genre: l teacher’s guide abimanyu mulan · mulan teacher’s guide level v/60 unit at a glance...

1 Two AsiAn Legends ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCB e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

Skills and Strategies

Anchor Comprehension Strategies• Evaluate author’s purpose• Interpret figurative language

Genre Study• Recognize genre features• Analyze genre texts• Make text-to-text genre connections

Tier Two Vocabulary• See book’s glossary

Word Study• Suffixes

Fluency• Read with inflection/tone: pitch

Writing• Writer’s tools: Word choice• Write a legend using writing-process

steps

Abimanyu

Mulan

Teacher’S Guide

Level V/60

Unit at a Glance

Day 1 Prepare to Read Day 4 Reread “Mulan”*

Day 2 Read “Abimanyu”* Day 5 Literature Circle Discussion/Reinforce Skills*

Day 3 Read “Mulan”* Days 6–15 Write a legend using the writing-process steps on page 10

*While you are meeting with small groups, other students can:• read independently from your classroom library• reflect on their learning in reading response journals• engage in literacy workstations

Genre: Legends

Y07371_G6Legends1Asian_TG_Rev3.indd 1 11/3/10 12:35 AM

2 Two AsiAn Legends ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

• Ask students to turn to pages 5–7. Say: The legends in this book are based on well-known stories from two Asian countries: India and China. Let’s read about these legends.

• Have two students read aloud the background information while others follow along.

• Say: Each legend demonstrates cultural principles of valor, or bravery, during war. What can you infer, or tell, from this? Allow responses. Prompt students to understand that most societies must deal with war and therefore are interested in its moral principles.

Introduce the Tools for Readers and Writers: Word Choice• Read aloud “Word Choice” on page 4. • Say: Writers choose their words with great care.

Choosing just the right word helps writers clearly communicate their thoughts and feelings. Legends are filled with language that helps readers become part of the story. Let’s practice identifying effective word choice so we can recognize it in the legends we read.

• Distribute BLM 1 (Word Choice). Read aloud sentence 1 with students, pausing where the words in parentheses are located.

• Model Identifying Word Choice: I can use either of the verbs in parentheses to complete this sentence, but which is the better word choice? Breathed describes what the horses did in a general way. Snorted creates a more specific image of what the horses sounded like. Therefore, snorted is the better word choice.

• Ask students to work with a partner or in small groups to choose the word that creates a more exact or detailed picture and explain why it is the better choice for each of the next six sentences. Students should then complete the last three sentences using precise, descriptive word choice.

• Bring the groups together to share their findings.• Ask the groups to read one or more sentences they

completed. Use the examples to build students’ understanding of how and why writers choose words carefully. Remind students that word choices can help readers understand, visualize, and make inferences about the characters and plot of a legend.

• Ask groups to hand in their sentences. Transfer student-completed sentences to chart paper, title the page “Word Choice,” and post it as an anchor chart in your classroom.

Prepare to ReadBuild Genre Background• Write the word genre on chart paper. Ask: Who

can explain what the word genre means? Allow responses. Say: The word genre means “a kind of something.” Knives and forks are two different kinds of utensils. Each utensil has its own characteristics that we can use to identify it. In the same way, we can identify each kind, or genre, of literature by its characteristics. Recognizing the genre of what we are reading helps us anticipate what will happen or what we will learn as we read. As writers, we use our knowledge of genres to help us develop and organize our ideas.

• Ask: Who can name some literary genres? Let’s make a list. Allow responses. Post the list on the classroom wall as an anchor chart.

• Draw a concept web on chart paper or the chalk-board. Write Legends in the center circle of the web.

• Say: Legends are one example of a literary genre. Think of any legends you know. How would you define what a legend is?

• Turn and Talk. Ask students to turn and talk to a classmate and jot down any features of a legend they can think of. Then bring students together and ask them to share their ideas. Record them on the group web. Reinforce the concept that all legends have certain common features.

Introduce the Book• Distribute a copy of the book to each student. Read

the title aloud. Ask students to tell what they see on the cover and table of contents.

• Ask students to turn to pages 2–3. Say: This week we are going to read legends that will help us learn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on this genre as readers. Then we’re going to study legends from a writer’s perspective. Our goal this week is to really understand this genre.

• Ask a student to read aloud the text on pages 2–3 while others follow along. Invite a different student to read the web on page 3.

