teacher lesson manual

Levels 6–8Teacher Lesson Manual

Units 2–3Literary Texts Introduction: Toolbox and Content Unit

TOOLBOX LITERARY TEXT

AchieveLiteracy

Levels 6–8Teacher Lesson Manual

TOOLBOX LITERARY TEXT

Units 2–3Literary Texts Introduction: Toolbox and Content Unit

AchieveLiteracy

Unit OverviewThis Toolbox Unit introduces and reinforces the comprehension strategy for reading fiction texts. Students will learn the Signposting method of annotating fiction and learn how to adjust their annotation strategy to emphasize characterization and conflict.

How It FitsPrerequisite: Unit 1—Toolbox: Foundational Literacy Strategies

Unit 2 builds on the skills taught in Unit 1 and applies them to fiction texts. Units 1 and 2 together prepare students for the literary text Content Units. Unit 2 should be used after Unit 1 and before proceeding to a literary text Content Unit.

Unit Text OverviewThe unit includes paragraph-length passages to learn Signposting and practice annotation for characterization and conflict. The story “Having Troy Home” completes the unit. The text tells the story of Mina, a studious girl whose stepbrother returns from a long trip. She doesn’t appreciate his way of living at first, but they bond and eventually Mina has more appreciation for how Troy lives.

Literacy Growth to Expect By the end of this unit, students will have learned the Signposting method for fiction, including identifying clues for Signposting opportunities, asking and answering associated Signpost questions, and annotating their text with Signposts. Regular use of Accountable Talk while answering higher-order thinking skills questions will help students improve their ability to organize their thoughts and build on the ideas of others.

Lessons at a Glance

Lesson 1: Strategy and Comprehension


Lesson 3: Application and Reinforcement

Objective 1 Strategy Skill

I can identify and understand Signposts and their associated questions.

Strategy Skill


Strategy Skill

I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.

Objective 2 Strategy Skill


Strategy Skill


Strategy Skill

I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.

Unit 2: Fiction and Signposting

TOOLBOX

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Unit 2 Overview

Core Strategy Skills• I can identify and understand Signposts and their associated questions.

• I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.

• I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.

Content Skill• I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

Writing Skills• I can write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

• I can record key details from text and respond to text in writing.

Texts• Short story passages

• “Having Troy Home”

Routines• Signposting Fiction

• Annotating the Text

• Discussion Routines (optional)

Formative Assessment • Quick Review Activity: Signposts

• Student Application Activity: Identifying Signpost Clues

• Quick Review Activity: Matching Signpost Questions

• Student Application Activity: Writing Signpost Questions

• Applying the Strategy: Annotating Fiction

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SStrategy and Comprehension: Signposting Fiction 1

Materials• Student Resource Book,

pages 24–29• Formative Assessment Binder,

page U2-1• Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices

for Comprehension• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-11: Annotation Symbols• Poster AC-12: Signposting Fiction 1

PreparationPlan to fill in the blank chart on the back of the Signposting Fiction 1 poster (AC-12) during the lesson. Alternatively, create a chart listing each Signpost and creating columns for the definition (What Is It?), clues (Clues), and associated questions (What I Ask Myself). Complete the columns as you review each Signpost during the lesson.

Overview In this lesson students will be introduced to the Signposts for fiction, including identifying the Signposts and the associated questions students should ask when Signposts are identified in the story.

How It FitsThis lesson adds an understanding of the Signposting strategy to the annotation skills learned in Unit 1 and clarifies how to adjust annotation for fiction to aid comprehension. Students will use Signposting and annotating for fiction in this unit and in all subsequent literary text Content Units.

Teacher Objective Students will understand Signposting signs and their associated questions and will start identifying clues for when to annotate the text.

Flexibility RecommendationsThe goal is for students to understand the Signposts, differentiate them, and understand the associated questions to ask. As needed, modify the activities based on your students’ needs to achieve that goal.



LESSON 1

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Lesson 1 Overview

Formative Assessment Tracking

Formative Assessment Binder, pages U2-1 to U2-3

Assess the progress of your students using the objective breakdown below. Log progress for your students on the corresponding Formative Assessment Tracking sheet in your Assessment binder, based on the listed skill levels. Formative Assessment Check-In points are listed in the lesson as a start; however, you may choose to conduct your assessment whenever reasonable during student discussion or individual work.

Strategy Objective 1 I can identify and understand Signposts and their associated questions.

Beginning Proficient Advanced

define first three Signposts provide associated questions for prompted Signposts

autonomously recall associated questions for a Signpost and

answer them

Teacher: Name a Signpost without looking.

Student: Contrasts and Contradictions

Teacher: Good. When in a story might it come up?

Student: When there is a surprising change in the story.

Teacher: When we see a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost, what do we ask ourselves?

Student: Why would the character act or feel this way? What’s changed?

Teacher: What did you notice in paragraph 2 that is a significant Signpost?

Student: The character realizes the importance of honesty, which is an Aha! Moment. I thought the author might have included this because the character will change her ways.

Strategy Objective 2 I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.


identify corresponding clues for provided Signposts

identify Signpost opportunities in text when

prompted

autonomously identify and apply Signposts where

applicable in the text using associated questions

Teacher: This is an example of an Again and Again Signpost, which uses repeated information to identify what’s important. What clues are there?

Student: It says that Mom was “so relieved,” “Dad was glad,” and the narrator “couldn’t wait,” so they really missed him.

Teacher: Based on our discussion of Signposts, how is this description of the family important?

Student: This seems like an Again and Again Signpost because it keeps saying how everyone is happy Troy is home.

Teacher: What did you mark as important as we read?

Student: I put an Again and Again Signpost because it repeatedly says how everyone was “relieved,” “glad,” and “buzzed”—all of which show that the family is happy to see him.

Additional Content Skill (engaged but not necessarily assessed)

• I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

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Introduce the lesson’s objectives.

Discuss and explain Signposts.

Ask: Have you ever noticed a big change in someone or something?

Think-Aloud: Model reading the passage.

Ask: What is Keisha concerned about?

Define and explain Contrasts/Contradictions.

Ask: Have you ever had a sudden realization?


Ask: What changed for Kris?

Define and explain Aha! Moment.

Student Resource Book page 24

Date:

Signposting Fiction 1What is a signpost? Draw a signpost:

Read the passages along with your teacher. Then complete the charts as directed.

Passage 1: Keisha always does her homework. In fact, she was given an award for having “100% Homework Completion” in all her classes last year in sixth grade. But on Monday morning, her teacher went around to collect homework and found Keisha sitting quietly with her head down. She did not have her homework done. On Wednesday, while the other students were getting out their homework, Keisha sat and stared at the wall, frowning. Her homework sheet was blank.

Signpost What Is It? Clues

Contrasts and Contradictions

Passage 2: Every week, after working on his basketball shot for hours, Kris would play a few games with his friends. He kept getting frustrated, however, because he never shot as well in the games as he did during practice. One day, he was shooting around with a friend who pointed out that Kris was barely jumping when he practiced his shot. Kris’s eyes went wide: he needed to jump as high as he could when practicing, not just when he was playing a game. That way he would be using the same form each time he shot, and he would play better.


Aha! Moment

Something that shows the way or what is ahead

A strong contrast between how you expect a character to act and feel and what you observe; a clear and unexpected change in setting or plot

A character’s realization that changes that character’s actions or understanding of self, others, or the world

A significant change in character, setting, or plot as compared to your annotations or understandings; contrast words such as “unexpectedly”

Phrases that express a sudden idea, such as: “I knew in a flash . . . ”, “Suddenly, I realized . . . ”, “All at once, I understood . . .”

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Lesson Objectives



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Activate / Assess Relevant Knowledge (ARK) 5% (2–3 min.)

Introduce that the group will be learning a new comprehension strategy today. Discuss with students that the difficulty in reading fiction can be knowing what’s important and what’s not important. Elicit from students a time when they felt like they weren’t sure what was important and what wasn’t.

Refer to the strategies from Unit 1that students can use to help them keep track of what’s important: annotation including page summaries. Then introduce the lesson’s objectives for Signposting. Explain that Signposting is a method to notice important elements, which will improve students’ comprehension and annotation.

Teacher Input (TIP) – Introducing the Strategy 25% (8–12 min.)

Introduce the concept of a signpost. Elicit from students what a signpost is and direct them to write the definition and draw one on their SRBs page.

Explain that signposts help guide us to the most important information, and the same process can be applied to reading. Explain that good readers practice and improve their ability to notice important parts of the story by using special annotations beyond coding and page summaries: Signposts.

A Signpost is a marker in the text that reminds readers to ask certain questions about what they are reading to help them understand the story. Explain that active readers continually ask themselves questions about the text. Reinforce that a Signpost helps readers notice when to look for key information, and attempting to answer the Signpost question helps best with understanding the story. Students will learn the Signpost questions later in the lesson.

Use passages 1 and 2 to introduce and explain two Signposts and the clues that indicate their presence. For each passage, start by eliciting from students a personal example of the concept for the Signpost: in this case, a significant change (passage 1) or a sudden realization (passage 2). Explain how that occurrence reveals significant information.

Think aloud, reading each passage and identifying the Signpost. Be sure to model active reading, including questioning and stopping after every few sentences to summarize what’s happening. You may use the sample Think-Alouds provided or model with your own. Fill in the chart on the poster or the chart you created as you introduce each Signpost (What Is It?, Clues columns). Have students complete the charts in their SRBs.

THINK-ALOUD

Model authentically or use the samples below.

Passage 1 As I read about Keisha, I actively wonder what she is like and notice, after reading that second sentence, that she really cares about her homework. When the teacher mentions that Keisha had her head down, I stop to wonder why, and predict that it might have to do with her homework. The next sentence confirms this! Keisha not doing her homework really stands out to me because I just learned how much she cares about it, so I know this must be important. I wonder what happened to change her behavior like this. I ask myself, “What does this change mean for her character?” I know that recognizing changes will help me understand what’s important in the story.

Passage 2 I learn that Kris works hard to improve his basketball shooting. When I read that he is getting frustrated because he never shoots as well in games, I wonder why. Maybe it is the way his friends are playing? When I read that Kris’s eyes went wide, that stands out as important because it shows his strong feelings: something big is about to happen. Once I see that he realizes he needs to change the way he practices, I know this is an Aha! Moment, and I need to ask, “What changes for this character?” He will now practice differently and improve his shooting in games. My prediction about the issue being his friends was wrong, but I stopped and corrected it. Noticing big realizations by characters will help me understand how they change as the story goes on.

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Teacher Input (TIP) – Introducing the Strategy continued

Repeat the process for passage 3 and the Again and Again Signpost. Elicit a personal example that refers to repeated details and connect it to the concept of the Signpost. Then use passage 3 to introduce and explain the Signpost. You may use the sample Think-Aloud or model using your own. Be sure to model active reading, including questioning and stopping after every few sentences to summarize what’s happening. Emphasize that asking the Again and Again Signpost question helps to identify what’s important. Continue completing the Signposting chart and have students complete their charts in their SRBs.

Quick Review Activity: SignpostsConduct a Quick Review to assess students’ understanding of the Signposts so far. The goal of the Quick Review is to help provide feedback for your instruction and to accommodate the different learning styles of your students. Using the guidelines for Accountable Talk (Poster AC-3), quickly assess your students’ understanding using one of the activities listed below or another activity of your choosing based on time and/or your students’ needs.

Activity DescriptionTime

Needed

Summarize in a

Sentence

Students write a one-sentence explanation of each Signpost. Less

Quiz, Quiz, Trade

Partners verbally quiz each other on each Signpost, writing their responses in their SRBs. They trade SRBs and mark them with a check or emoji if the responses are correct.

More

Visual Doodles

Students draw a visual representation of each Signpost. Then they trade SRBs and guess what each other’s drawings represent.

Most

THINK-ALOUD

Model authentically or use the sample below.

Passage 3 Jibran is packing for a trip to see his grandparents. I want to try to characterize him, so I notice it says he was careful. When he stops, I wonder why, and I pay attention to try to find out. Ah, I see that he wants to make sure his watch is okay. I notice that the author has mentioned the watch twice already, but I’ll keep reading to see what else happens. At the end Jibran rubs his wrist; I guess that’s where his watch would be! From all the repeated mentions of the watch I can tell that the watch is going to be important. I wonder if he loses it or if something else happens with the watch. Repeated descriptions or words often signal important parts of the text.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT CHECK-IN


Use the Quick Review activity responses to assess students’ understanding of each Signpost.

Poor retention?

Try another Quick Review activity.

Comprehension struggle?

Revisit explanations for each passage.

Lesson Objectives



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Quick Review: Use activities to review the three Signposts and their corresponding clues.

Formatively assess students to see if they can define the Signposts using one of the activities listed or another of your choosing.

Ask: Have you ever noticed when something happens or is mentioned over and over again?


Ask: What is clearly important to Jibran?

Define and explain Again and Again.


Date:

Passage 3: Jibran packed carefully for his trip to see his grandparents. He tucked his clothes into his bag, carefully laid his watch on top, and zipped the bag up. He took one last look around his bedroom, picked up his bag, and started down the stairs to join his family. He suddenly stopped, opened his bag, and checked on his watch. It was OK, so he zipped the bag up again and continued down the stairs. Once outside, he piled into the car with his sisters, who were arguing, and thoughtfully rubbed his left wrist, as he held his bag closely.


Again and Again

Quick Review Activity: SignpostsAs directed by your teacher, explain the three Signposts.

1.

2.

3.

Answers will vary based on chosen activity.

Events and images that are described frequently or words that are used repeatedly in a text

A word, concept, or image reappears several times in a text. A repeating word or concept is used in an unusual way.

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Elicit how readers identify Signposts (clues).

Reinforce the importance of practice.

Say: Let’s practice identifying Signpost clues.


Ask: How do you think this change will affect the story?

Student Application Activity: Students do a Think-Write-Pair-Share activity. They read the passage, underline clues, and discuss the Signpost. Students check each other’s work when done (Partner Check).


Date:

Identifying Signpost Clues For each passage, decide on the best Signpost and underline the clues that you used to decide. Turn back to your Signpost list on page 25 for reference if you need to. Then, check your response with the student next to you. If you both agree, draw a smiley face on your partner’s chart in the Partner Check column. If you don’t agree, check in with your teacher.

Example:

Passage: Samara and Jane Partner Check

When the bell finally rang, Samara breathed a sigh of relief and headed to lunch. She could not wait to tell her best friend, Jane, what had happened in math class. Jane and Samara always sat together and excitedly talked about their day at lunch. It was one of Samara’s favorite parts of the day. When she entered the lunchroom, Samara saw Jane sitting at a table, and she rushed over. “Oh my gosh,” Samara started. “You are never going to . . . ” She paused. Jane was glaring at her, silently. “Please don’t sit here,” Jane said quietly. Samara froze, unsure of what to do. She was shocked.

Signpost: Contrasts and Contradictions

Now try it with your partner:

Passage: Michael Partner Check

Michael threw his controller in frustration. He had played soccer video games for years, but he just could not win on this difficulty setting. As he sheepishly picked up the controller from the opposite side of the couch, he saw his crutches from when he injured his foot. “Of course! Substitutions!” he thought. He eagerly jumped back to his seat and tried again to win the tournament on Expert difficulty.

Signpost: Aha! Moment


Lesson Objectives



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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Identifying Signpost Clues 30% (9–14 min.)

Tell students that identifying opportunities for Signposts takes practice and elicit that readers use clues to Identifying Signpost Clues. Then introduce the activity Identifying Signpost Clues. Students will read one-paragraph passages that feature one of the Signposts and, using their Signpost notes in their SRB as well as the Signposting chart, they will underline the clues they identify and write down the Signpost they think is most present.

Student Application Activity: Identifying Signpost CluesFirst, model the task using a Think-Aloud with the example passage. Using active reading, stop to identify and react to clues to indicate that this is a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost. Tell students that they will do this activity as a Think-Write-Pair-Share and will be checking with the student next to them using Accountable Talk. (Refer to Poster AC-3 as needed.)

Explain that after students write down their identified Signpost and underline the appropriate clues, they will check in with their partner. If they agree with their partner, they can move on to the next passage or ask the teacher for help. Reinforce that students must identify the Signposts and clues on their own before discussing with their partner.

Direct students to complete the activity for the second passage. Check in as a group after students complete this passage to assess students’ performance, and then direct pairs or small groups to continue identifying the appropriate Signposts for the other passages using their underlined clues. Circulate among students to assist and assess.

THINK-ALOUD


As I read the first two sentences, I stop and characterize Samara: she likes lunch and to talk with her friend. The third sentence seems important: this is something they do very often, so I am going to underline it. Once I get to Jane’s reaction, I am surprised! I ask why would her best friend be glaring at her? Something must be wrong. It looks like Samara is surprised too, given the last sentence. This seems like a big change from normal, so I know it’s a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost. I should ask, “How might this difference affect the story?” I predict that this change is introducing a conflict in the story.


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Identifying Signpost Clues continued

Circulate among students and use questions to check progress and understanding. Remind students that they will only benefit if they individually try to find clues before conferring with their partner and enforce this as you move between pairs of students. Tell them they can refer to their work on previous pages as a reference.

As time allows, once students are done, review their responses as a group and instruct them to adjust their answers as needed.

This activity provides a good Formative Assessment Check-In point for strategy objective 2, specifically students’ ability to identify clues (Beginning skill level). You may begin formatively assessing students as you circulate while they are completing the activity; you don’t need to wait for a group review to assess them. Record students’ skill level on the Formative Assessment Tracking sheet.



Use the students’ identification of clues to assess if students have demonstrated the Beginning skill level (identifying corresponding clues for provided Signposts).

Trouble identifying clues?

Direct students to review the clues on the Signposting Fiction 1 poster (AC-12) or their notes.

Instruct them to reread the passages and notice when the change occurred (Contrasts and Contradictions) or what the repeated word was (Again and Again).

D Discussion Point: If students are confused or would benefit from further discussion, review student responses to the activity with a Discussion Routine of your choosing. Note that your lesson timing will be affected; ensure you have time for student reflection at the end of the lesson.

Lesson Objectives



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Student Application Activity: Students continue the Think-Write-Pair-Share activity. They read each passage, underline clues, and discuss the Signpost. Students check each other’s work when done (Partner Check).

Circulate to monitor student performance.

Ensure students are working independently before sharing.

Review responses.

Formatively assess students’ ability to identify Signpost clues (Beginning level).


Date:

Passage: Angelique Partner Check

Angelique walked past the moving truck without noticing it at first. It was parked on the street outside her family’s apartment, in between her neighbor’s minivan and an overflowing recycling bin. She tightened her grip on her backpack and walked up the stairs. As she opened the door, she caught a glimpse of the moving truck in the reflection of the building’s front windows and stopped. She sighed. “I guess it’s really happening,” she thought. She slowly made her way into the apartment building, leaving the truck behind for now.

Signpost: Again and Again

Passage: Christine Partner Check

Christine’s mother could not believe her eyes. The kitchen was spotless, the trash had been taken out, and even Gus’s food and water bowls were neatly tucked against the wall. Christina’s mother poked her head into Christine’s room and saw the same thing: everything was put away and organized. She had been asking Christine for weeks to help with the house, but her daughter never did. Week after week, day after day, the house was always a mess. Later, when Christine came home with a big smile, Christine’s mother wondered what had gotten into her.

Signpost: Contrasts and Contradictions



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Remind students to ask questions, predict, and summarize while reading.

Reinforce the importance of asking the right questions for each Signpost.

Elicit Signpost definitions and explain Signpost questions for each Signpost.

Quick Review: Instruct students to cover the chart at the top and match the Signposts and their questions.

Student Application Activity: As time permits, instruct students to write Signpost questions underneath previous pages’ passages.

Formatively assess students’ ability to identify Signpost questions.


Date:

Signposts – What to Ask When We See ThemIt’s important to ask the right question when we notice a Signpost. Follow along as your teacher helps you understand what to ask for each Signpost.

Signpost What Is It? What Do I Ask as I Read?

Contrasts and Contradictions

Aha! Moment

Again and Again

Quick Review Activity: Matching Signpost QuestionsMatch the Signposts with their question(s).

Signposts Questions

Contrasts and Contradictions How might this new idea change things?

Aha! Moment Why might the author bring this up again and again?

Again and AgainWhat is different now? Why would the character act/feel this way? What does the difference mean for the character/setting/plot?

Writing Signpost QuestionsNow, go back to the three passages on pages 26–27. Underneath each passage, write:

1. The question you always ask for this Signpost.

2. The question you would ask for the Signpost in this specific passage.

A strong contrast between how you expect a character to act and feel and what you observe; a clear and unexpected change in setting or plot

A character’s realization that changes that character’s actions or understanding of self, others, or the world

Events and images that are described frequently or words that are used repeatedly in a text

What is different now?Why might the character act/feel this way?What does that difference mean for the character/setting/plot?

How might this new idea change things?

Why might the author bring this up again and again?


Lesson Objectives



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Teacher Input (TIP) – Reinforcing the Strategy 30% (9–14 min.)

Remind students that as you read the example passage about Keisha, you asked yourself specific questions for the Signpost you identified to help you understand the story. Ask students to think about what they learned in Unit 1 and reinforce that good readers stop to ask questions, and predict and summarize while reading, instead of just looking at the words. Tell students that asking the right questions when they see Signposts will help them understand and predict better.

Explain that students will understand the right questions to ask once they practice, but for now they need to know the right questions for each Signpost.

Starting with “Contrasts and Contradictions” at the top of the chart on SRB page 28, elicit a quick summary of the Signpost and instruct students to complete the column “What Is It?” Then explain the questions readers ask when they see that Signpost and add them to your Signposting chart. Instruct students to complete the “What Do I Ask as I Read?” column. Repeat this process for each Signpost. T E

Quick Review Activity: Matching Signpost QuestionsInstruct students to cover the chart at the top of the page with one hand and try to match the listed Signposts to their corresponding question. Then review the answers as a group.

Student Application Activity: Writing Signpost QuestionsTo reinforce students’ association with each Signpost and its associated question, instruct students to go back to the three passages they read earlier. Underneath each passage, have students write the question they always ask for that Signpost and the question they would ask for that specific passage. T

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this exercise is to understand the associated Signposting questions, not necessarily to write down long definitions of the Signposts students just learned. If students show comprehension of the Signposts themselves, focus on the questions rather than writing Signpost definitions.

T Timing: The questions to ask for each Signpost are the priority for this portion of the lesson. You may save time by skipping the “What Is It?” column if you feel students can recognize the Signposts.

E Tip: The definitions given here are thorough for your benefit. Students may write them in their own words if the concept is adequately addressed.



Assess students at the Proficient level for this skill if they are able to identify all three associated Signpost questions.

Add updates to your Formative Assessment Tracking sheets for students whom you have not yet assessed. You may use their reflection on the next page and your observation during the lesson to inform your assessment.

T Timing: If time is short, quickly reinforce/elicit the questions for each Signpost and skip the Student Application Activity: Writing Signpost Questions.

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Identifying Student Success (ISS) – Metacognitive Reflection 10% (3–5 min.)

Elicit from students what they learned today and reinforce the lesson’s objectives:

• I can identify and understand Signposts and their associated questions.


Then use a whole-group confidence check to assess general comfort and confidence with the material:

• Students can raise their hands with a number of fingers out that corresponds with their confidence (“Fist to Five”),

• Students can give you a thumbs-up, thumbs-sideways, or thumbs-down, or

• Students can give you a facial expression that reflects how confident they feel.

