learning task) to help students understand, develop, and use the language demands
(function, vocabulary or key phrases, discourse, or syntax).
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Elementary Literacy
[For the first lesson, the class and the teacher will be making annotated notes using the
reading Galileo and His Telescope before going into the learning task. The class and teacher
will be using the elmo to project the reading for the class to see and the students will raise their
hand and let the teacher know what annotation code will be used in order to mark the reading
with.
For the second lesson, students will use a reading they have been reading through as a
class called Wonder by RJ Palacio. Together with the teacher and the class, they will be filling
out a graphic organizer on the main character August. Students and the teacher will come up
with three different characteristics of August (main details) and they will then find supporting
details from the text when August displayed these characteristics in the book. The will also use
The Better Answer Sandwich in order to think of different transitions between the main ideas.
Lastly for the third lesson, students and the teacher will be transferring the information from
the graphic organizer on the book Wonder by RJ Palacio that was completed as an example in
the second lesson to an essay format. Using markers to color-code the main details, supporting
details, transitions, topic sentence, introduction, and conclusion. Thus, students will see how the
graphic organizer was used throughout to create a detailed response to the prompt.
Throughout these three lessons during the planned instructional supports, students will be
using vocabulary and discourse since students will need to know how to analyze the text and
identify these vocabulary words.]
5. Monitoring Student Learning
In response to the prompts below, refer to the assessments you will submit as part of the
materials for Planning Task 1.
a. Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments will provide direct
evidence that students can use the essential literacy strategy to comprehend OR
compose text AND related skills throughout the learning segment.
[The informal assessments will provide direct evidence that students can use the essential
literacy strategy of brainstorming to compose text since during the guided time it is important
that students participate in the discussion since it shows that they are thinking about the
information in front of them. Students who participate in a group or pair work also show that they
are practicing brainstorming since they are able to communicate their ideas orally and work in a
group to be able to present their ideas clearly. These informal assessments also support skills
throughout the learning segment when they are working in groups since they will also need to
be able to communicate effectively when organizing their ideas. Thus, another skill that they will
be using is organization.
The summative assessments will provide direct evidence of brainstorming since students
will need to have evidence that they know how to gather through using annotated notes. The
summative assessment for the second lesson and third is focused on being able to organize
their work in a graphic organizer and compose their writing in a coherent manner. Thus, this
shows that brainstorming is also being able to organize their work. These summative
assessments also encompass skills like using evidence from text to support students
reasoning. Students will need to be able to find textual evidence in order to support their
reasoning.]
b. Explain how the design or adaptation of your planned assessments allows students with
specific needs to demonstrate their learning.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students).
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Elementary Literacy
[For the first lesson, the assessment is able to encompass a variety of learners since
students will be assessed based on their group presentations. Thus, all learners are involved in
this assessment. Each of them are able to present their thinking and represent their groups.
This can help with students who have IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling
readers, underperforming students, and gifted students.
For the second lesson, the assessment is focused on writing a graphic organizer since
the overall structure of the graphic organizer is visually appealing it will be able to help students
who are ELL or MLL. This design will also be accommodating to students IEPs or 504 who also
need something that is visual and structured. Students who are gifted will also be able to find
more main details and supporting details and add it on to the graphic organizer.
Lastly for the third lesson, the assessment is designed for a variety of learners since the
color-coding of the essay and the graphic organizer will be helpful for students who are ELL or
MLL and students who have IEPs or 504 plans. The color-coding is also visually structured and
it can help the students with being able to visually see how the graphic organizer matches with
their response to the critical response. This assessment also supports students who are gifted
since these students will be able to have their essay flow more by beginning with a hook in the
introduction and a statement that leaves the reader interested in the topic in the conclusion.
Thus, it makes it a bit challenging for students who are gifted.]

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Elementary Literacy

Task 1: Planning Commentary

TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

the essential literacy strategy

related skills that support use of the strategy

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

Vocabulary or key phrases

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

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