• Point to your Legends web on chart paper. Say: Let’s compare our initial ideas about legends with what we just read. What new features of this genre did you learn? Allow responses. Add new information to the class web.

• Post this chart in your classroom during your legends unit. Say: As we read legends this week, we will come back to this anchor chart. We will look for how these features appear in each legend we read.

Day 1

©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.ISBN: 978-1-4509-3057-4


©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC 3Two AsiAn Legends

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Write one or more of the following

questions on chart paper. What is a literary genre, and how can understanding

genres help readers and writers? What did you learn today about the legend genre? How can a writer use word choice to communicate

his or her ideas to readers? Ask partners or small groups to discuss their ideas

and report them back to the whole group as a way to summarize the day’s learning.

Management Tips• Throughout the week, you may wish to use

some of the Reflect and Review questions as prompts for reader response journal entries in addition to Turn and Talk activities.

• Have students create genre folders. Keep blackline masters, notes, small-group writing, and checklists in the folders.

• Create anchor charts by writing whole-group discussion notes and mini-lessons on chart paper. Hang charts in the room where students can see them.

Before ReadingIntroduce “Abimanyu”• Reread the Legends anchor chart or the web

on page 3 to review the features of a legend.• Ask students to turn to page 8. Ask: Based on

the title and illustrations, what do you predict this legend might be about? Allow responses.

• Invite students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words (deceitful, northern, departure, sixteenth, formation). Say: As you read, pay attention to these words. If you don’t know what they mean, try to use clues in the words such as suffixes to help you define them.

Set a Purpose for Reading• Ask students to read the legend, focusing on the

genre elements they noted on their anchor chart. They should also look for examples of effective word choice and think about how the author’s careful word choice helps them understand the battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

Read “Abimanyu”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask them to read the legend silently, whisper-read, or read with a partner.

• Confer with students to monitor their under-standing of the text.

• Ask students to place self-stick notes in the margins where they notice examples of effective word choice or features of the genre.

After ReadingBuild Comprehension: Evaluate Author’s Purpose• Lead a student discussion using the “Analyze

the Characters and Plot” and “Focus on Comprehension” questions on page 16. Then, use the following steps to provide explicit modeling of how to evaluate the author’s purpose in a legend.

• Explain: Authors always have at least one purpose for their writing. Their purpose may be to inform, entertain, persuade, or express feelings or ideas. Authors may also have different purposes for different parts in their writing. We learned yesterday that legends tell inspiring or cautionary adventure stories about things that are important to a culture. When you read a legend, think about the author’s purposes for creating the various parts of the story. This will help you determine the author’s overall purpose and evaluate how well the author achieved it.

• Distribute copies of BLM 2 (Evaluate Author’s Purpose) and/or draw a chart like the one below.

Day 2

Name Date

Two AsiAn Legends ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCBLM 1

Word ChoiceDirections: Read each sentence. Underline the word in parentheses ( ) that creates the more exact, vivid image or idea. Write what the word choice helps you see or understand.

1. The horses (breathed, snorted) loudly in the cool morning air. theharsh,roughsoundsofthehorses

2. The army (demolished, tore down) the stone wall. thecomplete,violentdestructionofthewall

3. Two young soldiers got in a (fight, brawl). theout-of-controlactionsofthesoldiers

4. The war caused (anguish, worry) for the soldiers’ families. theheartbreakingpainofthefamilies

5. Prisoners of war were thrown into a (dungeon, jail). adamp,dark,frighteningplace

6. Four guards (paced, walked) back and forth in front of the palace.

thesteady,repetitivemotionsoftheguards

7. The soldier’s mother prepared a huge (meal, feast) for his homecoming.

acelebratorypartywithanabundanceoffood

Directions: Complete the sentences with carefully chosen words.

8. In their uniforms, the soldiers looked and . Possibleanswers:dashing,jaunty,dignified

9. The soldiers had fought bravely and . Possibleanswers:heroically,fiercely,ferociously

10. When the soldiers returned from battle, their families felt . Possibleanswers:overjoyed,jubilant



for the words Kaurava fighters decided to issue a challenge. On page 9, I read “. . . the deceitful Kaurava fighters decided to issue a challenge to the Pandava brothers. . . .” This sentence answers the question.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Find It! questions.

