Snapshot 3.8. Examining a Table of Contents in Grade OneBefore guiding a small group of first graders through reading an informational text, Miss
Zielonka asks the children to examine the Table of Contents. She asks the children to think
about the purpose of the table. What is in it? Why did the author include it? How does it assist
readers? The children share their thoughts with a partner and then several offer their ideas
to the group. Miss Zielonka acknowledges that the table informs readers of the categories of
information in the text and she expresses interest in the topics the author has included. She
comments on what she is most excited to learn about and asks the children if they already
know about some of the topics. She provides each student with a sticky note to tag the page.
With support, the children read the book, identifying and talking about the main ideas of the
content at appropriate points. They pause at new sections and revisit the Table of Contents
to confirm that the table matches the sections. Later, the children have time to explore
other books in the classroom library. They discover that some books have Tables of Contents
while others do not. They share their findings with one another. After further instruction, the
children will write their own informational books on topics they have been researching. They
will think about how to organize the information and will include headings and a Table of
Contents, using the books they have explored as examples.CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy: RI.1.2, 5; W.1.2, 4; SL.1.1, 2; L.1.1–3, 6Snapshot 3.9. Teaching Science Vocabulary
Integrated ELA, ELD, and Science in Grade OneAfter initial teaching that included child-friendly definitions at point-of-contact (while
reading texts aloud to students or discussing science concepts), Mr. Rodriguez selects several
domain-specific words from the students’ ongoing study of life cycles for deeper exploration.
One word he selects is metamorphosis because it represents a crucial concept in the content.
He asks students to think about where they had heard the word during their study, and with
his assistance, they recall that it was used in the book about caterpillars changing into moths
and in the time-lapse video clip showing tadpoles becoming frogs. On large chart paper he
draws a graphic known as a Frayer Model. He writes the target word in the center and labels
the four quadrants. He reminds the students of the definition—it was one they had discussed
many times—and asks them to share with a neighbor something they know about the concept
after the recent few weeks of investigation. Next he records the definition generated with the
children’s assistance in one quadrant of the chart.
Mr. Rodriguez then asks students to reflect on their learning and offer some examples
of animals that undergo metamorphosis, recording their contributions in the appropriate
places on the chart. Importantly, he also asks for examples of animals that do not undergo
metamorphosis, thus better supporting concept development. Finally, he supports the
children in identifying some characteristics of metamorphosis. What does it entail? What are
some important aspects of metamorphosis? As he asks each of these questions, he provides
students with sufficient time to turn and talk in triads about their ideas. He supports his EL
students’ participation and engagement in the conversations with sentence frames (e.g., “One
thing that’s important about metamorphosis is ___.”)256 | Chapter 3 Grade 1