Part A: Class Environment

I currently teach two 70-minute English Language Arts core classes and two 40-

minute differentiated reading blocks to sixty-four fifth grade students at Samuel J. Green

Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana. According to data from the Louisiana

Department of Education, Green Charter’s population is as follows: 95% economically

disadvantaged, 98% students of color, 19% students with disabilities, 1% English

language learners. The racial breakdown is 94% African American, 4% Hispanic, and

2% White. The school earned a C rating on the state report card and has a school

performance score of 78.5 on a 150.0 point scale.

I teach two core English Language Arts blocks comprised of 32 students per

section, thirty-one girls and thirty-three boys. Eleven of my students receive special

education services for exceptionalities including hearing impairments, social and

emotional disturbances, dyslexia, speech, and specific learning disabilities impacting

listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and written expression. Seventeen

additional students receive accommodations or modifications through a 504 plan

addressing ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other health impairments. Based on

2016-2017 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) testing data, 30% of my

students started the fifth grade performing at grade level or above.

Given the current circumstances of my students, challenges to their learning are

varied and abundant. There are the common challenges of schools with similar

demographics that affect my students physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively -

lack of adequate healthcare, malnutrition, financial instability, and sleep depravity. In

addition, Green’s community has recently experienced multiple traumas in the last year:

2 students (kindergarten and fifth grade) were murdered, and another two students

suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds. According to Psychology Today, two or more

adverse childhood experiences may alter the brain in areas responsible for processing

emotion, memory, and managing stress. These adverse childhood experiences include

violence in the school community. With my students’ exposure to violence in their

school community in the last year alone, 100% have potentially altered brain chemistry

as a result (Psychology Today, 2018).

Not even accounting for the challenges presented by my students’ personal lives,

there are a number of challenges within the school and my classroom more specifically.

The major hurdle I see is the class size of thirty-two students. As aforementioned,

many of my students perform below grade-level and need every minute of instruction

they can get. If anything, my students require a class size that allows them to give and

receive frequent academic feedback. Having so many high-need children in one class

just doesn’t allow for much conferencing time with each student. As a result, students

aren’t making as much growth as they could with different resources and a different

academic environment.

I live everyday in a state of ambivalence - feeling completely overwhelmed with

the odds stacked against my students and motivated by the impact a quality education

could have on their lives. Central to students’ overall school experience and my classes

is reading comprehension. Sometimes that is a student’s sole academic issue, and

other times it is the effect of other deficiencies in word decoding and reading fluency.
Regardless of previous academic performance, using reading comprehension strategies

positively impact all of my students.

Part B: Comprehension Strategies

Objective 1: Fifth-grade English Language Arts students at Samuel J. Green Charter

School will use advanced vocabulary in their written responses to texts as well as in

small-group and whole-class discussions.

Strategies: Semantic Feature Map/analysis, Possible Sentences, Word Log,

Vocabulary Theater, and Picture It!

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

figurative language such as metaphors and similes.

Formative Assessment: I will use students’ daily exit tickets and biweekly quizzes to

assess their progress in using advanced vocabulary. When looking at these exit tickets

and biweekly quizzes, I will examine the use of unique and advanced vocabulary in their

open-ended responses. Based on the amount of unique, advanced and appopriately

used vocabulary, I will adjust instruction to focus on this use. Prior to March 2018 and

the implementation of this strategy, students have submitted approximately 50 exit

tickets and quizzes which will be used as a point of comparison to their writing during

and after use of this strategy.

Summative Assessment: Students will write a final literary analysis of The Westing

Game and will present their findings to their class. This will be graded on a rubric, one

section of which assesses advanced vocabulary use.

Reference Article:

Savino, J. A. (2011). The Shakespeare in all of us: A monumental, multitudinous,

premeditated approach to vocabulary instruction. Journal of Adolescent and

Adult Literacy, 54(6), 445–453.

The Shakespeare in All of Us emphasized the importance of immersing students

in a vocabulary-rich environment rather than merely mentioning or completing isolated

vocabulary activities. According to the article, “Effective vocabulary instruction should

include repeated exposure to words, frequent use of and practice with words, and

incorporation of those words into the language of the classroom” (Savino, 2011, p. 446).