Finally, instruct students to complete their reflection for today’s lesson, answering each element of the Reflection sheet with a few words. Complete sentences are acceptable, time permitting, but this is a quick reflection activity, so a few written words for each entry is also acceptable. EWhile students are completing their Reflection sheets, you may use the time to shore up any missing Formative Assessment Tracking in your Assessment binder for this lesson’s two strategy objectives. Add any appropriate comments about your students’ performance to aid in planning subsequent lessons. You can use students’ Reflection sheet responses to inform your assessment by spot checking them or gathering and reviewing them after students leave. You may want to consider the group-wide confidence check when completing your Formative Assessment Tracking as well.

E Tip: Students do not need to write complete sentences in their reflection. Encourage them to use short phrases with specific examples.




Lesson Objectives



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Elicit the lesson’s objectives from students.

Use a whole-group confidence check to assess general comfort and confidence with the material.

Direct students to complete the reflection task.

Complete any remaining Formative Assessment Tracking in your Assessment binder for this lesson’s objectives.


Date:

Reflection – What I Learned TodayAnswer the following in a few words.

Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:

I can use this in my other classes by:

I feel Lost Unsure Okay Sort of Confident Confident

about what I learned.

I still wonder:



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page U2-2• Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices

for Comprehension• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-11: Annotation Symbols• Poster AC-13: Signposting Fiction 2

PreparationPlan to fill in the blank chart on the back of the Signposting Fiction 2 poster (AC-13) during the lesson. Alternatively, create a chart listing each Signpost and creating columns for the definition (What Is It?), clues (Clues), and associated questions (What I Ask Myself). Complete the columns as you review each Signpost during the lesson.

Overview In this lesson students will apply their understanding of Signposts to a fiction text to develop their ability to recognize significant plot and character development in the story.

How It FitsThis lesson continues to build an understanding of the Signposting strategy while developing the annotation skills learned in Unit 1. Students will use Signposting and annotating for fiction in this unit and in all subsequent literary text Content Units.

Teacher Objective Students will understand Signposting signs and their associated questions and will start identifying clues for when to annotate them.

Flexibility RecommendationsThe goal is for students to understand the Signposts, differentiate them, and understand the associated questions to ask. As needed, modify the activities based on your students’ needs to achieve that goal.



Strategy and Comprehension: Signposting Fiction 2

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Formative Assessment TrackingFormative Assessment Binder, pages U2-1 to U2-3


Strategy Objective 1 I can identify and understand Signposts and their associated questions.


define all six Signposts provide associated questions for prompted Signposts

autonomously recall associated questions for a Signpost and

answer them

Teacher: Name a Signpost without looking.

Student: Contrasts and Contradictions

Teacher: Good. When in a story might it come up?

Student: When there is a surprising change in the story.

Teacher: When we see a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost, what do we ask ourselves?

Student: Why would the character act or feel this way? What’s changed?

Teacher: What did you notice in paragraph 2 that is a significant Signpost?

Student: The character realizes the importance of honesty, which is an Aha! Moment. I thought the author might have included this because the character will change her ways.




identify Signpost opportunities in text when prompted









Additional Content Skill (engaged but not necessarily assessed)


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Lesson 2 Overview

Ask: Have you ever used the memory of something to help you?


Ask: How did Erin’s memory help her?

Define and explain Memory Moment.

Ask: Have you ever struggled with a difficult choice?


Ask: Why is this hard for Janella?

Define and explain Tough Questions.

Elicit the first three Signposts from Lesson 1 and direct students to write them down from memory.



Date:

Signposting Fiction 2 List the Signposts from the last class. (Try without peeking!)

Read the passages along with your teacher. Then complete the charts as directed.

Passage 4: Janella could not believe the secret that her friend Melanie had told her: she was planning to skip school to go to a concert. Janella had been Melanie’s best friend forever, but when Melanie asked her to lie to their teacher, Janella didn’t know what to do. Was it better to do the right thing and betray her friend, or do as her friend asked?


Tough Questions

Passage 5: Erin was struggling with the puzzle. She stared at the pieces, but they were so tiny and so similar it was hard to figure out what to do. When she was a child her grandfather always helped her. She remembered sitting in front of the fire and spreading all the pieces out on the oak table in the living room. Then her grandfather would guide her hand to the straight-edged pieces . . . That was it! She should start with the edges of the puzzle and go from there.


Memory Moment

Contrasts and Contradictions Aha! Moment Again and Again

Questions or thoughts a character has that reveal their doubts, fears, or personal struggles

An important memory that the character recalls or relives (as a flashback) that pauses the action of the story

Phrases that express serious doubt or confusion: “Why do I always feel . . . ?” or “How could I ever understand . . . ?”

A pause in the story while a character describes a memory, often with many details, before the story returns to the present events


Lesson Objectives



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Elicit from students what they learned in Lesson 1 (the first three Signposts for reading fiction: Contrasts and Contradictions, Aha! Moment, and Again and Again).

Direct students to list the Signposts from Lesson 1 in their SRBs. Explain that they should try to list them without looking at the SRB pages, the Lesson 1 chart, or the Signposting Fiction 1 poster (AC-12). Briefly review each of these Signposts, eliciting their definitions from students. Then elicit why and how effective readers use them to notice and track important parts of the story.

Explain that today students will learn the other three Signposts and will practice identifying clues and asking questions for these new Signposts. Finally, direct students to the lesson’s objectives for Signposting. Review that Signposting is a method to notice important elements and keep track of them.

Teacher Input (TIP) – Introducing the Strategy 25% (8–12 min.)

Use passages 4 and 5 to introduce and explain two new Signposts and the clues that indicate their presence. For each passage, start by eliciting from students a personal example of the concept for the Signpost: in this case, a challenging question (passage 4) or an important memory (passage 5). Explain how that occurrence reveals significant information.

Then think aloud, reading each passage and identifying the Signpost. Be sure to model active reading, including questioning and stopping after every few sentences to summarize what’s happening. You may use the sample Think-Alouds provided or model with your own. Fill in the chart on the poster or the chart you created as you introduce each Signpost (What Is It?, Clues columns).


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THINK-ALOUD

Model authentically or use the samples below.

Passage 4 I notice that it says Janella could not believe that Melanie was planning to skip school. That’s a strong reaction, so I think it’s important. I ask myself if I learn anything about Janella, and I do: she probably is against skipping school. Janella doesn’t know what to do when Melanie asks her to lie; that sounds like the conflict to me. Then I read the question in the last sentence, and I know this is the conflict for Janella. She must decide what to do in a hard situation. This sort of question is a clear clue for the Tough Questions Signpost. I should ask myself what this question makes me think about: maybe how hard it is to betray a friend? Tough questions often teach us about the conflict or characters in a story.

Passage 5 I see that Erin is struggling with the puzzle. That seems like the conflict, so I wonder how she’ll resolve it. After she struggles, Erin starts to think of a memory. As soon as I see the word “remembered,” I suspect this is a Memory Moment. The author must have put in this memory for a reason, so I ask myself, “Why is this memory important?” In this case, the memory helps Erin figure out how to start working on the puzzle. Memory Moments often give us significant information about characters or plot in a story. Memory Moments often give us significant information about characters or plot in a story.

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Teacher Input (TIP) – Introducing the Strategy continued

Continue the process for passage 6 and the Words of the Wiser Signpost. Elicit from students a personal example of the concept for the Signpost: in this case, advice from an older person. Then explain the connection between the concept of the Signpost and how that reveals significant information.

Use passage 6 to introduce and explain the Signpost. You may use the sample Think-Aloud or model using your own. Be sure to model active reading, including questioning and stopping after every few sentences to summarize what’s happening. Continue completing the Signposting chart.

Quick Review Activity: Signposts Conduct a Quick Review to assess students’ understanding of the Signposts so far. The goal of the Quick Review is to help provide feedback for your instruction and to accommodate the different learning styles of your students. Using the guidelines for Accountable Talk (Poster AC-3), quickly assess your students’ understanding using one of the activities listed below or another activity of your choosing based on time and/or your students’ needs.


Needed

Summarize in a

Sentence

Students write a one-sentence explanation of each Signpost. Less

Quiz, Quiz, Trade

Partners verbally quiz each other on each Signpost, writing their responses in their SRBs. They trade SRBs and mark them with a check or emoji if the responses are correct.

More

Visual Doodles

Students draw a visual representation of each Signpost. Then they trade SRBs and guess what each other’s drawings represent.

Most

THINK-ALOUD


Passage 6 I want to figure out what kind of character Monce is, so when I see words like ran, excited, and finally, I know it’s going to be important to notice how much she cares about her new phone. Monce’s abuela warns her that she needs to be careful with her expensive new phone, and I immediately stop and wonder if that’s important. I know that just like in real life, characters in fiction often learn from older relatives or friends, so this advice seems important. I predict that Monce might break her phone by not following that advice. The last two sentences confirm my prediction.



Use the Quick Review activity responses to assess students’ understanding of each Signpost.

Poor retention?


Comprehension struggle?

Revisit explanations for each passage.

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Quick Review: Use activities to review the three new Signposts and their corresponding clues.

Formatively assess students to see if they can define the Signposts using one of the methods listed or another of your choosing.

Ask: Have you ever gotten good advice from an older person?


Ask: What lesson did Monce learn?

Define and explain Words of the Wiser.


Date:

Passage 6: As soon as she heard the doorbell ring, Monce ran to her bag and excitedly pulled out her new phone. Her friends had arrived, and she could finally show it off. All through middle school, she had begged for a phone, and finally, in 8th grade, her mom had gotten her one. As she sprinted toward the door, she passed her abuela who called out, “You be careful with that! It was very expensive! Are you sure you want to risk breaking or losing it?” “It’s fine!” Monce replied as she headed out the door. Later that evening, Monce returned with tears in her eyes. Her abuela didn’t even need to see the phone to know that something had happened to it.


Words of the Wiser

Quick Review Activity: Signposts As directed by your teacher, explain the three Signposts.

1.

2.

3.

Advice or insight about life that a wiser, often older and more experienced, character shares with a main character

An older character having a personal talk with a main character; advice, questions, or sayings that help the main character

Answers will vary based on chosen activity.



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Student Application Activity: Students do Think-Write-Pair-Share activity. They read the passage, underline clues, and discuss the Signpost. Students check each other’s work when done (Partner Check).

Say: Let’s practice identifying clues.


Ask: How do you think this memory will affect the story?

Elicit how readers identify Signposts (clues).



Date:

Identifying Signpost Clues

For each passage, decide on the best Signpost and underline the clues that you used to decide. Turn back to your Signpost list on page 31 for reference if you need to. Then, check your response with the person next to you. If you both agree, draw a smiley face on your partner’s chart in the Partner Check column. If you don’t agree, check in with your teacher.

Example:

Passage: Ben Partner Check

Ben stopped in his tracks, stunned. The dog in the alley was huge and had no leash or owner that he could see. Ben began to sweat.

Once, back when Ben was in fifth grade, he had been playing tag in the park near his house with a few friends. Late in the afternoon, he noticed a group of rowdy teenagers had pulled up in a car and were loudly coming toward the field. Ben was worried that they might start some trouble, but he tried to stay calm. He told his friends that it was time to go, and they quietly walked toward the other end of the field and went home, without the teenagers ever noticing them.

Signpost: Memory Moment

Now try it with your partner:

Passage: Jaden and Korinne Partner Check

Jaden and Korinne were arguing loudly over the messy table. It was covered in cereal and spilled milk, and the envelopes at the end of the table were soaked. Their mother would be furious when she saw it, and they could not agree on whose fault it was. It was Korinne’s bowl of cereal, but she demanded that Jaden clean it up, because he had been the one pouring the milk. Then Korinne suddenly remembered: That morning, she couldn’t find the cap to the milk and had put it back in the fridge without the cap. She quickly apologized and helped Jaden clean up the mess.

Signpost: Memory Moment


Lesson Objectives



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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Identifying Signpost Clues 30% (9–14 min.)

Elicit from students how they will be able to recognize the Signposts (by identifying clues that correspond with them). Then introduce the activity: students will continue to practice identifying clues for Signposts. Students will read one-paragraph passages that feature one of the six Signposts and, using their Signpost notes in their SRB as well as the Signposting chart, they will underline the clues they identified and write down the Signpost they think is most present.

Student Application Activity: Identifying Signpost CluesFirst, model the task using a Think-Aloud with the example passage. Using active reading, stop to identify and react to clues to indicate that this is a Memory Moment Signpost. Tell students that they will do this activity as a Think-Write-Pair-Share and will be checking with a partner using Accountable Talk. (Refer to Poster AC-3 as needed.)

Explain that after students write down their identified Signpost and underline the appropriate clues, they will check in with their partner. If they agree with their partner, they can move on to the next passage or ask the teacher for help. Reinforce that students must identify the Signpost and clues on their own before discussing with their partner.

Check in as a group after the example passage to confirm understanding and then direct each pair of students to work on the second passage. You may want to check in as a group after students complete this passage to assess their performance, and then direct pairs or small groups to continue identifying the appropriate Signposts using their underlined clues. Circulate among students to assist and assess.

THINK-ALOUD


After reading the first two sentences, I notice that the story is intense so far. Once I read the fourth sentence, I notice that the setting is changing: Ben is remembering back to when he was a fifth grader. The next sentence starts describing his experience back then, so this is a good clue for a Memory Moment Signpost. I know the question I should ask is “Why might this memory be important?” so as I continue to read, I should try to figure that out. As I finish the passage, I notice that, in the memory of his fifth-grade experience, Ben was able to quietly leave without being noticed, so I predict that’s what he’ll do with this dog. The memory helped show what Ben could do to escape.

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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Identifying Signpost Clues continued

Circulate among students and use questions to check progress and understanding. Remind students that they will only benefit if they individually try to find clues before conferring with their partner. Enforce this as you move between pairs of students. Tell them they can refer to their work on previous pages as a reference.

Once students are done, review their responses as a group and instruct them to adjust their answers as needed. This is a good Formative Assessment Check-In point for strategy objective 2, specifically students’ ability to identify clues (Beginning skill level). Record students’ skill level on the Formative Assessment Tracking sheet.



Use the students’ identification of clues to assess if students have demonstrated Beginning level performance for this skill (identifying corresponding clues for provided Signposts).


Direct students to review the clues on the Signposting Fiction 2 poster (AC-13) or their notes.

Instruct students to reread the passage and notice when the advice occurred (Words of the Wiser) or when the character was faced with a challenging question (Tough Questions).


Lesson Objectives



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Review responses.

Formatively assess students’ ability to identify Signpost clues (Beginning level).



Student Application Activity: Students continue the Think-Pair-Write-Share activity. They read each passage, underline clues, and discuss the Signpost. Students check each other’s work when done (Partner Check).


Date:

Passage: Anthony Partner Check

Before leaving for football tryouts, Anthony grabbed a package of snack cakes from the cabinet. His mother saw him and warned, “It’s hot today, and you need real food! You will do better if you take some fruit.” But Anthony shrugged and walked out the door. The tryouts were tough. After the first morning workout, Anthony happily joined the other boys for a snack break. As he unwrapped his cake, he noticed the other boys snacking on carrot sticks and apples. Then it was back to work. Soon, the football coach was yelling for more sprints, and Anthony was struggling. The sun was unbearable, and he felt like his lungs were going to explode if he had to run any more. It seemed like the other boys weren’t as winded, which made Anthony feel even worse.

Signpost: Words of the Wiser

Passage: Dolores Partner Check

The rain drummed against the window and lightning flashed in the distance. Dolores stared at her homework, struggling to focus. “This weather is perfect for scary movies!” she thought. “And I’m stuck doing this dumb math assignment.” Her parents wouldn’t be home from work for a few hours, so she had the place to herself. Yet another perfect reason to watch the latest scary movie all her friends would be talking about tomorrow. She knew her parents would be upset if she hadn’t finished the math by the time they got home, but she did have a few hours. She sighed and looked from the window to her desk, unable to decide. “What should I do . . . ”

Signpost: Tough Questions



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Student Application Activity: As time permits, instruct students to write Signpost questions underneath previous pages’ passages.

Formatively assess students’ ability to identify Signpost questions.

Quick Review: Instruct students to cover the chart at the top and match the Signposts and their questions.

Remind students to ask questions, predict, and summarize while reading. Reinforce the importance of asking the right questions for each Signpost.

Elicit Signpost definitions and explain Signpost questions for each Signpost.


Date:

Signposts – What to Ask When We See ThemIt’s important to ask the right question when we notice a Signpost. Follow along as your teacher helps you understand what to ask for each Signpost.

Signpost What Is It? What Do I Ask as I Read?

Tough Questions

Memory Moment

Words of the Wiser

Quick Review Activity: Matching Signpost QuestionsMatch the Signposts with their question(s).

Signposts Questions

Tough Questions Why might this memory be important?

Memory Moment What does this question make me wonder about the character or the story as a whole?

Words of the Wiser What is the life lesson, and how might this advice affect the character?

Writing Signpost QuestionsNow, go back to the three passages on pages 32–33. Underneath each passage, write:

1. The question you always ask for this Signpost.

2. The question you would ask for the Signpost in this specific passage.

Questions or thoughts a character has that reveal their doubts, fears, or personal struggles

An important memory that the character recalls or relives (as a flashback) that pauses the action of the story

Advice or insight about life that a wiser, often older and more experienced, character shares with a main character

What does this question make me wonder about the character or the story as a whole?

Why might this memory be important?

What is the life lesson, and how might this advice affect the character?


Lesson Objectives



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Teacher Input (TIP) – Reinforcing the Strategy 30% (9–14 min.)

Elicit from students why readers ask specific questions when they notice certain Signposts, and then transition into introducing and explaining the associated questions for the three remaining Signposts.

Starting with “Tough Questions” on the top of the chart on page 34, elicit a quick summary of the Signpost and instruct students to complete the column “What Is It?” Then explain the questions readers ask when they see that Signpost and add them to the Signposting chart. Instruct students to complete the “What Do I Ask as I Read?” column as you discuss. Repeat this process for each Signpost. T E

Quick Review Activity: Matching Signpost QuestionsInstruct students to cover the chart at the top of the page with one hand and try to match the listed Signposts to their corresponding question. Then review the answers as a group.

Student Application Activity: Writing Signpost QuestionsTo reinforce students’ association with each Signpost and its corresponding question, instruct students to go back to the three passages they read earlier. Underneath each passage, have students write the question they always ask for that Signpost and the question they would ask for that specific passage. T

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this exercise is to understand the associated Signposting questions, not necessarily to write down long definitions of the Signposts students just learned. If students show comprehension of the Signposts themselves, focus on the questions rather than writing Signpost definitions.

T Timing: The questions to ask for each Signpost are the priority for this portion of the lesson. You may save time by skipping the “What Is It?” column if you feel students can recognize the Signposts.

E Tip: The definitions given here are thorough for your benefit. Students may write them in their own words if the concept is adequately addressed.



Assess students at the Proficient level for this skill if they are able to identify all three associated Signpost questions.

T Timing: If time is short, quickly reinforce/elicit the questions for each Signpost and skip the Student Application Activity: Writing Signpost Questions.

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• I can identify and understand Signposts and their associated questions.











Lesson Objectives



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Employ a whole-group confidence check to check general comfort and confidence with the material.



Date:


Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:




I still wonder:



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Revie

wU

se th

is p

age

and

the

faci

ng p

age

to p

lan

your

Sig

npos

t rev

iew

as

dire

cted

by

your

teac

her.

Sign

post

Wha

t Is

It?

Clue

sW

hat I

Ask

Mys

elf

Cont

rast

s an

d Co

ntra

dict

ions

Aha

! Mom

ent

Aga

in a

nd

Aga

in

Dat

e:

A s

tron

g co

ntra

st b

etwe

en h

ow

you

expe

ct a

cha

ract

er t

o ac

t an

d fe

el a

nd w

hat

you

obse

rve;

a

clea

r an

d un

expe

cted

cha

nge

in s

etting

or

plot

A c

hara

cter

’s r

ealiz

ation

that

ch

ange

s th

at c

hara

cter

’s

action

s or

und

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anding

of

self,

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rs,

or t

he w

orld

Even

ts a

nd imag

es t

hat

are

desc

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d fr

eque

ntly o

r wo

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that

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use

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edly in

a te

xt

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ignifica

nt c

hang

e in

char

acte

r, s

etting

, or

plot

as

compa

red

to y

our

anno

tation

s or

und

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anding

s; c

ontr

ast

word

s su

ch a

s “u

nexp

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dly”

Phra

ses

that

exp

ress

a s

udde

n idea

, su

ch a

s: “

I kn

ew in

a flas

h .

. .”

, “S

udde

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.”,

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at o

nce,

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od .

. .

”

A w

ord,

con

cept

, or

imag

e re

appe

ars

seve

ral times

in

a te

xt.

A r

epea

ting

wor

d or

co

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t is u

sed

in a

n un

usua

l wa

y.

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t is d

iffe

rent

now

?W

hy m

ight

the

cha

ract

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ct/

feel t

his

way?

Wha

t do

es t

hat

diff

eren

ce

mea

n fo

r th

e ch

arac

ter/

sett

ing/

plot

?

How

might

this

new

idea

ch

ange

thing

s?

Why

might

the

aut

hor

bring

this u

p ag

ain

and

again?


These Review pages in the SRB serve as an optional and open-ended review tool. Direct students to use them as you wish.

Review

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Dat

e:

Sign

post

Wha

t Is

It?

Clue

sW

hat I

Ask

Mys

elf

Toug

h Q

uest

ions

Mem

ory

Mom

ent

Wor

ds o

f th

e W

iser

Que

stions

or

thou

ghts

a

char

acte

r ha

s th

at r

evea

l the

ir

doub

ts,

fear

s, o

r pe

rson

al

stru

ggles

An

impo

rtan

t mem

ory

that

the

ch

arac

ter

reca

lls o

r re

lives

(as

a

flas

hbac

k) t

hat

paus

es t

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action

of

the

stor

y

Adv

ice

or ins

ight

abo

ut life

that

a w

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, of

ten

olde

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d mor

e ex

perien

ced,

cha

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er

shar

es w

ith

a main

char

acte

r

Phra

ses

that

exp

ress

ser

ious

do

ubt

or c

onfu

sion

: “W

hy d

o I

alwa

ys f

eel .

. .?

” or

“How

co

uld

I ev

er u

nder

stan

d . . . ?”

A p

ause

in

the

stor

y wh

ile a

ch

arac

ter

desc

ribe

s a

mem

ory,

of

ten

with

man

y de

tails

, be

fore

the

sto

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etur

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o th

e pr

esen

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ents

An

olde

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arac

ter

having

a

pers

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alk

with

a m

ain

char

acte

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dvice,

que

stions

, or

say

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tha

t he

lp t

he m

ain

char

acte

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Wha

t do

es t

his

ques

tion

mak

e me

wond

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bout

the

cha

ract

er

or t

he s

tory

as

a wh

ole?

Why

might

this

mem

ory

be

impo

rtan

t?

Wha

t is t

he life

less

on,

and

how

might

this

advice

aff

ect

the

char

acte

r?