Focus on Vocabulary: Suffixes• Explain/Model: Read aloud “Suffixes” on page 4.

Say: Remember, suffixes add their own meanings to a base word. Look at the word willingness on page 15. The suffix -ness changes the adjective willing, meaning “ready,” to a noun that means “the quality of being ready.” Sometimes readers can figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word by looking at the meanings of its base word and suffix.

• Practice: Ask students to find other words with suffixes in the legend, such as position/-ion, excellent/-ent, charioteer/-eer, courageous/-ous, and succession/-ion. List the words and suffixes.

• Say: Let’s find the boldfaced words in this legend. What can you do if you don’t know what these words mean? You can look for clues in the text or in the word itself. One “in-the-word” strategy is to look for a base word and a suffix and identify their meanings.

• Ask students to work with a partner to complete the “Focus on Words” activity on page 17 using BLM 3 (Focus on Suffixes). Explain that they should think about how the meanings of the base or root word and the suffix affect the meaning of the word.

Page Word Part of Speech

Base Word

Suffix Definition

9 deceitful adjective deceit -ful aiming to trick or mislead

9 northern adjective north -ern in or related to a region north of another place

9 departure noun depart -ure the act of leaving or exiting

11 sixteenth adjective sixteen -th occurring in or relating to the numerical position sixteen

12 formation noun form -ation the position of a group of people or things taken for defensive or offensive advantage over an opponent

Day 2 (cont.)

Legend Part Summary Author’s Purpose

last paragraph, page 9

As he has done many times before, Abimanyu begs his father to allow him to join the fight.

to inform readers of Abimanyu’s character and the legend’s background to help them better understand the legend

Abimanyu’s speech, pages 10–11

Abimanyu says that while still an unborn infant he heard his father tell his mother the secret of the Chakravyuha.

to entertain readers with the description of a miraculous event

description of the battle, pages 12–13

Abimanyu gets to the center of the Chakravyuha and kills the son of Duryodhana. Duryodhana vows revenge and, violating a sacred rule of battle, has several men attack Abimanyu.

to entertain readers with exciting battle scenes; to inform readers about the rules of war

description of Arjuna’s revenge, pages 14–15

Arjuna grieves for his son and blames Jayadratha for his death. Arjuna attacks Jayadratha, but darkness falls before he can kill him. Then the sun reappears because Krishna had created an eclipse. Arjuna kills Jayadratha.

to entertain readers with the description of a miraculous event; to inform and inspire readers with the principle of dharma

• Model: The last paragraph on page 9 tells about Abimanyu asking to join the fight. It explains that Abimanyu has long wanted to fight with his family. Why does the author include this part of the story? I think the author wants to inform readers about Abimanyu’s character and the legend’s background to help them better understand the legend.

• Guide Practice. Work with students to evaluate the author’s purpose for including other parts of the story. Help them summarize each part to analyze the author’s purpose.

• Students keep BLM 2 in their genre studies folders.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment• Remind students that when they answer questions

on standardized assessments, they must be able to support their answers with facts or clues and evidence directly from the text.

• Use the Comprehension Question Card to practice answering text-dependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Find It! questions. The answer to a Find It! question is in one place in the text.

• Model. Read the first Find It! question. Say: When I read the question, I look for important words that tell me what to look for in the book. I’m looking



• Transfer Through Oral Language. Ask groups of students to share their findings. Then challenge individual students to think of another word that has the same suffix as a target word and use both words in a sentence. For example, “Northern troops fought many battles with southern troops.” Ask other students to listen to each sentence, identify the target word and the word that shares the same suffix, and explain how the suffix’s meaning affects the definition and part of speech of each word.

• Ask students to save their work in their genre studies folders to continue on Days 3 and 4.

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Ask partners or small groups to reread the “Features of a Legend” web on page 3 and decide whether all of these features are present in “Abimanyu.” Ask groups to share and support their findings.

Fluency: Read with Inflection/Tone: Pitch• You may wish to have students reread the legend with a partner, focusing on using pitch to change the inflection or tone of their voices to fit the legend. Ask partners to read aloud pages 10–11, making their voices fall at the ends of sentences with periods and rise at the ends of sentences with question marks or exclamation marks. Explain that students can also use pitch to portray each character. For example, Abimanyu might have the highest pitch, and the older men might have lower pitches.