These tenets of sound vocabulary instruction lead to concept attainment, which helps

students to consider and explore relationships among words. While effective, the road

to conceptual knowledge is long and challenging. It involves four levels - perceptual,

contextual, schematic, and categorization, which affirms the need for a vocabulary

environment as opposed to activity.

To create, foster, and maintain a classroom environment where advanced

vocabulary is encouraged, I decided to implement 5 strategies as routines embedded

into core classes and differentiated reading groups, including but not limited to:

semantic feature map/analysis, possible sentences, word log, vocabulary theater, and

picture it!

During our unit on The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, students will be

introduced to their new vocabulary words each Monday when their homework packet for

the week is handed out. Students are provided with the words, their kid-friendly
definitions from www.learnersdictionary.com, and are then required to illustrate their

understanding of the word, brainstorm similar words/phrases, and different words and

phrases. Since a different amount of words are assigned each night, I take time each

day for students to ask questions about the words. Dismissal at the end of the day

typically takes 25 minutes during which students are encouraged, and sometimes

required, to do their homework. This allows the opportunity for students to engage each

other in discussion about word meaning as well as receive guidance from a teacher. An

ongoing option for vocabulary practice is www.quizlet.com where I set up a study set

that has students practice spelling, defining words, matching, and other activities. As

students consider this a fun option, it is often allowed and encouraged for early

finishers. To simply encourage intellectual curiosity around words, students have the

opportunity to turn in a word list each week. Students keep track of words that “interest,

confuse, annoy, or inspire them” (Savino, 2011, p. 449).

As I plan daily lessons, I also identify the vocabulary words featured that day.

Everyday, we review the basics of the story’s plot that have changed or developed since

our last reading. After our daily plot review, I will draw students attention to the

“essential vocabulary” of the day. On day one, I will model/think-aloud Possible

Sentences. In this activity, students are given the words and definitions. Given

students’ knowledge of the word, its meanings, and understanding of major plot points

in the novel, I will write a sentence that I expect to see in the reading for the day. Day

one’s vocabulary words were: gruesome, gaping, warped, exclusive, luxurious. (There

are other potentially challenging or necessary words in the first couple chapters of the

book, however, I did not want to overwhelm students with too many words. This list of
words are repeated throughout The Westing Game and are words students can make

connections between.)

Teacher Script

Look at the vocabulary words for today. How many do you see? Good, five. For

homework, you illustrated these words, brainstormed similar and different words

and phrases. Today we’re taking this to the next level and writing Possible

Sentences. Possible Sentences is an activity where we predict how these words

are used in the text. For example, look at gruesome. Our definition is “causing

horror or disgust.” So right now, I’m thinking of where I hear the words horror

and disgust. Generally, I only hear the word horror when referring to horror

movies, movies that involve something gross or nasty I would rather not look at.

When I think of disgust, I think of the word disgusting, like “Ugh, school lunch

was disgusting today.” or “Cockroaches are absolutely disgusting.” Now I have

an image in my mind about the meaning of gruesome. So, I’ve looked at the

word, its definition, and I’ve thought of the different images that come to mind. I

know that The Westing Game is a mystery. Now I need to come up with a

Possible Sentence that uses the word gruesome.

Possible Sentence 1: At the beginning of the book, the reader is introduced to a

gruesome crime scene.

Let’s do the word luxurious with the same steps I used for gruesome. First, look

at the definition - very comfortable and expensive. Next step - what comes to

your mind when you think comfortable or expensive? Take the next minute to

think it over and be ready to share with a partner...Now that we’ve shared with
 our partners, take the next minute to think about how this word might be used in

a mystery. When you are ready, silently write down your possible

sentence...Okay now that we’ve read chapter one, let’s see how accurate we

were.

Here we consider the accuracy of our possible sentence and revise, if necessary.

Possible sentences will also be used with informational text sets during differentiated

reading groups for Tier 2 and 3 students.

