Treehouse Do Now Teacher Guide
Grade 3 Bilingual RLA Unit 4 • Lesson 3
Treehouse Do Now Teacher Guide
Instructional Protocol 7-Minute Routine
Content Objective
Students revise for chronological transition words and edit for past-tense subject-verb agreement (was/were).
Language Objective
Students justify answer selections using comparative sentence stems in English with Spanish translanguaging support.
Puente Lingüístico
Connect time markers (más tarde) and plural past tense (ellos estaban = they were).
1
0:30 Screen-to-Scratch: Fold scratch paper into 2 boxes labeled #1 Revising and #2 Editing.
3:00 Silent Solve • 2:00 Turn & Talk • 1:30 Call & Confirm
Question 1
Revising: Adding a Transition of Time (Sentence 9)
Correct: D
Text Clue Hunt (Caza de Pistas)
Read Sentence 8 & 9 together. Look for context clues in Sentence 9: "flashlights" (linternas) and "look at the stars" (mirar las estrellas).
Key Question: When do stars and flashlights appear? At night!
Bilingual Watch-Out & Cognates
Bilingual students often recognize For example (Por ejemplo) and select it out of familiarity. Teach students that transitions have distinct jobs: showing time order vs. giving examples vs. showing contrast.
| Option |
Spanish Equivalent |
Transition Job |
Why It Works or Fails |
| A. For example, |
Por ejemplo, |
Illustration |
Sentence 9 is an action, not an example of Sentence 8. |
| B. However, |
Sin embargo, |
Contrast/Conflict |
No problem or conflict occurred; everything is celebratory. |
| C. On the other hand, |
Por otro lado, |
Opposing Idea |
Used to compare two sides of an argument, not a sequence. |
| D. Later that night, |
Más tarde esa noche, |
Time Order |
Correct! Matches clues: "flashlights" & "look at the stars". |
Teacher Think-Aloud Script (Guión del Maestro)
"Clase, let's look at sentence 9. Nina and Sam climbed up with flashlights to see the stars. Did this happen in the morning or at night? Night! In Spanish we say 'Más tarde esa noche'. Which transition tells us when it happened? Only Option D shows time order!"
Unit 4 Lesson 3: Present & Past Tense of To Be Page 1 of 2
Q2
Question 2 Deep Dive: Subject-Verb Agreement with 'To Be'
Correct: C
Sentence 6: "(6) Nina and Sam was so proud of their work."
Compound Plural Subject
The Proximity Trap (Trampa de Proximidad)
Students hear "Sam was" right next to each other and think it sounds correct because Sam is singular. They miss that the subject is compound: Nina AND Sam = 2 people.
The "Pronoun Swap" Trick (El Truco de Ellos)
Teach students to replace the compound subject with THEY / ELLOS.
Ask: Do we say "They was proud" or "They were proud"?
In Spanish: "Ellos estaban orgullosos" (plural!). Therefore, WERE is correct!
A. was → is
Wrong: "is" is singular and shifts to present tense. Story is past.
B. proud → prouder
Wrong: No comparison is being made (no "prouder than...").
C. was → were
Correct! Plural past tense aligns with compound subject (Nina and Sam = They).
D. their → there
Wrong: "their" shows ownership (su trabajo). "There" is location (allí).
Turn & Talk Biliteracy Sentence Frames (Marcos de Discusión)
English Language Frames
- • "In sentence 9, the clues flashlights and stars tell me it is night, so I chose Later that night."
- • "Nina and Sam is plural (two people), so the verb must change from was to were."
Marcos de Apoyo en Español
- • "Las pistas linternas y estrellas me indican la noche, por eso la mejor transición es Later that night."
- • "Nina y Sam son dos personas (ellos), así que no decimos was, decimos were (estaban)."
Differentiation & Scaffolding Matrix
Emerging / Principiante
Provide dual-language transition flash cards. Have students circle "Nina and Sam" and write "2 = plural" directly on scratch paper.
Expanding / Intermedio
Prompt students to justify why Option B (However) is wrong using the word "contrast/problema". Require them to whisper-read sentence 6 with "They".
Bridging / Avanzado
Have students write an alternate time transition for sentence 9 (e.g., "When darkness fell," or "After dinner,") to reinforce flexibility.
Seamless Bridge to Today's Grammar Lesson: "Today we are exploring the present and past tense of to be (am/is/are & was/were). Question 2 just showed us why subject number is everything!"
Unit 4 Lesson 3: Present & Past Tense of To Be Page 2 of 2
Treehouse Do Now Teacher Script
Verbatim Teacher Script Unit 4 • Lesson 3
Treehouse Do Now Teacher Script
Classroom Delivery Word-for-Word Guide
Teacher Says: Spoken aloud
Teacher Moves: Physical action / gesture
Bilingual Bridge: Spanish connection
Phase 1: Screen-to-Scratch Launch (0:00 - 0:30) 30 Seconds
[Action]: Stand under slide 2 with a sheet of scratch paper raised in your hands. Fold it in half crosswise.
