Reading and Comprehension-Changes To The Environment: Common Core Standards

Reading and Comprehension- Changes to the Environment
Monica Klein
Special Education Moderate to Intensive High School and Transition
Common Core Standards:
OHIO’S LEARNING STANDARDS EXTENDED | English Language Arts | September 2018
Learning Standard- RL.11-12.10 a-c

Grade 11- Read and comprehends literature- including stories, dramas, and poems- in the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range, building background
knowledge and activating prior knowledge in order to make personal, societal, and ethical connections that
deepen understanding of complex text.
Grade 12- Read and comprehend literature- including stories, dramas, and poems- at the high end of the
grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently, building background knowledge and
activating prior knowledge in order to make personal, societal, and ethical connections that deepen
understanding of complex text. (most complex)
RL.11-12.10a Read grade- level/age-appropriate, adapted literature materials.
RL.11-12.10b Read supported grade-level/age- appropriate, adapted literature materials.
RL.11-12.10c Actively participate in supported grade-level/age-appropriate, adapted literature materials.

(Least Complex)
Lesson Summary:
Reading and Comprehension lesson with the use of a story from Unique Learning System called “Changes to
the Environment” The objective of this lesson is to learn the new vocabulary associated with the story and to
assess their comprehension of the story as a whole.
Estimated Duration:
This lesson will be broken down into five smaller lessons to help the students retain the information through
repetition over the week. The lesson will be broken up into five sessions spread out through the school week.
Each lesson will be approximately 20-30 minutes long which may include some individual lesson times for
those students who may need more 1:1 focus.
Commentary:
During this lesson we will be reading about the “Changes to the Environment” and focusing on the vocabulary
from the story. The main approach to this lesson is learning through repetition. Students with special needs
tend to have difficulty with retention of information, by repetition the information many times and in some
different ways helps them remember and retain that information
Instructional Procedures:
Day 1: Pre assessment group activity on the projector

5 minutes: Before the activity begins, we will discuss our rules for group activities, students will be asked to
tell others what the rules are- The only one talking will be the teacher until you are called upon (reminder that
means only one person talking during reading, questions, directions etc.), hands and feet quiet, students will be
reminded to raise their hand or use their switch/device if they would like to answer, reminder that after a
question is answered we can offer praise or support.
30 Minutes: This activity will start with a discussion about the title of the story. The front page of the story will
be projected on the board, the students will be asked to point out the, title, author, and illustrator is located on
the page. We will then discuss what we think the story will be about after reading the title and discussing the
accompanying picture. After the title discussion we will begin the activity of learning about the new
vocabulary. To start students will be given the opportunity to raise their hands/use devices to voluntary taking
turns coming to the projector board. The first definition will be posted were the student will be given the
chance to read some or all of the definition, use a switch to read the definition. After the definition is read, they
will be given three words with picture for them to choose from, if they are incorrect they will be given a
second chance which will be noted by the assigned documenter to that student (teacher or one of the
assistants). After students have had a chance to volunteer students will be called upon to have plenty of
opportunity to be assessed. Since this activity has many variables such as reading themselves or device
reading, use of personal devices to answer, and the ability to correct oneself this activity will take longer than
may seem.
5 minutes: Wrap up session- during this time we will review the title of our new story and read over the list of
vocabulary words with pictures.
Day 2: Reading story with first set of question

10 minutes: Refresher- During this time we will go over a brief refresher of the activity from the first session.
We will discuss the title with the picture from the front page, we will go over what some of our ideas had been
from the title and finally go over the vocabulary words with pictures from the day before. The students will be
asked to volunteer what the word is/means. If no one is able to answer a student will be called upon and
walked through what the word is/means; such as Volcano- it looks like a mountain, but it has a huge whole at
the top, what comes out of the top?, its really hot and flows, Lava, so lava comes from a Volcano.
30 minutes: We will read through the story as a group, each student will have a copy as well as it being
projected on the board. Students will have opportunities to read (may be a sentence, a page, or using a device
to read for them). Once the story has been read by the class the teacher will go over the story again for
repetition and help them intake any information the missed or lost during the class reading. During the story
students will also be working on turning the page and turn taking. Once the story is complete the students will
answer the 5 questions that accompany the story. The teacher will read each question out loud to all and then
the teacher and assistance will go to the students and help them with answering the questions if needed. Once
the questions have been finished, we will go back through the questions to see the correct answer.
5 Minutes: Wrap up session- The students will get the opportunity to say what they liked about the story and
we will discuss a few key points of the story.
Day 3: Reread the story with question set 2