For my Tier 1 students, we will rotate the following vocabulary activities during

our differentiated reading groups - Picture It!, Vocabulary Theater, and Semantic

Feature Map/Analysis. Picture It! Is an activity in which students create a Google Slides

presentation that includes images that they feel represent the meaning of key

vocabulary. When finished with the presentation, students work in groups to try to

guess the matching vocabulary words for each image. Vocabulary Theater is charades

for vocabulary. Students pick a word out of a hat and must act out the meaning of the

word without speaking or writing. Other students guess the words they are acting out.

With Semantic Feature Analysis, students identify the different features or nuances in

meaning of related words through filling out a chart.

Materials needed: The Westing Game, weekly vocabulary packet, vocabulary journal,

hat, strips of paper, laptop computers

Objective: Fifth-grade English Language Arts students at Samuel J. Green Charter

School will answer text specific questions during and after reading.
Strategy: During-reading questioning

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when

drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how

characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem

reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

Formative Assessment: Students’ comprehension of The Westing Game by Ellen

Raskin will be monitored through during-reading responses and daily exit tickets.

Summative Assessment: Students will write a 5-paragraph literary analysis in which

they examine how The Westing Game is classified as a mystery.

Reference Article:

Liang, L. A., Watkins, N. M., Graves, M. R., & Hosp, J. (2010). Postreading

questioning and middle school students' understanding of literature. Reading

Psychology, 31, 347–364.

This article examined the impact of story mapping and post-reading questioning

on students’ comprehension of literature. What they found in studying three groups -

control group, story mapping group, and post-reading questioning group was that there

was a significant difference in performance between the control group and the other two

groups. There was no significant difference in performance between the story mapping
and post-reading questioning group. Given that my charter network’s curriculum

includes during and post-reading questioning, I implemented this practice of questioning

into our unit on The Westing Game.

Everyday there is a focus question (exit ticket) that students should answer in a

coherent paragraph. From the focus question, I design text specific questions that

guide students to synthesize the major ideas of the text in their exit tickets. While I have

always implemented questioning as part of our reading routines, I did not view our

during-reading questioning as the keys to unlock the focus question. Earlier this year, I

worked closely with my curriculum director to better design during-reading questioning

so that students are set up for success on the exit ticket.

For example, the focus question for Chapter 8 was “What is the point of view

used in The Westing Game and how does that affect the way the story is told?” To

guide students in answering this question, students completed guided notes on the

three types of 3rd person point of view. (We studied the differences in first, second, and

third person point of view earlier in the year.) Before reading chapter eight, students

were instructed to annotate/highlight for textual evidence of characters’ thoughts and

feelings. While students were reading, I closely monitored students and made note of

those with exemplar annotations. At a stopping point, I had these students share their

annotations with the class and had them annotate the same section. Next, students

followed along with audio of the novel, still annotating for evidence of characters’

thoughts and feelings. This time while circulating, I provided as much quiet feedback to

students as possible on their annotations. This gave students, even the lowest

performing, confidence when sharing in a group because they had already received
specific feedback. After discussing their annotations for chapter eight, students

completed the question.

Unlike the study, I did not use multiple choice questions as it does not provide

students with adequate practice to write and develop their vocabulary use. Below is a

scope and sequence of during-reading and post-reading questioning used in an earlier

unit this year which I then adapted as a result of the learning in this course.

Wonder by R.J. Focus/Post-Reading Question

Palacio How does the first person point of view used in Wonder
Pages 54-62 contribute to the reader’s understanding of the text? Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.

During/Post-Reading Guiding Questions:

Which sections of the text would not exist if it were from a

different point of view?

What information do these sections give us? How does that help
us as readers?

How might this section be different if told from a different point of

view?

Wonder by R.J. Focus/Post-Reading Question

Palacio At the beginning of “A Tour of the Galaxy,” Via makes a
Pages 82-87 comparison between her family and the solar system. Why?
Explain this comparison with evidence from the text.

