Gradual Release of Responsibility

Model of Instruction

Life in a forest
Grade: 3rd
Standards:
Reading: Informational Text Standard 1: Ask and answer questions to
demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis
for the answers.

Reading: Informational Text Standard 2: Determine the main idea of a text;

recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

Specific lesson objectives:

● understand, interpret, and analyze grade level text using prior
knowledge
● generate questions about the text
● make and confirm predictions
● make inferences
● identify topic and main idea from text
● summarize important ideas and events, supporting details in
sequence

Lesson purpose: allow students to see and understand the important role that
forests play in our ecosystem.

Time Frame: 35 minute class period

Materials:
● Books for students to read
● Materials needed for the students to summarize, including graphic
organizers.(graphic organizers inEnglish and in Spanish.)
● Pencil

Essential Questions: What are

Vocabulary:
Temperate
Climate
Biome
Tropical Forest
Artic

Boreal Forest
Freezing
Migrate
Precipitation
Shrubs
Equator
understory

Adaptations for EL: Have graphic organizers in english as well as spanish and
have them work in pairs or groups

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs:

- offer students one on one help throughout the lesson
- have students work in groups during phase ll and lll
- Provide visuals for the graphic organizer
- Model how to complete the an assignment
- Make sure i have students attention
- Talk slowly and go over words that are more difficult
- Write definition on the board

DAP:
- Begin with assessment of prior knowledge
- Assessment is ongoing and should be aligned with the curriculum

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES

TEACHER OF STUDENTS
Phase I: Before the lesson: engage with the
Exploration and - Call students to come to concepts through
Explanation the carpet and sit in a manipulatives,
Concept circle so that we can see discussion, video,
Development everyone experiments, texts,
- Give them a summary of role plays,
the lesson and briefly field trips,
explain what students computers,
will be doing in Phase ll
so they have a phocus. I
will explain that we are
going to be looking at
the different types of
forests that exist on
earth and the role that
they play.

1. assess prior knowledge:

- What is a forest?
- What does a
forest look like?
- What is a temperature?
- How does
temperature
affect you or the
earth?
2. interactively engage
students in an exploration of
concepts, strategies,
vocabulary, etc.
- Introduce the book and
discuss the importance
of looking at the
vocabulary. Ask them to
 predict what they believe
the book will be about.
3. interactively model,
demonstrate, discuss new
concepts, strategies, key
vocabulary
- We are going to read
“Life in a Forest” which is
an article about the
different types of forests
that live on our earth.
While we read this
article I want you to
highlight or underline
words that you read that
are important. I also
want you to look for the
main idea in the text.
Now read through the
article with the students
and stop at sticky notes
to ask the students what
specific vocabulary
words like ‘climate’ and
‘boreal forest’ mean. At
these stops we will go
over what the vocabulary
word means and discuss
the main idea of the text.

Transition to 1. Review phase I concepts engage in review

Phase II: interactively and in
Review With a partner sitting next to understanding of
Phase II you I want you to discuss the directions for Phase
Expectations vocabulary words that you II work
found in the text and what you
think the definition is. Give
them two minutes to talk, and
walk around the room to hear
what they are talking about.
2. explain directions for Phase
II exercise—no new concepts
are introduced in the
transition
- Now have students look
at the board where you
project the graphic
organizer that they will
be using to write down
the main ideas of the
text and the vocabulary.
- Model how you will fill
out the graphic organizer
and then have students
ask questions if they are
unsure of how to do this.
- Remind students that
they are able to work
with a partner and that if
they don’t remember the
main ideas to ask
questions.
- Call on a student or two
to explain what they are
being asked to do so that
they know what they are
being asked to do
 QUALITATIVE SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY--THE TEACHER WILL NO LONGER BE
TEACHING THE WHOLE CLASS AS ONE UNIT. EVERY STUDENT NOW TAKES
RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING OUT THE CONCEPT, STRATEGY, SKILL, ETC.

Phase II: 1. provide an exercise that 1. engage with

Guided Practice requires students to practice Phase II exercise as
One-on-One applying the new concepts independently as
Differentiation developed in Phase I (the possible
Formative directions for this exercise 2. request further
Assessment should have been explained scaffolding—as
Plans for early in the transition to Phase II). needed
finishers - Students will fill out the
Closure graphic organizer with
the main idea and the
vocabulary.
2. release responsibility to
each student or group to carry
out the new concepts,
strategies, skills, etc.
- When I say go, students
may go back to their
desks and begin filling
out their graphic
organizer. Remind
students that if they
need help they may ask
their partner and then
they can raise their hand
if they still need help.
3. scaffold in individual and
group zpds--as needed
- Walk around the room to
see how students are
doing and if they need
help with anything.
4. if feedback indicates
class-wide confusion, back up
to Phase I and work with the
whole class to further clarify
concepts
- If the whole class is
confused bring them
back to the carpet to go
over the concepts,
vocabulary and ideas
from the reading. If it is
only a few students bring
them to the group work
table in the back to go
over what they are
missing.
5. describe engaging plans for
early finishers
- Have the early finishers
draw an image to go with
the graphic organizer
6. at the close of Phase II,
interactively review key points
- Have students come to
the carpet and display
their graphic organizers

7. closure can include sharing

of student work, discussion
- “Great job creating your
graphic organizer with
the main ideas from the
text. Now you will be
able to tell people what a
story is about and the
 vocabulary that is
important.”

Transition to 1. review concepts taught in 1. engage in review

Phase III: Phase I 2. volunteer to
Review and Phase - “We learned about the demonstrate Phase
III Expectations main idea of the story III expectations
and what each of the
vocabulary words
means.”
2. explain directions for Phase
III exercise—no new concepts
are introduced in the
transition
- “As you work during
reading time today I
want you to fill out a
graphic organizer about a
story of your choice, this
could be a story that we
read as a class or
something you read on
your own.) The graphic
organziers are on the
back table in the red bin.
Walk over to the bin and
show the studetns wher
they are.

QUALITATIVE SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY—STUDENTS WILL NEXT WORK AS

INDEPENDENTLY AS APPROPRIATE
Phase III: 1. release responsibility to independently
Independent each student to carry complete
Practice out/apply the new concepts, Phase III exercises
Summative strategies, skills, etc.
Assessment independently (e.g,
homework, center/station
work, projects)
- We are going to break
out into independent
reading time. At this time
you should be filling out
a graphic organizer for a
book we read as a class
or you read on your own
2. scaffold if necessary
- See how students are
doing with this task on
their own by walking
around the room. Give
them help individually if
they need it.
3. explain how you will
formally assess student work
- Students will be formally
assessed on their graphic
organizer Life in a Forest,
as well as through
discussions and
observations while
working independently.
4. Document next steps based
on assesment data
- Based on how the class is
doing as a whole this will
determine how we
continue. If a majority of
the class still needs help
on their graphic
organizer then we will do
another read aloud and
graphic organizer. If it is
only a few students then
we will work with them
to read and create a
graphic organizer as a
group.