Note Regarding This Teacher’s GuideEach book provides an opportunity for students to focus on an additional comprehension strategy that is typically assessed on state standards. The strategy is introduced on page 4 (the third item in the “Tools for Readers and Writers” section) with text-specific follow-up questions found on the Reread pages. Some Reread sections also introduce an advanced language arts concept or comprehension strategy, such as protagonist/antagonist, perspective, or subtitles, because students at this level should be able to consider more than one comprehension strategy per text.

Before ReadingIntroduce “Mulan” • Ask students to turn to page 18. Say: This legend

is written in a different format from the other legend we read. Notice the notes in the margins. First, we will read to understand the legend, focusing on the characters, plot, and historical context. Tomorrow, we will read this legend like a writer and think about how the notes in the margins can help us write our own legends.

• Say: Let’s look at the title and illustrations of this legend. What do you predict it might be about?

• Ask students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words (appearance, consistency, grievous, stature, intelligence). Ask: What do you notice about these words? Why do you think they appear in boldfaced type? (All these words have suffixes.)

• Say: As you read, try to figure out the meanings of these words. Look for the base word and the suffix in each word and think about their meanings. After we read, we will talk about how you used your knowledge of these word parts as well as context clues to figure out what the words mean.

Set a Purpose for Reading• Ask students to read the legend, focusing on how

Mulan’s actions help describe the culture in China around 500 c.e. Encourage students to notice the author’s word choice.

Read “Mulan”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask them to read the legend silently, whisper-read, or read with a partner.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their use of fix-up strategies and their understanding of the text.

After ReadingBuild Comprehension: Evaluate Author’s Purpose• Say: Yesterday we evaluated the author’s

purpose in “Abimanyu.” Now let’s think about the events and details of today’s legend. What is the author’s purpose for each part of the story? Record re sponses on a whole-group chart like the one below.

• Discuss Author’s Purpose Across Texts. Lead a discussion using the following questions: How are the setting and plot of “Mulan” similar to those of “Abimanyu”? Which legend has a more vivid main character? Why? How are the lessons taught in the legends similar and different? Where has the author used effective word choice? How

Day 3



Focus on Vocabulary: Suffixes• Ask students to work with a partner to complete the

“Focus on Words” activity on page 29 using BLM 3. Have groups of students share their findings.

• Transfer Through Oral Language. Invite pairs of students to make up sentences using a target word and another word that uses the same base word, such as “The family grieved over the soldier’s death. The soldier’s family suffered a grievous loss.” Ask partners to present their sentences and have other students identify the base word.


Base Word

Suffix Definition

18 appearance noun appear -ance the look of something; the presentation of oneself

19 consistency noun consist -ency steady adherence to the same principles, form, or course

22 grievous adjective grieve -ous seriously bad; grave

24 stature noun state -ure a position whereby someone has earned wide respect through achievements

24 intelligence noun intelligent -ence ability to learn and apply knowledge in new or difficult situations

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Ask partners or small groups to

discuss the following questions and report their ideas to the whole group: What does the legend teach about the roles of men and women in society? Have you ever been tempted to hide your true self in order to accomplish something? What happened?

Fluency: Read with Inflection/Tone: Pitch• Have students reread the legend with a partner,

focusing on using pitch to change the tone of their voices to fit the characters in the legend. Ask partners to read aloud the dialogue on page 20, using pitch to differentiate the two characters’ voices. Point out that the author describes the pitch of Mulan’s brother’s voice.

Day 3 (cont.)does the word choice help you better appreciate the characters, settings, and plots?


description of Mulan, pages 18–19

Mulan is spinning silk. The author describes her as a girl who is not typical of the time but is skilled at warfare.

to inform readers of the cultural background of the legend; to entertain readers with the description of a vivid character

description of Mulan going to war, pages 20–23

Mulan disguises herself as a man and goes to fight in the war.

to entertain readers with a description of a brave character; to inform readers about the culture of China in 500 c.e.

description of Mulan’s return home, pages 24–25

After ten years, the emperor rewards Mulan for her bravery, and Mulan asks to return home. She returns to her parents, who welcome her and express their pride.

to entertain readers with the description of an emotional reunion

description of Mulan’s life at home, pages 26–27

Mulan settles into life at home, enjoying acting like a woman again. When her soldier friends come to visit, they are shocked to discover that she is a woman.

to entertain readers with the description of the soldiers’ shock; to make readers think about the role of gender

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card to practice

answering text-dependent questions.• Say: Today we will learn how to answer Look Closer!

questions. The answer to a Look Closer! question is in the book. You have to look in more than one place, though. You find the different parts of the answer. Then you put the parts together to answer the question.

