Linville Task1 PC

Elementary Education
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 this week was all about comparing and contrasting. Students will be able
to compare and contrast the grey whale and locusts after reading the story “The Journey:
Stories of Migration.” We will work through the story looking at important details about each
animal that similar and different to one another. The purpose of this learning segment is to
help students understand how to see the similarities and differences in two unlike things.
One of the standards that students will be focusing on is ELAGSERI9: compare and contrast
important points and details in texts on the same topic. This standard is what the central
focus is based on. They will use different reading and writing strategies to practice and
master the given standard. During the reading segments, students will be working on other
standards such as; ELAGSERL10: read and comprehend literature, ELAGSERI4: determine
the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, and
ELAGSERL2: recount stories and determine the message, lesson, or moral.]
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 essential literacy strategy that I am using in the learning segment is that students will
practice comparing and contrasting two unlike things to demonstrate understanding of a text
through writing. This is shown through the Georgia Performance Standards: ELAGSERI9:
compare and contrast important points and details in texts on the same topic. The main
focus of the lessons for the week is comparing and contrasting two topics. Students will use
different strategies to compare and contrast topics that are discussed in an informational
text. Students will demonstrate these strategies through Venn Diagrams. Comprehension
skills will help students understand the process that it takes to get the facts necessary for
comparing and contrasting. ]
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.
[ My plans make sure that the plans from the day before are reviewed. If we did not finish our
lesson from the day before, we picked up where we left off. This gave students the opportunity
to see how the lessons rely on each other. They used prior knowledge in order to understand
what they are supposed to comprehend for each lesson. I tried to make sure that the students
had a chance to make a personal connection to the story. They could understand what was
really happening in the story.]
2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
For each of the prompts below (2a–b), describe what you know about your students with
respect to the central focus of the learning segment.
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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 focus—Cite
evidence of what students know, what they can do, and what they are still learning
to do.
[Some students understood what comparing and contrasting was because they had learned it in
prior grades. I do not believe that the students ever had to implement this strategy though. They
do not realize how much they use this strategy on a regular basis. They are going to begin
understanding why people use comparing and contrasting. Students have also been learning
about the Three Branches of Government this past week, which will help them when they are
writing their informational writing piece.]
b. Personal, cultural, and community assets related to the central focus—What do you
know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural and language
backgrounds and practices, and interests?
[ A lot of my students are very active, so I wanted to take that into account. While planning I
wanted to make sure that they understand that people compare and contrast many things. So, I
want to give them an option of things that they could compare. I wanted to start one of my
lessons in the week with a comparison like apples and oranges because it is something that
everyone will know. It gives them the chance to see how they should compare and contrast.
Throughout the day I want to show them different things that we compare in other classes, the
teachers and the different rooms in the school.]
3. Supporting Students’ Literacy Learning
Respond to prompts 3a–c below. To support your justifications, refer to the instructional
materials and lesson plans you have included as part of Literacy 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 2a–b 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.
[ By knowing the students true colors results and their prior knowledge from the pre-assessment
results, I was able to prepare and plan out a very productive unit. As a student teacher coming
in during the second half of the year, it is hard to get a quick understanding of the students,
which is why I did a true colors test for my students. The importance of knowing this information
was vital because it is similar to knowing the students childhood. True colors help students gain
relationships with their teachers and advisors (Education world, 2018). I was able to see the
colors show when I observed the students. I knew that they would need to do some hands-on
activities to get a real understanding because a majority of the class was orange. Understanding
the students give me an idea of what approach I should take to teaching them. I had an easy
time with most lessons because I am an orange as well meaning I like actively teaching and
orange students makes that much easier. I also did a sociogram to see how I could make sitting
at the carpet easier to manage. Once I made a seating chart, not only could I manage the
students easier, but also I could see them actively learning easier because they were not
distracted by their friends. ]
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).
[ I made sure that my lesson plans would include materials and approaches for kinesthetic,
auditory, and visual learners. This covers all of the learning styles that are present in the
classroom. By understanding each of the learning styles I can make subtle adjustments when I
am actually instructing my students when they are having trouble. I will be able to read the story
aloud to the students (focusing on the auditory learners), put the story on the board (focusing on
the visual learners), and let some of the students touch the speaker button when it is time to
listen to the next passage (focusing on the kinesthetic learners). When students begin working
quietly at their desks, I will circle around the classroom letting the students know that not only
am I watching over them to make sure that they are on task, but I am showing the students that
I am a resource that they can turn to when they need help. ]
c. Describe common developmental approximations or common misconceptions within
your literacy central focus and how you will address them.
[ A common misconception when it comes to comparing and contrasting is that students have a
hard time understanding and utilizing a Venn diagram. I will break down the Venn diagram and
use very familiar terms with them. For example, I will create a Venn diagram of apples and
oranges and walk through that one with them. I will put one description under apple that only
falls under the category of apple. Next, I will put something under the orange category that only
goes with orange. I will tell students why I am putting red under apple and orange under orange
because it will show them what contrasting means. After contrasting, I will need to compare
showing something that apples and oranges have in common. I will explain to the students why
something similar will go in the middle. By breaking down the Venn diagram into such simple
categories, students will be able to grasp the concept of comparing and contrasting.]
4. Supporting Literacy Development Through Language
As you respond to prompts 4a–d, consider the range of students’ language assets and
needs—what 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 Explain
Interpret Predict Question Retell Summarize

[ Comparing and contrasting is the main focus for their entire reading block this week.
Throughout the week students will read or be read two different stories and they will have to
compare the two stories and describe the differences. Students will be encouraged to further
answer questions through questions asked in Bloom’s Taxonomy, especially since the central
focus is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. As identified in the Georgia Performance Standards:

ELAGSERI9: compare and contrast important points and details in texts on the same topic. As I
stated in my essential literacy strategy, students will practice comparing and contrasting two
unlike things to demonstrate understanding of a text through writing. When planning my unit for
the week, I made sure that not only did the essential literacy strategy line up with my standards,
but also my language function. In Lesson 1, students are reintroduced to the terms comparing
and contrasting to reassure that they have an understanding through the texts being read. Later
in the week, Lesson 3, students will interact with a Venn diagram of their own demonstrating
comparing and contrasting that they create individually that will be compared together.
Throughout the week, students are working with an informative writing piece that compares the
Three Branches of Government. ]
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.)
[The language function of this learning task is to compare and contrast. During Lesson
Number Three, students will be given the opportunity to create a Venn diagram comparing
and contrasting “Locust” and “Grey Whales.” In the lesson plans on Day 3, one of the
learning objectives for the students is that they can compare and contrast important ideas
and details in an informational text. Another key-learning task that provides students the
opportunity to write about the Three Branches of Government by comparing and contrasting
them. Each day’s lesson plans demonstrate opportunities for students to be working on their
comparing and contrasting in their writing for their social studies piece. Students already
have the background knowledge that is brainstorming and prewriting, which was already
done prior to this week. Students will be able to use these ideas to work on their writing
piece. They will be working on one paragraph each day. For example, on Day 1 students will
be able to work on the introductory paragraph and on Day 2 they will begin working on the
first body paragraph and so on and so forth. In this writing piece students are working on
applying information that they have been working on in the previous weeks, which
demonstrates another level of Bloom’s Taxonomy.]
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
[ Given the language function and learning task identified above, the vocabulary that is identified
in Lesson 1 through 5 are: migrate, survival, plenty, frightening, accidents, solid, chilly,
landscape, thunderous, and dramatic. While these terms are used throughout the week,
students will still be utilizing them throughout the week. These terms are identified on lesson 1
because this is when they will be first identified in the week. I will take the time to introduce the
words in Lesson 1. Students will be able to read the word aloud, hear the word read for them
and see the word, which demonstrates the three different types of learning styles. Students will
be seeing these words throughout the week because they are a part of the story being read to
them during the week. By having an understanding of the words in the story, it will make the
story easier for them to comprehend the story. The language demands related to syntax that
students will be implementing during the lessons would be writing a Venn diagram that is
demonstrated in Lesson 3. As students demonstrate the language demands that are required of
them they will develop their language function, showing their understanding of the unit. ]
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 identified language
demands (function, vocabulary or key phrases, discourse, or syntax).
[ I demonstrate instructional support by demonstrating different instructional strategies and
assessments. The main instructional support that show to help my students comprehend the
language functions and language demands that are being asked of them include; large group
work, verbal feedback (on my part and theirs), and assistance for the students that require
accommodations. For example, students will demonstrate their understanding in Lesson 1 and 2
by answering questions I ask them throughout the text and making predictions about what may
happen in the text next. As I monitor their work in their Reader’s Notebook, I will be able to see
that they have an understanding of their text and their central focus. This also shows me that
they understand what is being asked of them and that they were paying attention during the
lesson. Students that are fully supported will be able to complete the task at hand and will have
all of their questions answered that they have.]
5. Monitoring Student Learning
In response to the prompts below, refer to the assessments you will submit as part of the
materials for Literacy 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 formal and informal assessments that I will provide for the students will help students
compose text and related skills throughout the learning segment. The pre-assessment and post-
assessment provide students the opportunity to establish their knowledge on the central focus
before and after they have been given instruction on the lessons. Students will be able to
demonstrate their learning by creating writing pieces based on their understanding of the
lessons that were taught in previous lessons for social studies and lessons that will be taught in
this unit. I will be able to know students understanding based on the Venn diagrams they are
using to compare the “Locust” and the “Grey Whale.” They will be able to put many details from
the story on the graphic organizer. Students should be able to point out where in the text they
got this information as well. This gives students the opportunity to demonstrate prior skills that
they have learned, in this case implementing text evidence. One last example of monitoring
student learning would be the writing piece they will be doing on the Three Branches of
Government. Students will have access to me as I move about the classroom and observe their
progress of their writing piece. Since each day is dedicated to a certain paragraph, students
should be pacing themselves and making sure that the paragraphs are properly done. This will
also prepare them for the fourth grade.]
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).
[ The design and adaptations that I planned for students allows those with special needs a
chance to demonstrate their learning. In Lesson 3, when students begin working on the Venn
diagram, I will work with these students to make sure that they have a clear understanding of
what they should be doing. There are five students that need accommodations and they do not
take a long time to understand as long as it is taught to them one-on-one. Students will be given
the opportunity to work on activities on their own first and then they will have a teacher to check
on their progress to see if they are truly understanding what they are doing and if they do not
completely understand their assignment then they have the chance to get help from a teacher,
whether it be the PEC teacher or me. While working with the students who require some
assistance, I will write down some important information that they may be struggling with so they
have a written reminder along with the verbal reminder that I will be telling them. This will also
help their parents when the work goes home with them on Wednesday.]
Citations:
Do You Know Your Students”True Colors’? (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2018, from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin230.shtml

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Elementary Education

Task 1: Planning Commentary

TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

Analyze Argue Categorize Compare/contrast Describe Explain

Interpret Predict Question Retell Summarize

focus is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. As identified in the Georgia Performance Standards:

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