Rev

iew

33©2021 Unit 2



page U2-3• Vocabulary Notebook• Poster ALMSU2-1: Annotating

Fiction Model – “Having Troy Home” (Page 1)

• Poster ALMSU2-2: Annotating Fiction Model – “Having Troy Home” (Page 2)

• Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices for Comprehension

• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-11: Annotation Symbols• Poster AC-12: Signposting Fiction 1• Poster AC-13: Signposting Fiction 2

PreparationEnsure the “Having Troy Home” (Page 1) and “Having Troy Home” (Page 2) posters (ALMSU2-1 and ALMSU2-2) are up and ready to use.

Overview In this lesson, students will integrate their Signposting skills with annotation. Students will learn to modify the annotation strategy for fiction by incorporating annotations related to plot, characterization, and conflict.

How It FitsIn this final lesson for Unit 2, students have their first opportunity to apply the Signposting strategy and their annotation skills to a core fiction text, which they will continue to practice in subsequent literary text Content Units.

Teacher Objective Students will understand how to modify the annotation strategy for fiction while continuing to use Signposting as a skill.

Flexibility RecommendationsThe goals of this lesson are to integrate the newly introduced Signposting strategy with the general annotation strategy and to practice adjusting annotation for fiction. It is more important to model and practice these skills than it is to assess comprehension of the text; finishing the text is not necessary. Adapt and adjust as you see fit as long as you keep this goal in mind.




Application and Reinforcement: Annotating Fiction

LESSON 3LE

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Lesson 3 Overview






identify Signpost opportunities in text when prompted

autonomously identify and apply Signposts where applicable in the text using associated

questions

Teacher: This is an example of a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost, which helps us notice changes from what we or the characters expect. What clues do you see for this?

Student: It says that the RV was different from what the narrator expected.

Teacher: Based on our discussion of Signposts, how is this description of the RV significant?

Student: This seems like a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost because it’s different from what the narrator expected.


Student: I put a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost next to the part with the RV because it was different from what the narrator expected. I asked what the difference might mean; maybe she doesn’t understand Troy or what he does.

Strategy Objective 2 I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.


annotate characterization and conflict when prompted with a

provided opportunity

identify opportunities for identifying characterization and

conflict when prompted

autonomously identify opportunities for identifying characterization/conflict and annotate them appropriately

Teacher: Here we read that Mina keeps expressing her concern for her homework. What kind of person does that make her? What should we underline as important about Mina and her homework?

Student: She is really into homework. We could write that she’s a hard worker or finds school important and underline that.

Teacher: We learned a good amount about Troy in this paragraph. What do you think was most important? What should be underlined or put in our annotation?

Student: We learned that Troy is nice to Mina and says nice things about her. We could underline “You’re a better student than I ever was” and write that Troy is nice and cares about Mina.


Student: I underlined where Troy said “You’re a better student than I ever was” because it shows that he cares about and is nice to Mina.

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Think-Aloud: Model the 4 P’s of Prediction for the text, including the title, illustration, as well as the second illustration, which appears on Student Resource Book page 41.

Elicit what readers pay attention to in stories.

Explain that fiction annotation focuses on plot, characters, and conflict.


Explain why it matters to notice Signposts in fiction.

Elicit prior work on Signposting and annotation.

Explain that students will incorporate Signposting with annotation for fiction.


1 My whole family buzzed with the news that my brother Troy was coming home. For the past two years he’d been driving his RV across the country—California, New Hampshire, Georgia, and more—working on organic farms. Mom was so relieved she almost cried, and Dad was glad to have his fun-loving stepson home for a while. I missed the big, happy, red-haired teenager who used to spin me until my feet left the ground. I couldn’t wait to have him help me with some schoolwork.

2 What pulled into our driveway was not what I imagined, though. Instead of a fancy RV, in rolled a pickup truck with a camper like a growth on its back, and instead of a teenager, out stepped a wiry man with a beard, dirt-smeared clothes, and skin so freckled it looked painted.

3 “Look at you,” Mom said, hugging him so tightly I couldn’t tell whether she felt joy or concern.

4 Troy looked just as surprised at my appearance. “Don’t you look all grown up, my serious little busy beaver?” he said. It felt like ages since I’d heard that nickname—he made it up when I came home from kindergarten crying because I didn’t have any homework. “I was going to swing you around, but I feel like I should shake your hand instead. Or maybe I should just give you a hug.”

5 “Yep!” I said and went in for a hug. But when he wrapped his arms around me, I blurted, “Man, you smell!” Luckily, Troy laughed, and it sounded just like I remembered.

Having Troy HomeBy Katherine Follett • Illustrated by Alessia Trunfio

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When annotating and summarizing fiction, I look for1.

2.

a.

b.

c.

and

3.

Plot

Characters

Thoughts

Feelings

Actions

Conflict


Lesson Objectives

I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.

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Elicit from students what they learned during Lessons 1 and 2: Signposts and their associated questions. Explain that in this lesson students will be taking their newfound Signposting knowledge and combining it with their annotation skills from Unit 1. Elicit from students that readers annotate and summarize a text as they read to better understand what’s happening, even if that means marking when they have questions or are confused.

Elicit from students what is important to understand when they read a story: what happens (plot), characters, and conflict. Introduce the lesson’s objectives: practicing Signposting and adjusting the annotation method for fiction. Then elicit and explain why it matters to notice Signposts in fiction.

Teacher Input (TIP) – Applying the Strategy 45% (14–21 min.)

Explain to students that while they annotate every text they read in this class, they will focus on different things for different texts. For fiction, they will focus on significant plot events; characterization through characters’ thoughts, feelings, and actions; and conflict. Complete the list on the “Having Troy Home” (Page 1) poster (ALMSU2-1) and direct students to complete the blanks on page 38 in their SRBs as well.

Explain that you will model the process students should always follow, including the 4 P’s of Prediction, but that you are going to add Signposting and annotating for plot, character, and conflict.

First, demonstrate the 4 P’s of Prediction and, using a Think-Aloud like the sample provided or one of your own, preview the story by looking through the entire text, including the title and the illustrations on pages 38 and 41. During the preview, you will lead while students follow along in their texts. Feel free to elicit student predictions if time permits.


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N Vocabulary Notebook: Remind students to have their Vocabulary Notebooks ready for words they find unfamiliar. (possible choices: organic, nylon, conductor, orchestra, extravagantly, fungi, symbiotic, brambles)

THINK-ALOUD


I always like to see how authors use the title to give a clue about the story. Between the title and the pictures, it seems like “Having Troy Home” is about a person coming back home to visit family. I wonder if the main character is the girl in the picture or the person coming back. The fact that the title is about “having” the person back makes it sound like it’s from the girl’s perspective. It looks like the two characters spend time with each other, so one of my questions is about their relationship—I wonder how they know each other or how they get along. I will make sure to look for information about their relationship as I read.

Why It Matters

Ask students to think about a book they read or a movie or show they’ve seen where the plot was really complicated to follow. Explain that looking for Signposts when they read stories outside of class or when they watch movies or shows will help them understand the story better. Discuss movies or shows where there is a strong twist in the plot or in characterization and how this relates to Signposts such as Contrasts and Contradictions or Aha! Moments.

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Model identifying and noting Signposts for Contrasts and Contradictions and Again and Again.

Model summarizing key characterization and conflict, using your annotations to guide your page summary.

Point out opportunities for annotation symbols and underlining; explain how you chose those opportunities.

Think Aloud: Model the annotation and Signposting process.


1 My whole family buzzed with the news that my brother Troy was coming home. For the past two years he’d been driving his RV across the country—California, New Hampshire, Georgia, and more—working on organic farms. Mom was so relieved she almost cried, and Dad was glad to have his fun-loving stepson home for a while. I missed the big, happy, red-haired teenager who used to spin me until my feet left the ground. I couldn’t wait to have him help me with some schoolwork.

2 What pulled into our driveway was not what I imagined, though. Instead of a fancy RV, in rolled a pickup truck with a camper like a growth on its back, and instead of a teenager, out stepped a wiry man with a beard, dirt-smeared clothes, and skin so freckled it looked painted.

3 “Look at you,” Mom said, hugging him so tightly I couldn’t tell whether she felt joy or concern.

4 Troy looked just as surprised at my appearance. “Don’t you look all grown up, my serious little busy beaver?” he said. It felt like ages since I’d heard that nickname—he made it up when I came home from kindergarten crying because I didn’t have any homework. “I was going to swing you around, but I feel like I should shake your hand instead. Or maybe I should just give you a hug.”

5 “Yep!” I said and went in for a hug. But when he wrapped his arms around me, I blurted, “Man, you smell!” Luckily, Troy laughed, and it sounded just like I remembered.

Having Troy HomeBy Katherine Follett • Illustrated by Alessia Trunfio

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2.

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Plot

Characters

Thoughts

Feelings

Actions

Conflict

narrator’s brother Troy came home everyone is excited he’s backnarrator seems into homework seems like narrator/Troy get along

*

! – schoolwork?

Contrasts and Contradictions: The character is surprised at the RV.

Again and Again: Homework! Narrator really into hw


Note: This SRB page is repeated because you will use it to model the active reading/annotation process.

Lesson Objectives


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Teacher Input (TIP) – Applying the Strategy continued

Now that you’ve modeled following the 4 P’s of Prediction, you will model the process of actively reading the text, marking annotations, and identifying Signposts.

With the “Having Troy Home” (Page 1) poster (ALMSU2-1) and dry erase markers, use a Think-Aloud to model actively reading and annotating the text. Be sure to identify why you thought to annotate or identify a Signposting opportunity, and annotate the poster with a dry erase marker when you do. Identify other annotation or Signpost opportunities as you see fit or underline significant excerpts of the story beyond the suggestions shown on page 38.

After modeling the process with students, elicit from them how much you wrote on your text and remind them that it’s important not to annotate too much. Remind students that with practice and through the use of Signposts, they will know what’s important to underline during their annotations.

THINK-ALOUD


(¶1) Ah, so the girl in the picture is the narrator, and the person coming home, Troy, is her brother. I am actively pointing this out so I can see if my prediction was right, and I’m underlining it because it is important. I’m also adding a star, as it’s an essential detail: it’s in the title and it’s the reason for the story.

I know to pay attention to a character’s strong feelings, so I underline that the narrator missed Troy. I am surprised the first thing she thinks is to get homework help, so I mark it with an exclamation point.

(¶2) When I read “not what I imagined,” I suspect this is a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost. She expected a fancy RV, but Troy had a beat-up pickup truck. I know to ask why the character would feel this way; it seems like it’s not as fancy or nice as she thought it would be. I wonder why her expectations were that way. Does this mean that Troy is doing things differently from how she remembers him?

(¶3–4) When the narrator mentions coming home from kindergarten crying, I suspect it might be a Memory Moment, but there isn’t any more description of what happened before. This is the second time that the narrator is described as liking homework though, so I think this is an Again and Again Signpost. I ask why the author might repeat this detail: homework must be really important to the narrator. I’ll be sure to put that in my page summary.

(¶5) I’m glad Troy laughed when he was told he smelled. I know to consider a character’s feelings, so this suggests they have a good relationship.

Okay, it’s time to summarize in short notes what was important. Looking back at my annotations, it seems that the main plot point was the brother Troy coming home, so I will note that briefly. I learned that everyone is happy he’s home, that the narrator is very into homework, and that she and Troy seem to get along.


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Using the “Having Troy Home” (Page 2) poster (ALMSU2-2), continue to use a Think-Aloud to model actively reading and annotating the first few paragraphs on the second page of the story.

This time, however, gradually release responsibility by eliciting opportunities for annotation and Signposting from students rather than telling them. You may start by pointing out these opportunities but asking why they are good points to underline or annotate, then ask students to raise their hands to identify when to annotate once you get through a few more paragraphs. Be sure to elicit the reasoning behind suggested choices and direct students to underline and annotate significant elements of the text.

The Think-Aloud model provides a framework for significant moments to annotate and react to; you do not need to model the entire process unless your students respond poorly to gradually releasing responsibility.

Start by pausing at points of significance and eliciting from students why they might be worth annotating. Although you may not be able to formatively assess all students on this page, you may assess some students at the Beginning skill level for strategy objective 2 if the students can identify the significance of these points when prompted.

If students are able to identify opportunities for annotating characterization, begin asking them to raise their hand when they spot a good opportunity to annotate. Then elicit their thinking when they do so rather than identifying the Signpost yourself.

Finally, elicit from students what should be summarized based on their annotations.

THINK-ALOUD


(¶6–7) When I read that the narrator is concerned about her math, it confirms the Again and Again Signpost I saw on the first page: she really cares about homework.

(¶8–10) Now I know the narrator’s name is Mina. I will star that as an essential detail. In this paragraph, I notice that Troy asks Mina to play, and when she does, Troy applauds wildly, even when Mina messes up. Troy seems very supportive of Mina and treats her kindly. I’ll underline that and put it in my page summary later.

(¶11–15) Again with the homework! I also notice that Troy thinks Mina is a better student than he was.

(¶16 –17) When Mina mentions Troy’s snores, I remember seeing that word before, at the top of the page. This may be an Again and Again moment, so I ask why the author might mention it a lot, but I am not sure at this point. I will keep reading.

(¶18) Ah, Mina is upset with Troy’s behavior. I have been waiting to identify the conflict and this seems like it might fit so I will star it. I am not sure what extravagantly means, so I will add it to my Vocabulary Notebook and put a ?, but I guess it means “loudly.”

(¶19 – 21) I know to pay attention to a character’s feelings and actions. When I read that Mina rolls her eyes, I know she’s frustrated with Troy. The fact that the “lawnmower snore” prevents her from concentrating confirms that this is an Again and Again moment. I ask myself why Troy’s snoring is repeated: it shows the conflict of Mina’s frustration with Troy.

Now I will summarize: For plot, Troy eats and sleeps while Mina focuses on studying. Mina is a good student, into homework and practicing. Troy is supportive of Mina. The conflict seems to be Mina getting frustrated with Troy’s laziness and snoring.

Lesson Objectives


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Direct students to raise their hands if they find an opportunity for annotating important plot, characterization, or conflict details. Continue reading the story, prompting students to respond where appropriate if they don’t raise their hands.

Summarize the text with your students, eliciting useful annotations for the page summary.

Point out opportunities for annotation that students miss; explain how you chose those opportunities or elicit from students why they chose them.

Model the annotation and Signposting process for the first two paragraphs, then elicit more from students as you progress through the text.


6 Troy requested Mom’s chocolate-chip pancakes, ate a stack of seven, and then immediately climbed back into his RV. Two minutes later, loud snores rolled from the vehicle’s windows.

7 I looked at my watch. “It’s seven fifteen,” I said, a little annoyed that he wouldn’t be able to help me with my math tonight.

8 “Leave him be,” Mom said. “He drove all the way from Oregon.” 9 He wasn’t awake when I left for school the next morning, and I half

expected him to be sleeping when I got home. But when I got off the bus, he was enjoying a coffee in the shade of a screen “porch” that unfolded from the back of the RV.

10 “Mina!” he sang, unzipping a screen panel. “Is that a violin? I’d love to hear you play.” The porch smelled like nylon and dirty socks. I was shy about playing for one person, but I ran through the song we rehearsed for orchestra. Troy waved his fingers like a conductor and applauded wildly, even when I messed up.

11 “That was great,” he said. 12 “Well, not great,” I shrugged. “In fact, I should practice this afternoon.” 13 “That’s cool. Then do you want to hang out?” he asked.14 “I’ve got math homework, too, unless you want to help me with that.” 15 “Ha! You’re a better student than I ever was. You could probably teach me

math. No, I don’t think you want my help, busy beaver.” 16 “Oh, well, see you at dinner then,” I said. 17 Every day for three weeks, I would pass by Troy’s snores on my way to

school and come home to find him reading, watching TV, or just staring at the trees. He would join us for dinner, coming to life to cook food and tell stories, and then retire once the dishes were done.

18 “I wish I could lie around all day,” I grumbled, after Troy had yawned extravagantly and shuffled off to his mobile bed.

19 “He’s taking a break,” Mom said. “I’d rather he sleeps in the driveway than work halfway across the country.”

20 “Besides, he’s the only one who polishes off the leftovers,” Dad teased.21 I rolled my eyes. “I have to go finish my homework now.” I went upstairs

but could hardly concentrate with the lawnmower snore coming from the RV outside my window.

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Having Troy Home (continued)

Mina = good student/into homework and practicingTroy = nice/supportive of MinaConflict: Mina doesn’t like Troy’s “laziness”/loud snoring

*

Again and Again: Troy’s snoring bothers Mina.

?

*

39Unit 2 • Lesson 3 39


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Review Signposting choices and page summaries as a group.

Circulate to assist and assess student annotation and Signposting identification.

Progressively question students’ choices and rationales, praising them for effective work.

Formatively assess students on their Signpost identification or annotation for fiction based on their annotations of the text.

Elicit what to annotate for fiction: plot, character, and conflict. Direct students to annotate the page, including identifying Signposts and asking their associated questions.


22 On Saturday morning, I came home from field hockey practice and was surprised to find Troy awake and packing up sandwiches and water bottles. “Are you up for a hike to the old water tower on the ridge?” he asked.

23 “I have reading and decimals to do,” I said.24 “On a Saturday morning?” Troy said. “We’ll be back in plenty of time.”25 I opened my mouth to object, but Mom nudged me, and I agreed. 26 On the trail, Troy hiked fast and didn’t stop. To help distract me from my

burning lungs, I focused on the ropy knots of his calf muscles as they stepped up, and up, and up.

27 “How can you be in such good shape when all you do is sit around?” I panted.

28 Troy roared with laughter. “Four weeks ago, I woke up at 4:30 every morning to lift hay bales out of a truck for three hours.”

29 “It’s hay—how much can it weigh?”30 “About as much as you!” Troy shouted, lifting me so high I thought I’d

tangle in the branches above. I screamed and laughed, suddenly flooded with memories of piggy-back rides.

31 “See that?” he said, setting me down and pointing out an ordinary-looking brown mushroom sprouting between the roots of a tree. “Lots of fungi have symbiotic relationships with trees and can increase their fruit yields by thirty percent.” He took a seat on a large log and handed me a plum.

32 “You seem to know a lot about science,” I said as I bit into the juicy plum. “I didn’t know you liked it.”

33 Troy took a long, slow breath in and out through his nose. 34 “When I was in school, I liked learning about the outdoors and doing

projects that helped people,” he said. “That’s all I cared about. Unlike me, you give everything your full effort. I admire that about you.”

35 “Is that why you went to the farms?” I asked.36 “Yes, but I got burned out moving from farm to farm every few months,

saying goodbye to the friends I’d made and hoping an early frost wouldn’t put me out of work,” he said. “I finally decided it was time to rest and figure out what I want to do next, whether it’s go back to the farms or do something else.”


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Mina/Troy go hiking Mina = puts full effort into thingsTroy deciding what do to Troy = works on what he cares about—

outdoors/helping

*

Contrasts and Contradictions: Mina was wrong about Troy being lazy.

Memory Moment: Mina remembers getting along with Troy.

Tough Questions: Troy must figure out what to do with his life.

?


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Applying the Strategy 40% (12–18 min.)

Explain that students will now get to practice Signposting and annotating by themselves. Tell students that they are to read through page 40 and annotate it. Elicit from students what to focus on when reading fiction: plot, characterization, and conflict. Direct students to underline significant characterization and conflict and mark them with appropriate annotation symbols, including any Signposts they notice.

Remind students that this skill takes practice but will ultimately help them understand what they read much more effectively than simply looking at the words.

As students work, circulate to assist and assess them. Use progressive questioning to elicit students’ choices for annotation and their reasoning for their choices. Encourage and commend them for effective annotation and reasoning.

This is a good opportunity for Formative Assessment tracking. As you see students demonstrate comprehension and use of Signposts or annotation for fiction, mark the appropriate skill performance on your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet in your Assessment binder. Use the Formative Assessment Check-In recommendations to accommodate student performance.

Once most or all students have reached the end of page 40, use a group confidence check to assess areas of concern. As a group, elicit Signposts that students identified and discuss their reasoning in choosing them. Be sure to elicit and reinforce using the Signposts’ associated questions.

Finally, discuss what students put in their page summaries and how they decided what to include. Remind students to include plot, character, and conflict in their summaries.



Use students’ annotations as evidence of their ability to use the Signposting method.


Review the clues on the Signposting Fiction posters (AC-12 and AC-13) or students’ notes.

Reread and notice when the change occurred (Contrasts and Contradictions); what the memory was (Memory Moment); and what question Troy wrestled with (Tough Questions).


Use students’ annotations as evidence of their ability to adjust their annotation for fiction.

Underlining too much?

Remind students that they should only underline what they need to quickly explain the story to a friend.

Missing key events?

Ask students to model their active reading out loud for a few paragraphs. Have them practice looking just for conflict or characterization in a section of the text.


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Applying the Strategy continued

If time permits (considering the need to move to ISS for student reflection when you have 10% of the class time remaining), continue to direct students to work individually. As students work, circulate to assist and assess them and use progressive questioning to elicit students’ choices for annotation and their reasoning for their choices. Encourage and commend them for effective annotation and reasoning.

Continue to gather student responses and check student work for Formative Assessment Tracking. As you see students demonstrate comprehension and the use of Signposts or the annotation strategy for fiction, mark the appropriate skill performance on your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet, especially for any students whom you did not assess on the previous page. Use the Formative Assessment Check-In recommendations on page 43 to accommodate student performance as needed.

Once most or all students have reached the end of SRB page 41, use a group confidence check to assess areas of concern. As a group, elicit Signposts that students identified and discuss their reasoning in choosing them. Be sure to elicit and reinforce using the Signposts’ associated questions.

Finally, discuss what students put in their summaries and how they decided what to include. Remind students to include plot, character, and conflict in their summaries.

TEACHING PURPOSE

This lesson is intended to introduce and practice the annotation strategy for fiction and Signposting. While it is helpful to use SAP time to formatively assess students, it is not worth doing so at the expense of missing out on ISS student reflection. It is more important for you and the students to gauge their comfort and ability with these strategies than it is to finish the text. You will track student growth with these objectives during the next literary text Content Unit your students complete.

Adjust your instruction as necessary with this focus in mind.



Use students’ annotations as evidence of their ability to use the Signposting method.


Use students’ annotations as evidence of their ability to adjust their annotation strategy for fiction.


Lesson Objectives


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Formatively assess students by checking their annotations to assess Signposting and annotating for fiction.

Direct students to annotate the last page of the story, including identifying Signposts and asking their associated questions.


37 I dug the last bits of sweet flesh from the plum pit with my teeth, trying to remember the last time fruit tasted so good.

38 “Now that you’re home, aren’t you getting bored, though? I feel anxious when I don’t have something to do.”

39 Troy shrugged, and we returned to the trail. This time, Troy set a slower pace, pausing to pluck blackberries from trailside brambles. They were even sweeter than the plum.

40 After a while, Troy said, “You know, I guess I am a bit bored, and I feel bad depending on Mom and Randy. But I can’t just go down to EasyBurger and start cooking unhealthy food made from unhealthy animals and grown in unhealthy soil. If I’m going to put in an effort, I ought to be doing good.”

41 As we marched uphill, I thought about what I put my effort into—good grades, violin, field hockey. I liked all those things. But I also made an effort because I was supposed to and because other people depended on me. I was starting to admire how Troy did what mattered to him.

