Overview

Teacher: Annalisa Yasuma

Grade/Course: 4th grade Language Arts
Title of the Unit of Study: Text Structure

Common Core Standards Addressed

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
Learning Outcomes of the Unit:
Students will:
 Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or
information in a text or part of a text.
 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Lesson Plans
Balance Teamwork and Individual Work Throughout the Unit of Study:
Leverage collaboration as much as skills and content. Make sure to balance both teams and Independent work so that you are demanding a 21st
century collaborative environment while allowing time to meet students on an individual basis.

Intro Lesson:
Day 1: Students will watch a Flocabulary video about text structure while filling in their notetaker and then participate in a Give One
Get One activity. They will give one idea they learned about text structure to their partner and get one new idea from their partner.

Click here for Flocabulary video

Click here for Text Structure Notetaker

Day 2 and beyond: Picture of the Day: Display a picture such as someone scoring a soccer goal or baking a cake. Have students
discuss how they could write about what is happening in the picture using both the description and sequence text structures.
Remind them to use signal words in both examples. Students will then share their ideas. Each day one to two new text structures
will be introduced until all five have been taught.
Student Reflection & Goal Setting:
Student reflection is an essential component. Throughout the Unit, Students reflect on their work and progress. Students set goals for further learning. Goal setting is a great
opportunity for students to personalize learning goals and provides teacher specific targets for differentiated instruction.

1. In a whole class session, we will practice identifying text structure by reading passages aloud, looking for signal words and at
how the information is organized. Students will add to and reference their notetaker.

2. In small groups students will rotate among stations (in-person and online) participating in different text structure paragraphs,
activities. Notetakers may be used and amended.

a. Card Sort A: Students will be given task cards with definitions, signal words, and visual clues that they must sort by text
structure.
b. Card Sort B: Students will be given task cards with short passages and must sort them under the correct text structure.
c. Online text structure practice: Students will test their text structure knowledge with four different practice activities. The
website also includes a video for review.
Text Structure Practice Link available here
d. Meet with the teacher: Group will meet with teacher and practice writing using a specific text structure with the use of a
corresponding graphic organizer.

3. The teacher will model how to write about one topic using each relationship. (Teacher will also ask for student input as they
progress through the different text structures.):

Topic: tsunami
 Cause/Effect: Earthquakes cause tsunamis which then have a destructive effect on land, buildings, and people.
 Description: Tsunamis can travel up to 475 mph and be 100 feet tall.
 Sequence: First, there is a large earthquake or disturbance. This then creates powerful waves that travel quickly towards the
shore. Finally, it causes great damage and destruction.
 Compare/Contrast: A tsunami is formed by water while a volcano is formed by magma.
 Problem and Solution: Japan has experienced many tsunami disasters so now it has become the most prepared country for
tsunamis.
 4. Students will continue to practice and review the different types of text structure and key words during live participation
Nearpod activity. Links to student-paced Nearpod presentations will also be available for independent practice and are listed
below:

Nearpod Text Structure and Key Words Review available here

Nearpod Text Structure Vocab and Description Review available here

5. Students will choose a topic they are interested in such as a sport, animal, historical figure, or even favorite video game. First,
they will research their topic online and gather information to write about. They will then brainstorm by writing informative
ideas using each relationship as modeled by the teacher. Students will determine which two text structures they should use to
best convey the main idea of their topic. They will then write two separate paragraphs about the topic they chose using the two
different text structures.

Note: All online activities will be available for at home independent practice as well.
Assessment

Formative Assessment Lesson:

Craft a project that will support your intended outcome. Recall our first discussion board post. Remember that assignment you mentioned as being your favorite? Use that sort of
thinking to come up with an assignment like the one you outlined. Make it real-world, hands-on, and engaging.

1. Students will play Kahoot to test their knowledge on text structure.

2. Students are informally assessed during whole group discussion and small group activities to see if they can accurately
identify the text structures through signal words, visual clues, and organization of information.
Summative Assessment:
How will students demonstrate what they know as a result of this Unit? Please outline an assessment that is not a multiple-choice exam. How will students demonstrate their
understanding?

Activity #5 in Student Reflection and Goal Setting section will be used as part of the summative assessment.

Finally, they will answer the following reflection questions:

1. What text structure did you choose to use? Why?
2. How does text structure affect the main idea of the passage?
3. How does text structure support the author’s purpose?
 Individual Student Reflection & Peer Reflection:
Students reflect on their end product: authentic performance tasks (project)
 How did my perception change from the introduction to this assignment?
 I like…
 I wonder…
 I now understand…
 In the future…

DLIQ: After a lesson the students will fill out a DLIQ form either on paper or online.

 What did I DO?

 What did I LEARN?
 What was INTERESTING?
 QUESTIONS?
Students should not simply write that they learned about text structure. They should provide specific details of what they did during the lesson.
The same goes for answering what they learned. Saying they learned about text structure is not sufficient. They must explain that they learned
how to identify text structure through signal words and by analyzing how text was formatted. They then reflect on what they thought was
interesting. Finally, for the question section students should ask about something they still don’t understand or something they are now curious
about after having learned this new skill or concept.

1. Adapted from OCDE Integrated Planning Template at http://www.ocde.us/CommonCoreCA/Documents/Unit%20of%20study%20template_print11x17.pdf