BlendEd Best Practices Unit Text Structure
Unit Title: Text Structure
Title and Description
This unit is titled: Text Structure
The description of the purpose of the unit is: In this unit students will define, identify, and explain 5 types of text structure. Students will explain how text and graphic features enhance a text. They will determine the type of figurative language used in a text. Students will summarize a given text. This lesson was created by Erica Jenkins through the Nebraska BlendEd Best Practices Program.
Content Area Skill:
Add Skill(s)
Students will
build and use
conversational, academic,
and content-specific grade level vocabulary.
Comprehension: Students
will construct meaning by
applying prior knowledge,
using text information, and
monitoring comprehension
while reading increasingly
complex grade-level
literary and informational
text.
Digital Age Skill(s):
Add Skill(s)
Innovative Designer
Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.
Duration of Unit:
2 weeks
Overview of Unit:
The description of the purpose of the unit is: In this unit students will define, identify, and explain 5 types of text structure. Students will explain how text and graphic features enhance a text. They will determine the type of figurative language used in a text. Students will summarize a given text. This lesson was created by Erica Jenkins through the Nebraska BlendEd Best Practices Program.
Empower Learners:
Content Area Skills (NE and ISTE Standards):
LA 6.1.5.c Acquire new academic and content-specific grade-level vocabulary, relate to prior knowledge, and apply in new situations. |
LA 6.1.6.e Summarize and analyze an informational text and/or media, using supporting details to explain the main idea. |
LA 6.1.6.j Apply knowledge of organizational patterns to comprehend informational text (e.g., sequence/chronological, description, cause and effect, compare/contrast, fact/opinion). |
LA 6.1.6.c Identify and explain why authors use literary devices (e.g., simile, metaphor, alliteration, onomatopoeia, images |
Student Friendly Objectives:
I can connect new vocabulary to what I already know and use those words in other situations. |
I can explain the main idea and key details of informational text and/or media. |
I can apply what I know about how informational text is organized to help me understand what it means. |
I can identify and explain why authors use literary devices. |
Empower Learner Activity:
Detailed Description:
Students will use the proficiency scale to rate themselves. They will then track their progress during and after the end of the unit.
- Students will take a pre-assessment for text structure using Quizziz.
- Students will use the proficiency scale to rate themselves according to how they did on the quiz. Explain to the students that a 3 is our goal for the end of the unit. Most students will not yet be at a 3. Their goal is to grow to a 3 by the end of the unit.
- Students will set a goal for their learning target using the proficiency scale.
- At the beginning of every small group day, students will take 2 minutes to rate themselves and determine if they are on target to reach their goal. (Am I still at the same place? Do I feel like I have a better understanding of the skill we are learning? What evidence can I provide to show my growth?)
Knowledge Application:
The purpose of Knowledge Application is to promote deeper-level learning through student creation of learning artifacts demonstrating both Content Area and Digital Age Skills. A key goal is to provide some degree of control over how students will show what they know.
Artifact Profile:
Title of the Artifact:
Student teaching Student Presentation
Detailed Description:
Students will create a presentation to teach other students about 5 types of organizational patterns. They can use any form of media to communicate the lesson with the students (poster, video, slide show, flip grid etc.)
Content Area Skills Addressed:
LA 6.1.6.j Apply knowledge of organizational patterns to comprehend informational text (e.g., sequence/chronological, description, cause and effect, compare/contrast, fact/opinion).
Digital Age Skills
ISTE 4a Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.
Link to Rubric
Knowledge Deepening:
Detailed Description:
During Knowledge Deepening, the Content Area Skills required of the Learning Artifact are broken down into bite-sized tasks. A key goal is to provide some degree of choice over how students practice the Content Area Skills.
Tasks
Task 1
Digital Choice Board
Description: Choice Board Integrates other objectives in addition to organizational patterns.
Must Do’s: IXL-E5 (6th Grade Language Arts) | May Do’s: Simple Sentences AR (Accelerated Reader) There are also resources to use from the Journey's lesson 8 resources. | Resources: |
Task 2
Graphic Organizer (in small group)
Description: 4 Groups
Read the following stories from Journeys:
Tied Up in Knots: The Story of Harry Houdini
Unbelievable! Mobius Strips, Fractals, and Optical Illusions
Breaking the Code
Mobius Strips, Fractals, and Optical Illusions
Must Do’s: Complete Graphic Organizer with your small group (teacher-led) | May Do’s: Write a Summary with text evidence explaining the text structure of your leveled reader. | Resources: Tied Up in Knots: The Story of Harry Houdini Unbelievable! Mobius Strips, Fractals, and Optical Illusions Breaking the Code Mobius Strips, Fractals, and Optical Illusions |
Direct Instruction:
Detailed Description
Direct Instruction scaffolds the learning process for all students. A key goal is to incorporate BlendEd strategies to effectively differentiate instruction in order to maximize learning.
Learning Path:
Day # | Description | BlendEd Model |
1 | Vocabulary SlideShow/Introduce Choice Boards | Whole Group/Station Rotation |
2 | First read of Main Selection | Flex Model |
3 | Small Group Rotations(Task 1 & 2) | Station Rotation |
4 | Finish Main Selection Story | Flex Model |
5 | Small Group Rotations(Task 1 & 2) | Station Rotation |
6 | Read Paired Selection | Flex Model |
7 | Small Group Rotations(Task 1 & 2) | Station Rotation |
8-10 | Student Teaching Student Project | Flex Model |