5 minutes: Refresher- reminding the class of key points and going over the vocabulary words that we are
looking for.
20 Minutes: The students will get out their story as well as it being projected and we will again read through
the story with different students getting the opportunity to read. Once the story has been read, we will answer a
second set of questions. Once the questions have been read through and answered individually, we will go
through them as a group to see the correct answer.
5 minutes: Wrap up Session- We will go over the vocabulary words as a group.
Day 4: Enhanced learning

15 Minutes: We will have a brief reminder of what we have been learning over the week (What have we been
learning? What are some of the changes?). Once we have had a brief review, we will watch this 11 ½ minute
video on YouTube from Learning bright about the changes in the environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkvPdUtYhX8
10 minutes: Wrap up session- we will discuss what we saw in the video that was the same or different from our
story. We will go over the vocabulary words for a final time.
Day 5: Post Assessment:

10-15minutes: This activity will be done 1:1 so that the students will be able to have any assistance they may
need to work the technology aspect of the activity. 1:1 will also give each student the time they individually
need to complete the activity to the best of their ability. Assistance is allowed for all aspects of this activity
except for the actual answering. This activity will take at least 10 minutes for each student to complete but
more time will be available for any student that needs it.
Pre-Assessment:
The pre-assessment will be done the first day of the lesson, as a class we will go over the new vocabulary that
will be seen in the story “Changes to the Environment”. We will be doing this activity as a group with the use
of the projector, the definitions and a list of vocabulary words, the words will be accompanied by pictures for
students to be able to associate the word, the picture and the definition. The students will take turns coming up
to the board and matching ta definition with a list of words.
Scoring Guidelines:
The scoring will be done by the teacher and the teacher’s assistants through observation during the
vocabulary activity on the board. The words that each student will be given will be noted as well as if
they got the word correct the first time or how many times it does take. It will also be noted how many
words the student was given to choose from, this may be differentiated depending on the student.
Post-Assessment:
The Post assessment will be an activity created on seesaw. This class is based on the needs of students with
moderate to severe disabilities and we would like to focus on independence as much as possible. Since most of
the students are unable to read, this activity will be picture based. The activity will be done on the iPad the
student will listen to the instruction find the picture that shows “Volcano” and will circle the picture they
choose with the touch screen. A staff will be present to make sure the student is able to keep the marker
portion up and how to submit work.
Scoring Guidelines:
The Seesaw program will send the finished assignments to me, where I will then grade each assignment
by score. If the students have particular IEP goals related to the information from the story or to the
assignment the score will be documented in their IEP.
Differentiated Instructional Support

This lesson will be differentiated per each students’ personal needs. This will include giving the students less
options or more options if need be, 1:1 assistance for reading, helping answering questions, communication
devices, 2 step switches to answer yes and no, assistance for those with need physical needs such as writing
and turning pages.
Extension
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJoAcD0oUww This is a video link to youtube, students with moderate to
severe disabilities learn from repetitions and from watching eye catching videos.
Homework Options and Home Connections

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJoAcD0oUww This is a video link that was provided in the extensions
section. I will provide this link to parents to watch a brief video with their child. I will also encourage them to
find other videos or tell stories of big environmental changes they have experienced.
Interdisciplinary Connections
This lesson can be integrated into Science. Discussing environmental changes and how those affect the
weather. We can also use this lesson to discuss geography. Asking where volcanos are typically located, what
area of the united states typically sees earthquakes.
Materials and Resources:
For teachers White Board, stylus, Seesaw, YouTube access, paper, pens
For students White Board, stylus, stylus with adaptive capabilities, Seesaw, YouTube access, paper,
pencils, iPads, switches, communication devices if needed, yes/no cards.
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary words to be discussed during this lesson
Earthquake, Changes, River, Volcano, Earth, Melt, Crack, Burns, and Explode, Quick
Additional Notes
I teach moderate to severe special needs students and have learned that some tasks that may take a typical class
5 minutes to complete will take a special education class 20 minutes or more. I am trying to gage my timing on
my last few years in the classroom and how long those activities typically take.
References
Unique Learning System
YouTube

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Reading and Comprehension- Changes to the Environment

Common Core Standards:

OHIO’S LEARNING STANDARDS EXTENDED | English Language Arts | September 2018

Learning Standard- RL.11-12.10 a-c

RL.11-12.10a Read grade- level/age-appropriate, adapted literature materials.

RL.11-12.10b Read supported grade-level/age- appropriate, adapted literature materials.

RL.11-12.10c Actively participate in supported grade-level/age-appropriate, adapted literature materials.

Day 1: Pre assessment group activity on the projector

Day 2: Reading story with first set of question

Day 3: Reread the story with question set 2

Day 4: Enhanced learning

Day 5: Post Assessment:

Differentiated Instructional Support

Homework Options and Home Connections

Materials and Resources:

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