EDU 305 Team Teach Project

Katie Kralovic and Sabrina Bogosian

Lesson Title​: Discussion Skills Grade:​ 2nd

Goals or Objectives​: The students will be able to participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about a text with peers in small and large groups, using the following
conversation skills: active listening, linking comments, and clarifying through questions.

Grade Level Guide: Content Standards

Content Curriculum Focal Points 2. Students read a wide range of literature
http://www.ncte.org/standards/ncte-ira from many periods in many genres to build an
NCTE & ILA standards understanding of the many dimensions (e.g.,
philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human
experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to
comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and
appreciate texts. They draw on their prior
experience, their interactions with other
readers and writers, their knowledge of word
meaning and of other texts, their word
identification strategies, and their
understanding of textual features (e.g.,
sound-letter correspondence, sentence
structure, context, graphics).

Since this text is a biography of Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr, an important figure in
American history, this lesson ties into
American social studies while serving as the
starting point of this language arts lesson.

ISTE standards (1 tech component) 6. Creative Communicator

http://www.iste.org/standards/standards Students communicate clearly and express
themselves creatively for a variety of purposes
using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and
digital media appropriate to their goals.

PreK-12 Proficiency standards Standard 2: English language learners

​http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_prek-12 communicate information, ideas, and concepts
elpstandards_framework_318.pdf?sfvrsn=2 necessary for academic success in the area of
language arts.
Common Core State Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts
with peers and adults in small and larger
groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g.,
gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening
to others with care, speaking one at a time
about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B
Build on others' talk in conversations by
linking their comments to the remarks of
others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.C
Ask for clarification and further explanation as
needed about the topics and texts under
discussion.

Academic Language​: Active listening, linking comments, clarifying questions, equality, equal
rights, segregation.

Students’ Needs:​ Students will already have experience with using google docs, writing a Bio
Poem, and reading this particular text as a class. Students will need to be reminded of vocabulary
and historical figures presented in the text, as well as the Bio Poem format.

English Language Learners (ELLs) Special Needs

Showing the pictures while reading the text A proactive behavior management plan will
will support ELLs’ comprehension. In ensure that all students know what is
partnering ELLs for the learning activities, expected of them. Clear expectations provide
ensuring they are partnered with more support for students with exceptionalities.
advanced learners will provide the necessary Students with attention deficit disorders will
supports for them to be successful. be seated close to the teachers.

Materials​:
Student Needs:
20 laptops (one per person), pencils (one per student)
Teacher Needs:
20 popsicle sticks (2 per partnership), at least 4 sheets of colored dot stickers cut into strips (1
strip per person), 20 Self-Monitoring checklists, name card for each student, 2 copies of ​Martin’s
Big Words: The life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.​ by Doreen Rappaport (1 per teacher), 10
reading excerpts from the text (1 per partnership), projector/TV, electronic copies of Bio Poem
Template and Question Starters sheet, and laptop.
Language Function​: Students will begin by ​analyzing ​and practicing the components of a good
discussion: active listening, linking comments, and asking questions. Students will then
synthesize ​all of the skills that they have learned from the lesson while they collaborate with a
peer to create a Bio Poem that ​describes​ the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Lesson Plan:
Before​:
● Review behavior expectations. Review the positive behavior reward system.
(2 min)

oWhole class Positive Behavior Tally with a Smiley Faces. ​ ☺

o Reward: 8 minutes of extra play time after recess
o Requirement: Students must exhibit positive behaviors ​at least ​10 times to earn
extra recess.
o Positive Behaviors Include:
▪ Be safe, be responsible, be respectful.
● Discuss the agenda for the day. ​(2 min)
o Introduce discussion skills as the topic for the lesson.
o Remind students that the class has been reading about Martin Luther King Jr.
o The class will use the text, ​Martin’s Big Words​ to practice discussion skill,
namely active listening, linking comments, and asking clarifying questions.
● One teacher will read the text to the whole class. ​(8 min)
o The teacher will remind students of vocabulary (equality, equal rights, and
segregation) and historical figures mentioned in the story.