42 Troy stopped and pointed silently. There was a liquid shhhh as a garter snake swam through the leaf litter and disappeared. I suddenly remembered Troy helping me gather plants and study worms and butterflies for my second-grade science fair project. That was something we’d both cared about and worked hard at.

43 When we looked up, I spotted a metallic gleam on the ridge above— the water tower.

44 “See?” Troy said, “We’re a lot closer than you’d think.”45 I knew he was right in another way, too. We were more alike than I had

thought at first.


SUM

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*

*

Memory Moment: Mina remembers something they both care about.

Mina = respects effort from TroyTroy = wants to do right thing

41Unit 2 • Lesson 3 41


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Lesson Objectives















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Employ a whole-group confidence check to check general comfort and confidence with the material.





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Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:




I still wonder:

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Unit OverviewThis Content Unit provides an initial application of strategies for reading fiction. Students will continue applying the Signposting method for fiction and adjusting their annotation strategy to emphasize characterization and conflict. This unit will also introduce fiction content skills: using specific textual evidence in analyzing a fiction text and sequencing significant events in a text effectively by referencing annotation. Students will also engage with figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification, and idiom.

How It FitsPrerequisite: Unit 2—Toolbox: Fiction and Signposting

In Unit 3, students apply the comprehension strategies for fiction from Unit 2 and begin to develop content skills such as using specific textual evidence.

Unit Text OverviewThe text “Sneakers” tells the story of Sam and Izzy, two siblings who start fighting after Sam uses Izzy’s favorite pens without her permission for a fundraising project—creating dog-walking shoes for the local animal shelter to sell. In anger, they play pranks on each other, but Sam soon realizes his pranks are hurtful both to his sister and to himself. In the end, they both apologize and work together on Sam’s project.

Literacy Growth to Expect By the end of this unit, students will have improved their active reading comprehension through the use of the Signposting method for fiction and by annotating their texts. Students will also improve their ability to use specific textual evidence when making analytical claims and improve their ability to sequence significant events in a text through using annotation. Regular use of Accountable Talk while answering higher-order thinking skills questions will help students improve their ability to organize their thoughts and build on the ideas of others.

Lessons at a Glance



Lesson 3: Literary Elements

Lesson 4: Skill Differentiation

Objective 1

Strategy Skill


Strategy Skill


Content Skill

I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.

Strategy Skill

I can determine the meaning of words based on context clues / roots / prefixes / suffixes.

Objective 2

Content Skill

I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

Content Skill

I can sequence the plot of a story.

Content Skill


Varies – Teacher Selected

Unit 3: Textual Evidence and Sequencing in Fiction

LITERARY TEXT

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Unit 3 Overview

Core Strategy Skills• I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.• I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.• I can determine the meaning of words based on context clues / roots / prefixes / suffixes.

Core Content Skills • I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it. • I can sequence the plot of a story.• I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.

Writing Skills• I can write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.• I can record key details from the text and respond to text in writing.• I can use a graphic organizer to record and analyze ideas in the text.

Text: “Sneakers”

Literary Element: Figurative Language

Routines• Annotating the Text

• Signposting Fiction

• Fast-Action Explanations

• Using the Vocabulary Notebook


Academic Vocabularysimile, metaphor, idiom, characterization, sequencing, plot, conflict, climax, exposition

Content Vocabularybreezed, pastime, graphic novelist, batted, disbelief, precious, tidy, prank, sternly, prickled, discarded, protested, outburst, object, relieved, logo

Formative Assessment• Applying the Strategy: Annotating Fiction

• Student Application Activity: Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits

• Student Application Activity: Organize a Sequence or Plot

• Flexible Activity Set: Sequencing the Plot

• Quick Review Activity: Figurative Language

• Student Application Activity: Finding Figurative Language 2

• Student Application Activity: Finding Figurative Language 3

• Student Application Activity: Use Figurative Language to Describe the Story

• Using the Vocabulary Notebook

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Overview In this lesson, students will continue to apply the literacy strategies for fiction: Signposting and annotating for character and conflict by engaging with a new fiction text. Students will also practice using their annotations to identify specific textual support as they continue to refine their comprehension.

How It FitsIn this lesson, students will begin applying Unit 2 comprehension strategies for fiction using the first half of the text. They will also practice using textual support for characterization.

Teacher Objective Students will use comprehension strategies (4 P’s of Prediction, Signposting, and annotation) to fluently read and generally comprehend a story.

Flexibility RecommendationsThe goal is for students to refine their Signposting and annotation skills to help comprehend the story and use specific textual evidence from the story when analyzing it. You may choose to incorporate other activities to achieve this goal, as long as you can formatively assess students’ progress.






pages 44–49 • Formative Assessment Binder,


Fiction Model – “Sneakers” (Page 1)• Poster ALMSU3-2: Annotating

Fiction Model – “Sneakers” (Page 2)• Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices for

Comprehension• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-11: Annotation Symbols• Poster AC-12: Signposting Fiction 1• Poster AC-13: Signposting Fiction 2• Poster AC-14: Fast-Action

Explanations (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning)

PreparationEnsure the “Sneakers” (Page 1) and “Sneakers” (Page 2) posters (ALMSU3-1 and ALMSU3-2) are up and ready to use. If your students used the Unit 2 Review on SRB pages 36–37 to create a poster for Signposting, make sure it is available as a reference for students.

Strategy and Comprehension: Textual Evidence and Sequencing in Fiction

LESSON 1

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Lesson 1 Overview



Strategy Objective I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.



identify Signpost opportunities in text when

prompted









Content Objective I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.


find appropriate evidence for a given assertion or claim

generate an assertion or claim, including identifying

evidence

autonomously generate a claim, including identifying evidence OR generate an inference using evidence

Teacher: Izzy is clearly confident. What evidence in the text supports this?

Student: She comes in with a big smile, which shows she is confident.

Teacher: How would you describe Izzy? Use evidence from the text.

Student: I think Izzy is confident because at the beginning of the story it says she breezes into the room with a big smile.

Teacher: What character information did you put in your page summary?

Student: I wrote that Izzy is confident, based on the fact that she breezes into the room, where Sam and his friends are working, with a big smile.

Additional Strategy Skill (engaged but not necessarily assessed)


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Think-Aloud: Model the 4 P’s of Prediction for the text, including the illustration.

Remind students to add entries to their Vocabulary Notebooks if they hear or see a word they don’t know.

Introduce the lesson’s objectives. Explain that students will be practicing Signposting/annotation and focusing on giving specific evidence to demonstrate comprehension.

Elicit why it matters to give specific evidence.

Elicit prior work on Signposting and annotation.


1 “Hi guys, how are your dog shoes?” Izzy breezed into the living room with a big smile. Her eighth-grade soccer team had won its morning game. Now Saturday afternoon stretched out ahead of her like a lazy river, with plenty of time for her other favorite pastime: art. Izzy hoped to become a graphic novelist. Each weekend she worked on her comic strip for the school newspaper.

2 “Dog-walking shoes,” corrected her 11-year-old brother, Sam. He and his friends Hugo and Ella sat on the floor together coloring white sneakers.

3 Sam had come up with the idea to sell custom-decorated “dog-walking” shoes to raise money for the Main Street Animal Shelter. Izzy admired Sam’s love of animals. She admired his creative fundraising idea too.

4 That is, until she spied the markers they were using.5 “Sam! Who said you could use my pens?” she shouted. Gran had given

Izzy special drawing pens. The collection of a hundred pens came in a shiny chrome bucket that Izzy kept on her desk. She loved them.

6 “You should have asked my permission,” she said angrily, “which I wouldn’t have given you, by the way. Gran gave those pens to me for my art.”

7 A dozen of Izzy’s prized pens were swimming loose in a sea of white sneakers and order forms. The rest stood tall and loyal in their shiny bucket, waiting for Izzy to rescue them.

8 “You weren’t here, so how could I ask?” Sam said. He kept right on coloring. “All our pens ran out of ink. I didn’t think you’d mind,” he added with a shrug.


2.

a.

b.

c.

and

3.

SneakersBy J. H. Diehl • Illustrated by Monika Róża Wiśniewska Part 1

SUM

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Characters

Thoughts

Feelings

Actions

Conflict


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Why It Matters

Elicit from students how they show that they have understood something (they can explain it and give evidence). Elicit how giving evidence can help them with explanations or arguments in any context, even outside of school.


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Elicit from students what was learned in Unit 2: Signposts and how to annotate fiction by looking at characterization and conflict.

Explain that today students will be practicing these skills on a new text to improve their ability to understand what they read and to show their understanding.

Review the lesson’s objectives with students to focus how they will practice their Signposting, annotation, and use of evidence when analyzing the text. Then elicit and explain why it matters to give specific evidence.

Teacher Input (TIP) – Applying the Strategy 25% (8–12 min.)

Remind students that while they annotate every text they read in this class, they will focus on different things for different texts. For fiction, they will focus on significant plot events; characterization through characters’ thoughts, feelings, and actions; and conflict.

Complete the list on the “Sneakers” (Page 1) poster (ALMSU3-1) and direct students to complete the blanks on SRB page 44 as well.

Explain that you will model the process students should always follow when reading fiction, including the 4 P’s of Prediction, Signposting, and looking for character and conflict when annotating.

Remind students that when good readers begin reading a new story, they use the 4 P’s of Prediction—prior knowledge, patterns, pictures, and proving. The first step, prior knowledge, is identifying what they already know about a topic.

Using a Think-Aloud, preview the story by looking through Part 1, including the title and the illustration. During the preview, you will lead while students follow along in their texts.

THINK-ALOUD


The first P of Prediction is prior knowledge. I always like to see how authors use the title to give a clue about the story. Then I’ll use another P: pictures. Between the title and the picture, it seems like “Sneakers” is about a lot of shoes. I wonder why there are so many pens scattered around in the picture. Are they drawing on the shoes? I know that in fiction I want to figure out what the characters are like. The girl and the boy who are talking look like two main characters. The girl seems angry. The boy—maybe her brother?—seems confused.

I am going to use another P: patterns. I notice many lines of dialogue: The characters talk to each other a lot. I predict that the conflict might have to do with them talking to each other or a disagreement.

Using these clues, I predict the girl is mad at the boy because he’s drawing on the sneakers. Maybe they’re her sneakers . . . or maybe she’s mad about something else. As I read, I try to find out why the boy is drawing on the sneakers—if that’s what he’s doing—and why the girl got so mad. I’ll also try to figure out more about both of them.

N Vocabulary Notebook: Remind students to have their Vocabulary Notebooks ready for words they find unfamiliar. (possible choices: breezed, pastime, graphic novelist, batted, disbelief, precious, tidy, prank)

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Model annotating for characterization of Izzy and Sam and the conflict between them.

Model summarizing the key plot points from this page and what you learned about Izzy and Sam. Note your use of annotations as you summarize.

Point out opportunities for annotation symbols and underlining. Explain how you chose those opportunities.

Think-Aloud: Model the annotation and Signposting process.











2.

a.

b.

c.

and

3.


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Sam—decorates shoes/raises money for animal shelterIzzy—angry Sam uses her pens

Izzy = confident, loves artSam = loves animals, creative, careless

?

*

*

Plot

Characters

Thoughts

Feelings

Actions

Conflict


Note: This SRB page is repeated because you will use it to model the active reading / annotation process.

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Now that you’ve modeled following the 4 P’s of Prediction, you will model the process of actively reading the text, marking annotations, and identifying Signposts.

Using the “Sneakers” (Page 1) poster (ALMSU3-1) and dry erase markers, use a Think-Aloud to model actively reading and annotating the text. Be sure to identify why you thought to annotate or identify a Signposting opportunity, and annotate the poster with a dry erase marker when you do so. Identify other annotation or Signpost opportunities as you see fit. You may also underline significant portions of the story beyond the suggestions shown on page 54.

After modeling the process with students, elicit from them how much you wrote on your text and remind them that it’s important not to annotate too much. Remind students that with practice and through the use of Signposts, they will know what’s important to underline during their annotations.


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THINK-ALOUD


(¶1) Hmm . . . I wonder if Izzy is the girl in the picture. She seems happy in this paragraph, but the girl in the picture is angry. I also learned that art is Izzy’s favorite pastime. I’m not sure what that means, so I will write it in my Vocabulary Notebook. I’ll underline that she hoped to become a graphic novelist. If I think about what Izzy is like, I notice the word breezed. That means she walks in quickly and confidently. I’m going to underline the sentence with that word too because I think it means she is confident.

(¶2) OK, this says that Izzy has a younger brother, Sam. Now I’m pretty sure that Sam and Izzy are the main boy and girl in the picture. And I confirmed my prediction that they are coloring the sneakers. I wonder why.

(¶3) Ah, now I know why they are drawing on the sneakers: Sam had the idea to decorate them and sell them as a fundraiser for the animal shelter. I’ll star this as an essential detail. I learned that Sam loves animals and is creative. I will underline those descriptions.

(¶4–6) Oh, Izzy is angry because Sam is using her special pens to draw on the shoes. So, my prediction from the picture that the sneakers were hers was wrong. Instead, the pens were hers. I know I should try to remember to check my predictions as I read. The information about how Izzy loved the pens reinforces how much Izzy cares about art. I’ll underline “special drawing pens” and “loved them.” I will underline and star Izzy saying that Sam should have asked permission and that she wouldn’t have given it. That’s an essential detail, too.

(¶7–8) Uh oh. Sam isn’t paying very much attention to how angry Izzy is. He says he didn’t think she’d mind. I’m going to underline that sentence because it seems like he doesn’t really care that she’s getting angry.

Okay, now to summarize. I don’t think I saw any Signpost opportunities, so I’ll use my annotations. First, Sam came up with the idea

of decorating the sneakers as a fundraiser. Second, Izzy is angry that he used her pens for the project without asking. What do I know so far about the characters? I underlined words that show that Izzy is confident and loves art. I will write those down. I underlined that Sam loves animals and is creative, but I also underlined something he said that made him seem kind of careless. Sam’s use of Izzy’s pens seems like a clear conflict. I will have to keep reading to find out.

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Student Active Participation – Applying the Strategy 30% (9–14 min.)

Using the “Sneakers” (Page 2) poster (ALMSU3-2), continue using a Think-Aloud to model actively reading and annotating the text. As you do, gradually release responsibility: elicit from students what they would choose to underline, annotate, or Signpost, and elicit why.

At first, you should identify that the text is providing a significant detail about the plot, characterization, or conflict, and ask students to identify what they’d underline. As you progress further, direct students to raise their hands to indicate when you’ve read something significant to annotate or Signpost. When they do, discuss their reasoning and annotate or Signpost the poster accordingly. Continue to identify why and how you knew to annotate or Signpost.

The Think-Aloud model provided here reflects opportunities for significant annotation and Signposts. When using this Think-Aloud, look for places where you can gradually release responsibility to the students by asking them questions to elicit the points instead of thinking aloud about them. Identify other annotation or Signposting opportunities as you see fit or underline significant portions of the story beyond the suggestions shown on page 57.

After modeling the process with students, elicit from them how much you wrote on your text and remind them that it’s important not to annotate too much. Remind students that with practice and through the use of Signposts, they will know what’s important to underline, but they have to actively read, question, and write, not just look at the words.

This is a good Formative Assessment Check-In point for the strategy objective. Record students’ skill level on your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet.

THINK-ALOUD


(¶9–10) In these paragraphs I see that the conflict between Izzy and Sam is getting more intense. Izzy is so angry about Sam borrowing her pens, but he didn’t expect her to react this way. I’m going to mark this as a Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost.

(¶11–13) It seems like Hugo and Ella are minor characters, so I guess I don’t need to know that much about them. At the end of paragraph 13, Sam thinks that his friends will never want to work with him again and that Izzy ruined everything. I’m going to underline these sentences because they show how upset Sam is. The conflict is getting worse.

(¶14) Sam really loses his temper here. I’m going to underline the first sentence because I think it shows that Sam is sensitive. Sam felt embarrassed, so he says mean things to make himself feel better.

(¶15) Izzy ignores Sam, even though he said mean things. I’m going to underline that as consistent characterization—the last page showed that she was confident. It seems like she is trying to be grown-up by not getting in a fight.

(¶16–19) Wow. Sam is really getting mad. I’m going to underline “Sam felt his anger gather in him like a thundercloud” because it shows how he’s feeling. The conflict is definitely escalating. And now, both siblings are planning to get back at each other. I will underline the sentences about that, too, because it is important to the plot. I’m also going to underline the text about Mom’s character: good sense of humor but strict.

Okay, it’s time to summarize in short notes what was important. Looking back at my annotations, I see that the conflict got more intense. My Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost showed where Izzy reacted in an unexpected way—not at all caring. Sam’s reaction showed that he was sensitive—he got really upset and said mean things to Izzy. The conflict kept getting worse; Sam kicked the pen bucket and slammed his door. But then both siblings decided to try to get back at each other. I learned that Izzy is not as grown-up as I thought.



Use student annotations, including page summaries, to assess their ability with Signposting.


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Formatively assess students on the Signposting strategy either through answered questions or their annotation. Elicit more Signposting opportunities and reasoning if students are performing well.

Elicit what to summarize (plot, conflict between Izzy and Sam getting worse, and characterization of Sam, Izzy, and Mom).

Point out and elicit opportunities for annotation and Signposting. Elicit how those opportunities can be identified as important.

Think-Aloud: Model the annotation and Signposting process, but elicit significant annotation and Signposting from students.


9 “Didn’t think I’d mind?” She laughed like she’d just heard the biggest lie ever. “That’s why you conveniently stole them while I was gone.”

10 Sam glared at Izzy. “No one stole your pens,” he said, his voice rising. “We’re supposed to deliver sixteen pairs of shoes next weekend. We didn’t want to lose time. See?” He held up the shoe he had been working on, right in front of Izzy. She batted it away.

11 “Hey, why don’t we stop for now?” said Hugo, looking awkwardly at Sam.12 “Yeah, we can come back next week,” agreed Ella. They quickly left.13 Sam stared at the half-finished sneakers in disbelief. He had been having

fun with his friends, laughing and coloring. Now they would never want to work on a project with him again. Izzy had ruined everything.

14 “You’re so selfish!” Sam shouted. “You don’t care about the animals in the shelter. You don’t care about my friends. All you care about is yourself. Myyyy pens are soooo special because I’m soooo talented. Every pen I have is precious. Every line I draw is genius,” he said, mocking her voice.

15 Izzy ignored him. She swooped in to collect the loose pens.16 Watching her, Sam felt his anger gather in him like a thundercloud. When

Izzy started fitting pens back into the bucket, Sam kicked it out from under her hand. Then he ran down the hall to his bedroom and slammed the door. I’ll get Izzy back for this, Sam told himself. I just need a plan.

17 Izzy, meanwhile, had similar thoughts as she gathered up the scattered pens. She’d show Sam what happens when he borrows her things without asking! She shoved two pairs of the white sneakers under the couch. Wait till Mom finds these, she thought.

18 Mom had a good sense of humor, but she was strict about keeping the apartment tidy. Her rule was that Izzy and Sam could keep their bedrooms however messy they wanted. But the living room, kitchen, and patio had to be clean. Izzy knew Sam would clean up before Mom got home from her errands. But he always did just enough to stay out of trouble. He would never look under the couch. Mom would.

19 With her prank ready, Izzy decided to color her comic strip while she waited for Mom to return. She worked at the kitchen table, her favorite place to draw. After a while, she returned her pens to her bedroom desk, grabbed her sketch pad and pencils, and went out to the patio to sketch.

SUM

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Sneakers (continued)

Conflict worse both plan revenge

Contrasts and Contradictions: Sam didn’t expect Izzy to react this way.

*

Sam = sensitiveIzzy = clever and maybe not grown-upMom = fun but strict



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Confidence-check students’ comfort with Fast-Action Explanations (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning).

Review using the Fast-Action Explanation Refresher if necessary.

Read/elicit instructions and introduce the activity.

Think-Aloud: Model evaluating Mom’s character using the circled character traits and found evidence to make a Fast-Action Explanation about the character.

Reinforce using annotation to make it easier to analyze the text. Elicit the importance of the objective: giving evidence from the text.


Date:

Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify TraitsFor each character, circle an appropriate character trait under Character Trait 1. Then give evidence for that trait from the text based on your notes. Repeat for Character Trait 2. Finally, write Fast-Action Explanations describing the character with the evidence you’ve found.

Example:

Mom

Character Trait 1:

confident boring sensitive

fun nervous friendly

energetic creative calm

careless strict clever

Character Trait 2:





Evidence from the text: Izzy thought “Mom had a good sense of humor.”

Evidence from the text: Izzy thought that Mom was “strict about keeping the apartment tidy.”

Fast-Action Explanation about Mom:

Sam and Izzy’s mom is fun. In the story, Izzy thinks about how her mom has a good sense of humor. This shows she can be fun because someone with a good sense of humor likes to joke and is fun to be around.

Fast-Action Explanation Refresher:

A Claim is:

Evidence is:

Reasoning is:

My teacher is helpful. (_______________) She told us that “improving at Signposting will take

some practice” (_______________) as a reminder. Giving us these reminders is helpful because

sometimes it is challenging to read and annotate. (_______________)

Claim Evidence

Reasoning

reasoning

evidence

claim

a statement that can be argued (not a fact)

information that supports a statement or gives proof

an explanation of how the evidence supports the claim


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Characterizing with Specific Evidence 30% (9–14 min.)

Explain to students that making claims about the text is much easier with annotations to guide them, and that with practice they will not only understand the text but be able to prove their understanding. Elicit from students which of the lesson’s objectives has to do with proving their understanding: using evidence from the text. Explain to students that they will practice giving evidence from the text in the following activity.

Student Application Activity: Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify TraitsHave a student read the directions at the top of the SRB page and reinforce the importance of understanding characters in the story. If necessary, clarify the directions by telling students they will be creating character ID cards to show what the characters are like using specific quotes from the text as evidence.

First, model the task using a Think-Aloud for the example character, Sam and Izzy’s mother. Be sure to explain how you use a specific quote from the text as evidence to support her characterization.

Then elicit from students how to make Fast-Action Explanations, which they learned in Unit 1. Students should respond that a Fast-Action Explanation uses the structure of Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (C-E-R) to make a strong explanation quickly. Have students identify the claim, evidence, and reasoning in the example sentences about Sam and Izzy’s mother.

Do a quick confidence check or formative assessment to see if students need a refresher on Fast-Action Explanations. If so, walk through the Fast-Action Explanation Refresher at the bottom of the SRB page. Confirm the definition of the terms claim, evidence, and reasoning, and then ask students to identify each in the sentences. T

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this activity is to assess the use of specific evidence from the text, not necessarily characterization. Use students’ selected evidence and Fast-Action Explanations to assess their use of evidence.

THINK-ALOUD

Model authentically or use the sample below.I can quickly look at my underlined annotations and page summary to help find evidence when describing characters. If I look at the end of the second page of the story, I see a few details about Sam and Izzy’s mother. I underlined that she had a good sense of humor but was strict about keeping the house clean. I’m going to select fun and strict for the mother and put that description for the evidence. Now I can put it together in a Fast-Action Explanation. The claim is that Sam and Izzy’s mom is fun, the evidence is that Izzy thinks about how their mom has a good sense of humor, and the reasoning is that someone with a good sense of humor likes to joke and is probably fun to be around.

T Timing: If students are confident with Fast-Action Explanations (C-E-R), then you can skip the refresher and move on to student practice on the next SRB page.

