Cole Baughman

Grade level: First Grade

Content Area: Reading Writing and Communicating
Colorado Academic Standard: iii. First Grade Standard 2- Reading for all purposes: a. Use Key
Ideas and Details to: Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of
information in a text. (CCSS: RI.1.3)
WIDA Standard: First Grade Reading ELP Level 3 Developing: Recalling content related information
from illustrated texts read aloud.

Overview of Activity (explanation/instructions)- Be detailed enough for a substitute to use this in

your absence:
Students will be read the story Rain by Linda Ashman, then they will read it aloud in their small groups.
The story is about a little girl who absolutely loves the rain, and an old man who despises it. The plot is
how the old man meets the little girl and learns to love the rain. After the book is read students will discuss
the differences the two characters feel about the rain. They will create a Venn-diagram to portray the
similarities and differences two characters feel about the rain at the beginning of the story and then will
create a new diagram to show how the characters change after meeting each other. A discussion will be held
to discuss what might have happened in the story for the characters to change their opinions about the rain.
Justification for the Activity (with citations from the readings)- Explain how this supports students
oral language development. Be detailed enough that it is clear that you have read the readings in
depth. Be sure to cite at least two sources.
This assignment can be justified in many different ways. Building oral language through read-alouds is
consistent with the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) because ELLs first listen to the passages i*t is
read by the teacher, which provides a model for pronunciation, phrasing, prosody, and fluency and provides
access to words and structures they could not access independently.(Colombo pg. 171) With this being
said I will read the book to the students. Then ask the students to read it out loud while focusing on what
the characters thought of the rain. The more opportunities the students have to use their new language for
authentic purpose of retelling something they know in a variety of contexts across the curriculum, the more
progress they will make in their English development. (Wright pg. 155) To support the oral language the
groups will discuss why the two characters might have different points of view about the rain. Also when
the students are discussing the similarities and differences amongst the old man and young girl they will
practice some of their new academic language.
Artifacts All materials and documents needed to deliver your activity (instructions for students,
handouts, photographs of realia, technology, examples, etc.)