• Model. Read the second Look Closer! question. Say: This question asks me to compare and contrast. I know because it has the clue word different. Now I need to look for other important information to find in the book. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I’m looking for details about Mulan’s behavior in two different situations. On page 23, I read “She had been raised to speak only when spoken to, to avoid vulgar language, and to remain quietly in the background.” In the army, she had to walk like a man, pitch her voice low, and learn to express her opinion often. I have found the answer in the book. I looked in several sentences to find the answer.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Look Closer! questions.



Before ReadingSet a Purpose for Rereading• Have students turn to page 18. Say: Until now,

we have been thinking about legends from the perspective of the reader. Learning the features of legends has helped us be critical readers. Now we are going to put on a different hat. We are going to reread “Mulan” and think like writers. We’re going to pay attention to the annotations in the margins. These annotations will help us understand what the author did and why she did it.

Reread “Mulan”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask them to reread the legend silently or whisper-read.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their use of fix-up strategies and their understanding of the text and annotations.

After ReadingAnalyze the Mentor Text• Explain to students that the text they have just read

is a mentor text. A mentor text is a text that teaches. This text is designed to help them understand what writers do to write a legend and why they do it.

• Read and discuss each mentor annotation with students. Encourage them to comment on the writer’s style, use of historical facts and fictional details, and use of literary techniques such as effective word choice.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card with small

groups of students to practice answering text-dependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Prove It! questions. The answer to a Prove It! question is not stated in the book. You have to look for clues and evidence to prove the answer.

• Model: Read the first Prove It! question. Say: This question asks me to find clues to support a given prediction. I know because it asks, “What clues tell you that . . . ?” Now I need to look for other important information in the question. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I need to find clues that show the soldier is really Mulan. On page 21, the author says “a thought struck her” and she “stole into the house . . . she emerged with her father’s old cloak, . . . pulled it over her head so that part of her face was hidden and hurried out of the courtyard.” I have located the clues I need to support the prediction.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Prove It! questions.

Analyze the Writer’s Craft• Ask students to turn to page 30. Explain: Over

the next few days, you will have the opportunity to write your own legends. First, let’s think about how the author wrote “Mulan.” When she developed this legend, she followed certain steps. You can follow these same steps to write your own legends.

• Read step 1. Say: The first thing you’ll do is research legends and find one you want to retell. The legends we read originated in two different ages and cultures. What legends from other times and places could we research and retell? For example, the Robin Hood legend developed in England in the Middle Ages. Allow responses. Write down students’ ideas on chart paper.

• Read step 2. Say: In each of the legends we read, the main character is brave and has amazing adventures. Other characters help show the main character’s traits by opposing or helping the character. For example, Duryodhana sought revenge on Abimanyu and had his soldiers kill him. Who could our characters be? Let’s make a list of heroic legendary characters and others who help or oppose them. Allow responses. Write down students’ ideas on chart paper.

• Read step 3. Say: Before you’re ready to write, you need a setting and plot. The legend you retell will be set in a definite time and place. For example, “Mulan” is set in China around 500 c.e. Each event in the plot contributes to showing the legendary character’s skills and traits. When you write your legend, think about the setting of the original story. What plot, or actions, must you tell to show the legendary character’s strengths? Choose one of the legends and some of the characters the class has brainstormed, and work as a group to construct a possible setting and plot.

Build Comprehension: Interpret Figurative Language• Explain: Authors include descriptions to make

story scenes vivid. They may use figurative language to add a striking mental picture that helps readers understand a character or an action. Metaphor and simile are two kinds of figurative language that compare something in the story to something familiar to the reader. For example, in “Abimanyu,” the author says that Arjuna fought like a tiger. This simile compares a man to a tiger using the word “like.” Arjuna and a tiger are very different, but they have one trait in common: they are both strong, fierce fighters.

