Edtpa Ele Planning Commentary

Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
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 of the three lessons and their assessments is comprehension by
understanding informational text structures and their features using key skills such as cue
words, text examples, and graphic organizers.]
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 lessons work to help students develop an understanding of comprehending text, by

analyzing and identifying informational text structures in a variety of passages. They do this by
using the following skills: identifying cue (signal words), selecting key examples, and completing
graphic organizers. In addition to practicing these skills, they will also defend their responses
with evidence they collected using these skills. This relates to the following ELA standards:
CCSS.ELA-RI.5.5. Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison,
cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts,
CCSS.ELA-W.5.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research, and CCSS.ELA-W.5.9.a. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature
(e.g., “Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama,
drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]”). The activities involved in
these lessons allow students to practice oral reading and conversation with both their peers as
well as their teachers. Additionally, there is a writing component in each of the lessons that asks
students to write out their thoughts and support them with evidence. In addition to ELA
standards, my lessons and the skills I am teaching apply to the ELD standards: ELD.P1.5.6.
Reading/viewing closely and ELD.P1.5.6.a. Explain ideas, phenomena, processes, and text
relationships (e.g., compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution) based on close reading of
a variety of grade-level texts and of multimedia, with substantial support. Each lesson caters to
a different type of text structure and contains learning objectives for that specific structure, but
over every lesson, the objectives still pertain to the related skills of cue words, text evidence,
and graphic organizers.]
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.
[ The first lesson is an overview of how to identify the five informational text structures
(descriptive, order/sequence, cause/effect, problem/solution, and compare/contrast) using their
key features such as the definition, cue words, visual organizer, and examples. An anchor chart
is given to the students in the first lesson which they can always go back to in the future
lessons. The second lesson and third lesson are an expansion of the first, building on
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recognizing informational text structures. In lessons 2 and 3 I want the students to learn two
specific types of informational text structures. In lesson 2, we cover cause and effect, since it is
one of the most common, I want them to be able to clearly recognize that type of structure. In
lesson 3, we cover compare and contrast, because even though it is easier to spot, information
is often found in clusters so it can throw students off. During lessons 2 and 3 the students are
given a fact sheet featuring similar elements to their anchor chart which allows them to connect
the information back to lesson 1. ]
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.
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.
[Cognitively at the fifth grade level, students are able to analyze data and form their own
opinions, knowing that they also have the skills to converse with their peers and discuss/argue
their opinion. At the end of peer discussion they will be able to keep or change their opinion. My
students are still working on defending their opinions, which means they need assistance in
selecting evidence/reasoning that supports their answer. They work well with their peers to
discuss classroom activities and tasks. In terms of academics, my students have touched on
informational texts and features, but not the text structures themselves. They have also been
introduced to some of the academic language necessary to understand the lessons (compare,
contrast, cause and effect, graphic organizers, venn diagrams). My struggling readers need
assistance in the content-area vocabulary, they may recognize the word but do not fully
understand its meaning. My ELL students need a lot of visual examples to organize the
information being collected. Additionally, the note taking should be lighter for my 504/IEP
students who need framed concise notes.]
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?
[I know that my students love when I connect their lessons to things they like such as video
games and food. So to open my first lesson, I wrote on the board above the t-chart, that we
work for the Informational Text Structure Detective Agency. They will be working as detectives to
discover the informational text structures in their reading by locating the evidence. In order to
find the evidence, they will use the strategies of identifying cue words, selecting text examples,
and completing graphic organizers. Their evidence allows them to correctly identify the text
structure. I know that my students love to play games, so I made this lesson like a game. They
are characters, and their mission is to collect pieces to solve a puzzle. Additionally, opening the
lesson like this boosts motivation and expression in my students since it coincides with their
interests. I know that everyday they engage with their peers whether in the classroom, or
outside during P.E./recess so adding an element where they can work with a partner allows
them access to an additional resource other than the teacher.]
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.
[I created my instructional materials with the Multiple Intelligence Theory Multiple Intelligences
Theory (MI) in mind. The Multiple Intelligence Theory Multiple Intelligences Theory (MI), which
was created by Howard Gardner, states that people have different ways of thinking and
processing. There is no single way for my students to learn, and as a teacher, it is my
responsibility to provide many opportunities for my students to learn in different ways such as
through use of visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic strategies. Specifically for these lessons, I
incorporated the use of visuals in the form of graphic organizers. I wanted students to be able
to categorize their information in a way that made sense without them feeling burdened to write
out a complete response. Additionally, at the beginning of lesson 1, I introduced the students as
detectives who were collecting evidence. This was done to connect with my students in a way
that motivated them to participate in the lesson. The idea was based on the fact that I know my
students love to play games and watch television. I also knew that my students had some
background knowledge in context clues and informational text, so I made sure to review what
those were in my lessons. Being able to use this data is also related to the Multiple Intelligence
Theory, since I am incorporating the many different aspects of my students’ needs and
interests.]
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).