During/Post-Reading Guiding Questions:

(pages 82-83) How have August’s special needs affected Via’s
life? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

(page 84) On page 84 of Wonder, Via recalls seeing a picture of

her parents before August was born. She said, “I can’t believe
how much younger they looked back then: Dad was this hipster
dude and Mom was this cute Brazilian fashionista.” Why does
this surprise her so much? Use evidence from the text to support
your answer.

(page 87) Why do you think Via is Grans favorite? Use evidence
 from the text to support your answer.

Wonder by R.J. Focus/Post-Reading Question

Palacio How does Daisy’s death lead to a change in August?
Pages 226-234
During/Post-Reading Guiding Questions:
“Goodbye”
Why does Via tell August “"Not everything in the world is about
you, Auggie!” ? pg. 220

“Daisy’s Toys”
Turn & Talk: Why didn’t August notice that Daisy had been sick?
(224)
Pg. 225 Why doesn’t August comfort his father when he is
crying? Find a piece of evidence to prove your answer.
Pg. 225 After August sees his whole family upset about Daisy,
what does he do? How does this show a change in August?

“Heaven”
Why was Daisy so important to August? Find textual evidence to
support your answer.

Materials: Wonder, The Westing Game, pencils, highlighters, laptop computers,

audiobook

Objective 3: Fifth-grade English Language Arts students at Samuel J. Green Charter

School will use the 4 lenses strategy during reading of related texts.

Strategy: 4 Lenses

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.6

Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and

differences in the point of view they represent.

Formative Assessment: Teacher observations and student notes will serve as formative

assessments.
Summative Assessment: Students will write a 4 paragraph essay analyzing the factors

that affect how they read two related texts.

Reference Article:

Damico, et al. (2009/10). Where we read matters: Disciplinary literacy in a ninth-grade

social studies classroom. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 53(4), 325-335.

The article Where We Read Matters examined the use of 4 lenses in students

reading two articles on a related topic. “Each lens takes a webpage and places it within

a frame. Alongside this framed webpage are guiding questions or prompts, tips and

suggestions, as well as a place for students to type their responses to the guiding

questions.” The descriptive lens asks students questions about the reliability and

relevance of a site. The academic lens analyzes the claims and evidence on a site.

The critical lens asks readers to identify included and omitted perspectives, and the

reflexive lens ask questions that guide reader “to examine how their own beliefs, values,

and experiences affect their reading” (Damico, et al. 2009/10, p. 328).

The last unit of this year focuses on climate change and the anchor text is an

adapted version of An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore with many supplemental texts on

websites. During this unit, students will read the sites through the four lenses, a

cognitive strategy to aid reading comprehension. Before students use the lenses, my

inclusion teacher and I will model answering 4 lenses questions and model a discussion

so that students can see the thinking involved with the lenses. After the model

discussion, students will write what they noticed about the model discussion and share
with their group. As my inclusion teacher elicits responses of the whole-group, I will

write noticings on the whiteboard. Next students will partner read the article A Blanket

Around the Earth by Newsela staff through the descriptive lens. I will monitor partners

closely to provide academic feedback and push student thinking.

Throughout the unit, students will use all 4 lenses at least once, if not more.

Though the 4 lenses strategy will largely be an independent activity, it will drive student

discussion. When either explicitly teaching or guiding how to use the lenses, I will ask

questions that require student analysis, small group consensus, and debate over

various questions. For example, while reading with the critical lens, I will facilitate small

groups brainstorming possible omitted perspectives. As my student population requires

differentiation, the frequency of lens use and difficulty of questions asked will vary by

student.

References

Damico, J., Baildon, M., Exter, M., & Guo, S. (2009/10). Where we read matters:
Disciplinary literacy in a ninth-grade social studies classroom. Journal of
Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 53(4), 325-335.

Liang, L. A., Watkins, N. M., Graves, M. R., & Hosp, J. (2010). Postreading questioning
and middle school students' understanding of literature. Reading Psychology, 31,
347–364.
Psychology Today (2018). Adverse Childhood Experiences. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/adverse-childhood-experiences.

Savino, J. A. (2011). The Shakespeare in all of us: A monumental, multitudinous,

premeditated approach to vocabulary instruction. Journal of Adolescent and
Adult Literacy, 54(6), 445–453.