• Model: In “Abimanyu,” Bhima describes Jayadratha and his forest of elephants. This metaphor compares the group of elephants to a forest in order to portray the strength of

Day 4



Analyze & SynthesizePractice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card with small

groups of students to practice answering text-dependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Take It Apart! questions. To figure out the answer to a Take It Apart! question, you must think like the author.

• Model. Read the second Take It Apart! question. Say: This question asks me to identify the author’s purpose. I know because I must explain why the author includes a particular part. Now I need to look for other important information in the question. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I need to reread the last sentence on page 27. It says that when two rabbits run side by side, people can’t tell which is male and which is female. The author included this sentence to tell the lesson of the legend. Thinking like the author helped me figure out the answer.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Take It Apart! questions.

Summarize & Make Connections Across Texts• Engage students in a discussion about the two

legends in this book. Invite a different student to summarize each legend. Encourage other students to add their ideas and details.

• Ask students to turn to the inside back cover of the book. Say: Good readers think about how literary works are related. We know, for example, that both of the legends share certain features. They both describe the accomplishments of an individual. They both have a lesson. What else do they have in common? Allow responses. Say: Today we will think about the elements of both legends and what we can learn from them.

• Ask students to work individually or in small groups to complete BLM 4 (Make Connections Across Texts).

• Class Discussion or Literature Circles. Facilitate a whole-class discussion or keep students in their small groups for a literature circle discussion. If you choose to conduct literature circles, share the rules for good discussion below. Each group should discuss and be prepared to share its ideas about the following prompts. Which characters are most alike? How are they alike? Which setting do you find most interesting? Why? Which legend’s lesson do you find most useful? Why?

• Tell students that at the end of their discussion, you will ask them to share the important text-to-text, text-to-world, and text-to-self connections they have made.

Jayadratha’s defense. The figurative language helps make the description of the battle setting more vivid.

• Guide Practice. Invite students to work in small groups to find examples of figurative language on pages 20 and 24. Ask the groups to name the things the author compares, identify the type of figurative language, and explain why they think the author made the comparison. Then, invite students to explain how the figurative language helps them visualize the characters of the legend.

Reflect and Review • Ask and discuss the following questions.

How is reading a legend different from writing one? How is it similar? What new words have you added to your vocabulary this week? Which do you think you will use most often Why? Which character would you like to meet? Why? How can you use suffixes and word choice to improve your writing?

Fluency: Read with Inflection/Tone: Pitch• You may wish to have students reread the legend

with a partner, focusing on using pitch to change the tone of their voices to fit particular scenes. Ask students to work with a partner and role play Mulan’s joining the army. Encourage them to use the two different pitches described on page 23, one to portray Mulan’s real voice and another to portray her voice as a male soldier.

Day 4 (cont.) Day 5



Reinforce SkillsIf time permits, choose from the following activities to reinforce vocabulary and fluency.

Reinforce Vocabulary: Suffix Switch• Place students in small groups. Write the suffixes

-ance, -ence, -ency, -ern, -ful, -ous, -th, -ation, and -ure on the board.

• Allow the groups five minutes to think of as many words with the suffixes as they can, including the glossary words.

• When time is up, invite the groups to take turns reading their words aloud. Other groups can challenge any words they disagree with. Each group receives one point for each correct word. The group with the greatest number of points wins.

Reread for Fluency: Oral Reading Performance• Discuss the ending of each legend with students.• Say: One legend ends tragically while the other

legend ends happily. When you read the legends aloud, you can demonstrate your understanding of the different endings through your expression. This helps your listeners appreciate the emotion of each ending more and better understand the legend.

• Invite individual students to read the endings with expression that helps listeners understand the different emotions expressed in each.

• Encourage students to have fun with their readings and to make them as dramatic as possible.

• As a whole class, discuss each reader’s interpre-tation. Think about alternate ways to interpret each ending.

Review Writer’s Tools: Word Choice• Ask students to look for other examples of

effective word choice in titles from your classroom library or the school’s library. Each student should select one title at his or her independent reading level. Ask students to read pages specifically to find an example of effective word choice.

• Invite students to share their examples with the class. Encourage students to discuss how the author’s word choice helps them better visualize characters, settings, and events. Point out that students should have found examples in the books they chose. Effective word choice is a tool good writers try to use all of the time.