[Teacher Says]: "Good morning, scholars! Eyes on me in three, two, one. Pick up your scratch paper. Fold it hamburger-style like mine. On the top half, write '#1 Revising'. On the bottom half, write '#2 Editing'. In Spanish: Doblen su hoja y marquen número 1 y número 2. You have 30 seconds. Go!"
Phase 2: Silent Solve & Aggressive Monitoring (0:30 - 3:30) 3 Minutes Silent
Lap 1 (Minute 1): Setup Check
Ensure every student folded their paper and wrote #1 and #2. Non-verbal point to scratch paper if not ready.
Lap 2 (Minute 2): Question 1 Clues
Look for students underlining "flashlights" or "stars". Whisper: "¿Qué hora del día es en la oración 9?"
Lap 3 (Minute 3): Question 2 Subject
Look for students circling "Nina and Sam". Whisper: "¿Cuántas personas son? Write the number 2."
Phase 3: Question 1 Interactive Delivery (3:30 - 5:15) Revising (Transitions)
[Teacher Says]: "Pencils down, tracking the screen in three, two, one. Question 1 asks: 'Which transition should be added to the beginning of sentence 9?' What is the job of a transition word, team? A transition connects ideas! Un puente de ideas."
[Action]: Point with your laser or marker directly to Sentence 9 on Slide 4.
[Teacher Says]: "Sentence 9 says: 'They climbed up with snacks and flashlights to look at the stars.' Turn to your elbow partner. In 10 seconds, what are the two secret clues in that sentence that tell us WHEN this happened? Go!"
[Student Response]: "Flashlights and stars!" / "¡Linternas y estrellas!"
[Teacher Says]: "Yes! Flashlights and stars! Do we use flashlights to look at stars at lunchtime? No! It happens at night! So we need a transition that tells us time order. Let's inspect our choices:"
- • A. For example (Por ejemplo): "Is looking at stars an example of grandpa being a guest? No, it's an action. Cross off A!"
- • B. However (Sin embargo): "Did something go wrong? No, they had fun! Cross off B!"
- • C. On the other hand (Por otro lado): "Are we comparing two opposite ideas? No! Cross off C!"
- • D. Later that night (Más tarde esa noche): "Does this match our flashlights and stars? Yes! Touch your nose if you chose D! Tremendous work!"
Unit 4 Lesson 3: The Treehouse Club Do Now Page 1 of 2
Part 2
Phase 4 & 5: Question 2 Delivery & Core Lesson Bridge
5:15 - 7:00 Pacing
Phase 4: Question 2 Interactive Delivery (5:15 - 6:45) Editing (Subject-Verb Agreement)
[Teacher Says]: "Now slide your eyes down to Question 2. It asks: 'What change needs to be made in sentence 6?' Let's read sentence 6 together aloud: 'Nina and Sam was so proud of their work.'"
[Action]: Cup your ear as if listening closely to the sentence. Make a playful skeptical face.
[Teacher Says]: "Hmm. Why do our ears get tricked here? Because we see the word 'Sam' right next to 'was'! And we know: 'Sam was happy.' Sounds okay, right? But wait! Is Sam the ONLY person who was proud? No! Who else built the treehouse? Nina!"
[Teacher Says]: "Let's use our Pronoun Swap Trick (El truco de ellos). Put up two fingers: one finger for Nina, one finger for Sam. Nina + Sam = two people. What pronoun replaces them? THEY! ¡ELLOS!"
[Choral Call & Response]:
Teacher: "Do we say, 'They was proud'?" → Scholars: "NO!"
Teacher: "Do we say, 'They were proud'?" → Scholars: "YES!"
Teacher: "En español: ¿Ellos estaba o ellos estaban?" → Scholars: "¡Ellos estaban!"
[Teacher Says]: "Exactly! Since the subject is plural (they), we must change was to were. That makes Option C our champion! Show me a silent thumbs-up if you caught that trap!"
Phase 5: 30-Second Turn & Talk with Biliteracy Stems (6:45 - 7:15) 30 Seconds
[Teacher Says]: "Partner A, tell Partner B using our sentence stem: 'We changed was to were because Nina and Sam is plural.' Partner B, repeat in Spanish: 'Cambiamos was a were porque son dos personas.' You have 30 seconds. Speak with pride!"
Partner A (English):
"I eliminated Option A because the story is in the past tense, so 'is' does not belong."
Partner B (Español):
"Eliminé la opción A porque la historia está en pasado, no podemos usar 'is'."
Phase 6: Launch into Today's Core Lesson (7:15 - 7:30) Bridge
[Teacher Says]: "Class, celebrate yourselves with a silent firework! [Mime firework clap]. Look at what you just proved: when we revise and edit, we are text detectives. Today in our grammar workshop, we are diving deep into the present and past tense of TO BE: am, is, are, was, and were. Open your writer's notebooks to page 14!"
Quick Recall Q1: D (Time order = stars/flashlights) • Q2: C (was → were = Nina + Sam = 2 people / They)
Timer: Total 7:30
Unit 4 Lesson 3: The Treehouse Club Do Now Page 2 of 2
