Spreadsheet Lesson/Framework:
Fourth grade English Language Arts:
Topic: Vocabulary Development
Goals: Students will be able to:
Goals: Students will be able to:
- organize information using a spreadsheet
- determine the meaning of grade-level vocabulary words found in text
- define grade-level vocabulary words in their own words
- make connections with grade-level vocabulary words
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.4.A Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.4.C Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
- Inside Out & Back Again book
- Chart Paper
- Devices (mobile lab)
- Access to the Internet (Google Sheets)
- ensure students have been exposed to "Google Sheets" in the past
- ensure students have "shared documents" and "made copies"
- ensure students have read the first chapter (at least) of the text
- frequently bring students attention to vocabulary prior to this lesson
- Engage: (5 minutes) To begin, ask students what makes words stand out to them in a text. What makes these words so powerful that they carry them with them?
- Explore: (5 minutes) Have students talk to their group and notate on their chart paper (on desks) which words stood out to them while reading the first chapter of Inside Out & Back Again. Have students share some of their words with the class, while teacher puts some up on the board.
- Explain: (10 minutes) Tell students that today they will have the opportunity to utilize a tool (with a partner) that will facilitate the process of collecting vocabulary words. Share the spreadsheet to half of the students and remind them how to "make a copy" and save it to their own drive. Then have these students share a copy with their partner and with the teacher.
- Elaborate: (20 minutes) Have students begin inserting their words into the spreadsheet rows and filling in the remaining column categories (page number, definition, symbol, & notes). Tell students that they are welcome to add categories (columns) of their choice like parts of speech, synonyms, etc. but these are not required. Remind students to be respectful and to "work on their own row" to allow for collaboration.
- Evaluate/Share: (5 minutes) Students will evaluate their own & their partner's words, ensuring that they agree or utilizing the "commenting" feature to indicate disagreements/questions. Have students utilize sorting features such as page number or alphabetized to comprehend the benefits of using a spreadsheet.
- Additional: Students will continue this activity while reading the book and periodically share words with the class to allow for growth and sharing beyond partners.