During​:
● Divide the class into two groups with one teacher leading each group. Both teachers
will model the same skill. ​(1 min)
● The first skill to be taught and modeled is the Active Listening skill. ​(5 min)
o Each teacher will model the skill by choosing a student partner to demonstrate
inappropriate and appropriate listening skills.
o Have students take note of the different characteristics being displayed of
inappropriate and appropriate listening skills.
o Each teacher will introduce the specific observable qualities of active listening:
Think about what is being said, look at the person who is speaking, have both
ears ready to hear, have a quiet mouth while someone is speaking, keep hands
folded or by their sides, keep their feet quiet on the floor.
o After discussing the traits, each teacher will pass out an excerpt of a reading as
well as traits checklist and have the students turn to their partners to practice
active listening; one will have 30s to read while the other practices the skill and
self-monitors with the checklist, and then they will switch roles for a second
round.
o Each teacher will go around the room observing student participation and
comprehension, and comment on a students ​positive​ behaviors.
● After the given amount of time, students will be gathered back into their small group
and the teacher of each group will teach and model the Linking Comments skill.
o For this skill, the teachers will come together to demonstrate to the class what
this looks like using a picture from the text
o After modeling, teachers will return to their group and introduce the “I like/I
wonder” sticks.
o Each teacher will explain that students will use the sticks when they want to
add to something a peer has said; students will hold up one or the other,
depending on what they want to say.
o After practicing in the small group, the students will turn to their partners to
practice linking comments.
o Partner one will respond to a question about a picture. ​(30s)
o Partner two will use I like/I wonder sticks to respond to Partner one’s thoughts.
o Parter two will then respond to a different question about a different picture.
o Partner one will use I like/I wonder sticks to respond to two’s thoughts.
o Each teacher will use this time to observe student participation.
o At this time, one teacher will connect the laptop to the TV to project the
question template.
● After the given amount of time, students will be gathered back into their small groups
and the teachers will teach and model with a student partner the Asking Questions
skill.
o Each teacher will draw attention to the TV where the “Question Starters”
template is displayed.
o Each teacher will address “why, what, when, where” questions by engaging
students in a discussion about why it is important to ask these questions.
o Each teacher will explain how sometimes when someone is talking we’re not
sure exactly what they mean, but using questions can help us understand.
o After discussion, each teacher will pass out a strip of dot stickers to each
student (each student should have one row of four different color dot stickers).
o As teachers pass out the stickers, they will explain the partner activity.
o Each student will have one row of four different color stickers.
o Each teacher will have one partner in each pair think about one person in his or
her family who reminds him or her of Martin Luther King Jr. The other partner
will use the question starters in color order to find out who it is by asking
detailed questions, and he or she will respond with detailed answers without
saying who it is.
o Student two will get a chance to guess who the family member is after each of
their questions have been responded to.
o Every time a student asks a question using one of the question starters, he or
she will place the corresponding colored dot sticker on his or her sleeve.
o Students do not need to use all questions/stickers if they guess the person after
two questions.
o After explaining the instructions, the students will turn to their partners to
practice the question-asking skill. (​1 min​)
 o If students finish early, give partners another historical figure to think about
who in their family reminds them of the figure and repeat the activity.

After​:
● During this time, the teachers will direct students attention to the front of the class to
introduce the culminating activity: A collaborative Bio Poem from the perspective of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
● Teachers will remind students of the structure of the Bio Poem.
● Each teacher will return to their small groups.
● The teacher of each group will remind students that if everybody uses at least two of
the three strategies (active listening, linking comments, and asking clarifying
questions), the class will get an extra two smiley faces (one for each group’s use of the
strategies).
● Students will be given a new partner.
● The teacher at each group will remind students of the task and remind students of the
skills that they have practiced (active listening, linking comments, and asking
clarifying questions), stressing that they will need these skills to work together to
create a collaborative Bio Poem.
● As a possible extension, students will be given a sheet of blank paper to create an
illustration to accompany their poems.
● For students who may need extra help, teachers will leave the extra supports from the
learning portion of the lesson for students to use during the collaboration portion.
● The teacher of each group will introduce a self-assessment checklist.
● After the activity students will be asked to fill out the checklist to gauge which of the
learned strategies they used during the peer collaboration activity.
● Students will have 10 minutes to complete the Bio Poem.
● Once everyone has finished, students will be asked to share their poems with their
small groups (time permitting).

Assessment​: Informal assessment, in the form of anecdotal notes and student self-assessment,
will be used to determine which students have met the objectives and who may need further
instruction.

Type of Description of Modifications to the Evaluation Criteria

assessmen assessment assessment so that all
t students could demonstrate
learning

Informal Anecdotal Notes Due to the nature of the Students will be evaluated
assessments, all students on their appropriate use of
should be able to the three strategies discussed
 Self-Assessment demonstrate learning without in the lesson (active
Checklist any modifications. listening, linking comments,
and clarifying questions).

Resources​:
See attachments for handouts and assessments.
Visual Timer: ​www.online-stopwatch.com/classroom-timers/

Active Listeners... 

❏Think about what is being said  

 
 
 
❏Look at the person who is speaking  
 
 
❏Have both ears ready to hear  
 
 
 
❏Have quiet mouths while someone  
else is speaking 
 
 
❏Keep their hands folded or at their sides 
 

❏Keep their feet quiet on the floor 

 
 Bio Poem Outline

____________________
(First Name)

Who is ​______________________________________________
(3 describing words)

Lover of _____________________________________________
(3 things, people, or ideas)

Who fears ___________________________________________

(Up to 3 things)

Who feels ____________________________________________

(Up to 3 things)

Who would like to see ___________________________________

(Up to 3 things)

Resident of ___________________________________________
(Which part of the country?)

___________________________
(Last name)
Discussion Skills Self-Monitor Checklist

Name_________________ Date_________________

Active Listening
□ ​Did I look at the speaker?
□ ​Did I have a quiet mouth?
□ ​Did I keep my hands folded or at my
sides?
□​ Did I have quiet feet on the floor?

Question Asking
□ ​Did I ask “Why…?”
□ ​Did I ask “What…?”
□ ​Did I ask “When…?”
□ ​Did I ask “Where…?”

Linking Comments
□ ​Did I say “I like…”?
□ ​Did I say “I wonder…”