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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Characterizing with Specific Evidence continued

Direct students to complete the characterization activity as modeled for Izzy (SRB page 47) and Sam (SRB page 48). Students should select an appropriate trait and use evidence from the text, which they should try to find using their annotations.

Circulate to assist and use progressive questioning to formatively assess student comprehension and performance. If students need to be prompted with the character trait and to find the evidence, they may demonstrate Beginning skill level. Elicit from students both their identified character trait and the evidence they found to support their chosen character trait to assess if students can demonstrate this skill at a Proficient level. EYou may choose to review student responses after they complete the first Character ID card activity or after they complete both. If students are struggling, it will be more helpful to review after the first activity.

E Tip: Students may struggle with the Fast-Action Explanations. Help them by focusing on each part separately: claim, evidence, and reasoning. Typically, reasoning is the hardest for adolescent learners. Assist students in generating “because” statements to help with reasoning and note that reasoning does not need to be in a separate sentence, as in the refresher example.

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Assist students in generating Fast-Action Explanations using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning format.


Ensure students use annotations to find evidence.

With questions, prompt students to characterize Izzy using evidence they find from the text.

Student Application Activity: Students choose appropriate character traits for Izzy and provide specific textual evidence (quotes) using their annotations.


Date:

Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits continued

Izzy

Character Trait 1:





Character Trait 2:





Evidence from the text: Evidence from the text:

Fast-Action Explanations about Izzy:

1. Izzy is (claim). In the story, it says that

(evidence),

which supports that she is (reasoning).

2. Write your own Fast-Action Explanation about Izzy using Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning:

Izzy is creative. In the story, it says she hoped to become a graphic novelist and she loved her drawing pens. She is creative because people who love to do art are usually very creative.

Possible answers: Izzy “hoped to become a graphic novelist.”She “loved” her “special drawing pens.”

Possible answers:

Possible answers: At the beginning of the story Izzy “breezed” into the living room “with a big smile.”orWhen Sam says mean things to her, Izzy “ignored him.”

confident she “breezed into the living

room with a big smile”

confident because she feels good about herself



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Assist students in generating Fast-Action Explanations in the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning format.

Review responses.


With questions, prompt students to characterize Sam using evidence they find from the text.

Formatively assess students on this lesson’s content objective using the Formative Assessment Tracking sheet.

Student Application Activity continued


Date:


Sam

Character Trait 1:





Character Trait 2:





Evidence from the text: Evidence from the text:

Fast-Action Explanations about Sam:

1. Sam is (claim). In the story, it says that

(evidence),

which supports that he is (trait) because

(reasoning).

2. Write your own Fast-Action Explanation about Sam using Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning:

Sam is careless. When Izzy gets angry about the pens, he keeps coloring and tells her “I didn’t think you’d mind.” That supports that he is careless because he isn’t paying attention to how his sister feels.

When Izzy gets mad at Sam, he tells her “I didn’t think you’d mind” and keeps coloring.orIzzy thinks Sam cleans “just enough to stay out of trouble.”

Possible answers: When Sam feels embarrassed, he shouts, “You’re so selfish!” and “All you care about is yourself.”

sensitive

sensitive

after his friends leave

he got angry and

when Izzy gets mad, he shouts “You’re so selfish!” at Izzy

embarrassed and says mean things to make himself feel better

Possible answers:


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Characterizing with Specific Evidence continued

Direct students to continue characterization work with Sam’s Character ID Card.

Continue to circulate, using progressive questioning to formatively assess student comprehension and performance. If students need to be prompted with the character trait and to find the evidence, they may demonstrate Beginning skill level. Elicit from students both their identified character trait and the evidence they found to support their chosen character trait to assess if students can demonstrate this skill at a Proficient level. EThis is a good Formative Assessment Check-In point for the content objective. Record students’ skill level for identifying and using specific textual evidence on your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet. Do this before reviewing as a class for more authentic assessment of individual performance.

Finally, review responses as a group and elicit from students their rationale for the evidence and traits they chose. Discuss students’ Fast-Action Explanations.

Additional Activities If time permits, or if students would benefit from additional review, you may choose to have students complete one of the activities listed below.


Needed

Fast-Action Explanations

Review

Students partner up and share their Fast-Action Explanations. Each student will identify the claim, evidence, and reasoning for their partner’s Fast-Action Explanation (#2 on SRB page).

Less

Evidence Practice

Students make claims about literary elements from the story. Others find evidence from the text to support the claims.

More


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E Tip: Elicit from students how their chosen evidence supports their identified character trait to reinforce higher-order thinking skills.



Use student entries under “Evidence from the text” and their Fast-Action Explanations to assess this objective.

Trouble identifying traits or finding evidence?

Refer students to their page summaries and/or direct them to reread if necessary.


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Finally, instruct students to complete their reflection for today’s lesson, answering each element of the Reflection sheet with a few words. Complete sentences are acceptable, time permitting, but this is a quick reflection activity, so a few written words for each entry is also acceptable. EWhile students are completing their Reflection sheets, you may use the time to shore up any missing Formative Assessment Tracking in your Assessment binder for the lesson’s two objectives. Add any appropriate comments about your students’ performance to aid in planning subsequent lessons. You can use students’ Reflection sheet responses to inform your assessment by spot checking them or gathering and reviewing them after students leave. You may want to consider the group-wide confidence check when completing your Formative Assessment Tracking as well.


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Date:


Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:




I still wonder:



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Application and Reinforcement: Textual Evidence and Sequencing in Fiction


pages 50–57 • Formative Assessment Binder,


Fiction Model – “Sneakers” (Page 1)• Poster ALMSU3-2: Annotating

Fiction Model – “Sneakers” (Page 2)• Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices for

Comprehension• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-11: Annotation Symbols• Poster AC-12: Signposting Fiction 1• Poster AC-13: Signposting Fiction 2• Poster AC-14: Fast-Action


• Notecards for plot sequencing (optional)

PreparationEnsure the ”Sneakers” (Page 1) and “Sneakers” (Page 2) posters (ALMSU3-1 and ALMSU3-2) are up and ready to use. If your students used the Unit 2 Review on SRB pages 36–37 to create a poster for Signposting, make sure it is available as a reference for students.

If you choose to use the Option 4 activity on page 76 (sequencing significant events using notecards), prepare the notecards before class by writing the significant events on them, one event per notecard.

Overview In this lesson, students will continue to apply the literacy strategies for fiction: Signposting and annotating for character and conflict by engaging with a new fiction text. Students will also practice using their annotations to sequence significant plot events and demonstrate reading comprehension.

How It FitsStudents continue to apply their comprehension strategies to the second half of the text. You can now begin to assess students’ ability to focus their annotation on elements of fiction.

Teacher Objective Students will use comprehension strategies (QAR questioning, Signposting, and annotation) to fluently read and generally comprehend a story, tracking significant events.

Flexibility RecommendationsThe goal is for students to refine their Signposting and annotation skills to help comprehend the story and sequence significant plot events in the correct order using their annotations. You may choose to incorporate other activities to achieve this goal, as long as you can formatively assess students’ progress. You will also be choosing an appropriate SAP activity in this lesson based on student performance.





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Lesson 2 Overview



Strategy Objective I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.


annotate characterization and conflict when prompted with a

provided opportunity

identify opportunities for identifying characterization and

conflict when prompted

autonomously identify opportunities for identifying characterization/conflict and annotate them appropriately

Teacher: Here we read that Kiran says, “I told you, I know the way.” Why would we want to keep track of how Kiran is acting for our summary?

Student: It shows us what Kiran is like as a character.

Teacher: What in the last paragraph is significant for us to annotate?

Student: The characters are lost, which is the conflict we were looking for.


Student: I underlined Kiran’s comments, which show she is confident. I will put that in my page summary.

Content Objective I can sequence the plot of a story.


sequence a group of provided plot events correctly

sequence all significant plot events correctly

sequence all significant plot events correctly with

identified evidence

Teacher: Put these important events from the first half of the story in the correct order.

Student: First, Sam and his friends were coloring sneakers. Then Izzy got mad because they were using her special pens. Then Sam’s friends left, and then he got really mad and shouted at Izzy. Then Sam and Izzy both planned to get back at each other.

Teacher: List the important events in the story.

Student: First, Izzy found out that her brother Sam was using her special pens to color sneakers for a fundraising project. Next, they got mad at each other and tried to get each other in trouble with pranks. Finally, Sam and Izzy both apologized, and Izzy helped draw on the sneakers for the project.

Teacher: What did you put in your page summary?

Student: [same as Proficient response but with textual support for each significant event]

Additional Strategy and Content Skills (engaged but not necessarily assessed)



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Introduce the lesson’s objectives. Explain lesson focus on sequencing: using annotation to track/order important events.

Elicit why it matters to put things in an accurate order.

Elicit students’ knowledge of Part 1.

Student Application Activity: Students sequence important events.

Think-Aloud: Model generating the sample answers for the first important event.

Direct students to choose/note three more important events, using their Signposts and page summaries.

Direct students to predict what they think will happen in Part 2 of the text.

Formatively assess students’ sequencing skill to help in your planning.


Date:

Sneakers – Part 2What I remember about Part 1:

Organize a Sequence or PlotUsing your annotation and page summaries, create a quick timeline for Part 1 of the story. Include how the characters act or think during those events.

FirstWhat happened was:Sam and his friends are coloring sneakers for a fundraiser.

The characters:Izzy: confident, loves art, admires some things about SamSam: loves animals, creative

Then

What happened was: The characters:

Next


After


In Part 2, I predict that:

Answers will vary.

Answers will vary.

Izzy gets mad that Sam is using her pens without asking.

Izzy: angry because pens are special and she uses them for her artSam: doesn’t seem to care about Izzy’s feelings

Sam’s friends leave and he shouts mean things at Izzy.

Izzy: ignores SamSam: feels very angry

Sam and Izzy both decide to get back at each other.

Sam: thinking of a planIzzy: has changed from admiring Sam to wanting to get him in trouble

Possible answers:


Lesson Objectives

I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.I can sequence the plot of a story.

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Elicit students to recall what they read in Part 1 of “Sneakers,” and direct them to list what they remember at the top of the SRB page. Explain that you will be finishing the story to continue practicing annotation and Signposting, but you are also practicing a new skill: sequencing, which means putting the important parts of the story in the correct order. Direct students to the lesson’s two objectives: Signposting and sequencing. Then elicit and explain when and why it matters to put things in an accurate order.

Student Application Activity: Organize a Sequence or Plot Tell students that they will be sequencing the important events from Part 1 of “Sneakers” using their annotations and summaries from the previous lesson.

Explain that good annotation makes keeping track of events in the story much easier, especially when a reader uses Signposts to notice the important events. Good readers have already written summaries on each page of the story, so they can quickly tell a short version of what happened.

Remind students that they can also use anything they marked with a star or underline to decide which events are important. Explain that they will become better able to choose what’s important with practice, but it helps to consider only things that change the conflict or change the characters.

Use a Think-Aloud to model choosing the first event shown on the sequencing graphic organizer on the SRB page. Then, direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to choose three other main events from Part 1, briefly list them, and quickly note in the right-hand column how the characters acted or changed. When students are finished, they should write a quick prediction for the second half of the story using a Fast-Action Explanation (C-E-R). E


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THINK-ALOUD


Looking back at my annotations on the first page of the story, I put a star next to the fact that Sam and his friends were coloring sneakers as a fundraiser for the animal shelter, because that was an essential detail that set up the plot of the story. I put that in my list of important events. I also saw early on that Izzy was confident, loved art, and admired some things about Sam; Sam loved animals and seemed careless.

E Tip: Complete sentences are not required for the sequencing graphic organizer; students are demonstrating their sequencing ability.



Use student entries in the sequencing graphic organizer to assess their ability to sequence the plot. It is okay if their entries differ slightly as long as they include important events in the correct order.

You may not get enough information from this initial sequencing practice activity to add to your tracking sheet, but your assessment will help inform which sequencing activity you choose later in the lesson.


Why It Matters

Elicit examples of situations where students have needed to list events in the correct order. Ask them what the result would have been if they got the sequence wrong—for example, if they were telling someone how to complete a task, would the person have been able to do it? If they were telling a story, would their listeners have been confused?

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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Applying the Strategy 35% (11–16 min.)

Explain that students will now continue to read the story to practice Signposting and annotating by themselves. Elicit from students the focus when reading fiction: plot, characterization, and conflict. Direct students to underline text that shows significant characterization and conflict and mark it with the appropriate annotation symbols, including any Signposts they notice. Remind them again that this skill takes practice but will ultimately help them understand what they read much more effectively than simply looking at the words.

As students work, circulate to assist and assess them. Use progressive questioning to elicit students’ choices for annotation and the reasoning for their choices. Encourage and commend them for effective annotation and/or reasoning.

This SRB page and the following two SRB pages are good opportunities for Formative Assessment Tracking. As you see students demonstrate comprehension and effective annotation, mark the appropriate skill performance on your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet. Use the Formative Assessment Check-In recommendations to react to student performance.

Once most or all students have reached the end of the page, use a group confidence check to assess areas of concern. As a group, elicit any Signposts students identified and discuss their reasoning in choosing them. Be sure to elicit and reinforce using the appropriate Signposting questions.

Finally, discuss what students wrote in their page summary and how they decided what to include. Remind students to include plot, character, and conflict in their page summaries.



Ask students to explain what they underlined for characterization and conflict and check their annotations, including page summaries, to assess this skill.

Trouble identifying instances of characterization or conflict?

Tell students to reread and focus on what kind of person would act like one of the characters.

Direct students to read and notice when they feel an increase in intensity. This is usually related to the conflict.

Note: Based on your students’ needs, if you feel it would be more useful to track Signposting instead of Annotation, you can use a generic Formative Assessment Tracking sheet to record your assessment. (Generic sheets are at the end of the Formative Assessment Binder.)


Lesson Objectives


N Vocabulary Notebook: Remind students to have their Vocabulary Notebooks ready for words they find unfamiliar. (possible choices: sternly, prickled, discarded, protested, outburst, object, relieved, logo)

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Elicit students’ choices and rationales, praising them for effective work.

Add to Formative Assessment Tracking as possible.



Sneakers Part 2

20 Sam heard the patio door slide open and shut, so he knew Izzy had moved outside. Now he had his chance. Like Izzy, he knew how messes annoyed Mom, and he was ready to put his plan into action.

21 Sam snuck into Izzy’s room. Her precious pens stood ready for her next drawing. He grabbed a handful, hurried to the kitchen, and dropped them under the chair where Izzy always sat. That didn’t feel like enough, though. What if Izzy noticed the pens before Mom did?

22 Sam glanced out the window. Izzy was lost in her sketching, so he still had time. He picked up the pens, broke the tips off, recapped them, and tossed them back under her chair. Then he buried the tips in the trash.

23 That evening, Mom pointed toward Izzy’s chair. “You forgot to put your pens away,” she said sternly. “Also, Sam, I told you to store these in your room.” She held up two pairs of sneakers. “Let’s work on being tidier!”

24 Neither sibling caught on. Each was delighted to have pranked the other.25 The next day, Sam snuck three more pens under Izzy’s kitchen chair. He

started to break the pen tips off too. But then he didn’t. A bad feeling prickled his skin—a feeling that he was doing something wrong that he couldn’t undo. Instead, he grabbed a few of Izzy’s discarded drawings from the trash and set them on top of the pens.

26 Sam hoped the mess would get Izzy into trouble again. He didn’t have to wait long.

27 “Two days in a row, Izzy!” Mom said when she found the pens and drawings. She was not pleased. “You’ll be cleaning this whole apartment if this happens again.”

28 “But I’m sure I put everything away,” Izzy protested, confused. 29 Sam’s guilty feelings didn’t stop him from planning more pranks. A little

while later, he snuck into Izzy’s room and tossed three pens into her closet. Yet again, that didn’t feel like enough. He was about to toss in three more, when Izzy walked in and caught him.

30 “Uh . . . these were on the kitchen floor,” he lied, holding out the pens. “I was putting them back for you.”

31 “Hmm,” said Izzy. “Really? Thanks.” Since when does Sam pick up after me? she thought.

SUM

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*

?

Again and Again: Sam keeps using Izzy’s pens in the pranks (because he knows how important they are to her?)Contrasts and Contradictions: Sam was delighted the previous day, but now he is starting to feel bad.

Sam and Izzy prank each other/Mom gets mad/Sam starts to feel bad/Sam pretends to be helping Izzy



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32 Sam went to his room and flopped on his bed. He thought he’d fooled her—until he discovered a ball of white shoelaces, tangled like spaghetti, lying on his pillow. Then he panicked. Izzy must be pranking me back, he thought. How long before she figures out that I wrecked her pens?

33 Sam decided to say nothing about the laces. He couldn’t afford to get in an argument over pranks and have Mom find out about the broken pens. Not if he wanted to borrow money from Mom to buy extra markers this week. Not if he wanted to deliver the shoes on time—and make money for the shelter.

34 Sam sighed. Helping dogs and cats was the reason he had borrowed Izzy’s pens in the first place. He couldn’t miss the delivery and let the shelter down. He was done with pranking.

35 But Izzy wasn’t. She waited in her room, expecting at any moment to hear an outburst from Sam. A minute passed. Nothing. Then she heard Sam leave his room and walk down the hall. Why didn’t he get mad about the laces? she wondered. She’d have to try again.

36 Izzy snuck into Sam’s room and slipped on a pair of the sneakers. She was sure that Sam would be angry if he saw her wearing them. Then she grabbed her bucket of pens and joined him in the living room. She placed the pens on the coffee table and put her feet up, right in his view. Sam kept his eyes on the video game he was playing. He’s just pretending not to notice, she thought. So, she took a pen, leaned forward, and drew a picture of Del, the dog from her comic strip, on the left sneaker.

37 “Hey!” Sam started to object.38 “Just tell me where they are,” interrupted Izzy. “I know you took three.

I counted.” 39 “Izzy, . . .” Sam began. He paused and tried again. “Izzy, I did something

really bad.” He told her about the broken tips. 40 “You broke my pens!” Izzy yelled.41 “I promise I’ll buy replacements when I get some money from my leaf-

raking jobs,” Sam said. “I’ll buy you a whole new set if I have to. I’m sorry, Izzy.”

42 Izzy sighed. Sam wasn’t mean, and he knew how much she loved those pens. She must have really hurt his feelings when Hugo and Ella were here.

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Tough Questions: Sam starts to think about why he should stop.

Aha! Moment: Sam realizes he has to stop pranking.

Aha! Moment: Izzy realizes how upset Sam was after she yelled at him.

*

*

Sam decides not to complain/realizes he needs to stop pranking/confesses to breaking Izzy’s pens Izzy realizes she hurt Sam’s feelings


Lesson Objectives


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Continue to circulate, assisting and assessing students. Use progressive questioning to elicit students’ choices for annotation and the reasoning for their choices. Encourage and commend them for effective annotation and reasoning.

During Formative Assessment Tracking on this page, try to identify skill performance for students you did not check on the previous page. As you see students demonstrate comprehension and effective annotation, mark the appropriate skill performance on your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet. Use the Formative Assessment Check-In recommendations to accommodate student performance as needed.

Once most or all students have reached the end of the page, use a group confidence check to assess areas of concern. As a group, elicit any Signposts students identified and discuss their reasoning in choosing them. Be sure to elicit and reinforce using the appropriate Signposting questions.

Finally, discuss what students put in their page summaries and how they decided what to include. Remind students to include plot, character, and conflict in their page summaries.


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Trouble identifying instances of characterization and conflict?





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For this last page of the story, continue to circulate, assisting and assessing students. Use progressive questioning to elicit students’ choices for annotation and then the reasoning for their choices. Encourage and commend them for effective annotation and reasoning.

If necessary, add to your Formative Assessment Tracking for any students you did not check on the previous two pages. Use the Formative Assessment Check-In recommendations to accommodate student performance as needed.

As a group, elicit Signposts students identified and discuss their reasoning in choosing them. Be sure to elicit and reinforce using the appropriate Signposting questions.

Finally, discuss what students put in their page summaries and how they decided what to include. Remind students to include plot, character, and conflict in their page summaries. T

T Timing: If time is short (you should be about halfway through the lesson at this point), you can review either students’ Signposts or their page summaries rather than both.

If students are not finished, elicit what they would have summarized so far and confirm the story’s resolution.









Lesson Objectives


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43 “I never had such nice pens before,” Izzy said slowly. “But you’re right. They can be replaced. I’m sorry I lost my temper. I wish I hadn’t yelled at you in front of your friends. And I’m sorry I drew Del on your sneaker.”

44 Sam looked at Del’s floppy ears and round eyes. Izzy always made Del look so cool.

45 “Thanks,” Sam said, relieved. “But I’m not sorry about Del. I’d love it if you’d draw him on every pair. He’d make a great logo.”

46 Izzy smiled. “I’ll do that. And it’s okay if you use my pens on the sneakers. Just ask next time.”

47 When Hugo and Ella returned on Tuesday after school, the four kids worked together. Izzy drew Del on every pair of sneakers. That weekend, Sam delivered them—on time. Everyone loved the logo, and Sam soon had orders for twenty more pairs.

SUM

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*

*

Izzy apologizes/Izzy works with Sam and his friends on the sneakers/Sam gets more orders for shoesconflict b/w them is over



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Flexible Options

Flexible Activity SetBased on student performance in this lesson (as demonstrated during Formative Assessment Check-Ins) and in previous lessons, use the chart on page 77 to decide which activity best meets your students’ needs.

• Option 1 reinforces comprehension of the story and should be used only with students who would benefit from additional support in understanding the key elements of the text before being able to demonstrate the sequencing skill. You will not be able to formatively assess their sequencing skill using the Option 1 activity.

• Option 2 allows for formatively assessing students’ sequencing skill at the Beginning level.

• Options 3 and 4 allow you to assess students’ sequencing skill at the Proficient level or higher.

You may assign different options to different students if you wish. If you do, you will likely need to model the activity for different groups separately. You may also allow students to choose the activity if student engagement is important or if they could be assessed at different skill levels. Expected time requirements are listed in the chart on page 77, but it is preferable to choose an activity based on students’ needs rather than time constraints. E

Student Application Activity: Sequencing the Plot – Option 4 If you choose Option 4, there is no corresponding SRB page. Instead, create a set of notecards and write the significant events on them, one event per notecard.

To conduct the activity, mix them up, and then assign students the task of putting them in the correct order. You can use the Option 3 sample answers (page 82) as a key to check students’ sequenced events. You may also have students create their own significant event notecards to assess their sequencing ability. If you choose Option 4, use these student-created notecards to complete your Formative Assessment Tracking for the lesson’s objectives.

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this activity is to assess students’ ability to sequence the plot. Choose the activity or activities that you feel would best enable your students to show their sequencing ability, taking into consideration their performance at the beginning of this lesson and in their other work. If students are unable to demonstrate the use of textual evidence, Option 1 will allow them to demonstrate that skill before they move on to sequencing events.

E Tip: Be sure to clearly communicate to students which option they have been assigned, including its SRB page number. Tell students to circle the heading of the assigned page and confirm that they do not need to complete the other pages.

Student Active Participation (SAP) – Sequencing Significant Events 35% (11–16 min.)

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Use the guidelines in the chart below to choose the option that works best for your students. Direct students to complete only the option you assign. Options 1–3 are on SRB pages 54–56. You do not need to cover or assign all options.