• While each small group of students discusses the book, confer with individual or small groups of students. You may wish to revisit elements of the genre, take running records, or model fluent reading skills.

Directions: Use the chart to compare and contrast the two Asian legends.

Abimanyu MulanTime/ Location

India around 1000 b.c.e. China around 500 c.e.

Main Character(s)

Abimanyu, Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhisthira, Duryodhana, Jayadratha, Karna

Mulan, her parents, her little brother, the emperor

Situation The Pandavas accept the Kauravas’ challenge to penetrate the Chakravyuha. When the Pandavas realize Arjuna is away, his son Abimanyu insists on fighting. He fights bravely and kills the son of Duryodhana, who kills Abimanyu in revenge. Arjuna then seeks his own revenge.

Mulan’s country is invaded. Every family must send someone to fight. Her father is too old, and her brother is too young. Mulan disguises herself as a man and fights in the war for ten years.

Amazing Event

Abimanyu reveals that he heard his father tell his mother the secret of the Chakravyuha while in the womb. Krishna creates an eclipse at a climactic point of Arjuna’s battle with the Kauravas.

Mulan succeeds in disguising herself as a male soldier for ten years.

Ending The Pandavas are victorious, but Arjuna mourns his son’s death for the rest of his life.

Mulan returns home to her parents and resumes the life of a woman. Her fellow soldiers visit and are shocked to find that she is a woman.

Rules for Good Discussion• Pay attention to the person who is talking

and do not interrupt him or her.

• Think about what others are saying so you can respond and add to their ideas.

• Allow and encourage everyone in the group to speak.

• Be respectful of everyone’s ideas.

Day 5 (cont.)


10Two AsiAn Legends ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Write a Legend• Use the suggested daily schedule to guide

students through the writing-process steps. Allow approximately 45 to 60 minutes per day. As students work independently, circulate around the room and monitor student progress. Confer with individual students to discuss their ideas and help them move forward. Use the explicit mini-lessons, conferencing strategies, and assessment rubrics in Using Genre Models to Teach Writing for additional support.

• Before students begin planning their legends, pass out copies of BLM 5 (Legend Checklist). Review the characteristics and conventions of writing that will be assessed. Tell students that they will use this checklist when they complete their drafts.

• This daily plan incorporates the generally accepted six traits of writing as they pertain to legends.

Days 6–7: Plan • Ask students to use BLM 6 (Legend Planning Guide)

to brainstorm the famous figure or event, characters, setting, and plot for their stories.

• Encourage students to refer to the “Features of a Legend” web on page 3 and to the steps in “The Writer’s Craft” on pages 30–31 of the book.

• Confer with individual students and focus on their ideas. Did students begin by researching a legend from a specific country or culture? Did they develop the legendary character through the events of the plot?

Days 8–9: Draft • Tell students that they will be using their completed

Legend Planning Guides to begin drafting their legends.

• Say: Remember, when writers draft ideas, they focus on getting their ideas on paper. They can cross things out and make mistakes in spelling. What’s important is to focus on developing your characters, setting, and plot. You will have an opportunity to make corrections and improvements later.

• Confer with students as they complete their drafts. Use the Legend Checklist to draw students’ attention to characteristics of the legend genre that they may have overlooked. Focus on how students have organized their ideas and the voice of the writer. Did students introduce characters at the beginning of the legend? Did they set the legend in a specific historical time and place? Does the legend have a strong voice? Will the voice keep readers interested?

• Pair students for peer conferencing.

Days 10–11: Edit and Revise • Based on your observations of students’ writing,

select appropriate mini-lessons from Using Genre Models to Teach Writing.

• Remind students to use the Legend Checklist as they edit and revise their legends independently.

• Confer with students focusing on sentence fluency, word choice, and conventions. Did students include both long and short sentences? Do the sentences read smoothly? Have students used interesting words and phrases? Did they use effective word choice? Did they use appropriate spelling, punctuation, and grammar?

• You may want students to continue their editing and revision at home.

Days 12–13: Create Final Draft and Illustrations • Ask students to rewrite or type a final draft of their

legends.• Invite students to illustrate their final drafts with one

or more drawings that depict specific characters or events in their legends.

• Confer with students about their publishing plans and deadlines.

