ELA K Starry, Starry Night

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: K-12 Close Reading Task

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Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 

Text-Dependent Questions:

  • How do we know about space?  Use details from the text to explain your answer.
  • The sun is one of 400 billion stars in this galaxy.  What is the name of the galaxy?
  • Based on the information in the text, why do astronauts need to take oxygen to the moon?
  • What does the word “experiment” mean in this excerpt:  “A space station is up in space.  Scientist do experiments there.” Can anyone give an example of an experiment that you have seen or been part of at home or at school? 
  • Describe Mars to your friend using words from the text.

Activity/Task Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding
Differentiation suggestions: 

Scaffolding and support for special education students, English language learners, and struggling readers:

  • This lesson will lend itself to multiple reads and class discussions based on close reading practices. Good modeling of this practice will be necessary.
  • For students who need extra assistance, read the story more than one time, summarizing the key points on each page. 
  • Discuss the vocabulary words and make sure the students understand their meaning before progressing through the lesson. 
  • Make sure students have opportunities to see the pictures while they are completing their writing to help them recall the information covered about Mars.  
  • Use additional differentiated instructional practices such as partner discussion and small group discussions according to needs.

 

Helpful Hints

Have Starry, Starry Night by Wade Cooper

Originator: 
Tennessee Department of Education