Activity Description Best for students who . . . You will assess Time

Needed

Option 1

(pages 78–79)

Students answer and identify QAR questions.

are struggling with comprehension

Annotation success but not sequencing Less

Option 2

(pages 80–81)

Students complete a graphic organizer to sequence the second half of the text.

demonstrate some comprehension and need help sequencing

Sequencing, but only through Beginning level

More

Option 3

(pages 82–83)

Students sequence the entire text and identify the location of evidence.

demonstrate any level of sequencing ability

Sequencing through Proficient level

Most

Option 4

kinesthetic activity

(prior preparation needed)

Students are given notecards with significant events and put them in the correct order.

excel with kinesthetic learning

Sequencing through Proficient level

More

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Review questions 1 and 2 with students.

Review questions 3 and 4 with students.

Student Application Activity: Option 1

Direct students to complete questions 1 and 2, including identifying the QAR type.

For questions 3 and 4, either generate two questions of your own and have students answer them OR for question 3, have students generate a QAR question, and then have partners answer each other’s question. Repeat for question 4 if time allows.


Date:

Sequencing the Plot – Option 1 Read each question and then identify the type of QAR. Answer the question, looking back in your text to find the annotations that support your answer. Follow your teacher’s instructions for questions 3 and 4.

1. Question: How did the characters change in the story?

QAR type:

Answer:

2. Question: If your sibling or a friend took something of yours and used it without asking, how would you react? Why?

QAR type:

Answer:

3. Question:

QAR type:

Answer:

4. Question:

QAR type:

Answer:

Think and Search

Izzy started out as confident, and it seemed like she was trying to act grown-up. Although she got mad and played pranks on Sam, at the end she apologized and helped Sam with his project. It confirmed that she was pretty grown-up after all. Sam seemed careless and sensitive at first, but he was the first one to realize that the pranking was wrong and apologize. At the end he seemed more grown-up.

On My Own

Answers will vary.

Varies based on your choice of question or student’s choice of question.


Answers will vary.



Answers will vary.

Best for students who are struggling with comprehension


Lesson Objectives


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Sequencing Significant Events continued

This page covers Option 1 from the flexible activity set. Skip this page if you have not assigned Option 1 to any students and direct your students not to complete the page if it is not assigned. E

Student Application Activity: Sequencing the Plot – Option 1 Tell students they will be answering questions about the story “Sneakers” and identifying QAR question types. Elicit from students how their annotations for the story could help them with this activity. As needed, briefly review the four question types (Right There, Think and Search, Writer and Me, and On My Own).

Direct students to complete questions 1 and 2, including identifying the question type. Remind students to look back at the story and their annotations on SRB pages 44–45 and 51–53. For questions 3 and 4, either generate two questions of your own and have students answer them, or for question 3, have students generate a QAR question and then have partners answer each other’s question. Repeat for question 4 if time allows.

Circulate and assist students as they work. Elicit students’ rationales for the question type they chose and encourage them with positive feedback. When students finish the activity, review their responses to questions 3 and 4 as a group.


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E Tip: Option 1 is for students who need support with general comprehension of the story. Assign one of the other options if you plan to formatively assess sequencing ability. If students assigned to the Option 1 activity excel with it, you may choose to move them on to one of the Option 2–4 sequencing activities.



Ask students to explain how they used their annotations, including page summaries, to help them respond to or generate QAR questions that demonstrate understanding of the story.


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This page covers Option 2 from the flexible activity set. Skip this page if you have not assigned Option 2 to any students and direct your students not to complete the page if it is not assigned.

Student Application Activity: Sequencing the Plot – Option 2 Explain to students that they are now going to practice using their annotations, including page summaries, to sequence events. (You may want to elicit what sequencing is.)

Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to choose four main events from Part 2 of the story, briefly list them, and quickly note, in the right-hand column, how the characters acted or changed. You may elicit the process from students, reminding them of the similar activity they completed at the beginning of the lesson.

Remind students that they can also use anything they marked with a star or underline to decide which events are important. Explain that they will become better able to choose what’s important with practice, but it helps to consider only things that affect the conflict or change the characters.

Circulate and assist students as they work on choosing events and noting them briefly in their graphic organizers. Elicit students’ rationales for which events they chose and encourage them with positive feedback. This is a good Formative Assessment Check-In point. Use the recommendations to guide your assessment.

When students finish, explain that they will discuss and compare their choices of events with a partner. Reinforce that students must not just trade SRB pages; they must discuss their choices out loud and write down their partner’s response afterward.



Assess students’ ability to sequence the plot using the events they added to their graphic organizers. It is okay if their events differ slightly from the “possible answers” as long as they include important plot points in the correct sequence.

Trouble identifying significant events?

Remind students to consider only when the conflict or characters change and to rely on any Signposts they identified.

Trouble with characterization?

Students can note any details about characterization they noticed in the text near the significant events they listed, as long as the character doesn’t change during those events.

Note: The Option 2 activity will accommodate students who are still struggling with sequencing but will only allow you to assess the Beginning skill level for this objective.


Lesson Objectives


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Circulate to assist and assess.

Elicit students’ rationales for their chosen events.

Direct students to compare their choice of events and characterization with a partner.

Review students’ answers as a group.

Formatively assess students’ ability to sequence plot based on the events added to their graphic organizers.


Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to sequence significant events from Part 2 of the story.


Date:

Sequencing the Plot – Option 2Using your annotations and page summaries, list all the important events in Part 2 of the story, including how the characters act or think during those events.

First


Then


Next


After


Compare with a PartnerCompare your choices with a partner.

Was there anything they chose that you didn’t? Why did they choose that event?

Would you add the event they chose to your list? Why or why not?

Answers will vary.

Answers will vary.

Sam pranks Izzy and both siblings get in trouble with their mom.

Izzy: delighted to have pranked SamSam: pranks Izzy by breaking some of her pens; also delighted

Sam starts feeling bad, but he keeps playing pranks and they get in trouble again.

Izzy: confused, because she doesn’t know Sam is pranking herSam: feels bad about breaking more pens, but still hides some as a prank

Sam decides to stop pranking.

Izzy: still pranking Sam; confused by why he doesn’t get madSam: realizes fundraising for animals is more important and stops pranking

Sam and Izzy apologize to each other, and Izzy helps with the sneaker project.

Izzy: angry when Sam confesses, but realizes his feelings were hurt; apologizes to Sam and helps himSam: confesses to breaking pens and apologizes to Izzy; asks Izzy to draw her comic on shoes

Possible answers:

Best for students who demonstrate some comprehension and need help sequencing



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Think-Aloud: Model the choice for the first event.


Review chosen events with students.

Formatively assess students’ ability to sequence plot based on the events added to their graphic organizers.


Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to sequence significant events for the entire story.



Date:

Sequencing the Plot – Option 3Using your annotations and page summaries, list all the important events in the story. You do not need to use every space; list only events that affect the conflict or characters.

Event Description Paragraph Number(s)

1. Sam and his friends are coloring shoes as a fundraiser for the animal shelter. 2–3

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

His sister Izzy sees they are using her special pens and gets mad. 4–6

Sam doesn’t seem to care that Izzy is mad. 8

When Sam’s friends leave, Sam gets mad and yells mean things at Izzy. 11–14

Sam and Izzy both plan to get back at each other. 16–17

Izzy and Sam prank each other, and both get in trouble. 18–23

Sam feels bad about breaking the pens, but he keeps playing other pranks. Izzy gets in trouble again. 25-27

Sam realizes that raising money for the animal shelter is more important than playing pranks. 34

Sam confesses about breaking the pens and apologizes to Izzy. 39–41

Izzy realizes how upset Sam was and apologizes too. She helps him with his project. 42–47

Best for students who demonstrate any level of sequencing ability

Possible answers:


Lesson Objectives


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This page covers Option 3 from the flexible activity set. Skip this page if you have not assigned Option 3 to any students and direct your students not to complete the page if it is not assigned.

Student Application Activity: Sequencing the Plot – Option 3 Explain to students that they are now going to practice using their annotations, including page summaries, to sequence events. (You may want to elicit what sequencing is.)

Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, from both parts of the story to create a complete list of significant events. Explain that for each event they choose, they should include a description of the event and note the paragraph number. Using a Think-Aloud, model choosing the first event on the list and identifying its paragraph number. Tell students they may use multiple paragraph numbers if appropriate.

Remind students that they can use anything they marked with an underline, star, or Signpost to decide which events are important. Explain that they will become better able to choose what’s important with practice, but it helps to consider only events that affect the conflict or change the characters.

Circulate and assist students as they work on choosing events and noting them briefly in their graphic organizer. Elicit students’ rationales for which events they chose and encourage them with positive feedback. This is a good Formative Assessment Check-In point. Use the recommendations to guide your assessment. E

E Tip: Students may work in pairs or groups to complete the sequencing practice. If so, take care when documenting their performance in your Formative Assessment Tracking to determine individual—not group—student performance.

THINK-ALOUD


Looking back at my annotations on the first page of the story, I put a star next to the fact that Sam and his friends are coloring shoes as a fundraiser for the animal shelter, because that was a key detail that set up the plot of the story. I put that detail in my list of important events. It is in paragraphs 2 and 3, so I will put 2 and 3 in the right column.



Assess students’ ability to sequence the plot using the events they added to their graphic organizers. Students do not need to complete the activity as long as they have included a substantial number of correctly chosen and sequenced events.


Remind students to consider only when the conflict or characters change and rely on any Signposts they identified.

Note: This activity will allow you to assess students through the Proficient skill level for this objective.



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• I can sequence the plot of a story.





Finally, instruct students to complete their reflection for today’s lesson, answering each element of the Reflection sheet with a few words. Complete sentences are acceptable, time permitting, but this is a quick reflection activity, so a few written words for each entry is also acceptable. E While students are completing their Reflection sheets, you may use the time to shore up any missing Formative Assessment Tracking in your Assessment binder for this lesson’s two objectives. Add any appropriate comments about your students’ performance to aid in planning subsequent lessons. You can use students’ Reflection sheet responses to inform your assessment by spot checking them or gathering and reviewing them after students leave. You may want to consider the group-wide confidence check when completing your Formative Assessment Tracking as well.





Lesson Objectives


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Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:




I still wonder:



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page U3-3 • Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices for

Comprehension• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-10: Figurative Language • Poster AC-14: Fast-Action


PreparationPlan to write the name and definitions for each type of figurative language on the board, chart paper, or shared writing paper.

OverviewIn this lesson, students will review the literary element for the unit: figurative language. Students will reengage the text to analyze the use of figurative language and then apply that understanding in describing the text.

How It FitsThis lesson builds on the comprehension practice in Lessons 1 and 2 by adding analysis of content knowledge to the same core text. Students’ ability to use figurative language will help their writing skills when they engage in formal writing activities in subsequent units.

Teacher Objective Students will understand figurative language and evaluate its use in the text.

Flexibility RecommendationsThe goal is for students to identify, analyze, and apply figurative language using the core text. It is not necessary to reread the entire text. It is more important that students have the opportunity to write about the text and apply their understanding of figurative language in the lesson’s activities or in ones you provide. As needed, modify the activities based on your students’ needs to achieve that goal.

Routines• Fast-Action Explanations


LESSON 3 Literary Elements: Figurative Language

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Lesson 3 Overview



Content Objective 1 I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.


identify and define similes, metaphors, personification,

and idioms

use similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms

in writing

evaluate the use of similes, metaphors, personification,

and idioms in a provided text

Teacher: What is a metaphor?

Student: A metaphor is when two things are compared without using “like” or “as.”

Teacher: Why might an author use a metaphor?

Student: They use metaphors to enhance the description of something or help the reader feel or understand.

Teacher: You were asked to write about the story using a simile. What did you write?

Student: I wrote “When Izzy sees the destroyed markers, she roared like a furious lion.”

Teacher: Great! Why is your sentence better than just saying that Izzy is mad?

Student: It shows much better how mad she is.

Teacher: It says the pens were “in a sea of white sneakers and order forms.” What kind of figurative language is that?

Student: That’s a metaphor comparing the pile of stuff to a sea. It makes it seem like it’s flowing everywhere, so it’s an effective description.

Content Objective 2 I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.


find appropriate evidence for a given assertion or claim

generate an assertion or claim, including identifying

evidence

autonomously generate a claim, including identifying evidence OR generate an inference using evidence

Teacher: Izzy is clearly artistic. What evidence in the text supports this?

Student: In the story, it says her favorite pastime is art.

Teacher: How would you describe Izzy? Use evidence from the text.

Student: I think Izzy is artistic because her favorite pastime is art, and she “hoped to become a graphic novelist.”

Teacher: What character information did you put in your summary?

Student: I wrote that Izzy is artistic, based on her loving art and hoping “to become a graphic novelist.”

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Introduce figurative language.

Explain why it matters to understand figurative language.

Define and explain each type of figurative language using the examples listed.

Have students read the sentence pair and underline the stronger sentence. Discuss the type of figurative language used and the difference between the sentences.

Introduce the lesson’s objectives. Ask if students have heard of figurative language.


Date:

Figurative LanguageWhat is figurative language?

Why is it important?

Figurative Language Example What It Is

simile The high jumper flew through the air like an eagle.

metaphor The classroom was a zoo.

personification Lightning danced across the sky.

idiom It’s raining cats and dogs.

How Figurative Language WorksFor each pair of sentences, underline the sentence that creates a stronger picture in your mind.

1a. The basketball player was a strong leader and good player on the basketball court.

1b. The basketball player was a king on the basketball court.

What kind of figurative language was used? (circle one)

simile metaphor personification idiom

A comparison between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”

A comparison between two unlike things that does not use the words “like” or “as”

Describing something that is not human as acting or feeling like a human would

A cultural expression that is not literal, or has a different meaning from what the words say

Description that is not literally true

Writers use figurative language to build imagery and to give words more power. Simile, metaphor, and personification strengthen writing even outside of school.


Lesson Objectives

I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

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Introduce that students will continue to work with the core text, “Sneakers,” but in this lesson, they will be looking at an important literary element: figurative language. Introduce the lesson’s objectives. Then elicit from students a definition of figurative language or whether they have encountered it before. Give students two example sentences to ensure familiarity. Ask students if they’ve ever read something in class or elsewhere that didn’t make sense at first because it wasn’t literally true.

Teacher Input (TIP) – Literary Elements: Figurative Language 25% (8–12 min.)

Introduce and define the concept of figurative language: descriptive language that does not convey its literal meaning. Figurative language almost always uses a comparison between two unlike things to create more powerful imagery for the reader. Students will need to identify and understand figurative language to understand the kinds of text they are reading in middle school. Tell students that those confusing nonliteral phrases they have encountered will be easier to understand once they practice identifying and using figurative language. Have students write the definition of figurative language on their SRB page.

Elicit and explain why it matters to understand figurative language, including in situations outside of school. Then, have students complete the “Why is it important” question on their SRB page. EExplain to students that there are many types of figurative language, but they will focus on the most common types: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms. Walk students through the figurative language chart on the SRB page, writing the figurative language definitions as you do. Ask students to read the example sentences if time permits.

Tell students that they will be looking at a few examples that show how figurative language can be more effective than simpler writing. In the How Figurative Language Works section, lead students through reading each pair of sentences and underlining the one they think is more powerful, and briefly discuss why. For this first pair, identify the type of figurative language used (metaphor) and have students circle it.

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this SRB page is to review and ensure familiarity with the most common types of figurative language. It is worth reviewing the terms if students lack confidence in them. However, if students demonstrate understanding, move on to the identification and application sections of the lesson.

Why It Matters

Ask students to think of song lyrics they really like. Explain to students that powerful lyrics and powerful writing often use figurative language. Explain that writers use figurative language to build imagery and give words more power. Simile, metaphor, and personification will strengthen students’ writing or spoken expression in any context, including outside of school.

E Tip: Tell students that understanding idioms is helpful for reading a text, but idioms are not always helpful for improving writing because they are often overused.

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Teacher Input (TIP) – Literary Elements: Figurative Language continued

Continue with the next two figurative language pairs on the SRB page: have students read and compare the sentences within each pair, identify the figurative language used, and then discuss the differences between the two sentences.

Quick Review Activity: Figurative Language Conduct a Quick Review activity to assess students’ understanding of the types of figurative language. The goal of the Quick Review is to provide feedback for your instruction and to accommodate the different learning styles of your students. Using the guidelines for Accountable Talk (Poster AC-3), quickly assess your students’ understanding using one of the activities listed below or another activity of your choosing based on time and/or your students’ needs.


Needed

Summarize in a

Sentence

Students write a one-sentence explanation of each type of figurative language. Less

Quiz, Quiz, Trade

Partners verbally quiz each other on each type of figurative language, writing their responses in their SRBs. They trade SRBs and mark them with a check or emoji if the responses are correct.

More

Visual Doodles

Students draw a visual representation of each type of figurative language. Then they trade SRBs and guess what each other’s drawings represent.

Most

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this activity is to assess students’ understanding of the different types of figurative language. Choose a Quick Review activity based on how students demonstrate their understanding of figurative language. Feel free to skip the review if students can recognize and define the different types of figurative language. Repeat or add a Quick Review activity if they struggle.



Use the Quick Review activity responses to assess students’ understanding of each type of figurative language. Identifying and defining the types of figurative language shows Beginning skill level performance for students.

Are students struggling to remember the different types of figurative language?


Are students confusing similes and metaphors?

Model looking for like or as in the paired sentences on the SRB pages.

Lesson Objectives


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Quick Review: Choose an activity and review the types of figurative language.

Formatively assess students to see if they can identify and explain the types of figurative language.

Have students read each sentence pair and underline the stronger sentence. Discuss the type of figurative language used and the difference between the sentences.


Date:

Figurative Language continued

2a. The dark tree branches over her head scared her as she hurried home that evening.

2b. The dark tree branches reached overhead like wooden claws as she hurried home that evening.



3a. “He could not believe the hunger, had never felt it this way . . . the hunger demanded food, screamed for food.” (adapted from Hatchet by Gary Paulsen)

3b. He was so hungry he couldn’t believe it.



Quick Review Activity: Figurative LanguageAs directed by your teacher, explain each type of figurative language.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Responses vary based on chosen activity.




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Student Application Activity: Students analyze figurative language.

Think-Aloud: Use Example 1 to model how you identified and analyzed figurative language and wrote a Fast-Action Explanation.

Talk through Example 2, gradually releasing responsibility to the students by eliciting the answer to each question.

Elicit what would complete each phrase in the Fast-Action Explanation chart and have students write a Fast-Action Explanation.

Elicit the benefit of identifying and understanding figurative language.



Date:

Finding Figurative Language 1Listen as your teacher explains finding and analyzing figurative language for Example 1 and writing a Fast-Action Explanation. Then, you will follow the same process for Example 2.

Example 1:

What did you find? Write the sentence here:

“Now Saturday afternoon stretched out ahead of her like a lazy river.”What kind of figurative language is it?


What two things are being compared? 1. the afternoon 2. a lazy riverHow does it improve the description of what is happening?

It helped me feel how slow and calm the afternoon was by picturing a lazy river.

Fast-Action Explanation: The author made the story better by using a simile. (claim) In the story, it says the “afternoon stretched out ahead of her like a lazy river,” which is a simile. (evidence) The simile makes the story better by helping the reader picture the afternoon being slow and calm. (reasoning)

Example 2:


“The [pens] stood tall and loyal in their shiny bucket, waiting for Izzy to rescue them.”What kind of figurative language is it?


What two things are being compared? 1. 2.

How does it improve the description of what is happening?

Fast-Action Explanation:

Claim The author made the story better by using . . . Evidence In the story it says, “ . . . ”Reasoning This makes the story better by helping the

reader to picture . . .

Fast-Action Explanation:

Fast-Action Explanations include:Claim: a statement that can be argued

Evidence: information from the text that is proof

Reasoning: an explanation of how the evidence supports the claim

Student answers may vary.

Possible answer: The author made the story better by using personification. The story says “the [pens] stood tall and loyal in their shiny bucket, waiting for Izzy to rescue them.” This makes the story better by helping the reader picture how the pens were standing upright and how important they were to Izzy.

pens people

Student answers may vary.


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Teacher Input (TIP) – Analyzing the Text for Figurative Language 15% (5–7 min.)

Ask students to reiterate the benefit of identifying and understanding figurative language, and reinforce that this skill takes practice.

Introduce the activity: Finding Figurative Language 1. Explain that students will reread the core text, “Sneakers,” and identify and analyze examples of figurative language that appear in bold type.

To complete the activity, students will identify a sentence with the figurative language, the type of figurative language used, and the two things being compared. Then they will write one sentence explaining how the figurative language contributes to the story. Finally, they will put everything together in a Fast-Action Explanation sentence frame.

Student Application Activity: Finding Figurative Language 1 To begin, model the task using a Think-Aloud and Example 1 on the SRB page. Think aloud about the example as though you had already completed the activity. Identify the sentence with the figurative language in bold type, and then model reading the surrounding sentences for context to better understand the figurative language. While you may acknowledge that the figurative language appears in bold type, think aloud about how you would have identified the simile by noticing the word like and its comparison of two unlike things.

Note: The first page of “Sneakers” is shown on page 95 for your reference.

After modeling your responses in Example 1, explain to students that you didn’t get a chance to finish Example 2, so you’ll be completing it together as a group. Talk through the second example sentence, which is identified in the text in bold, and then elicit from students the type of figurative language it is (personification) and how they can tell. Gradually release responsibility by eliciting the other responses from students to complete the chart, rather than telling them directly. Finally, have students write a Fast-Action Explanation for Example 2.

TEACHING PURPOSE

The goal of this activity is to assess students’ ability to identify examples of figurative language and analyze their effect on the text. The examples are provided in bold and can be easily found and analyzed; therefore, the pacing for this activity is short. Spending large amounts of time reading or discussing the text on this page is not recommended. If you feel students need more time to read and apply literacy strategies to this text, consider adding that as a Skill Differentiation Activity during Lesson 4.

THINK-ALOUD


I knew that figurative language appeared in paragraph 1, so I read the sentence that contains it and the sentences before and after it to help me understand its meaning. The sentence I found says that the “afternoon stretched out ahead of her like a lazy river.” Even if the sentence weren’t in bold, I would have noticed the word like, which would let me know that this is a simile. So, for the second question on my chart, I circled simile. I looked on either side of the word like to learn what was being compared, the afternoon and a lazy river, and I wrote those down as well. I can picture a lazy river slowly rolling along and taking its time, which makes me think that the afternoon will be slow and calm as well. By picturing the two things that are compared, I better understood how Izzy feels about the afternoon and how she looks forward to it. I wrote that as my answer for the last question.

At that point, I had all the information I needed to put together a Fast-Action Explanation, including a claim, evidence, and reasoning. I knew that my claim was that the author made the story better by including figurative language (the simile), and that the evidence was the quote of the simile I found. My reasoning was that the simile contributed to the reader’s understanding because the reader could picture how the afternoon is like a lazy river: slow and calm.

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Teacher Input (TIP) – Analyzing the Text for Figurative Language continued

The SRB provides a copy of the first page of “Sneakers” for students to use as they complete Example 2 on SRB page 60. Use this copy as a reference during instruction.

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Find the figurative language on this page and complete the charts on page 60.


2.

a.

b.

c.

and

3.




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Circulate to monitor students on performance.


Formatively assess students on understanding figurative language (Beginning level).