[ Since I understand that my class is made up of a variety of students with different learning
needs, I felt the need to incorporate many strategies in my lessons to make sure that I met
those needs. Some of those strategies include the use of multiple types of graphic organizers
(not only does this vary instruction, but it also is apart of the related skills for the essential
literacy strategy), multiple choice assessment (gives a chance for students who might not yet
understand the key vocabulary can get practice), connections to the outside world (connecting
student interests/experience to boost motivation and understanding of the material), and
constructed response (allows students to practice using evidence from the text to support their
answer, good opportunities for advanced learners to push their learning and good practice for
those who are still learning to practice writing).]
c. Describe common developmental approximations or common misconceptions within
your literacy central focus and how you will address them.
[A common misconception that students will have about identifying informational text structures
is that informational text structures apply to all types of text. However, this is incorrect, narrative
texts and stories do contain text structure, but it is completely different from that of informational
structures such as compare and contrast. A student may start to say that a story contains a
problem and a resolution so therefore it follows the informational structure of problem and
solution, however this is incorrect. In my lesson, I hope to avoid this by explicitly stating that
these structures apply to informational texts and that we will only use informational texts in our
examples. I will have to let them know that informational texts refer to things in the real world
and do not contain features like a setting. I will also make sure to provide examples of
informational texts, especially ones that students already use in class.]
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
[ Categorize ]
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.)
[In Lesson 3, students are practicing what they just learned about compare and contrast text
structure. They are to practice completing a graphic organizer (venn diagram) using information
they find in the text. They provide at least two details in the text that support the point of view of
the narrator as a child and as an adult, showing how the two perspectives are similar and
different. The objective of the graphic organizer is for the students to practice their
comprehension of the text by categorizing the key details. How are the perspectives the same
and different? The students demonstrate that they are able to place the data into categories
using a graphic organizer. They know how the character’s view changes and stays the same by
categorizing their evidence.]
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
[Vocabulary is used across the three lessons in the form of cue words, a.k.a. signal words. Each
of the five informational text structures has cue words that they use and the anchor charts as
well as the note taking sheets have word banks containing these words. Students will need to
use these words constantly to both identify the structure and support their written/oral
responses. Discourse is presented through teacher-to-student and student-to-student
discussion (present in lessons 1-3) as well as using text evidence when constructing responses
(present in the body of lesson 1), and completing/interpreting graphic organizers/anchor charts
present in lesson(1-3). The types of discourse used here are all intended to support my
students’ use of academic language throughout the lessons.]
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).
[The fact sheets on compare and contrast and cause and effect as well as the anchor charts,
provide the student with signal words that help them spot key language in informational texts.
They also provide the student with visual examples, as well as written examples made by their
peers. The students can pull vocabulary words straight from the anchor charts to write their
answers. Additionally, on the note taking sheets there are question frames that students can
refer to in order to check their responses and thoughts. The graphic organizers allow for
students to not have to worry too much about writing complete responses, and to just focus on
the key words and details. The cue words are key to finding the informational text structure and
are the easiest language strategy to use. As long as students are familiar with which cue words
match which text structures they essentially understand one key skill.]
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.
[Each of the lessons have a form of formal assessment that will be analyzed in order to provide
data on their understanding of the essential literacy strategy of comprehension. In lesson 1, the
text structure packet allows me to see that the students are practicing two of the related skills. 1.
to identify cue words that inform their answer, and 2. defend their answer of which text structure
is represented using details from the text. In lesson 2 and lesson 3, the students will complete
graphic organizers which incorporates not only the third skills, but the first two as well. In lesson
2, the students will complete a graphic organizer to identify two effects for each cause they are
given. They will need to scan the text to find text examples and cue words in order to do this. In
lesson 3, they will complete a venn diagram (graphic organizer) using the exact same related
skills, but in the context of compare and contrast. At the end of the three lessons, there will be a
summative assessment (covered in task 3) that tests all three related skills for all five
informational text structures.]
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 assessments for lessons 2 and 3 are specifically designed to support a variety of learners
because they use visuals and short response answers. Students who struggle with constructed
responses will be able to simply write a key detail straight from the text as evidence rather than
write a complete response on their own. Additionally, the assessment from lesson 1 is multiple
choice with a response. The multiple choice allows students to choose the type of text structure,
so that students who don’t have them memorized can see all the types in front of them. For
advanced learners, the constructed response on the multiple choice will allow them to develop
their answer by supporting it with evidence from the text and use of their related skills such as
cue words.]

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Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4

Task 1: Planning Commentary

TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

◼ the essential literacy strategy

◼ related skills that support use of the strategy

[The lessons work to help students develop an understanding of comprehending text, by

3. Supporting Students’ Literacy Learning

Analyze Argue Categorize Compare/contrast Describe Explain

Interpret Predict Question Retell Summarize

◼ Vocabulary or key phrases

◼ Plus at least one of the following:

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