Days 14–15: Publish and Share• Explain: Authors work long and hard to develop

their works. You have worked very hard. And one of the great joys of writing is when you can share it with others. Authors do this in many ways. They publish their books so that people can buy them. They make their work available on the Internet. They hold readings. We can share our writing, too.

• Use one or more of the ideas below for sharing students’ work:

Make a class display of students’ completed legends. Hold a class reading in which students can read their

legends to one another and/or to parents. Create a binder of all the legends and loan it to the

library so that other students can read them. Create a binder of all the legends for your classroom

library.

Days 6–15

Name Date


Title:

Features of the Genre Checklist Yes No 1. My legend has a strong lead. 2. My legend is told in first or third person. 3. My legend has a basis in historical fact. 4. My legend focuses on one individual and his/her

accomplishments or powers. 5. My legend includes a miraculous event. 6. My legend contains a moral or lesson embedded

in the story. 7. My legend takes place in the context of particular place and

its history, creating a connection with a culture. 8. I tell the problem at the beginning of my legend. 9. I have 3 to 5 main events in my legend. 10. My legend has a solution to the problem. 11. I used figurative language in my legend.

Quality Writing Checklist Yes No I looked for and corrected . . .

• run-on sentences • sentence fragments • subject/verb agreement • correct verb tense • punctuation • capitalization • spelling • indented paragraphs

Legend Checklist

Name Date


Legend Planning GuideDirections: Use the steps below to plan your own legend.

1. Research legends and decide on one to retell.

2. Identify and develop characters.

Characters Traits, Special Skills, Effect on PlotCharacter 1:

Character 2:

Character 3:

3. “Rethink” setting and plot.

Setting

Problem

Events

Solution


Name Date


Word ChoiceDirections: Read each sentence. Underline the word in parentheses ( ) that creates the more exact, vivid image or idea. Write what the word choice helps you see or understand.

1. The horses (breathed, snorted) loudly in the cool morning air.

2. The army (demolished, tore down) the stone wall.

3. Two young soldiers got in a (fight, brawl).

4. The war caused (anguish, worry) for the soldiers’ families.

5. Prisoners of war were thrown into a (dungeon, jail).

6. Four guards (paced, walked) back and forth in front of the palace.

7. The soldier’s mother prepared a huge (meal, feast) for his homecoming.

Directions: Complete the sentences with carefully chosen words.

8. In their uniforms, the soldiers looked and .

9. The soldiers had fought bravely and .

10. When the soldiers returned from battle, their families felt

.


Name Date


Evaluate Author’s PurposeDirections: Use the charts below to evaluate author’s purpose in the legends.

Abimanyu


Mulan



Name Date


Focus on SuffixesDirections: Reread each legend. For each word below, record its part of speech, base word, suffix, and definition.


Base Word

Suffix Definition

9 deceitful

9 northern

9 departure

11 sixteenth

12 formation


Base Word

Suffix Definition

18 appearance

19 consistency

22 grievous

24 stature

24 intelligence


Name Date


Make Connections Across TextsDirections: Use the chart to compare and contrast the two Asian legends.

Abimanyu MulanTime/ LocationMain Character(s)

Situation

Amazing Event

Ending


Name Date


Title:

Features of the Genre Checklist Yes No 1. My legend has a strong lead. 2. My legend is told in first or third person. 3. My legend has a basis in historical fact. 4. My legend focuses on one individual and his/her

accomplishments or powers. 5. My legend includes a miraculous event. 6. My legend contains a moral or lesson embedded

in the story. 7. My legend takes place in the context of particular place and

its history, creating a connection with a culture. 8. I tell the problem at the beginning of my legend. 9. I have 3 to 5 main events in my legend. 10. My legend has a solution to the problem. 11. I used figurative language in my legend.

Quality Writing Checklist Yes No I looked for and corrected . . .

• run-on sentences • sentence fragments • subject/verb agreement • correct verb tense • punctuation • capitalization • spelling • indented paragraphs

Legend Checklist


Name Date


Legend Planning GuideDirections: Use the steps below to plan your own legend.

1. Research legends and decide on one to retell.

2. Identify and develop characters.

Characters Traits, Special Skills, Effect on PlotCharacter 1:

Character 2:

Character 3:

3. “Rethink” setting and plot.

Setting

Problem

Events

Solution


genre: l teacher’s guide abimanyu mulan · mulan teacher’s guide level v/60 unit at a glance...

Documents