Review responses.

Student Application Activity: Have students complete these two charts on their own, and then share their answer to the last question in each chart with a partner. (Think-Write-Pair-Share)


Date:

Finding Figurative Language 2 Find examples of figurative language on the second page of “Sneakers.” After you’ve gathered the information and completed the first chart, share your answer to the last question with a partner. Repeat for the second chart.


What kind of figurative language is it?










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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Analyzing Figurative Language 20% (6–9 min.)

Student Application Activity: Finding Figurative Language 2Explain to students that they will now apply their understanding of figurative language by analyzing examples from the text, which appear in bold type. Have students find the examples of figurative language in bold type on the second page of the story. Once they’ve gathered the information, they should complete the charts. Tell students that they should share their answer to the last question in each chart (How does it improve the description of what is happening?) with a partner. TCirculate among students and use questions to check progress and understanding. Remind students that they will only benefit if they individually try to identify the type of figurative language and what is being compared before talking to a partner. Tell them they can refer to their work on SRB page 60 as a reference.

This is a good Formative Assessment Check-In point for content objective 1: students’ ability to identify types of figurative language (Beginning skill level). Record students’ skill level on the Formative Assessment Tracking sheet.

When students are finished, review their responses as a group and instruct them to adjust their answers as needed.

T Timing: If you have a shorter class length (30 minutes) or are behind in terms of pacing, instruct students to complete just one of the two charts to ensure you have time for Finding Figurative Language 3 on SRB page 64 (TLM page 100).



Use the Student Application Activity responses in which they identify figurative language types to assess students’ understanding of each type of figurative language. Identifying and defining the types of figurative language shows Beginning skill level performance for students.

Are students generally choosing the incorrect type of figurative language?

Ask students to explain their rationale by talking through their responses with their own Think-Aloud. If they seem to lack understanding of the types of figurative language, review SRB pages 58–59.


Model looking for like or as in the example sentences on SRB pages 58–59.




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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Analyzing Figurative Language continued

Refer to the second page of the core text “Sneakers” when talking through the Finding Figurative Language 2 activity on SRB page 62 and when monitoring students as they complete the activity. E

E Tip: If students ask why the use of sarcasm by Sam in paragraph 14 isn’t bolded, discuss that it can be considered figurative language because what he says is not literally true. If students do not notice it and if time permits, you may choose to point it out in order to promote discussion and engage students’ critical thinking about figurative language.

Lesson Objectives


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Date:


Find the figurative language on this page and complete the charts on page 62.

9 “Didn’t think I’d mind?” She laughed like she’d just heard the biggest lie ever. “That’s why you conveniently stole them while I was gone.”

10 Sam glared at Izzy. “No one stole your pens,” he said, his voice rising. “We’re supposed to deliver sixteen pairs of shoes next weekend. We didn’t want to lose time. See?” He held up the shoe he had been working on, right in front of Izzy. She batted it away.

11 “Hey, why don’t we stop for now?” said Hugo, looking awkwardly at Sam.12 “Yeah, we can come back next week,” agreed Ella. They quickly left.13 Sam stared at the half-finished sneakers in disbelief. He had been having

fun with his friends, laughing and coloring. Now they would never want to work on a project with him again. Izzy had ruined everything.

14 “You’re so selfish!” Sam shouted. “You don’t care about the animals in the shelter. You don’t care about my friends. All you care about is yourself. Myyyy pens are soooo special because I’m soooo talented. Every pen I have is precious. Every line I draw is genius,” he said, mocking her voice.

15 Izzy ignored him. She swooped in to collect the loose pens.16 Watching her, Sam felt his anger gather in him like a thundercloud. When

Izzy started fitting pens back into the bucket, Sam kicked it out from under her hand. Then he ran down the hall to his bedroom and slammed the door. I’ll get Izzy back for this, Sam told himself. I just need a plan.

17 Izzy, meanwhile, had similar thoughts as she gathered up the scattered pens. She’d show Sam what happens when he borrows her things without asking! She shoved two pairs of the white sneakers under the couch. Wait till Mom finds these, she thought.

18 Mom had a good sense of humor, but she was strict about keeping the apartment tidy. Her rule was that Izzy and Sam could keep their bedrooms however messy they wanted. But the living room, kitchen, and patio had to be clean. Izzy knew Sam would clean up before Mom got home from her errands. But he always did just enough to stay out of trouble. He would never look under the couch. Mom would.

19 With her prank ready, Izzy decided to color her comic strip while she waited for Mom to return. She worked at the kitchen table, her favorite place to draw. After a while, she returned her pens to her bedroom desk, grabbed her sketch pad and pencils, and went out to the patio to sketch.




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Formatively assess student performance on both objectives.

Student Application Activity: Have students find the figurative language in the excerpt, then identify/explain the use of figurative language.


Date:

Finding Figurative Language 3Below is a paragraph from Part 2 of the story, “Sneakers.” Find the figurative language used in this paragraph and complete the chart below.

Sam went to his room and flopped on his bed. He thought he’d fooled her—until he discovered a ball of white shoelaces, tangled like spaghetti, lying on his pillow. Then he panicked. Izzy must be pranking me back, he thought. How long before she figures out that I wrecked her pens?






He thought he’d fooled her—until he discovered a ball of white shoelaces, tangled like spaghetti, lying on his pillow.

Comparing the ball of shoelaces to spaghetti helps the reader picture how messy and tangled they are.

shoelaces spaghetti


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Analyzing the Text for Figurative Language continued

Student Application Activity: Finding Figurative Language 3Now students will identify an example of figurative language on their own without relying on the bold type. Explain that students will read an excerpt from the third page of “Sneakers” that contains a type of figurative language. Students will write the sentence that includes the figurative language and identify the type of figurative language and the things being compared. Then they will explain the effect the figurative language has on the story.

As students complete the activity, circulate to formatively assess their work. Use either their responses to your questions or their written answers to assess their understanding of figurative language and/or their use of textual support. E

E Tip: If students are struggling with figurative language, it may be more effective to complete this activity as a group instead of moving on to the “Use Figurative Language to Describe the Story” activity on SRB pages 65–68. If you do skip that activity, you will not be able to assess student performance on content objective 1 beyond a Beginning level. In that case, consider completing the activity during Lesson 4.



Use student responses to the second question (What kind of figurative language is it?) to assess their understanding of figurative language.


Use student responses to the first, third, and last questions to assess their use of textual support.

Are students choosing the incorrect type of figurative language?

Ask students to explain their rationale by talking through their responses with their own Think-Aloud. If they struggle with the types of figurative language, review SRB pages 58–59.

Are students struggling to identify what is being compared?

Model looking on either side of like in the simile to help find the two things being compared.

Are students struggling to explain the impact of the simile?

Tell students to picture what’s being compared in the simile and describe how they would feel if they saw it in real life. You can then ask them to think about what is happening at this point in the story to help them understand how the simile affects a reader.

Discussion Point: If students are confused or would benefit from further discussion, review student responses to the activity with a Discussion Routine of your choosing. Note that your lesson timing will be affected; ensure you have time for student reflection at the end of the lesson.

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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Describing with Figurative Language 25% (8–12 min.)

Student Application Activity: Use Figurative Language to Describe the StoryNow students have the opportunity to use their own figurative language to describe the conflict in the story, “Sneakers.” Ask students if they have ever used figurative language in their own writing, and elicit the benefit of using figurative language when they communicate.

Explain the directions for the activity: students will read through Part 2 of “Sneakers” and identify instances of conflict between Sam and Izzy. Then they will note the sentence they found that shows the conflict and describe what’s happening using their own figurative language.

Model the task using a Think-Aloud and the example on the SRB page. Think aloud as though you’ve already completed the activity. Talk through your thought process of identifying the sentences that show a conflict, writing them and the paragraph number in the chart, and then deciding which type of figurative language you wanted to use. Model that you first considered what you wanted to compare the conflict to, and then think through writing the sentence, noting the appropriate words that ensure your sentence qualified as the type of figurative language you chose.

Have students complete the activity, and circulate to formatively assess their use of figurative language. If they successfully use figurative language in their own writing, they are demonstrating a Proficient skill level.

Note that SRB pages 66–68 include the final three pages of “Sneakers” for students to use for this Student Application Activity. Those pages are not reproduced in this TLM. There are many possible sentences that show conflict, and students’ figurative language sentences will vary. Two sample answers are shown for your reference.

THINK-ALOUD


I read in paragraph 21 that Sam snuck into Izzy’s room and grabbed her pens, which definitely sounded like part of the conflict to me: it was part of Sam’s prank to get Izzy back. I wrote the sentences that included that information in my chart, along with the paragraph number. I wanted to use a simile, which meant I needed to use like or as. Then I had to decide what I wanted to compare Sam to in my sentence: I pictured him sneaking around like a cartoon villain and there is my sentence! I wrote the sentence to describe him, making sure to use like or as so that it was a simile.



Use students’ choice of figurative language and their descriptive sentences to assess their understanding of each type of figurative language. Identifying and defining the types of figurative language shows Beginning level performance.

Are students not writing sentences with their chosen type of figurative language?

Review the definitions and types of figurative language on SRB page 58.

Are students struggling to think of a descriptive sentence?

Have students think of an adjective they would want to use and then brainstorm people, animals, or things that could be described that way.

Note: This activity will allow you to assess students through the Proficient skill level for this objective. Successfully using figurative language in their own writing demonstrates a Proficient skill level.


Lesson Objectives


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Formatively assess students’ figurative language skill (through Proficient level).

Student Application Activity: Have students find examples of conflict in the story, and then write their own creative sentence that uses figurative language.


Date:

Use Figurative Language to Describe the StoryDescribe the story using your own figurative language. For the next three pages, reread Part 2 of the story and find examples of the conflict between Izzy and Sam. Once you have found an example, write down the sentence or sentences that show the conflict. Then describe the conflict using your own figurative language. You may draw the event using your figurative language if you wish.

Example:

Sentences:

“Sam snuck into Izzy’s room. Her precious pens stood ready for her next drawing. He grabbed a handful, hurried to the kitchen, and dropped them under the chair where Izzy always sat.”

Paragraph: 21 I will use this type of figurative language: simileDescribe the conflict using figurative language:

Sam grinned like a cartoon villain as he tossed the pens on the floor.

Sentences:

Paragraph: I will use this type of figurative language:

Describe the conflict using figurative language:

Sentences:

Paragraph: I will use this type of figurative language:

Describe the conflict using figurative language:

Be prepared to share your written description with the group!

Possible answers:

“He couldn’t afford to get in an argument over pranks and have Mom find out about the broken pens. . . . Not if he wanted to deliver the shoes on time—and make money for the shelter.”

“She placed the pens on the coffee table and put her feet up, right in his view. Sam kept his eyes on the video game he was playing. He’s just pretending not to notice, she thought.”

Sam knew if he got into trouble about the pranks, he would be throwing his plans into the trash.

The sneakers on Izzy’s feet were begging for Sam’s attention, but he just kept watching his video game.

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• I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.






Finally, instruct students to complete their reflection for today’s lesson, answering each element of the Reflection sheet with a few words. Complete sentences are acceptable, time permitting, but this is a quick reflection activity, so a few written words for each entry is also acceptable. EWhile students are completing their Reflection sheets, you may use the time to shore up any missing Formative Assessment Tracking in your Assessment binder for this lesson’s two objectives. Add any appropriate comments about your students’ performance to aid in planning subsequent lessons. You can use students’ Reflection sheet responses to inform your assessment by spot checking them or gathering and reviewing them after students leave. You may want to consider the group-wide confidence check when completing your Formative Assessment Tracking as well.

If you skipped any activities, make a note at the bottom of your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet or on a sticky note that you can leave in your TLM or Assessment binder.





Lesson Objectives


PLANNING FOR LESSON 4

After this lesson ends, take time to prepare your chosen activities for Lesson 4: Skill Differentiation. See pages 106–109 for information on how to choose appropriate activities for your students based on your Formative Assessment Tracking.

In Lesson 4,Students will

1. Work on Vocabulary Notebook. 2. Annotate a text (or review unit core text).3. Use the text to practice an assigned skill.4. Complete Reflection sheet.

Teachers will

1. Organize materials for assigned activities and texts.

2. Assign activities and texts to students. 3. Circulate with students to assist and assess.4. Formatively assess students on assigned activity

skills.

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If possible, note skipped activities at the bottom of your Formative Assessment Tracking sheet or on a sticky note.


Employ a whole-group confidence check to assess general comfort and confidence with the material.



Date:


Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:




I still wonder:




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Using Student Performance Data to Plan

Take time after Lesson 3 to select and prepare activities for Lesson 4: Skill Differentiation. Use the Formative Assessment Lesson 4 Planner from your Formative Assessment Binder to organize and record your goals and activity choices for each student.

First, consider your formative assessment of each student’s performance of Unit 3 skills. Then, use the Unit 3 Skill Hierarchy (listed on page 107 and on the Formative Assessment Lesson 4 Planner) to decide which skills your students need the most assistance with. Mark the skill focus for each student in the “Skill Focus” column on the Lesson 4 Planner and write students’ skill level for their focus skill in the “Current Skill Level” column.

Once you’ve determined the skills to work on—either with individual students, small groups, or the entire class—use the Unit Skills and Activities chart on page 108 to choose a corresponding activity or activities. Record the activity in the “SRB Activity” column on your Lesson 4 Planner.

Then select appropriate Fiction Anthology texts from the variety listed in the chart on page 109. Alternatively, you may have students choose an external text to use to develop the skills from this unit. Write the title (or an abbreviated version of the title) in the “Assigned Text” column on the Lesson 4 Planner.

Remember that the overall goal for Lesson 4 is for each student to work toward autonomous application of the unit skills with texts from their core classes, so all activities should help students develop their skills to that level. You may choose activities other than those provided in Lesson 4, as long as they enable students to practice and demonstrate unit skills for assessment.

After students finish their assigned activities in Lesson 4, record any observations about their skills in the “Performance Notes” column on the Lesson 4 Planner.

©2021 U3-5

Program School Teacher Group Date

Formative Assessment: Lesson 4 Planner Unit 3Map out your chosen activities for Lesson 4 using your Unit 3 Formative Assessment Tracking sheets and the Planning Guide for Lesson 4: Skill Differentiation on TLM pages 106–109. Each student will need a few Annotate a Text sheets unless they are reviewing the unit core text. The Unit 3 skills are listed below, from most to least important. The skill level is listed before each Skill Differentiation Activity.

Skill Hierarchy and Lesson 4 Activities Skill 1: I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.

a. Undemonstrated or Beginning Skill Level Activity: Group Review and Annotating the Text (TLM pages 114–115)

b. Proficient Skill Level Activity: Annotating the Text (TLM pages 114–115)

Skill 2: I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict. a. Undemonstrated Skill Level Activity: Group Review and Annotating the Text (TLM pages 114–115) b. Beginning Skill Level Activity: Annotating the Text (TLM pages 114–115)

Skill 3: I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it. a. Undemonstrated or Beginning Skill Level Activity: Thinking about the Story (TLM pages 116–117,

SRB page 70) b. Proficient Skill Level Activity: Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits (TLM pages 118–121,

SRB pages 71–72)

Skill 4: I can sequence the plot of a story. a. Undemonstrated or Beginning Skill Level Activity: Sequencing the Plot (TLM pages 122–123,

SRB page 73) b. Proficient Skill Level Activity: Sequencing the Plot with Evidence (TLM pages 124–125, SRB page 74)

[Note: You may also choose to assess Skill 3 with this activity.]

Skill 5: I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms. a. Undemonstrated or Beginning Skill Level Activity: Figurative Language Review (TLM pages 126–127,

SRB page 75) b. Proficient Skill Level Activity: Use Figurative Language to Describe the Story (TLM pages 128–129,

SRB page 76) [Note: You may also choose to assess Skill 3 with this activity.]

Student Names: Skill Focus Current Skill Level SRB Activity Assigned Text Performance Notes

Planning Guide for Lesson 4

STEP 1 Review the Unit 3 Skill Hierarchy to determine the most important skills to review.

STEP 2 Review student Formative Assessment Tracking from Lessons 1–3 to determine opportunities for growth.

STEP 3 Choose activities based on student need.

STEP 4 Either select or have students choose texts to engage those activities.

STEP 5 Complete the Lesson 4 Planner in your Formative Assessment Binder to track your assignments.

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Step-by-Step Planning

STEP 1 Review the Unit 3 Skill Hierarchy.Consider the relative importance of each skill in this unit. Prioritize foundational skills over sequent skills.

Foundational SequentStrategy Skills 1. I can use the Signposting method

for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.

2. I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.

Content Skills 3. I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

4. I can sequence the plot of a story.5. I can understand figurative

language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.

STEP 2 Look at Formative Assessment Tracking. Review your Formative Assessment Tracking sheets for Lessons 1–3 of the unit. Considering the relative importance of each skill, look at how students in this group performed. The priority is to help students develop the foundational skills before helping them develop sequent skills. If there are outlier students whose performance differed from the majority of the group, consider choosing individual assignments for those students.

For each skill, decide if your students are working toward demonstrating the skill at a Beginning, Proficient, or Advanced level, and adjust your selection of activities and texts appropriately. If different students are working on the same skill but there is a large gap in their skill levels, you may want to assign individual activities among those students. You know your students best and can adjust the assignments as needed for their benefit.

STEP 3 Decide if you are going to reinforce unit skills, finish unit content, or assign individual application practice.

• Reinforce Unit Skills If your students need additional practice applying the unit skills, you may choose to use Anthology texts along with the Lesson 4 Skill Differentiation Activities. In most cases, this will be the best option, especially if students have completed Lessons 1–3 without demonstrating Proficient skill level performance. Alternatively, you may select a text from the students’ core classroom or another external text to use to reinforce the unit skills.

• Finish Unit Content If you skipped activities during Lessons 1–3 related to foundational skills and your students’ formative assessments reflect an opportunity for growth, consider returning to complete those activities.

• Assign Independent Application Practice If students are approaching Proficient-level performance in the unit skills, it will be most beneficial for them to practice annotation and comprehension using a core classroom text and work assigned in that class. If core classroom texts and assignments are not available, students may choose an Anthology text or another external text to read and annotate. After they annotate the text, direct them to complete a summary graphic organizer, prepare discussion points, or complete a written response; choose whatever activity you think will best enable students to demonstrate comprehension.

107©2021 Unit 3

Unit Skills and Activities

Current Skill Level Activity Recommendation

Student Material

(plus selected text) Tips for PrepSkill 1: I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.

Undemonstrated or Beginning

Group Review and Annotating the Text (pages 114–115):• Review the Signpost definitions, clues, and

questions in Unit 2.

• Model/practice annotation and Signposting with an introductory Anthology text and focus on identifying Signposts.

Annotate a Text sheets

Assign one introductory Anthology text to the group and prep it by identifying Signposts, using Annotate a Text sheets.

ProficientAnnotating the Text (pages 114–115): • Practice annotation and Signposting with an

Anthology text or external text.


Skill 2: I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.

Undemonstrated

Group Review and Annotating the Text (pages 114–115):• Review annotations students made in

Lessons 1 and 2.

• Model/practice annotation and Signposting with an introductory Anthology text and focus on annotation.


Assign one introductory Anthology text to the group and prep it with annotations, using Annotate a Text sheets.

BeginningAnnotating the Text (pages 114–115):• Practice annotation and Signposting with an



Skill 3: I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.Undemonstrated or Beginning Thinking about the Story (pages 116–117) SRB page 70 Review QAR question

types.

Proficient Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits (pages 118–121)

SRB pages 71–72

Skill 4: I can sequence the plot of a story.

Undemonstrated or Beginning Sequencing the Plot (pages 122–123) SRB page 73

Choose one Anthology text for the group and note the sequence of events.

ProficientSequencing the Plot with Evidence (pages 124–125) (You may also choose to assess Skill 3.)

SRB page 74

Skill 5: I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.


Figurative Language Review (pages 126–127) SRB page 75

Prep the SRB pages and/or find additional examples of figurative language to use if needed.

ProficientUse Figurative Language to Describe the Story (pages 128–129) (You may also choose to assess Skill 3.)

SRB page 76

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STEP 4 Select the texts students will use for their activities.

E Tip: Note that some activities may not require an Anthology or external text.

• Choose to Reengage the Unit Core Text It is reasonable for students to reengage the unit core text if they have not demonstrated sufficient skill performance. If students reuse the core text with an activity, direct them to look back to the first time they used that activity and ensure they improve their responses and choose other examples to help develop their skills.

• Choose from Recommended Fiction Anthology Texts Once you’ve determined students’ skill needs, consider text level and student engagement when choosing Anthology texts for individuals or the group. In evaluating text levels, remember that students will develop their skills most effectively by engaging with text at or slightly above their comfort level. To support students’ motivation, you may choose to select an appealing story based on the Anthology theme or the story’s title and summary, provided in the Anthology table of contents.

E Tip: The goal is to either assign or allow students to choose texts that will engage them and allow for appropriately challenging skill practice.

To select Anthology texts, find the skills you plan to focus on and the corresponding recommended Anthology texts in the chart below.

Recommended Anthology Texts

Unit Skill Alignment

Story Number and Text Level

Theme/Anthology

Adventure Identity What MattersSkill 1 Skill 2

Story 1 (Introductory)

“Secret Under the School”

“Lost and Found” “On the Way Home”

Skill 3 Story 2 (Beginning)

“Saving Grace” “In the Spotlight” “Stepping Up”

Skill 3 Skill 4

Story 3 (Beginning)

“Game on the Line” “Finding the Answers”

“Holly in Hawaii”

Skill 3 Story 4 (Developing)

“Midnight at the Mausoleum”

“The Top 10 Reasons”

“Who Cares?”

Skill 3 Skill 4

Story 5 (Developing)

“The Dagger Moth Disaster”

“Smile for the Camera”

“Chin Up”

n/a Story 6 (Proficient)

“Emily and the Storm”

“The Queen’s Own” “Artistic Inspiration”

Skill 5 Any Story

STEP 5 Be sure to record the skill information, activity, and text selection for each student on the Lesson 4 Planner in your Formative Assessment Binder and gather the appropriate materials.

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Overview In this lesson, students will reflect on and complete their Vocabulary Notebook entries, and then participate in the Skill Differentiation Activities you chose that will best help them develop their literacy skills.

Flexibility RecommendationsThis lesson is designed to allow specific time for students to work on their Vocabulary Notebook entries and provides time for any activities you think would help your students achieve the unit objectives. Based on your planning after Lesson 3, implement the activities you’ve chosen for individuals, small groups, or the whole group. You may also want to use a Discussion Routine to address students’ concerns or challenges.

Routines• Using the Vocabulary Notebook



• Other routines you’ve selected based on your students’ performance



page U3-6• Vocabulary Notebook• Fiction Anthologies (for selected

texts)• Annotate a Text sheets• Poster AC-1: Powerful Practices for

Comprehension• Poster AC-2: Fix-Up Strategies• Poster AC-3: Accountable Talk• Poster AC-10: Figurative Language• Poster AC-11: Annotation Symbols• Poster AC-12: Signposting Fiction 1• Poster AC-13: Signposting Fiction 2• Poster AC-14: Fast-Action


• Dictionaries• Any other materials related to

activities you’ve selected based on your students’ performance

PreparationUse your Formative Assessment Lesson 4 Planner to organize materials for each activity you’ve assigned students. Be sure you have Formative Assessment Tracking sheets for the skills you’ve chosen to focus on.

Skill DifferentiationLESSON 4

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Lesson 4 Overview

Unit Skills and Activities

Current Skill Level Activity Recommendation

Student Material

(plus selected text) TipsSkill 1: I can use the Signposting method for fiction to identify and track significant elements of the text.


Group Review and Annotating the Text (pages 114–115):• Review the Signpost definitions, clues, and

questions in Unit 2.

• Model/practice annotation and Signposting with an introductory Anthology text and focus on identifying Signposts.


Assign one introductory Anthology text to the group and prep it by identifying Signposts, using Annotate a Text sheets.

ProficientAnnotating the Text (pages 114–115): • Practice annotation and Signposting with an



Skill 2: I can modify the annotation method for fiction by identifying significant characterization and conflict.

Undemonstrated

Group Review and Annotating the Text (pages 114–115):• Review annotations students made in

Lessons 1 and 2.

• Model/practice annotation and Signposting with an introductory Anthology text and focus on annotation.


Assign one introductory Anthology text to the group and prep it with annotations, using Annotate a Text sheets.

BeginningAnnotating the Text (pages 114–115):• Practice annotation and Signposting with an



Skill 3: I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.Undemonstrated or Beginning Thinking about the Story (pages 116–117) SRB page 70 Review QAR question

types.

Proficient Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits (pages 118–121)

SRB pages 71–72

Skill 4: I can sequence the plot of a story.

Undemonstrated or Beginning Sequencing the Plot (pages 122–123) SRB page 73

Choose one Anthology text for the group and note the sequence of events.

ProficientSequencing the Plot with Evidence (pages 124–125) (You may also choose to assess Skill 3.)

SRB page 74

Skill 5: I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.


Figurative Language Review (pages 126–127) SRB page 75

Prep the SRB pages and/or find additional examples of figurative language to use if needed.

ProficientUse Figurative Language to Describe the Story (pages 128–129) (You may also choose to assess Skill 3.)

SRB page 76

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Teacher Input (TIP) – Using the Vocabulary Notebook and Introducing Skill Differentiation Activities 20% (6–9 min.)

Complete Vocabulary Notebook EntriesExplain to students that the last lesson in each Content Unit begins with time to work with their Vocabulary Notebooks. Have students open to page 1 of their Vocabulary Notebooks and place it alongside their open SRB. Elicit the importance of learning vocabulary and remind students that it’s not just about knowing new words but improving the skill of learning unfamiliar words.

Direct students’ attention to page 1 of their Vocabulary Notebooks and elicit the steps they took to identify, predict, and then define the word provided when they completed the entry in Unit 1. Then have students complete the entries they added to their Vocabulary Notebook throughout Unit 3. E T

This is a good Formative Assessment Check-in point for the lesson’s strategy objective; however, you may choose to assess students’ Vocabulary Notebooks outside of class if time for organizing the Skill Differentiation Activities is short.

Introduce Skill Differentiation ActivitiesExplain that each student will be working on the skills and with the text that will be most helpful to them, so different students may be doing different activities. Using your Lesson 4 Planner, assign the appropriate activity and text to each student or group of students and distribute the materials they will need to complete the activities. TPages 114–129 include directions for each of the Skill Differentiation Activities. Use the Unit Skills and Activities chart and/or your Lesson 4 Planner as a reference for page numbers. You may want to use sticky notes to mark the pages of the activities you’ve chosen to assign.

Managing the AssignmentsBe sure to organize the appropriate materials by student and activity. Students who are assigned new texts should be given their assignment and materials first so they can get started on their annotations. After making assignments, start working with any students who are assigned the core text or are redoing an activity from a previous lesson.

If students are working on different activities, review the directions for each activity with the student or group of students assigned to that activity, instead of reviewing them with the whole group.

Lesson Objectives

I can determine the meaning of words based on context clues / roots / prefixes / suffixes.Second objective is selected for students by teacher.

E Tip: If you have a classroom vocabulary reference or activity, such as a Word Wall, have students choose their favorite word from their Vocabulary Notebook and add it to the reference or use it in the activity.

T Timing: You may use the time students are working on their Vocabulary Notebook entries to finish preparing for the Skill Differentiation Activities.


I can determine the meaning of words based on context clues / roots / prefixes / suffixes.

Use students’ Vocabulary Notebook entries—particularly their responses to “Predict the meaning of the word”—to assess their performance of the objective.

Note: If you need more time to organize the Skill Differentiation Activities, you may choose to assess students’ performance on this objective outside of class by reviewing their Vocabulary Notebooks separately.

Are students struggling to find context clues?

Talk through the selected sentences with students to help them find words that provide context for the unfamiliar word.

Are students struggling to paraphrase the meaning?

Ask students to explain their understanding of the word to you aloud.

T Timing: Guidelines for these pages assume that all students do the Annotating a Text activity first and then move on to an assigned Skill Differentiation Activity. Individual students may move through these activities at their own pace depending on how much annotation their Skill Differentiation Activity requires.

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Elicit the steps to identify, predict, and define new words.

Direct students to complete entries for the words they identified during the unit.

Prepare for individual, small-group, or whole-group assignments (Lesson 4 Planner).

Distribute individual, small-group, or whole-group assignments and texts to students.

Elicit the importance of vocabulary work and improving skill with unfamiliar words.

Vocabulary Notebook page 3

Word: Text where you found the word: page _____

paragraph _____ Context clues:

Predict the meaning of the word:

Dictionary definition in your own words:

Write a memorable sentence using the word:











Unit: Lesson: Name:

Keep track of challenging words you encounter as you read by completing the first row of an entry for each one. Later, at your teacher’s direction, complete the rest of the entry for each word.

flungThe Chase

“grabbed the wall with one hand” “. . . himself around the corner”

threw

threw very hard, with force

She picked up a stick on the beach and flung it far into the sparkling waves.

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Circulate to assist and initially assess students’ annotation and identification of Signposts.


Formatively assess students on their Signpost identification or annotation for fiction.


Annotate a Text sheet ©2021

School: ___________________ Teacher: _________________ Group: ______________ Date: ______________

Text: Page: Place Book Here Place Book Here

Annotate a TextUse this sheet to write annotations when you are unable to write on the text itself. Mark the usual annotation symbols, and note where you would normally have underlined or circled words or phrases in the text. Be sure to write any essential information that you marked with a star. You may also want to write information that you normally would have underlined. If you are reading a fiction text, identify and mark Signposts. Finally, complete a page summary.

SUM

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Note: This page is from the Annotate a Text tear-off pad.

Lesson Objectives


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Annotating a Text 35% (11–16 min.)

Explain that students will now get to practice Signposting and annotating by themselves. Tell students that they are to read the first two pages of their text and annotate them using the Annotate a Text sheets.

Elicit from students what to focus on when reading fiction: plot, characterization, and conflict. Direct students to underline significant characterization and conflict and mark them with the appropriate annotation symbols, including any Signposts they notice.

Remind students that the skill of annotating takes practice but will ultimately help them understand what they read much more effectively than simply looking at the words.

As students work, circulate to assist and assess their use of annotation. Use progressive questioning to elicit students’ choices for annotation and their reasoning for their choices. Encourage and commend them for effective annotation and reasoning.

TEACHING PURPOSE

Most students will annotate just the first two pages of their assigned text before completing their Skill Differentiation Activity. For these students, the objective for this lesson is to allow them to demonstrate a skill using the first pages of the text and an activity, instead of having them spend the entire class completing the text.

You may have determined that some of your students would benefit from reading and annotating the whole text, in which case you would assess their Signposting and annotation skills using the Formative Assessment Check-In.



Use student annotations, including page summaries, to assess their ability with Signposting.









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Direct students to complete questions 1–3, including identifying the QAR type. They create their own QAR question for question 4.

Use questioning to prompt students toward answering QAR questions with evidence from the text.

Student Application Activity: Have students use their annotations to answer comprehension questions using specific textual evidence (quotes).

Read/elicit directions and introduce the activity.


Date: Skill Practice: I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

Thinking about the StoryUsing the text your teacher assigns, complete the questions below. Use specific evidence from the text to support your answers. For question 4, write your own review question, identify the QAR type, and answer the question with supporting evidence.

1. Question: What were the characters like? Did they change in the story?

QAR type: Evidence:

Answer:

2. Question: What was the conflict in the story?

QAR type: Evidence:

Answer:

3. Question: If you had to deal with the conflict in the story, would you handle it like the characters did?

QAR type: Evidence:

Answer:

4. Question:QAR type: Evidence:

Answer:

QAR Types:Right There

Think and Search

Writer and Me

On My Own


Lesson Objectives


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Thinking about the Story 35% (11–16 min.)

Student Application Activity: Thinking about the StoryIn this activity, students will practice using textual evidence to analyze their assigned text. Have students read the directions at the top of SRB page 70 and reinforce the importance of understanding characters and conflict in the story. If necessary, clarify the directions by telling students they will be answering QAR questions to practice using evidence and creating a QAR question of their own at the end.

Circulate to assist and use progressive questioning to formatively assess student comprehension and performance. If students need to be prompted with the character trait or conflict to find the evidence, they may demonstrate Beginning skill level. Elicit from students both their response and the evidence they found to support their response to assess if students can demonstrate this skill at a Proficient level. E TFor further support for this activity, see pages 78–79 in Lesson 2.


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TEACHING PURPOSE

The objective here is for students to practice using textual evidence. If students are completing this activity with the core text, ask students to start by looking at their original annotations on SRB pages 44–45 and 51–53 and encourage them to improve their responses by choosing other textual examples and explaining them. This will help them develop their skills and help you better assess their performance.

E Tip: Elicit from students how their chosen evidence supports their responses to reinforce higher-order thinking skills.

T Timing: If students complete the given activity with time to spare, check their work and assess their use of textual support. If students have demonstrated the skill acceptably, then direct them to complete their Vocabulary Notebook entries or choose an Anthology text to read and annotate using the separate Annotate a Text sheet for continued practice. If students have not demonstrated the skill of using textual support, then ask them to generate statements about the text and give evidence when doing so.



Trouble making claims or finding evidence?



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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits 35% (11–16 min.)

Student Application Activity: Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify TraitsUsing their assigned text, students will practice using textual evidence to identify character traits. Have a student read the directions on SRB page 71. Reinforce that understanding the characters’ traits will help students understand a story better.

If necessary, clarify the directions. Tell students they will create character ID cards to show what the characters are like and will use quotes from the text as evidence. Explain that for each character, students should circle appropriate traits and support their choices with evidence from the text. They should use their annotations to help them find the quotes. Students then use the traits they selected and the quotes to generate Fast-Action Explanations. Explain that they may choose to draw the character but reinforce that the goal of the activity is to use words from the text to justify the character traits they chose. ECirculate to assist and use progressive questioning to formatively assess student comprehension and performance. If students need to be prompted with the character trait and to find the evidence, they may demonstrate Beginning skill level. Elicit from students both the character trait they identified and the evidence they found to support the character trait to assess whether students can demonstrate this skill at a Proficient level.

For further support for this activity, see pages 58–63 in Lesson 1.

TEACHING PURPOSE

The objective for the Character Card ID activity is for students to practice using textual evidence. If students are completing this activity with the unit’s core text, ask them to start by looking at their previous work on pages 47–48 and encourage them to improve their responses by choosing other textual evidence and using it in their Fast-Action Explanations. This will help students develop their skills and help you better assess their performance.

E Tip: Reinforce higher-order thinking skills by eliciting from students how the evidence they chose supports the character trait they identified.

Lesson Objectives


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Use questioning to prompt students toward autonomously identifying character traits and supporting them with evidence.

Reinforce using annotation to make it easier to analyze the text.

Elicit the importance of the objective: providing evidence from the text.

Assist students in generating Fast-Action Explanations in the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning format if needed.

Student Application Activity: Students choose appropriate character traits and provide specific textual evidence (quotes) for them, using their annotations.

Elicit/clarify directions and introduce the activity.


Date: Skill Practice: I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify TraitsIt’s important to keep track of what different characters are like to help you understand their choices and how they are affected by the events in the story. Identify the traits of two of the main characters using the following steps to create a Character ID Card for each.

First, choose an appropriate trait that fits the character and circle it. Then write evidence from the story (a quote) for that trait based on your annotations. Choose a second character trait and write evidence for it. Finally, complete the Fast-Action Explanation stating what the character is like and how you know using the information you’ve gathered. For the second Character ID Card, you will complete two Fast-Action Explanations.

Character Name:

Sketch the character:

Character Trait 1: quiet confident smart lazy

friendly nervous energetic

calm self-conscious loud mean

Add your own:

Evidence from the text:

Character Trait 2:quiet confident smart lazy



Add your own:


Fast-Action Explanation about the character:

This character, , is (claim).

In the story, it says that (evidence),

which shows that is (trait)

because (reasoning).

character name

character name



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Use questioning to prompt students toward autonomously identifying character traits and supporting them with evidence.

Reinforce using annotation to make it easier to analyze the text.

Elicit the importance of the objective: providing evidence from the text.

Assist students in generating Fast-Action Explanations in the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning format if needed.

Student Application Activity continued

Students choose appropriate character traits and provide specific textual evidence (quotes) for them, using their annotations.


Date:


Character Name:

Sketch the character:

Character Trait 1: quiet confident smart lazy



Add your own:


Character Trait 2:quiet confident smart lazy



Add your own:


Fast-Action Explanation about the character:

This character, , is (claim).

In the story, it says that (evidence),

which shows that is (trait)

because (reasoning).

Now write a Fast-Action Explanation about the character using the other trait you identified:

character name

character name


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Character ID Cards: Using Evidence to Identify Traits continued

Students will continue the activity by circling appropriate traits for a second character and supporting their choices with evidence from the text. They should use their annotations to help them find the quotes. Students will use the traits they selected and the quotes to generate two Fast-Action Explanations, one for each trait. Remind students that they may choose to draw the character but reinforce that the goal of the activity is to use words from the text to justify the character traits they chose.

Continue circulating to assist, using progressive questioning to formatively assess student comprehension and performance. If students need to be prompted with the character trait and to find the evidence, they may demonstrate Beginning skill level. Elicit from students both the character trait they identified and the evidence they found to support the character trait to assess whether they can demonstrate this skill at a Proficient level. T

T Timing: If students complete the activity with extra time, check their work and assess their use of textual evidence. If students have demonstrated the skill to a Proficient level, then direct them to complete their Vocabulary Notebook entries or choose an Anthology text to read and annotate using the Annotate a Text sheets for continued practice. If students have not demonstrated the skill of using textual evidence, then direct them to complete the Thinking about the Story activity on SRB page 70.



Use student entries under “Evidence from the text” and their Fast-Action Explanations to assess this objective.

Trouble identifying traits or finding evidence?




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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Sequencing the Plot 35% (11–16 min.)

Student Application Activity: Sequencing the PlotIn this activity, students sequence significant plot events. Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to choose at least four main events from the first two pages of the story, briefly list them, and quickly note, in the right-hand column, how the characters acted or changed. You may elicit the process from students, reminding them of the similar activity they completed in Lesson 2.

Remind students that they can also use anything they marked with a star or underline to decide which events are important. Explain that they will become better able to choose what’s important with practice, but it helps to consider only things that affect the conflict or change the characters.

Circulate and assist students as they work on choosing events and briefly noting them in their graphic organizer. Elicit students’ rationales for which events they chose and encourage them with positive feedback as is appropriate. T


T Timing: If students complete the activity with extra time, check their work and assess their sequencing of the plot. If students have demonstrated the skill to a Proficient level, then direct them to complete their Vocabulary Notebook entries or finish the Anthology text using separate Annotate a Text sheets for continued practice. If students have not demonstrated the skill of sequencing the plot, then direct them to use their page summaries to complete the Sequencing the Plot with Evidence activity or simply create a list of events on a separate piece of paper. If time permits, you may want to talk through the text with them and practice identifying significant events.



Assess students’ ability to sequence the plot using the events they added to their graphic organizers.


Remind students to consider only when the conflict or characters change and to rely on any Signposts they identified.

Trouble with characterization?

Students can note any details about characterization they noticed in the text near the significant events they listed, as long as the character doesn’t change during those events.


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Student Application Activity: Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to sequence key events the story.


Date: Skill Practice: I can sequence the plot of a story.

Sequencing the PlotUsing your annotations and page summaries, list all the important events in the story, including how the characters act or think during those events.

First


Then


Next


Last


After


Later




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Student Application Activity: Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, to sequence key events the story.


Date: Skill Practice: I can sequence the plot of a story AND I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it.

Sequencing the Plot with EvidenceUsing your annotations and page summaries, list all the important events in the story. You do not need to use every space; list only events that affect the conflict or characters as your teacher directs.

Event Description Paragraph Number(s)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.


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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Sequencing the Plot with Evidence 35% (11–16 min.)

Student Application Activity: Sequencing the Plot with EvidenceIn this activity, students sequence significant plot events using specific textual evidence. Direct students to use their annotations, including page summaries, from the story to create a list of significant events. Explain that for each event they choose, they should include a description of the event and note the paragraph number. Tell students they may use multiple paragraph numbers if appropriate.

Remind students that they can use anything they marked with an underline, star, or Signpost to decide which events are important. They will become better able to choose what’s important with practice, but it helps to consider only events that affect the conflict or change the characters.

Circulate and assist students as they work on choosing events and briefly noting them in their graphic organizer. Elicit students’ rationales for which events they chose and encourage them with positive feedback. TFor further support for this activity, see pages 82–83 in Lesson 2.

TEACHING PURPOSE

This activity allows students to demonstrate two different skills: using evidence from the text and sequencing the plot. Use your Formative Assessment Tracking to help decide if you should assess one or both skills based on what students need to improve.

T Timing: If students complete the activity with extra time, check their work and assess their sequencing of the plot. If students have demonstrated the skill acceptably, then direct them to complete their Vocabulary Notebook entries or finish the Anthology text using separate Annotate a Text sheets for continued practice. If students have not demonstrated the skill of sequencing the plot, then direct them to revise their work.



Assess students’ ability to sequence the plot using the events they added to their graphic organizers. Students do not need to complete the activity as long as they have included a substantial number of correctly chosen and sequenced events.


Remind students to consider only when the conflict or characters change and rely on any Signposts they identified.




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Student Active Participation (SAP) – Figurative Language Review 35% (11–16 min.)

Student Application Activity: Figurative Language ReviewIn this activity, students review the four types of figurative language covered in the unit. First, they define each type from examples, and then they identify them in provided sentences. Finally, they look through their annotated text and identify examples of figurative language. T


TEACHING PURPOSE

This activity reviews types of figurative language for students who are struggling. Note that you can only assess the figurative language skill at Beginning skill level in this activity, as students are simply defining and identifying the different types of figurative language, not writing their own examples. Students generate their own figurative language in the “Use Figurative Language to Describe the Story” activity on SRB page 76.

T Timing: If students complete the activity with extra time, check their work and assess their understanding of figurative language. If students have demonstrated the skill to a Proficient level, then direct them to complete their Vocabulary Notebook entries.



Use the responses in which students identify figurative language types to assess their understanding of each type. Identifying and defining the types of figurative language shows Beginning skill level performance.

Are students generally choosing the incorrect type of figurative language?

Ask students to explain their rationale by talking through their responses with their own Think-Aloud. If they seem to lack understanding of the types of figurative language, review SRB pages 58–59.


Model looking for like or as in the example sentences.


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Have students read the sentence and identify the type of figurative language used.


Elicit students’ rationales for their chosen types of figurative language.

Student Application Activity: Have students define each type of figurative language using the examples listed.

Have students identify examples from their annotated text and record them.


Date: Skill Practice: I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.

Figurative Language ReviewFigurative Language Example What It Is

simile The high jumper flew through the air like an eagle.

metaphor The classroom was a zoo.

personification Lightning danced across the sky.

idiom It’s raining cats and dogs.

For each sentence, identify what kind of figurative language was used. (circle one)

1. The dark tree branches reached overhead like wooden claws as she hurried home that evening.


2. “He could not believe the hunger, had never felt it this way . . . the hunger demanded food, screamed for food.”


3. After working out and practicing his sprinting, he is as fast as a cheetah.


4. Her head was spinning from all the new information.


5. The sun played hide-and-seek with the clouds.


Now find two examples of figurative language from your assigned text:

1. Sentence from the text with figurative language:

Type of Figurative Language:


2. Sentence from the text with figurative language:

Type of Figurative Language:


A comparison between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”A comparison between two unlike things that does not use the words “like” or “as”Describing something that is not human as acting or feeling like a human wouldA cultural expression that is not literal, or has a different meaning from what the words say



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Formatively assess figurative language skill (through Proficient skill level).

Student Application Activity: Have students find examples of conflict in the story, and then write their own creative sentence about the conflict using figurative language.


Date: Skill Practice: I can use specific evidence from the text to make a claim about it AND I can understand figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms.

Use Figurative Language to Describe the StoryDescribe the story using your own figurative language. Read part of your assigned text and find a place where you learn about the conflict or the characters. Write the sentence or sentences from that part of the text and then describe the conflict or the characters using your own figurative language. You may draw the event illustrating your figurative language if you wish.

Example:

Sentence:

“Jimmy carefully brought his plate to the garbage, taking soft, slow steps. If any of the scraps of food began to move, he stopped and let them settle.”

Paragraph:

6

Describe using figurative language:

Jimmy handled the plate of after-dinner scraps like it was a tray of precious diamonds.Type of figurative language you used: simile

Sentence: Paragraph:


Type of figurative language you used:








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Student Active Participation (SAP)– Use Figurative Language to Describe the Story 35% (11–16 min.)

Student Application Activity: Use Figurative Language to Describe the Story

In this activity, students have the opportunity to use their own figurative language to describe the characters or conflict in their assigned text. Explain the directions for the activity: students will read their assigned text and identify examples of conflict or characterization. Then they will write the sentences they found and describe what’s happening using their own figurative language.

If needed, walk students through the process of identifying an example of conflict or characterization, writing the sentences and the paragraph number in the chart, and then deciding which type of figurative language to use. If students struggle, they can first consider what they want to compare the conflict to, and then think through writing the sentence, noting the words that ensure the sentence qualifies as the type of figurative language they chose.


TEACHING PURPOSE

This activity allows students to demonstrate two different skills: using evidence from the text and understanding figurative language. Use your Formative Assessment Tracking to help decide if you should assess one or both skills based on what students need to improve.



Use students’ choice of figurative language and their descriptive sentences to assess their understanding of each type of figurative language. Identifying and defining the types of figurative language shows Beginning level performance.

Are students not writing sentences with their chosen type of figurative language?

Review the definitions and types of figurative language on SRB page 58.

Are students struggling to think of a descriptive sentence?

Have students think of an adjective they would want to use and then brainstorm people, animals, or things that could be described that way.




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Have students wrap up their assigned Skill Differentiation Activities and move to the Reflection sheet on SRB page 77. Then use a whole-group confidence check to assess general comfort and confidence with the material:




Finally, instruct students to complete their reflection for today’s lesson, answering each element of the Reflection sheet with a few words. Complete sentences are acceptable, time permitting, but this is a quick reflection activity, so a few written words for each entry is also acceptable. E


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Have students stop work and turn to the Reflection sheet on SRB page 77.





Date:


Today my objectives

were:

I learned how to:




I still wonder:



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